MAMMUT is a colourful series of children’s furniture that’s still a popular part of the IKEA range. The playful design was created by architect Morten Kjelstrup and fashion designer Allan Østgaard, who were inspired by their own children and the way they played.
Morten and Allan understood that children’s furniture had to be completely different to adult’s furniture. It not only has to have different proportions, it also has to be lighter and more stable. The design should fit in with children’s imagination, rather than their parents’ tastes. The world of comic strips was an important source of inspiration, and the designers’ children were often consultants when MAMMUT was being developed.
MAMMUT was originally made in solid wood, particleboard and had polystyrene legs. This made the furniture quite heavy, which made it difficult for children to handle. After a few years of further development, since 1999 the series has been made entirely out of UV-resistant plastic. This made the furniture lighter, and it could be used both outdoors and in.
MAMMUT was launched across a whole spread in the 1994 IKEA catalogue. That same year it was voted Furniture of the Year by Swedish interior design magazine Sköna Hem (Beautiful Homes).
MAMMUT is a series under constant development. Every year it undergoes meticulous safety tests. And it costs less today than it did when it was launched.
