The STABIL series included a dining table, chair, armchair, bench and mirror, and was launched in the IKEA catalogue in 1973. This was rustic furniture in the pine that was such an important part of the IKEA identity, and it suited the rural furnishing ideal of the 1970s.
STABIL was designed by Karin Mobring, one of the most influential designers at IKEA over the years. She was a brilliant, versatile designer who could deal with anything from traditional pine furniture to modern pieces made from steel tubing. Karin grew up on a farm in northern Sweden, and was firmly anchored in the rural vernacular style.
When Karin designed STABIL she insisted that the dining table should be untreated so it could be scrubbed with liquid castile soap like in the old days. The 1973 catalogue describes it as follows: “It’s called STABIL. A solid untreated pine table that’s 180 cm long and a full 100 cm wide. A lovely, steady table with a 3 cm top of solid pine which should ideally be left as it is. But if you like, polish it with fine sandpaper or scrub it with castile soap. … If the top gets a stain, simply sand it off! … People have been asking for a table like this for years. And now it’s here. And just look at that price!”
When Ingvar Kamprad later needed a desk at home, he chose the STABIL dining table.
