From armchairs to cocktail cabinets, what did home furnishing look like in the mid-sixties?

1965

The year was 1965. Cosmonauts took the first ever spacewalk and The Beatles performed the world’s first stadium concert. Meanwhile, IKEA opened the biggest furniture store in Northern Europe at Kungens Kurva, just outside of Stockholm. The flagship store measured 45,800 square metres! But what went on inside the store and the IKEA catalogue 60 years ago? Let’s take a look!

Black and white photo of the IKEA flagship store at Kungens Kurva, taken in the 1960s

Front cover of the 1965 IKEA catalogue showing a black sofa anc chairs, and blue carpet.

Party people

The 1960s were swinging and IKEA had plenty to offer for home entertainment and entertaining. In many living rooms, record players, TVs and sometimes even a well-stocked bar were either proudly displayed on shelves or hidden away behind the doors of cupboards, drinks cabinets and media units.

Now, music lives in the cloud and TVs hang from the walls, but large-scale storage combinations like these are just as popular in today's home.

An orange a day

It seems like no roomset in the 1965 IKEA catalogue was complete without the addition of fresh fruit – in fact, fruity props appear more than 50 times! Oranges and apples in particular make frequent appearances on table tops, shelves and even nightstands; but you'll also spot the occasional bunch of grapes, bananas or a freshly sliced pineapple if you keep your eyes peeled.

Shag pile in style

Fuzzy rugs in deep shag pile were loved for their soft, snuggly feeling underfoot. According to the 1965 IKEA catalogue, the warm tone-on-tone colours were "particularly suitable for our upholstery fabrics," and the patterns were "reserved for IKEA's discerning customers". While the rugs may have been pleasing to the eye and feet, they may not have been quite as enjoyable for those tasked with vacuuming them.

Green spaces

Just a quick flick through the pages of the catalogue, and it's clear that green-on-green was all the rage in the mid-sixties. Rugs and carpets matched to walls, upholstery and fabrics in layered leafy tones gave the term “green room” a whole new meaning.

Fancy flourishes

Out with the old and in with the... even older! In addition to minimal, modern Scandinavian design, the IKEA catalogue also featured antique-inspired furniture with button back upholstery and decorative flourishes.

Antique styles remain popular to this day. With sustainability and economy a priority for many, flea markets, second-hand websites and even our 'As-Is' section in IKEA stores have become go-to places for those seeking retro finds and antique-inspired treasures.

A place in the sun

The 1960s saw IKEA make its foray into outdoor furniture – inspired by sunny climates in bold, bright colours and natural materials like bamboo and rattan that remain a hit six decades later. While perfect for "the patio or garden with many nice features", several of the collections were also designed to be great choices for indoor lounging.

IKEA Museum</a> for all the great imagery from the <a href=https://www.ikea.com/"https://ikeamuseum.com/en/explore/ikea-catalogue/1965-ikea-catalogue//">1965 IKEA catalogue</a>. If you're looking for something a little more 2025, head on over to your local online IKEA store, where you'll find new products and plenty of inspiration for today's home.</p>"],"maxWidth":[0,null],"blockAlign":[0,"left"],"verticalAlign":[0,"start"],"displayTitle":[0,"Looking for something a little more now?Thanks to our friends at the IKEA Museum for all the great "],"uuid":[0,"ffb10fce-6194-4e61-9206-985932b45057"]}],"visual":[0,null],"button":[0,{"id":[0,1001],"text":[0,"Shop new products at"],"layoutAlignment":[0,"center"],"regionPlacement":[0,"right"],"gaEvent":[0,"1965end"],"link":[0,null],"invertedColors":[0,false],"autofillRegionsAsDestinations":[0,null],"destinations":[1,[[0,{"id":[0,89295],"url":[0,"https://www.ikea.com/au/en/cat/collections-collections/"],"name":[0,"Australia - (AU/EN)"],"displayText":[0,""]}],[0,{"id":[0,89298],"url":[0,"https://www.ikea.com/at/de/cat/collections-collections/"],"name":[0,"Austria - (AT/DE)"],"displayText":[0,""]}],[0,{"id":[0,89296],"url":[0,"https://www.ikea.com/at/en/cat/collections-collections/"],"name":[0,"Austria - 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Looking for something a little more now?

Thanks to our friends at the IKEA Museum for all the great imagery from the 1965 IKEA catalogue. If you're looking for something a little more 2025, head on over to your local online IKEA store, where you'll find new products and plenty of inspiration for today's home.