IKEA upsetting designers all over the world

IKEA has upset and enraged designers and fans all over the world with their new catalogue. Forums and Twitter is heating up with intense debate – and the reason for all this commotion? IKEA has switched fonts for it’s annual publication.

We all have a love/hate relationship with IKEA – or at least the furniture they produce. We might not like to admit it, but even the most design concious of us have at least one piece of furniture at home produced by the multinational giant – at least here in Scandinavia.

Futura left in the past

Taste and IKEA have been the fuel for many debates all over the world and this time it’s no difference. Well that is not the whole truth: While the debate used to be around the design and sturdiness of the "Billy" bookshelves or "Klippan" sofa, the rave now is about the font choice of the new IKEA catalogue.

Every fall this publication gets mentioned in the press like a event, and everybody has an opinion about it, but this year it was a bit different. IKEA has for as long I can remember used a customised version of Futura for it’s calaogue and advertising. This sturdy, century old sans serif is both friendly and powerful, and was once tried banned by Hitler. The new font is the totally free, Microsoft designed Verdana.

From screen to print

Verdana was never supposed to be used for print, but was a specialised screen font designed for legibility in small sizes on small screens. It’s openness and distinct capital I lends it an almost mono spaced quality that doesn’t necessary translate well to print. Another problem is the Scandinavian letter "å/Å" with it’s way too big ring looks like an aftertought, added really fast.

IKEA has always been well regarded by designers where even the cheapest furniture has been well designed and thought out. This fact only makes the font desicion worse.

IKEA, get real!