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It’s been years in the making, but the wait is finally over! IKEA’s massive new Oxford Street store opens its doors tomorrow (Thursday May 1), just in time for any May bank holiday DIY projects you’ve got planned this weekend.
Housed inside the Grade II-listed former Topshop flagship at 214 Oxford Street, the 5,800-square-metre IKEA store is the biggest new arrival on London’s most famous shopping street in years, and opens after a major renovations to the historic building, just shy of a decade after the project was first mooted.
Planning a trip to the Swedish flatpack mecca? Here’s everything you need to know about IKEA Oxford Street, from the features and services offered across the store to some sneak previews of how it looks.
Full list of shop features at IKEA Oxford Street
IKEA’s new city centre opening will offer both the ‘traditional IKEA experience’ that shoppers know and love (meatballs and throw cushions) alongside some brand-new areas and services. These include:
The IKEA Showroom
Getting into an unreasonably heated argument with your significant other while browsing your way through a series of pretend kitchens is a core IKEA experience, with ‘roomsets’ inspired by local living situations central to every IKEA store around the world. At IKEA Oxford Street, the experience has been taken one step further, with spaces and roomsets co-created with real people based on their own homes in the capital. Londoners can get inspired by real life solutions to some of the challenges of urban living, including working from home and running a small business, inspiration for properties with period features, ideas for basement rooms with little natural light, and concepts for relaxing balcony spaces.
Curated Shops
In a similar vein, the ground floor of IKEA Oxford Street features three ‘Curated Shops’, where visitors to the store can browse shopping edits created by real Londoners. Multiple times a year, new Londoners will be invited to curate their own product selection, reflecting and celebrating the character and diversity of this city’s residents.
Swedish Deli
Everyone knows that the best part of a trip to IKEA is the opportunity to sample some of its gourmet Swedish cuisine. Shoppers visiting IKEA Oxford Street will be able to recharge after the inevitable shelving unit-themed bicker at the store’s 130-seater Swedish Deli, serving up all the classic IKEA dishes, from those iconic 85p hot dogs to Swedish meatballs with mash, peas, cream sauce and lingonberry jam for just £4.95. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will all be available to take away from the budget-friendly all-day dining spot; catch us stopping by to satisfying our meatball craving on a weekly basis.
Design Services
Customers planning home renovation projects will be able to make use of IKEA’s personalised design support from knowledgeable home furnishing experts, including for interior design, kitchen, and bedroom storage planning.
Live Studio
A new addition to the IKEA experience, the Oxford Street branch boasts a 25m2 studio space with broadcasting capabilities. The space will be used to host a range of live events and interactive experiences catering to the needs and interests of Londoners.
Re-Shop and Re-Use Section
Sustainability was a key issue throughout the restoration of IKEA Oxford Street’s Grade II-listed building, and the store continues its commitment towards supporting sustainably living with this new service, where customers can shop second-life, second-hand and discontinued IKEA products.
Delivery Services
Already fretting about how you’ll get that entire flat-pack PAX wardrobe down the escalators at Oxford Circus? No problem! As with all IKEA stores, customers will be able to arrange home delivery for larger items in the 10,000-strong product range, with 3,500 items available to take home immediately, from smaller bits of furniture to plant pots, cutlery sets, duvet covers and recycling bins. After all, have you really been to IKEA if you don’t end up leaving with an overflowing FRAKTA bag full of ‘kitchen bits’ after popping in for a harmless little browse?
What does IKEA Oxford Street look like inside?
Check out these exclusive preview snaps from inside the multi-storey shop.
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