Story
SMÅSKRAKE may be both a table and a chair in one piece of furniture. But, when the children get to decide themselves, it can be almost anything. Perhaps a school desk, a shop, or a shuttle heading out to space.
“IKEA has throughout the years made many furniture in small sizes that children have loved, says designer Sarah Fager, who developed SMÅSKRAKE together with her colleague Henrik Preutz. They drew inspiration from several iconic children’s furniture that previously were in the range.
“But we have constructed SMÅSKRAKE according to modern safety requirements, and it is the first piece of furniture we have made that is recommended for children under three years of age. This means that also the toddlers can join the play.”
Three pieces of furniture in one
The first sketches that Sarah and Henrik sent to each other eventually turned into prototypes that they continued to develop.
“We flipped them over and looked at them from different angles, just like children do,” says Henrik.
“That’s how we discovered a flexible solution where the same piece of furniture can serve as both a table and a chair in two different heights. If you combine several pieces, you get lots of opportunities.”
SMÅSKRAKE is stable and safe, but lightweight and smooth enough to encourage independent play. “When we let children test it, they were just as unpredictable as you would expect”, laughs Sarah. “But, to be able to lift and move a piece of furniture on your own is both developing and important for a child.”
Made for many years of play
SMÅSKRAKE is made of durable steel and light coloured bamboo.
“Bamboo retains its shape, is long-lasting and feels nice and warm to sit on,” explains Henrik.
With the different heights, the combined chair and table is adapted to small bodies that grow at record speed, tells Sarah.
“However, when SMÅSKRAKE eventually becomes too low and too small to sit in, it can be inherited by a sibling or a friend. And maybe it transforms into a car, a play hut or something completely different.
