IKEA relaunches its iconic 'happiness' armchair from the Sixties – and it’s a bold and bright statement

IKEA’s celebratory collection marking the furniture brand’s 80th anniversary that launched last year just keeps growing. The archival range relaunches some of the retailer’s most iconic designs from the 80 years it’s been around. And the latest blast from the past is the IKEA SOTENÄS armchair, now selling for £199.

IKEA’s anniversary Nytillverkad collection is host to a wide range of re-released products from coat racks to trolleys – but it recently welcomed not one but two archival chairs from the 60s in the space of a month as at the end of January, IKEA’s anti-stress armchair called DYVLINGE came out.

And if you thought the DYVLINGE would de-stress you, then just wait till you set your eyes on this newcomer and sit in it – it's just bound to put a smile on your face and get you in a good mood. Entirely swathed in a bright yellow shade, the design’s low and wide structure makes it the best armchair for comfy lounging for hours on end.

IKEA launches the SOTENÄS armchair

If you’re into your vintage IKEA and don’t recognise the name SOTENÄS, that’s because all the new relaunches are given a new title, despite the fact that the design remains pretty much the same, save for a few tweaks here and there.

In the case of the IKEA SOTENÄS chair, it was called PUCK when first released in 1969, coinciding with Apollo 11’s first landing on the Moon. The only difference between the original, designed by IKEA fourth ever employee Gillis Lundgren, is the colour of the metal tubular underframe of the chair – it is now the same shade of yellow as the seat, while in the '60s it came in contrasting white.

Described as ‘youthful and festive’ when first appearing in IKEA’s 1969 catalogue, this much remains true. And it’s already being well-received, as one comment on IKEA’s Instagram reel announcing the re-launch reads, ‘It looks so good! And the yellow is screaming “happiness in a radiant sunny day”.’

And it’s not just the SOTENÄS chair’s retro yet somehow still contemporary design that’s popular with people. Many of IKEA’s old-school looks are becoming increasingly more popular.

‘We've seen an increase in demand for quirky retro and vintage IKEA pieces on Narchie that don't hang around long. I think people are reaching for nostalgic homeware and furniture items that they grew up with,’ says Harriet Pringle, founder of furniture and homeware resale site and app, Narchie.

But if you know how to decorate with yellow and are into the idea of a retro yellow chair but aren’t so keen on this particular look, there are plenty of other designs out there to choose from – like the 3 below.

But we love the unique shape and bold, daring statement the IKEA SOTENÄS armchair makes. If you can dare to embrace it.