IKEA PS 2017 - A Day In The Life of An Ikea Visual Merchandiser

Want to see what happens in the work life of an IKEA Visual Merchandiser whilst having a peak at the new range?
Then look no further- the vibrant IKEA PS 2017 range has landed at our Southampton store and you are all invited to take a look with a first row view of the behind the scenes VM action!

As you may have noticed, I have been a little M.I.A. in blog-land of late, this has mostly been due to a whirlwind of life happenings such as hunting for a flat, moving house, Christmas and New Year, but to name a few.

However, my favourite reason is that in late December I started in my role as a Visual Merchandiser at Ikea Southampton. So far, the journey has been incredible so I thought I would take you on a little tour of one of my favourite projects to date- launching the Ikea PS 2017 range.

Each year Ikea launches a 'PS' range. This is a new range of products which has a specific statement; it is bold, impacting and an encompassing and this year there are no exceptions!

Ikea PS 2017 brings you bold colour, versatility, raw materials and the freedom to mix, match and express your personal style. With the range of products taking a fierce U-turn away from the conventional norms, this range will attract, inspire and appeal to those who aren't afraid to take a step out of the box.

So here goes... Welcome to Day One!



First things first, before we can get to the good stuff we have to build on the foundation blocks of the new design. This means repainting the entire back wall, stripping the current lighting and so on.
Starting with a blank canvas, to create the paint effect required for the top half of the wall it was essential to paint it entirely grey, then to wash on a white emulsion.

Meet Lucy- another member of the VM team :) 

Once this was dry we could use sandpaper to create the grainey, concrete effect on the top half of the wall.

F.Y.I - No we do not have magical fairy painters that come in and do the work for us! Everything you see in an Ikea store has been designed and created by its Interior Design and Visual Merchandising team including the paint work, some furniture building and styling. For those who think we sit in an office drinking coffee all day and then fluff up some cushions- think again! Although, there is some coffee drinking involved!

 

The afternoon always comes around too quickly, the afternoon on day one was all about this babin' shade of blue. The lead in the Ikea PS project Alex, chose this beautifully vibrant shade for the bottom of the wall. This compliments the range perfectly. Once the paint was on, it was up to yours truly to dry brush and blend the paint into the top half, exposing grains of the white surface merging with the blue.






Day Two in the Ikea PS 2017 Launch Area...

The pallets have been sourced, the stock has been delivered and the caffeine is in hand!



If you enjoy quiet mornings but are thinking about applying for a VM position at Ikea, you may want to think about getting some ear plugs! Day two commences with a bang, literally. With hammers at the ready and drills in hand, it was time to build the pallet platforms.

Here's an action shot of Lucy and Alex in full build mode!

After ensuring the pallets were safely secured, it was time to attach the chipboard. Now, I do love a bit of chipboard. The use of chipboard perfectly complimented the Ikea PS 2017 range, it is super on trend right now and is a current favourite material of mine. It is so easy to work with, has a gawjy urban edgy effect and is really quite cheap. So if you are ever feeling creative, this comes highly recommended from yours truly!




Day Three & Still Going Strong

As we enter day three, the foundations of the design have been implemented and we are now ready to begin styling and merchandising the launch area, not before Lucy and Myself attempt to give our best vogue pose in the Throw With Zipper. 



Obviously my runway talents are wasted here, but you've gotta go with your hearts guys (soz Anna Wintour). What I would like to say, however, is that these throws literally hug you. A throw that hugs you, what is better? The fabric on the inside is something dreams are made of and these would be perfect for a lazy Sunday, bicycle commuting, festivals, or any general cozy requirements.

After the runway edit, we actually did some work. An awful lot to be exact, working on the details of the merchandising and styling of the products.











Day Four: The Grand Reveal

So as day three came to a close, the Ikea PS 2017 launch area was almost ready to go. However, as perfectionists, no stone is left unturned. Day Four brought the final touches that added the spark to the design. This came in the form of a slightly re-arranged layout and the implementation of a projector.

The projector screens the Ikea PS 2017 launch video, which introduces the product range and includes a short film based on the life of a young woman living in New York of whom decided to quit her PHD and move toward something which gave her freedom and the empowerment to really create the life she wished to lead. This theme forms the basis of the PS 2017 range. Check it out below...



So here it is, IKEA PS 2017 has landed...

If you want to know more about, or shop the range click on the links below. I hope you have enjoyed reading this post as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Until next time,



PS 2017 (pun intended) - all opinions and words are that of my own and are not influenced or affiliated with Ikea.  Ps Ps - The images have been taken on my phone, so the quality isn't as great as I'd like, but whose judging :)