IKEA’s Tempe store in Sydney. The Swedish company has been in Australia since 1975. Picture: Gaye Gerard
Australia’s top-selling Ikea items have been revealed – and they’re not what you’d think.
The Swedish retail giant famed for its flatpack furniture has become something of a cultural phenomenon since opening in Australia in 1975, but historic sales data has exposed a hidden truth about how its items have entered everyday people’s homes.
In a shock twist, the top selling items over successive years aren’t the stylish couches or dining tables prominently displayed across Aussie homes, but instead storage units.
Outselling everything else are various chests of drawers, a wardrobe system and bookshelves that have become unofficial fixtures in Aussie homes, according to exclusive Ikea sales data.
These are the shelving units Aussies rely on to tame their piles of clothes, toys and random junk.
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This is it: the ALEX chest of drawers is IKEA’s bestseller in Australia.
The KALLAX shelving unit is another top seller.
So its this bookshelf known as BILLY.
Industry insiders say the trend paints a stark picture of modern living: rising home prices and rents, along with shrinking floorplans and bedrooms with no wardrobes, has turned the country into a nation desperate for space to put things.
Three of the top 10 most popular items of all-time in Australia were chest of drawers and two were shelving units.
The top selling item in Australia historically is the Alex drawer unit, a humble chest of drawers. The Alex was also the most popular furniture item of the past year, according to the Ikea historic sales data. The drawers currently cost about $130, depending on the model.
Hot on its heels is the Pax wardrobe, an item popular because many homes don’t have enough storage built in.
Another consistently popular item is the Malm chest of drawers, along with the Kallax cub shelf and the Billy bookshelf.
The Valevag mattress is the best selling furniture item with no storage.
Frakta, the popular blue and yellow bags, are one of the top selling non-furniture items. Picture: Ikea.
Rounding out the top 10 bestsellers of all time in Australia was the Hemnes day-bed frame, which includes three drawers underneath.
The most popular non-storage furniture item was a mattress, known as Valevag.
Aleksandr Moshkalev, Ikea Australia’s country selling manager, said increasing densification in cities like Sydney and Melbourne were influencing people’s furniture choices.
“With many people living in smaller homes and apartments, every square metre counts, so Australians increasingly need smart, space‑saving solutions,” he said.
The priority was on efficient use of space, Mr Moshkalev added.
The Malm chest of drawers was also in the top 10 bestsellers of all-time in Australia.
“The biggest gains in popularity really highlight how Aussie homes are changing,” he said.
“Storage is a key frustration and people are looking for smart solutions to make the most of their space and streamline everyday routines.
“At the same time, with the cost of living putting pressure on budgets, households are turning to more high-quality and affordable options.”
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