British Bonsai

Not many people know this, but IKEA does business. This summer, we turned our iconic flat pack boxes into real stores for small businesses. See how we helped Ian turn his online Bonsai business into a pop-up store in Southampton. 

Ian founded his online bonsai tree business, British Bonsai, in 2003. The family-run business operates out of West Sussex and focuses on the art of cultivating and nurturing miniature trees.

We wanted to help Ian make a big impact with the tiniest of trees in his first physical store. We helped Ian plan, design, assemble and install his first-ever store in Southampton. 

From the very start, our team worked hand in hand with Ian to bring his bonsai store vision to life. Together, we thoughtfully planned and designed the ideal space for showcasing his collection. Our experts managed every detail, from delivery to assembly and setup, ensuring a smooth and effortless process from beginning to end.

“The focus for Ian’s space was to create an immersive Japanese-inspired experience when you walked into the room. We wanted to utilise natural materials such as the PINNARP worktop and suggested wooden flooring, and chose the black BOAXEL shelves for their flexibility, meaning plants and pots of all shapes and sizes could be displayed.

It was important to Ian that he had a counter area where he could work on his bonsai plants. The LERHYTTAN kitchen units were perfect for this.”

The relationship with IKEA and Ian was strong from the start. He said, “Following an initial meeting with the IKEA B2B team, the design which they came up with was really unique and almost spot on, with the use of colours and textures in the materials which complimented my British Bonsai company image. The IKEA B2B team listened to my further ideas and with just a little more tweaking, the final design was perfect.”

From design to installation, the IKEA team stayed close to the true core of Ian’s brand. “The pop-up shop went down really well with visitors and certainly helped to publicise my business. It was great working with such a friendly team who listened to my ideas and understood my needs.”