KUNGSTIGERMini decoration, red tiger9 cm

“IKEA wants to contribute to a better everyday life and luckily an exuberant celebration of the new year is important in China”, smiles Willy Chong, who designed the collection together with Jennifer Idrizi and Zhelin Lian.

With KUNGSTIGER, the three designers got the possibility to do a deep dive into rich Chinese history. Jennifer says that they drew inspiration from old paintings, tales and traditions, but that each product has a clear IKEA identity. “They are designed with our customers’ needs in mind and matched with our knowledge of how it’s possible to make everyday life at home better”, she says. “Just like other festive celebrations around the world, the Chinese New Year is about spending time with family and friends, good food and a fresh start. KUNGSTIGER has something for every part of the celebration and many of the products also can be used all year round.”

Since the tiger and the peony flower are important in Chinese folklore, it was a given to include them in the KUNGSTIGER collection. According to traditional beliefs, the tiger guards the home against fire, thieves and evil spirits. “But our version of the tiger isn’t that frightening – instead it’s cute and has a very kind look”, says Jennifer. The peony represents many good things – happiness, prosperity and love. “The flower returns in different parts of the collection. It’s such a positive symbol that reflects what Chinese New Year is all about: a wish for happiness and well-being for both strangers and people close to you.”