IKEA Retail imagines life at home in 2030

A breathtaking series of AI generated images bring three future-gazing scenarios to life: Home on the Go, Resilient Communities and A Nurtured Home, in a visual collection that will have you rethinking everything from future family get-togethers to interior design decisions. Not only do the images illustrate new ways we may live and work, but also how our communities, and the way in which we use our planet’s resources, could change over time. 

IKEA Retail (Ingka Group) continually works with experts and foresight partners to help anticipate the future as part of their overall research focus on Life at Home. In the 10th edition of the IKEA Life at Home Report, which has just been released, they share some of those foresights as three possible scenarios for the next ten years of life at home.  

These scenarios are brought to life with AI generated imagery in collaboration with Per Eriksson, freelance art director, centering around the lives of three imaginary people: Jin, Angela and Jamie, who are each navigating a different possible future for life at home. Their fascinating stories reveal how home can change amidst external context showing the potential of the remaining a haven in an increasingly volatile world. 

Home on the Go 

This future sees people adopting a highly customisable approach to how they live as they are forced into living in constant movement. This means that the way they furnish and use their homes, is aimed to bring out their best selves. Different versions of their homes enable them to achieve, entertain – and enjoy some alone time when it all feels a bit too much. That’s because we can access all of our homes, at any time, and from anywhere, thanks to new technologies. Life at home in this future scenario features ways of living that focuses on individual progress, privacy, and the pursuit of new experiences. 

Resilient Communities 

This future sees the world’s population fragmented, with separate communities living unconnected lives. People tend to set up home with those they most closely identify with, either on a political level, or through shared parenting styles or cultural tastes. These separate communities only mix when there’s a pressing need. Being self-sufficient is prized, learning is a constant and communities welcome those who bring with them a range of practical skills they can share. Life at home in this future is focused on communal belonging, stability and using resources at hand. People turn away from technology in favour of support from their community. 

A Nurtured Home 

This future has adapted to the impact of our planet’s climate crisis. Bilateral policies have created international and interconnected eco-initiatives and prompted the widespread adoption of smart home systems to support the efficient use of resources. People are forced into more transparent behaviours when it comes to their consumption of resources. Everyone recognises the consequences of, and link between, the way they live, their homes, communities, and the natural environment. Homes in this future are more reactive to external forces and integrate both technology and nature into their design. Life at home in this future is all about individual control. By living more in tune with nature through technology, people are free to explore new experiences. 

Notes to Editors: 

Download the full set of images here.

Download the full report here.

*See Case Study Extracts for each possible future below. You can find the full case studies in the IKEA Life at Home Report 2023 here. 

10 Years of Making the IKEA Life at Home Report: 

The IKEA Life at Home Report gives us the opportunity to dig deeper into life at home around the world, and how we can make it better. Over the last 10 years, it’s become one of the largest and most distinctive research projects of its kind, involving a mix of approaches and partners to explore the needs and dreams of people all over the world. 

Home visits are at the heart of everything we do at IKEA, including the Life at Home Report. Meeting people where they live gives us a greater and more empathetic understanding of the challenges they face at home. In addition to home visits, our research methodology always includes a nationally representative survey across a wide range of countries, and we work with world class research agencies to ensure that our data collection is robust and representative.  

The Life at Home Report began in 2014 exploring the practical aspects of home, and over the years has expanded into the emotional landscape of where we live. One of the most distinct qualities of the Life at Home Report is exploring how people feel about where they live, and not just what they do there. This blend of functional and emotional insights helped to develop a framework which presents eight emotional needs for a better life at home. This year, the research survey was based on these eight emotional needs of home.  

Methodology for the Life at Home Report 2023  

A nationally representative sample of 37,428 people aged 18+ were surveyed across 38 countries. We surveyed over 1,000 people from 36 of the countries and over 500 from two of them. Quantitative surveys were conducted by YouGov using the online CAWI (computer-assisted web interviewing) method. Data was collected from May to June 2023. 

For the foresight research, we collaborated with Human Futures Studios and their foresight strategists and anthropologists to explore possible futures using worldbuilding and scenario creation. The foundation that allowed us to build these stories came from an extensive horizon scan where we analysed the early signals of change in markets across the globe, trends and drivers on a global level and a range of expert interviews. In the Life at Home report, we have highlighted some of the future insights and stories from this research.  

About Ingka Group:

With IKEA retail operations on 31 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents about 90% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on  www.ingka.com.