Although a Nike x IKEA mashup would probably be unlikely to us humans, it’s well within the realm of possibility for artificial intelligence! These unusual, quirky products were created by an AI, thanks to some pretty great prompting from AI-artist ‘Str4ngeThing’. The collaboration features your everyday IKEA home decor, but with a sporty, Nike-inspired twist. You’ve got kitchen equipment, lamps, and planters galore. If there’s one thing worth noticing, the products don’t have a flat-pack-friendly design that’s common to a lot of IKEA’s products, but then again, an AI can only do so much, right?!
Designer: Str4ngeThing (via Midjourney)
Nike X IKEA Casserole Pot
The Nike X IKEA Casserole Pot looks like it’s taken right out of a sports company’s playbook. You’ve got rounded forms reminiscent of a kettlebell, although that beige-ish color makes the casserole pot look much more worthy of being in a kitchen. The AI does a pretty good job of making the casserole pot look like it’s made from enamel-coated iron, although the form feels MUCH more Nike than it does a Le Creuset. You’ll also notice that the AI messed up the handle on the left – a pretty common problem with diffusion-based text-to-image models.
Nike X IKEA Night Light
If there’s one thing I really respect Str4ngeThing for, it’s their ability to get text right within the image. AI tools like Midjourney often do a horrendous job with generating text within images, so seeing an accurate ‘Nike’ and the swoosh icon on the product really impresses me. You’ve got yourself a Gantri-style tabletop lamp here, with a similar warm, beige-ish colorway. A switch on the wire lets you toggle the lamp’s inner LED lighting, which fills your room with a warm, ambient glow. That debossed logo on the lampshade hits pretty hard too, making it a great collectible for any Nike lover!
Nike X IKEA Eco Plant Pot
The Eco Plant Pot is a pretty adorable cross between a Nike poster and a wall-hanging planter. Whether it’s made from concrete or plastic isn’t immediately clear, but it does look pretty cool, although it isn’t really for everyone. A Nike x IKEA collab is far more likely to have a niche audience than a broad one. What’s great about this planter, however, is the fact that it gives the plant a sporty personality, positioning it right above the Nike swoosh!
Nike X IKEA Clock Coffee Mug
You’re running late for work. You quickly grab a cup of hot coffee, and as you sip it, you tilt your hand over to look at the time. As a result, the coffee pours right onto you, and you’re now a burning mess. Nope. Not efficient at all. This quirky coffee mug comes with its own built-in clock that lets you time your breakfast or your coffee break. It isn’t the most ingenious product ever made, but in the interest of exploring something fun, the Nike x IKEA Clock Coffee Mug definitely ticks all the boxes! Although I imagine having a battery anywhere close to your coffee isn’t a particularly good idea.
Nike X IKEA Stoneware Plate
Here’s a perfect example of a product for a niche audience. This stoneware plate isn’t particularly designed for relishing a plate of pasta, but it makes for a great aesthetic addition to your table spread. The paleo-inspired plate comes with what looks like caveman carvings and a Nike swoosh on it. The textures on the plate are pretty strong, which makes it rather difficult to clean… but then again, I wouldn’t want to put any gravy or oil-based item on this plate. It’s more suited for nachos or some lavash bread that you can dip into queso, guac, or hummus.
Nike X IKEA Eco Plant Lamp
The Eco Plant Lamp is arguably my favorite product just for how quirky and attractive it is. Designed to look like an Air Jordan, this ceiling-hung piece of decor holds a plant inside its hollow form… but wait! That’s not all! The outsole of the planter also comes with a lamp built in, which shines light onto a wall or the floor, making for an INCREDIBLY eclectic piece of lighting that I really hope someone builds and sells on Etsy! I’d pay good money for this!
Nike X IKEA Hoover
Call this one Air Max because it sucks air with maximum power! This Nike x IKEA hoover sports a rather sneaker-inspired design, especially with the use of fabric-like materials on the clad, and what feels like a body and outsole-ish structure. I’m not really sure whether IKEA even sells hoovers (or vacuum cleaners if you live outside the US), but this particular concept has a certain appeal that makes me want to believe that IKEA absolutely could if it wanted!
Nike X IKEA Bluetooth Plant Speaker
This concept has my heart too, for its ability to combine two of my favorite things in the world – plants and music! This inventive Bluetooth speaker also houses a planter within it, in the interest of enriching you as well as your green buddy with some wonderful tunes. IKEA usually tends to collaborate with other companies over audio products (Sonos and Teenage Engineering), and this would probably be their third. The product has a pretty Bose-ish appeal to it, barring the fact that there’s a massive Nike swoosh running along the front. The AI didn’t imagine any controls, although Str4ngeThing did add a Bluetooth icon to the top of the speaker. Above it lies the planter, which allows your speaker to function less as an appliance and more as haute home decor!
