Home gym equipment made for small spaces usually shares a common element: The pieces are meant to be compact and easily stored out of sight. It’s great that there are so many options out there to enable this type of multifunctionality in the home. But leave it to Ikea to upend the small space home gym concept with their new and first-ever workout line, with multi-tasking and aesthetically appealing pieces that aren’t necessarily meant to be hidden away.
Ikea revealed the 19-piece DAJLIEN collection, which is a Swedish slang term for “daily,” at Art Basel in Miami Friday, and it will be available on the website in January. The line contains exercise furniture and accessories made from light bamboo wood and soft-in-your-hand powder-coated metals. The palette of greens, yellows, and a dash of lavender is bright and inviting without being in your face. Weights and other unexpected pieces come in circles, not rectangles. The result of the rounded edges and friendly colors is that you can choose to store the pieces away or incorporate them into your home design.
“It looks beautiful and we want these items to blend well in the homes,” says Sarah Fager, one of the Ikea DAJLIEN line designers. “In homes you usually find plants and you usually find wood and then green goes very well with wood. And then there’s also the other aesthetics of the round shapes, the oval shapes like the activity mats are oval. So that’s also something that kind of keeps the whole collection together.”
Functional items are meant to play double duty in the home, like the sturdy storage bench on which you can do your bent over rows or step ups, that also looks good enough to serve as a coffee table or extra place for seating. The large oval mat can be a living room centerpiece that also serves as a space for HIIT or dancing or bodyweight exercises.
“We didn’t really see any logical reason that [the exercise mat] should be this shape [a rectangle],” Fager says. “Why not make it bigger, more generous?” It also rolls up easily so if you don’t want it to multitask, it can go away in a powder coated storage cubby on wheels.
Besides the weights, mat, storage cubby, and bench, other highlights include a valet stand (for towels and straps, or maybe even your coats), an air purifier, knee pads, cushions, and more. There are 19 total pieces in the collection, ranging from $3.99 – $135. A personal favorite? The slippers and ponchos, which Fager says are perfect to take along with you to an oceanic cold plunge, if you’re trying to do as the Swedish do.
With Ikea’s entry into the home fitness space, the days of yoga mats haphazardly tucked in corners and all industrial black and silver metal everything are behind us. As movement plays such a large role in our lives, why shouldn’t it be a part of our homes we’re proud of?
Shop our must-haves from the Ikea Dajlien line
Dajlien Bench with Storage — $135.00
By day, it’s a bamboo storage bench for blankets, fitness equipment, shoes, and other essentials. By gym time, it’s an exercise bench that can be used for tricep dips, raised planks, and more. Each bench comes with a soft removable pad that makes a plush seat come recovery time.
Dimensions: 39 3/8″ x11 3/4″ x14 5/8″
Dajlien Valet Stand — $60.00
Hang sweaty towels, sports bras, and more from this convenient valet stand. Each stand sports a bamboo bar and metal ring for convenient draping. Bonus: anti-slip protrusions keep things in place long after your workout has ended. Available in white and light green.
Dimesions: 54 3/4 “
Dajlien 4-Piece Exercise Set — $35.00
How cute is this equipment kit?! Complete with a set of mint green knee cushions, a dark green massage ball, and a pink yoga strap, it’s got everything you need to stretch and soothe sore muscles in the comfort of your living room. If you do want to hit the *actual* gym, though, you can pack them within the included bag.
Dajlien Exercise Mat – Light Green — $50.00
This spacious floor mat has enough room for you and a friend. Made from a spongey, 3-millimeter natural rubber, it’s durable and shock-absorbing, ideal for high-intensity and relaxed workouts alike. Best of all, it’s easy to clean; a simple swipe with a damp rag gets the job done.
Dimensions: 3′ 7″ x 6′ 11″
Dajlien Step Stool — $45.00
Sturdy and stylish, this step-up stool can be used well beyond the home gym. When you’re not using it for balance or strength training, use it as an everyday stool or even a laptop stand. Its featherlight design makes it super easy to move around strain-free.
Dimensions: 7 1/2″ x 25 1/4″
