A few weeks ago, I went on a special trip to Sweden with the Ikea US team for a press trip and tour of the Ikea Headquarters. I saw all of the new collaborations they are working on, meet with designers (many who have been there for over 15 years!), visit the studio where the Ikea catalog is shot, and visit the Ikea Museum! The museum had such an amazing collection of items from the very beginning of Ikea history in Älmhult, Sweden in 1943. Here's a peek at some of my favorite things from the Ikea Museum…

Of course, the textiles were my favorite part. Decades of patterns and fabrics lined the first floor…I could have just stayed in that room all day long!

There was an entire timeline of Ikea's evolution—from the beginning to today. It was fun to see how style has changed but also come full circle. Some of the spotlights were fun to see where they highlighted some of their iconic pieces—like the Poang chair…and of course, the Swedish meatball!

If you grew up with Ikea like I did or even if you just love the store, it's a really fun place to go and get a look at the history, nostalgia, and legend of this iconic brand!

{Photos by Joy Cho}