5 IKEA picks this week: a chair that becomes a bed, a desk that hides in plain sight

Week of May 10–17, 2026 · Markets: US, UK, Japan, Nordic

The IKEA PS 2026 collection hit store shelves globally on May 14 — the tenth edition of this design-forward series since 1995 1. On top of that drop, a handful of standalone arrivals landed across IKEA Japan and UK this week. From the pool of new stock, five products earned a spot here because they each solve a specific problem for small-apartment living: a sleeping solution that doesn't eat your floor plan, two WFH focus tools, a kitchen organizer worth the counter space, and a footstool that quietly holds 80 liters. Each pick is tagged with the scenario it serves best.

Pick 1 · Small-apartment — IKEA PS 2026 Skiftebo Chair-bed

IKEA PS 2026 Skiftebo chair-bed in light grey-beige, chair form with blue button accents

Image from: IKEA Sweden — IKEA PS 2026 Chair-bed, Skiftebo light grey-beige

Spec	Detail
Dimensions (chair)	80 cm W × 65 cm D × 75 cm H
Bed length	203 cm
Seat fill	Pocket springs + polyurethane foam
Cover	100% recycled polyester, removable, machine-wash 40°C
Frame	Steel, epoxy/polyester powder coated
Assembly	No tools needed to convert; single package
Price	$399 (US) · £250 (UK) · SEK 2,995 (SE) · €299 (FI)

Designed by Matilda Lindstam Nilsson, the Skiftebo solves the guest-bed problem without a dedicated guest room. By day it sits at 80 cm wide — roughly the footprint of a single armchair — and at night it unfolds to a full 203 cm single-bed length 2. The pocket-spring seat unit means the sitting experience isn't sacrificed for the sleeping function.

Skiftebo chair-bed unfolded into single-bed configuration with bedding

Two colors available: light grey-beige and bright orange. The cover unzips for washing, which matters for a piece that doubles as a bed. It was in Nordic stores from May 14 3; US online sales open May 28 and UK online from June 1 2.

Assembly difficulty: Low. The chair-to-bed conversion requires no tools — IKEA's product description describes it as unfolding. The cover attaches and detaches without any hardware.

Pick 2 · WFH — LÄNGDHOPP Pull-out desk

IKEA LÄNGDHOPP white pull-out desk with extension leaf pulled out

Image from: IKEA US — LÄNGDHOPP pull-out desk, white

Spec	Detail
Width	35⅜ in (89.8 cm)
Depth (retracted)	15⅜ in (39 cm)
Depth (extended)	28 in (71 cm)
Height range	29½–34¼ in (75–87 cm), adjustable
Fixed top load	110 lb (50 kg)
Extension leaf load	44 lb (20 kg)
Drawer interior	31⅞ in W × 13 in D
Legs	Steel with castors (front)
Price	$99.99 (US) · £79 (UK, limited edition)

Designed by Lukas Bazle, the LÄNGDHOPP (article 305.870.80) is a desk that disappears when you need the wall space back 4. Retracted, the depth is a slim 15⅜ inches — narrow enough to tuck against a hallway wall. Pull the extension out and you have a proper 28-inch working depth, plus a built-in drawer. The height adjusts between 29½ and 34¼ inches, which lets it work both sitting and standing for shorter sessions.

The core material is honeycomb recycled paper sandwiched in acrylic-painted panels, so the surface is lighter than it looks.

Assembly difficulty: Medium-high. One US buyer left a two-star review noting the desk required significant effort to screw the lower leaf to the tracks: "I still have a blister on my middle finger from how hard it was to screw the bottom desk to the tracks." 4 The assembly PDF is available (AA-2595050-2-100). Rated 3.8/5 across 4 US reviews as of this writing — a small sample, worth checking again as more reviews come in.

Pick 3 · One-person kitchen — NÅLBLECKA Utensil Rack

NÅLBLECKA bamboo and steel utensil rack with six detachable hooks, product shot on white background

Image from: IKEA Japan — NÅLBLECKA utensil rack, metal/bamboo

Spec	Detail
Dimensions	38 cm W × 13 cm D × 37 cm H
Materials	Bamboo tray (clear acrylic lacquer) + steel frame (powder coated)
Hooks	6 detachable, repositionable
Series pairing	Stackable NÅLBLECKA countertop organiser (sold separately)
Price	¥1,999 (Japan) · £5 for companion countertop organiser (UK)
Assembly	Required; hex key and PDF AA-2601176-1-2

Designed by Lukas Bazle (article 306.185.76), the NÅLBLECKA utensil rack is built for the solo-cook counter problem: too many spatulas, not enough drawer space 5. The six hooks are individually removable and repositionable, so you can cluster all six on one side or spread them evenly — useful if your utensils vary wildly in handle thickness. The bamboo tray at the base holds spice jars and bottles that would otherwise crowd the hooks.

The rack pairs with the NÅLBLECKA countertop organiser (23 × 13 × 15 cm), a stackable bamboo-and-steel shelf available in the UK 6 and Nordic markets 7 at SEK 69 / £5. The full utensil rack with hooks is currently confirmed only on IKEA Japan; check local availability before ordering.

Assembly difficulty: Low. A hex key is included. No customer reviews yet on the Japan product page; the companion countertop organiser has QC reports of screw-hole misalignment on some units — worth checking the threads before assuming everything lines up.

Pick 4 · WFH — ÖVNING Desk Divider

ÖVNING dark grey polyester felt three-panel desk divider with storage pockets

Image from: IKEA Japan — ÖVNING desk divider with pockets

Spec	Detail
Dimensions (unfolded)	121 cm L × 39 cm H
Dimensions (folded)	~42 cm × 39 cm
Material	100% polyester felt (sound-absorbing) + polypropylene insert
Panels	3 (use 2 or 3)
Built-in storage	Pockets + elastic straps for stationery, phone, photos
Assembly	None — no tools, no hardware
Price	¥1,499 (Japan)
Care	Hand-wash ≤40°C

Designed by Jonas Hultqvist (article 805.520.16), the ÖVNING was created for children's desks — but Japanese adult reviewers spotted a second use case and ran with it 8. One office worker described setting it up at their workplace desk before passing it to their child:

"I used it at my office desk before giving it to my child. You can still see the person sitting across from you, so it doesn't feel rude. It cuts down on visual distractions and made the day run more smoothly. It's labeled for kids, but adults benefit too."

The sound-absorbing felt does reduce desk-level noise slightly. At 121 cm unfolded and 39 cm tall, it blocks line-of-sight to a room or screen behind you without creating a full visual wall — which, in an open-plan shared apartment or a room shared with a partner, is the practical middle ground between "full distraction" and "door-closed isolation." Folds flat to 42 cm for storage or a bag commute.

Assembly difficulty: None. Unfold and place.

Note: Currently confirmed available at IKEA Japan. Check your local IKEA site for availability — the product may also be listed in other markets under the same article number 805.520.16.

Pick 5 · Small-apartment — IKEA PS 2026 Footstool with storage

IKEA PS 2026 round hand-woven rattan footstool, two-tone brown/red weave, opens for storage

Image from: IKEA Sweden — IKEA PS 2026 Footstool with storage, rattan brown-red

Spec	Detail
Dimensions	63 cm diameter × 40 cm H
Internal storage	80 liters
Material	Hand-woven rattan (clear acrylic lacquer) + steel frame (powder coated)
Weight capacity	110 kg (tested)
Assembly	None — arrives fully assembled
Package	1 package, 6.46 kg
Price	SEK 995 (Sweden)

At 63 cm across and 40 cm tall, this is a footstool that also eliminates a storage problem. The lid lifts to reveal 80 liters — enough for blankets, extra bedding, or that pile of cables you haven't sorted yet 9. Because it arrives fully assembled, there's no tool overhead.

The rattan is hand-woven, which means no two units are identical — a small but real point of difference from injection-molded plastic alternatives. The steel base supports 110 kg of sitting load, so it genuinely works as extra seating for guests. The PS 2026 collection launched in Nordic stores May 14 1; online availability in Sweden started May 21.

Currently confirmed for Nordic markets (Sweden, Norway, Finland). Check your regional IKEA site for availability elsewhere.

Assembly difficulty: None.

Where to find these

All five products are available now in their respective markets, with a few timing notes:

US: Skiftebo chair-bed in-store from May 14; online from May 28. LÄNGDHOPP desk available online now.
UK: Skiftebo in-store now; online from June 1. LÄNGDHOPP desk available online now; NÅLBLECKA countertop organiser available online now.
Japan: NÅLBLECKA utensil rack and ÖVNING desk divider available now. Note that IKEA PS 2026 items launch in Japanese stores on May 28.
Nordic (Sweden / Norway / Finland): Skiftebo and PS 2026 footstool were in stores from May 14; online from May 21. NÅLBLECKA countertop organiser available now in Sweden (SEK 69) and Finland.

For the ÖVNING desk divider and NÅLBLECKA full utensil rack, check article numbers 805.520.16 and 306.185.76 respectively on your local IKEA site — availability outside Japan is unconfirmed as of this week.