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  • Essay / The similarities and differences between Muji and IKEA

    IntroductionWith the continuous advancement of social civilization and the pursuit of high-quality life, different styles of furniture are mixed, creating different shapes and values ​​while giving people more diverse choices. Modern society operates too fast. People lead a simple and casual lifestyle and want to use furniture as a simple and casual living concept. Therefore, Nordic and Japanese minimalist furniture represented by IKEA and MUJI are popular in both Eastern and Western markets. Although they all try to create a "simple" theme, this shows two different artistic designs. This article will compare two different minimalist styles and then explain the similarities and differences between the two to resolve the confusion of people in the East and West when choosing furniture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayDesign conceptIKEA is a representative brand of Nordic design and was born in Sweden in 1943. The founders follow the design philosophy of functionalization , life and affordability. , and democratization. MUJI originates from Japan and the design concept comes from Japanese style. “The Birth of MUJI” was founded in 1980 by the original researcher, Naoki Naoto, and Koike Aiko. (Julian Holloway and Sheila Hones, 2007, p.557) Its design philosophy is "from scratch", in minimalist form, natural and simple design service and life. “Kristoffersson contextualizes the concept of Scandinavian design in a historical and contemporary way. “(Sjögren H, 2015). IKEA's design is based on Scandinavian style, more lively and colorful than MUJI. At the same time, MUJI design style is derived from Japanese "Zen", which is simpler than IKEA and reduces brand awareness. Minimalism in Nordic and Japanese styles. Minimal art originated in the mid-20th century and is a movement of reduction. Minimalism is a design style, but also a life attitude, which requires that the character of the product is expressed in a limited design element, as well as in the simplicity of form and richness of connotation. The contemporary minimalist style, in addition to the German Bauhaus advocated “less is more” and “functionalism” (William Smock, 2009), Nordic and Japanese is also unique. Likewise, the Nordic representative of IKEA and the MUJI of Japan have in common their minimalist style. IKEA product design has a shape tracking function () that reduces unnecessary interference with personal factors in the design. However, Japanese style minimalism is more about people's use, its design is simple but functional. Material differenceMUJI and IKEA prefer to use natural products. Most of MUJI uses natural materials such as cotton, linen, wood and rattan. Thus, MUJI emphasizes ecological awareness, “recycling and reuse”, “based on a clear vision of what are desirable lifestyles for the future” (Julian Holloway and Sheila Hones, 2007, p .559). Because MUJI pays attention to simple, environmentally friendly and simple design concepts, it only uses minimal processing of natural materials and conforms to Zen thoughts. On the contrary, 71% of IKEA products are made from recyclable materials, which uses materials like glass and stainless steel. For example, the IKEA table will combine the wooden top with the legs of the steel structure, but the MUJI table is mainly made of wood. Color difference IKEA furniture is brightly colored and uses a variety of neutral colors for transition..