IKEA enthusiasts will no longer have to drive to the GTA when they want to design their new kitchen or closet.
The popular Swedish furniture and design company is set to open a new customer meeting point in Barrie next month, which will feature a dedicated studio space that offers personalized design services and individual planning with IKEA design experts.
Located in Georgian Mall, the IKEA Design Studio will offer one-on-one consultation services for kitchen design, bedroom projects, small space living solutions, to name just a few.
The small-format location is scheduled to open March 10 and will be open for 12 to 18 months. It will offer customers a space to design and order complex home furnishing systems for the kitchen, bath, bedroom and living room by scheduling one-on-one planning sessions with an trained IKEA design expert or via a self-service planning station in a dedicated studio space.
“Our ambition is to become more accessible to Ontario residents by bringing IKEA closer to them and offering new, convenient services that meet the evolving demands of our lives at home,” Toronto-area manager Niclas Karlsson-Järnkrok said in a release.
“Inspired by the positive response we’ve had from customers at design studio locations in other communities like Oshawa and St. Catharines, we’re excited to introduce this home furnishing service to Simcoe County."
Company officials said they want to make it easier for more customers to experience its products and services. They say the IKEA Design Studio will be an affordable and accessible destination for Simcoe County residents looking for custom design support for any room in their home.
“We know that for many Barrie residents, there is significant travel time to shop at our current IKEA locations in the Greater Toronto Area," spokesperson Farida Talaat said in an email. "The new IKEA Barrie Design Studio will be located within the Georgian Mall shopping centre, Barrie’s largest shopping centre that is currently undergoing significant growth.
“This desirable location is a destination area for residents and tourists alike. We believe that by opening a design studio in this location, we will be able to meet many more Simcoe County residents and support them with their custom design needs," Talaat added
The new location will serve as a unique customer meeting point for the Canadian market and is the company’s next step toward making IKEA more accessible to customers across southwestern Ontario, she said.
The new store will boast approximately 1,200 square feet and be located beside Rogers Wireless and close to the food court.
“We’re looking forward to bringing the IKEA (experience) closer to our customers in Barrie,” she added.
To make an appointment at the new IKEA Design Studio in Barrie, click here.
Purchases made at the design studio can be delivered directly to a customer's home or retrieved at local IKEA pick-up locations.
