It was once just a quirky home accessory, sold for a few dollars in the IKEA catalog. Today, it’s turning heads on auction sites — and not for its functionality. One specific vase from IKEA’s 1990s collection is now being resold for up to ten times its original price, and collectors are scrambling to get their hands on it.
At the center of this unlikely design frenzy? A brightly colored, oddly shaped vase that many people bought without thinking twice — and some even threw away years ago.
From budget décor to cult design object
IKEA has always been associated with affordability and minimalist Swedish style. But not every item stays “budget” forever. Some of the brand’s older collections, especially from the 1980s and 1990s, are now being re-evaluated as design pieces in their own right.
The vase in question — known online as the IKEA PS 1995 Vase — was part of a limited design series created by up-and-coming Scandinavian designers at the time. It featured bold colors, unusual curves, and a playful, postmodern aesthetic.
Originally priced at around $10, the same vase is now selling for $100 or more on resale platforms like eBay, Etsy, and dedicated vintage design markets.
“I bought it in 1996 to brighten up my dorm room. I had no idea it would be worth anything one day,”
says Lara J., a Berlin-based stylist who recently resold hers for €120.
Why it’s worth so much now
Unlike mass-produced glassware today, this particular vase was made during a short production run. It also came at a time when IKEA was experimenting with bold shapes and limited-edition collaborations.
Several factors are driving up its value:
- Nostalgia for 90s design and pop culture
- A resurgence of postmodern aesthetics in interior design
- Rising interest in “affordable” design collectibles
- TikTok and Instagram trends that spotlight retro IKEA finds
- Minimal original supply — and even fewer still in good condition
Design influencers on social media have helped fuel the craze. Interior design accounts regularly feature vintage IKEA items styled in ultra-modern homes, prompting new generations to hunt them down.
IKEA as an unexpected collector’s brand
What’s fascinating is that IKEA, a brand built on accessibility and disposability, is now becoming part of the vintage design market — once reserved for names like Vitra, Kartell or Alessi.
Certain IKEA pieces from the 90s and early 2000s — especially those from the PS Collection, which focused on bold design at low prices — are now being archived in design museums and private collections.
For many collectors, the appeal is in the contradiction. These are objects that were meant to be temporary, and yet they’ve outlived trends — and gained value in the process.
Should you check your attic?
If you lived through the 90s or early 2000s and shopped at IKEA, there’s a chance you own (or owned) one of these valuable items without realizing it. It’s not just vases either — certain chairs, lamps, rugs and even shelves from discontinued IKEA lines are now sought after.
Before tossing out that old “cheap” decor item, it might be worth doing a quick online search. What once seemed disposable may now be considered an iconic piece of affordable design history.
