Home furnishing retailer IKEA, part of Al-Futtaim group of companies, has launched its 64th annual catalogue in the UAE, which will be delivered door to door across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

The catalogue, themed ‘Where the everyday begins and ends’, will be launched simultaneously across the globe in over 46 countries and 345 stores. This will be the 25th edition of the catalogue for the UAE with over one million copies printed.

John Kersten, managing director, IKEA- UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman said: “We believe that the everyday is the most important day of the week. The new edition of the IKEA Catalogue focuses on these everyday moments. We hope to create affordable home furnishing solutions that inspires a more beautiful and easier life at home. Because if everyone can make the everyday begin and end in a nicer way, just imagine the effect on life!”

New products for 2015 have been designed with multi-functionality, storage and personal styles at their core, an IKEA statement said.

Each year the catalogue focuses on ‘NEW’ additions to the existing range with innovative products boasting practicality, design and affordability. This year’s cover stretches from front to back of the catalogue, from sunrise to sunset, supporting the theme of the year – ‘Where the everyday begins and ends’ – highlighting focus on the bedroom and bathroom.

The catalogue incorporates many unexpected ideas for creating a style and space that is creative and personal where the individual can feel completely comfortable and be themselves. Just within the bedroom and bathroom areas itself, over one-third of the available products are new to the market, according t o the statement.

Available in 32 languages across the world, the IKEA Catalogue for the UAE will be available in English and Arabic. This edition lists over 2000 products across 324 pages.

The catalogue is also designed with special icons to help navigate readers through the information shared.

The ‘NEW’ icon, for example, highlights products that are additions to the existing IKEA range. Similarly, the ‘+’ sign on certain pages invites customers to scan that specific page of the Catalogue using the free IKEA Catalogue app to access extended content available online. Extended content includes image galleries, 3D visuals, seamless interaction and full screen films, among many other exciting features.

This year more than 60 spreads in the catalogue have extended content. For example, there are 24 films with quick do-it-yourself-tips or in depth information about particular home furnishing solutions, the statement said.

However, the highlight of the IKEA Catalogue app is probably the augmented reality feature. This amazing function brings the catalogue to life allowing users to scan the catalogue then choose from around 300 products to create furniture settings in their immediate surroundings.

The catalogue also makes special mention of IKEA’s various social initiatives, highlighting in particular, the importance of energy saving, sustainability and children’s education. This year, IKEA aims to introduce an increased range of environment friendly consumables such as batteries, bulbs and recyclable bags. The catalogue also focuses on Scandinavian superfood – Salmon, in addition to the popular Swedish meatballs.

The new Catalogue can also be viewed on the IKEA web app, which is made available for free on Apple and Android app market. – TradeArabia News Service