It’s no secret that Bang & Olufsen wants consumer electronics to be part of your decor. It does not want you to hide its TVs and speakers. It wants to be an art piece too. Meanwhile, Swedish flat-pack furniture giant IKEA also shares this idea. It already did with the SYMFONISK line, and now, I think it just went all in with the whole Bang & Olufsen retro-modern, mid-century kind of vibe with the new IKEA SOLSKYDD.
No, we are not talking about the plain Jane, clean white version designed by Ola Wihlborg. We are talking specifically about the SOLSKYDD touched by Tekla Evelina Severin, also known as Teklan, the Swedish colourist, designer, and photographer famous for bold colors and geometric compositions. You know where this is going now. The result is a collection of SOLSKYDD Bluetooth speakers that you want on the wall of your home, alongside your treasured collection of artworks.
The SOLSKYDD speakers come in three sizes, roughly 8 inches, 11 inches, and 18 inches in diameter, which translates to about 20.3 cm, 27.9 cm, and 45.7 cm. They are designed to be mounted on the wall or leaned casually against it, instantly blurring the line between speaker and sculpture. Each size carries the same idea: vibrant color blocking, graphic patterns, and a presence that politely refuses to be hidden behind a plant.
Functionally, these are Bluetooth speakers meant for everyday listening rather than audiophile flexing. Think background music, dinner playlists, and the kind of sound that fills a room without demanding your full attention. In other words, speakers that live with you rather than dominate you. The circular form factor helps disperse sound evenly, and the simple controls keep the focus where IKEA clearly wants it, on how the thing looks in your space.
In addition, both the 18-inch and 11-inch models boast 3 EQ settings for custom sound. Meanwhile, Spotify Tap function comes standard for all three models, and so does Bluetooth connectivity. However, the 18-inch and 11-inch further boast AUX 3.5 mm input, as well as optical. But honestly, you probably won’t use those, especially for a speaker destined for the wall of art.
Under the hood, the 8-inch model packs a 65 mm full-range speaker driver delivering up to 9W of audio output. Though it lacks a stereo mode. It is outfitted with a rechargeable battery good for 25 hours of playback in between charges. Both the 11- and 18-inch model has a tweeter+woofer setup of unknown size, with the former maxing out at 20W and the latter packing 40W. Stereo mode comes standard for the 11-inch and 18-inch models. All three speakers support multi-speaker mode.
If this aesthetic feels familiar, that is not accidental. SOLSKYDD sits comfortably alongside other Teklan-touched IKEA products like the glowing FADO lamp (US$29.99) and the playful KULGLASS lighting pieces (US$149.99). Together, they form a quietly confident design language that says your home can be fun, colorful, and functional without trying too hard. Hmmm, why does it feel like IKEA wants us to buy more speakers than we actually need?
The IKEA SOLSKYDD Bluetooth speakers are priced at US$49.99 for the 8-inch model, US$69.99 for the 11-inch version, and US$99.99 for the 18-inch statement piece.
Images: IKEA.