SINGAPORE – Ikea may turn disruptor and eat your contractor’s lunch soon. 

The world’s largest home furnishing retailer is making fast inroads into home design, with plans to roll out a full suite of renovation services in Singapore by the second half of 2026.

Known for affordable prices and Scandinavian modern design, the Swedish giant soft-launched its end-to-end Home Design Service here in September 2025 after debuting in global markets. 

This platform takes home owners from free design to space planning to final installation, with the brand competing on cost transparency rather than rigid packages, warranties of up to 25 years and fast completion times. 

Currently, heavy renovation like hacking, painting and wiring are excluded. However, Steve Croasdale, country selling manager at Ikea Singapore, announced a major shift during a private media preview on May 6.

From the second half of 2026, Ikea will expand the service offering to include the full suite of renovation works, he said.

He teased this future foray into renovation even as he introduced the Home Design Service during the media visit to a four-room MacPherson Weave flat fully designed and furnished by Ikea for $40,000.

Space-constrained Build-To-Order (BTO) flats like the 90 sq m unit, home to a budget-conscious family of five, are a primary target especially as public housing projects complete ahead of schedule post-pandemic.

The venture lands at a time of local economic and space pressures. Insights from Ikea’s latest Life at Home Report show that 33 per cent of Singaporeans prioritise a home’s affordability.