IKEA UAE, operated by Al-Futtaim, is bringing the holiday season to life with festive collections, playful family ranges and practical kitchen solutions designed to help customers host, play and create meaningful moments at home. Through a transformed IKEA Café experience at Festival Plaza, Jebel Ali, and hands-on workshops, IKEA is celebrating hosting imaginative play and the full journey from cooking to eating.

IKEA’s intent is “Here to be part of your story”, being present where life happens with products, services and inspiration for everyday needs. This vision will be brought to life year-round, connecting with people during meaningful occasions such as Ramadan, National Day and Mother’s Day through collaborations, immersive in-store experiences and community events. IKEA empowers customers to plan, host, play, and live more sustainably, creating homes that reflect their unique lives, values, and aspirations.

For the festive season, IKEA’s VINTERFINT, STRÅLA and VINTERSAGA ranges turn homes into the season’s greatest gift. From warm lighting and decorations to tableware and textiles, customers can dress their homes in styles that feel timeless, understated or boldly joyful. This year’s value is further strengthened with Price Lowered across select festive décor, family ranges and kitchen essentials – making seasonal upgrades even more accessible to the many.

The season also highlights playful design through content from IKEA’s collaboration with Swedish designer Gustaf Westman, bringing character and warmth to everyday spaces while keeping them practical and functional.

Complementing these in-store experiences, the Globally Local campaign is live across the region, launched in Oman and set to unfold in the UAE, showcasing how IKEA design becomes a canvas for local stories through artist-led reimaginings.

Carla Klumpenaar, GM Marketing, Communications and Interior Design, IKEA UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman, commented: “Home is where everyday life unfolds: from gatherings and celebrations to playful moments and daily routines. This season’s festive ranges and family collections are designed to support those moments, setting a welcoming tone and making cooking and hosting easier with well‑planned kitchen solutions. As a brand for the many, IKEA’s democratic design brings quality, function, style and sustainability together at prices within reach. Diverse as they are, these collections share a common purpose, and that is empowering customers to shape homes that reflect their lives, values and aspirations.”

Families can explore the savannah at home with SANDLÖPARE, a new play-led collection cocreated with Nordens Ark, the Swedish wildlife conservatory. Designed to inspire learning and care for endangered animals through play and storytelling, SANDLÖPARE sits alongside customer favourites DJUNGELSKOG (wildlife-inspired soft toys and textiles) and JÄTTELIK (dinosaur soft toys) and includes engaging educational content such as a facts book and donation materials, so families can turn inspiration into action.

IKEA also welcomes Lunar New Year with FÖSSTA, a joyful collection of festive red lanterns, timeless tableware and playful textiles that make gathering effortless, whether for intimate dinners or full family celebrations. The range blends tradition with modern ease, helping customers prepare, host and enjoy seamlessly.

At the heart of the holiday season is the kitchen – where cooking, eating and connection come together. IKEA’s approach caters to the entire cycle, making the dream kitchen feel achievable for every home, regardless of space or budget. The METOD kitchen system with MAXIMERA drawers provides modular, soft-close storage and durable function, while KNOXHULT is a ready-to-assemble, pre-configured kitchen series that simplifies setup for first homes and compact spaces.

James McGowan, GM Commercial Areas for IKEA in the UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman, said: “Cooking and eating anchor everyday life. The aim is to make that journey smoother, through efficient storage, time-saving layouts and performant tools, so the dream kitchen feels possible in any space and budget. Guided by democratic design, the range balances quality, function and price, while clearer services – including Online Service Booking and defined warranties, give customers confidence from planning to installation.”

Affordability sits at the heart of the season, bringing better living within reach for more homes without compromising design or quality. Through the Price Lowered initiative, IKEA is introducing targeted reductions across the cooking and eating journey while staying true to democratic design: quality, function and style at a low price. And to simplify planning, Online Service Booking for kitchen projects is now live in the UAE, with Qatar, Oman and Egypt to follow. Customers can upload measurements and photos, schedule appointments and track progress online, reducing bottlenecks and accelerating the path from first click to installation.

Liwan Real Estate Development, one of Riyadh’s leading mixed-use property developers, concluded its participation at Cityscape Global 2025 as a Platinum Sponsor, after announcing two strategic partnerships that signal the next phase of its evolution as a developer of human-centric, mixed-use developments supporting the capital’s urban transformation.

During the four-day event at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre (Malham), Liwan signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Unified Asset Property Management (UAPM) and STAY, two industry leaders whose expertise will underpin the delivery of Livein Liwan into a flagship mixed-use community. Upon completion, Livein Liwan will encompass 616 units – 470 of which are residential – bringing together residential, commercial, office, and leisure space in a holistic development that blends Salmani design with modern convenience in the heart of Riyadh.

Liwan’s collaboration with Unified, one of the Kingdom’s major retail facilities managers with over 5 million sqm under management, will enhance Livein Liwan’s ample, walkable spaces with curated lifestyle amenities that add leisure and convenience to daily life for residents and visitors alike.

The company’s partnership with STAY on Livein Liwan represents a major step toward establishing high-standard, long-term leasing models for serviced apartments in Building B3. STAY brings proven operational expertise and strong tenant-market performance, in addition to round-the-clock maintenance services, smart-home technologies, and other leading solutions that ensure the highest levels of operational excellence.

“In addition to serving as a platform to demonstrate our bold vision for human-centered, multiuse community living in the Saudi capital, there is no better venue than Cityscape Global 2025 to announce the strategic partnerships helping us see our vision through to fruition,” said Abdulrahman bin Saud Aldhyem, CEO of Liwan Real Estate Development. “Thanks to partnerships like these, Liwan is en route to delivering one of Riyadh’s most exciting developments.”

Further underpinning meaningful progress on Livein Liwan, it was also announced that the development has reached 50% overall completion, with 100% of structural works built, finishing works underway, and 4 million safe working hours logged. The project remains on track for its Q4 2026 completion, when it will welcome residents to a fully integrated community, offering residential, retail, and hospitality.

As seen at Cityscape Global 2025, Liwan is rapidly advancing to the next phase of project execution by turning the next generation of mixed-use urban communities from concepts into living ecosystems.

Reflecting Vision 2030’s goals, Liwan continues to champion a model of urban development that blends innovation, design excellence, and community value creation. With more than 3,000 residential units currently under development and a target of 10,000 units by 2030, Liwan is helping drive Riyadh’s transformation into one of the region’s most livable cities, in-line with the social and economic goals of Vision 2030.

Through its participation at Cityscape Global 2025 and beyond, Liwan continues to engage with investors, partners, and industry leaders to explore new opportunities and share ideas that will shape the future of real estate in Riyadh and Saudi Arabia. One of these was the announcement of the launch of its Liwan Najd development, a 2,500-unit mixed-use project in Granada District, which has now reached the design concept stage.

IKEA, operated by Al-Futtaim, has officially opened its newest store at JIMI Mall in Al Ain, marking a key milestone in the brand’s ongoing expansion across the UAE. The new location offers customers a memorable shopping experience, reinforcing IKEA’s commitment to providing functional, affordable and modern home furnishing solutions to customers across the Emirates.

The opening was inaugurated by Vinod Jayan, Managing Director of IKEA UAE, Qatar, Oman and Egypt, who commented on the milestone, saying: “Our move to JIMI Mall in Al Ain is a significant step in our mission to make quality and sustainable home furnishings more accessible to people throughout the UAE. Dedicated to enhancing the shopping experience, we’re excited to better serve our customers and continue providing affordable solutions that enhance everyday life.”

A new go-to hub for everyday inspiration and convenience

The new store, the fourth of its kind in the UAE following successful smaller-format launches in Fujairah, Al Wahda Mall and Dalma Mall in Abu Dhabi, offers a more compact and customer-focused shopping experience, spanning 8,200 square meters. The store features tailored offerings to meet the tastes and preferences of Al Ain’s residents, including room settings inspired by the local lifestyle and culture.

The thoughtfully designed layout features both the IKEA market hall and showroom area, offering a curated selection of 3,500 products for immediate purchase, alongside a visually engaging environment with over 4,300 items on display – all designed to reflect real-life living spaces and everyday needs. The store also features over 600 lowered price items and more than 200 pieces of furniture available for immediate take-away.

Sustainable home furnishings tailored to local tastes

Many of the items on display feature sustainable materials, reflecting IKEA’s commitment to eco-conscious living. The store has fulfilled the requirements of the LEED green building rating system and received Gold certification from the US Green Building Council, recognising its sustainable interior design and construction, including reduced energy consumption, water savings and improved air quality. It is powered entirely by renewable energy from EWEC.

Jayan added: “Sustainability remains at the heart of everything we do, and this store reflects our commitment to minimising our environmental footprint while delivering exceptional value. With a spacious layout, an expanded product range and a focus on eco-friendly solutions, we aim to offer great value, leading the way in creating a more responsible and affordable home furnishing industry that benefits every household in the UAE.”

The new IKEA Al Ain store empowers customers to make small, more sustainable everyday changes: create less waste, use less water and energy, reduce single-use items, and love their products for longer.

The IKEA dining experience

Customers in Al Ain can also look forward to visiting the IKEA Restaurant, Bistro and Swedish Food Market, offering a menu that combines Swedish dishes, international flavours and sustainable options including plant-based meals, ASC-certified salmon and UTZ-certified coffee. The Restaurant and Bistro together provide seating for over a hundred guests, with the Bistro featuring a convenient self-serve kiosk. Both the Bistro and Swedish Food Market have dedicated check-out counters to ensure a seamless dining experience.

Commitment to inclusion, equality and affordability

IKEA prides itself on creating a diverse and inclusive workspace, maintaining a near-equal gender ratio among its employees. The store exemplifies IKEA’s democratic design principles, ensuring that well-designed, functional and sustainable products are accessible to everyone.

Comprehensive services for a seamless experience

The new store offers a range of services designed to enhance the IKEA experience, such as Interior Design Services, Assembly, Delivery, Kitchen Services, Installation Services, Measuring Services, Gift Cards, as well as dedicated parking for the Click and Collect service.

IKEA strives to enhance the retail experience at its new location to become an integral part of the Al Ain community, welcoming residents with inspiration, value and practical solutions to enhance their homes and everyday living.