Sweden

Across Swedish forests and lakes, countless wooden cottages are painted in deep Falu Red. The pigment comes from waste at the Falun copper mine, cheap and wood-preserving. Since the 16th century it has lent humble farmhouses the dignified look of brick.

Swedish Blue evokes the Baltic Sea, the archipelago, and endless summer skies. The yellow cross on a blue field is said to derive from the royal coat of arms, and the color appears in Midsummer wreaths, Dala horses, and IKEA products.

The Dala horse is Sweden's most famous handicraft, painted in bright orange, red, and green with floral saddle patterns. The color comes from 17th-century winter craft in Dalarna, where farmers carved horses for children during long nights.

IKEA Blue and IKEA Yellow form the visual identity of the world's largest furniture retailer. Blue stands for reliability, yellow for optimism and affordability. The blue signage and yellow bags shape the modern furniture-shopping experience.

IKEA's yellow shopping bag is one of the world's most common home-improvement symbols. Big, sturdy, and bright, it signals affordability, utility, and the possibility of transformation. Paired with blue, it makes IKEA stores instantly recognizable.