Inflatable furniture had its moment. Then it deflated, slid across linoleum floors, and quietly slunk into the dustbin of design history.

Now IKEA is calling it back. The PS 2026 Easy Chair, designed by Mikael Axelsson for the brand’s upcoming PS 2026 collection, debuted at Milan Design Week 2026 and reframes air as a serious upholstery material.

A polished tubular steel frame cradles plump, fabric-wrapped chambers in a saturated emerald green. Two chrome rings clasp the bolster backrest like a barrel hoop. The silhouette nods to mid-century lounge chairs while winking at the blow-up bravado of the late nineties.

Axelsson studied tractor tires to understand how air shifts under weight. The resulting inflatable furniture feels engineered, not gimmicky, sturdy enough for a boutique hotel lobby, playful enough for a coworking lounge or student commons.

Best part? It ships flat. A foot pump and roughly five songs are all it takes to bring the chair to life. For a closer look at IKEA’s playful-functional crossover, see our recent piece on dining in single file.

Less material, more presence. Democratic design, still doing its job.

_{Images Courtesy of Ikea}