IKEA Australia wanted to create a utility that IKEA customers could regularly use to help inspire them in their home. So they created an iPad app called Klippbok (Swedish for “scrapbook”) that gave users access to IKEA products all year round. With easy-to-use design functionality, users were able to mix and match IKEA products and create collages, swatchbooks (material and color sample sets), roomsets (simple room mockups) and more.
Making inspiration feel hands-on, not aspirational
The mechanism is straightforward. You drag IKEA products into a blank canvas, experiment with combinations, and build a visual “plan” you can refine over time. It takes the part people enjoy most in-store, imagining how it could look at home, and makes it repeatable on a device. Because the output is something you can revisit and refine, the interaction is more likely to earn repeat use.
In retail marketing, the strongest “always-on” utilities are the ones that turn browsing into making.
By “always-on utility”, I mean a tool customers can use between campaigns, not a one-off catalogue drop.
Why the scrapbook metaphor is the right UX
Calling it a scrapbook is not just a name. It sets expectations. This is playful, remixable, and personal. That framing lowers the pressure of “designing a room” and replaces it with “trying ideas”, which is a much easier behavior to sustain. This framing choice is the right move when the goal is repeatable inspiration, not a single perfect plan.
Extractable takeaway: If your tool makes “show someone” the natural next step, build sharing into the flow, because that social loop turns a private utility into a brand platform.
Business intent: stay present between store visits
Klippbok’s real job is frequency. Instead of only showing up when a catalogue drops or when someone is already planning a store run, the app gives IKEA a year-round touchpoint that keeps products in consideration while customers are still forming preferences.
The real question is whether your utility gives customers a reason to return when they are not yet in buy mode.
Reported outcomes and craft credits
The app was created by The Monkeys and built by Nomad. In industry reporting around the work, Klippbok is credited with roughly 53,000 downloads across 100+ countries and reaching number two in the Australian iTunes Lifestyle category.
What to steal if you want customers to return regularly
- Turn your range into a creative system. Let people assemble, not just browse.
- Design for quick wins. Fast collages beat perfect room planners for repeat usage.
- Make sharing a native next step. If “show someone” is easy, your users do your distribution.
- Build for year-round relevance. Inspiration tools age better than campaign landing pages.
A few fast answers before you act
What is Klippbok, in plain terms?
Klippbok is an IKEA iPad app that lets people create mood boards, collages, swatchbooks, and roomsets using IKEA products, so they can plan and experiment with home ideas.
Why does an inspiration app matter for a retailer like IKEA?
Because the purchase journey is rarely one session. If you can keep customers playing with ideas between store visits, you stay in the consideration set longer and influence what ends up on the shopping list.
What is the key mechanism that drives engagement?
Drag-and-drop creation. The user is making something of their own, not consuming content, which increases time spent and makes sharing more likely.
What is the biggest mistake with “catalogue as app” launches?
Copying print into a screen. The app has to behave like a tool, not a PDF, or it will not earn repeat use.
How do you measure whether an inspiration app is working?
Return frequency, creation rate, share rate, and the percentage of users who save or revisit projects. If you can connect it, track downstream indicators like store visits or product adds-to-list after app sessions.
