Ikea is launching a meatball plate – and its the perfect blend of form and function

People go to Ikea for two reasons: its functional, affordable home goods and its Swedish meatballs. This week, the flatpack furniture juggernaut has united both with a special new plate devoted to – you guessed it – meatballs.

The porcelain serving plate offers a sneak peek into Ikea’s upcoming collaboration with Swedish designer Gustaf Westman, whose playful designs (he's also designed a hot dog tray) have attracted a swarm of loyal fans.

‘I love designing objects for a specific function,' says Westman. 'The design is simple, lining up the meatballs so each one is visible, like they’re sitting on little thrones. And while it was created with meatballs in mind, it works just as well for many other dishes.'

Since their launch in 1985, meatballs have become an integral part of the Ikea experience. In fact, according to the company, it sells some 1 billion of the round morsels annually. Traditional Swedish meatballs, or köttbullar, are a Scandinavian staple, often served alongside mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.

While Westman's plate is an ode to the meatball, it can, of course, accommodate spherical snacks of your choice, from olives to grapes to sweets.

The best part of the product lies in the humorous instruction manual, making sure meatballs are consumed correctly and in the step-by-step Ikea way.

The plate is the first piece to be revealed from Westman's upcoming capsule, which will also include tableware and home objects – a cinnamon bun-inspired chair, perhaps?

Gustaf Wetsman x Ikea collection is available 9 September ikea.com