What Happens When AI Redesigns IKEA?

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AI Snack Pack
July 30, 2025

Welcome to the AI Snack Pack

đŸ€– Today's AI Buffet:

đŸ› ïž Swipe of the Day

đŸ˜± Micro-Lesson

đŸŽ© Trend to Watch

Swipe of the Day

đŸ› ïž Step 1: The Concept

What if IKEA products weren’t just functional


but imaginative creatures in disguise?

I wanted to see what AI could dream up if you gave it IKEA’s flatpack logic — and told it to go wild.
Could a lamp become a flamingo?
A chair turn into a deer?
Could design play again?

🧠 Step 2: The Prompt (ChatGPT)

I asked ChatGPT to turn that thought into surreal but believable IKEA-inspired image prompts.

Here’s a sample prompt I used:

“Create a photorealistic image of a floor lamp redesigned to look like a flamingo. The body is made of modular IKEA lamp parts, with feather-like panels and a warm bulb as the ‘beak.’ Pink background, editorial lighting, playful but premium.”

Each object had to walk the line between absurd and functional,
art piece and product — with IKEA tags still hanging.

Micro-Lesson

Single‑Frame Symbolism 

Goal: Pack an entire story beat or emotional arc into one image by leveraging symbolic objects, colour coding, and strategic composition.

Why Symbolism?

  • Instant depth – A rose on cracked concrete whispers love‑amid‑ruin without extra panels.

  • Iconic recall – Strong symbols stick in viewers’ memory.

  • Production speed – One compelling frame > lengthy series when time is scarce.

Symbol Cheat‑Sheet

Symbol

Common Meaning

Prompt Keywords

Wilted rose

Lost love, fading beauty

“dried crimson rose petal”

Broken chain

Freedom, escape

“rusty snapped chain link”

Open doorway with light

Hope, opportunity

“glowing doorway silhouette”

Hourglass

Passing time, urgency

“sand nearly empty hourglass”

Raven

Omen, mystery

“black raven perched”

3‑Step Prompt Recipe

  1. Name the Symbol & State Emotional Context
    “broken chain symbolising liberation”

  2. Describe Scene & Surroundings
    “sunlit prison cell floor”

  3. Lock Style / Mood
    “cinematic chiaroscuro, dramatic back‑light”

“Close‑up of a rusty broken chain on a sunlit prison cell floor, dust particles visible, symbolising hard‑won freedom, cinematic chiaroscuro lighting, high contrast”

Micro‑Exercise

  1. Select a symbol from the cheat‑sheet (or your own).

  2. Draft a prompt using the 3‑step recipe.

  3. Generate 2 versions: vary lighting to shift mood.

  4. Ask: Does the symbol’s meaning read instantly? If not, adjust context descriptors.

Troubleshooting

Problem

Fix

Symbol feels lost in clutter

Use “minimalist composition, single focal object”

Meaning unclear

Add a clarifying adjective: “wilted,” “fractured,” “eternal”

Lighting dull

Boost drama: “strong rim‑light,” “spotlight on symbol.”

Trend to Watch

Start & End Frame Control in MidJourney Videos

MidJourney just rolled out a killer update:
You can now define both the starting and ending frame of a generated video.

Why this matters for advertisers:

  • Seamless loops: Perfect for eye-catching ads on Instagram Reels, TikTok, or DOOH screens.

  • Story control: Start with a blank slate, end with your product — or vice versa.

  • Before/After reveals: Think transformations, glows-ups, or punchy call-to-action frames.

  • Visual metaphors: Build ads where one idea morphs into another (e.g. couch → nap → productivity).

  • Brand landing moments: Lock the end frame on your logo, pack shot, or tagline — no fade-out guesswork.

This was already possible in Kling AI.
Now it’s coming to MidJourney — and that unlocks more stylized storytelling for brands.

AI Tools - NewHero

AI Tools - Trickle AI

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