This is the Lac coffee table.
One of IKEA's most important products.
If you had to design the simplest table possible, you'd come up with this.
It has no fancy angles, no intricate details, no patterns, and yet it's an engineering masterpiece.
Thanks to its simplicity, it hit the market in 1981 at just under €10, blowing the cheapest alternatives out of the water.
Incredibly, even after decades of inflation, IKEA has never increased its price and it still sells for just $9.99.
In order to pull this off, IKEA had to get creative, and that's why this table is made of paper.
This is just one of many engineering breakthroughs that allowed IKEA to cut costs, simplify assembly, and make furniture affordable for everyone.
If you're over a certain age, chances are you've assembled IKEA furniture.
The materials, the fasteners, and the way it all goes together feels familiar.
