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There’s just something about Billy.
“When people think Ikea, they think Billy,” says Tamara Robbins Griffith, national public relations specialist for Ikea Canada, of the iconic shelving unit that turns 30 this year.
He’s versatile, practical and affordable. He can grow with you – who didn’t have a Billy bookcase in their first apartment? As Robbins Griffith says, “Everyone can use a Billy.”
Designed by Swedish-born Gillis Lundgren in 1979, Billy was named after an Ikea advertising manager, who, despite the company’s vast selection of bookcases at the time, saw a need for something more simplistic.
Lundgren says his first thoughts of Billy were sketched on a napkin. Since then, 41 million Billy bookcases have been built. If you laid them all out in a line, they would extend more than 70,000 km. That’s a distance equivalent to circling the equator twice!
Today Billy is available in colours like fire-engine red and royal blue, along with a variety of wood tones and, of course, basic black and stark white. He varies in sizes and widths, and due to continuous product development, more efficient production methods and an increase in volumes, Billy is actually more affordable today then he was 30 years ago. In fact, in today’s dollars, Billy’s price has been reduced by more than 30%.
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These days, Billy is about more than just books. It’s not uncommon to find him in just about every room in the house. He’s showing up in bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms and even kitchens. He makes a great display case, storage unit, toy space or clothing rack.
What is it about Billy that makes him so versatile?
“It’s stylish because it’s sleek and has simple lines,” explains Robbins Griffith. “You really can incorporate it into any room.”
Billy is also adaptable. Make him taller, fit him in a corner, add clear or etched glass or solid doors matching any finish. The newest add-on is a framed glass door that can be customized with wallpaper, fabric or even photos – making him an instant decorative feature.
Billy’s family has also expanded through the years. In 1996, the Benno line came along in the form of a coordinating DVD tower and TV unit. Two years ago, the Bergsbo unit debuted as a chunkier, larger-scaled version of Billy with glass doors.
And this year, in honour of Billy’s birthday, Ikea has released a series of limited-edition bookcases – Billy Jäder, a graffiti-inspired pattern which features love sonnets from William Shakespeare, and Billy Bjästa, inspired by Japanese manga (comics) – as well as colourful italic “B” bookends.
Ikea has also launched an online planner that allows you to create your own Billy display for any room in your house (find it under the Planning Tools on ikea.ca. Once complete, simply print off your design and bring it into your local store, and their staff will help you select all the pieces you need to recreate your design – and enjoy it for years to come.
“The fact that it’s been around for 30 years is a testament to the design,” says Robbins Griffith. “It’s beautiful in its simplicity and a true icon. People love it. He’s not going anywhere.”
So to Billy we say “skål” (cheers) on 30 years.