Don’t worry — you won’t need to follow one of those confusing, wordless manuals with that androgynous character accomplishing every step with ease, and there are absolutely no allen keys involved.

IKEA is teaming up with architectural firm Ideabox to bring a new line of prefab homes to the United States.  The home is designed by Ideabox, but furnished and fitted with IKEA’s best products, such as Tundra maple flooring, Pax wardrobes, and Abstrakt cabinets.  It is designed to be environmentally friendly, featuring Energy Star appliances and dual flush toilets. The exterior of the home is comprised of fibre cement siding, corrugated metal, and a standing-seam metal roof.

Named “Aktiv,” the home will be a one-bedroom unit, measuring 745 square feet, and just might be the home of the future.  The home is simple and quick to build, and the estimated cost is just about $80,000. Jim Russel, President of Ideabox, said that one of these homes “brings all the fun and design of Ideabox houses together with all the function, design, and personality of IKEA.”  A model of the home is currently on display at the Portland Home & Garden Show.

We at the Toronto Star’s NewInHomes.com think that this is an interesting idea, and it’s great that IKEA and Ideabox are manufacturing affordable housing.  Besides people constantly asking if you have to build the home yourself, the collaboration between the two companies will probably be fruitful.

Do you think something like this would be successful in Toronto? Or in any part of Canada?

Comment below. (Please, no corny IKEA jokes.  We already made enough.)