Guess how many babies are conceived in Ikea beds

A trip to Ikea is enough to test even the most loving relationship, but it seems a little flat-pack furniture assembly is actually good for the soul — and the sex drive.

The New York Times recently published a study in to the world's obsession with the Swedish home store (which currently has 387 stores in 48 countries) — and the impact it's having on our culture. One finding is both funny and surprising.

Apparently, Ikea is the world's largest consumer of timber and sells a Billy bookcase every 10 seconds. So far, so normal, especially as everyone we know seems to have a least one set of shelves lurking somewhere in their apartment. But, get this, one in ten Europeans is said to be conceived in a bed from the store. That means Malm and Hemnes are partly responsible for the continent's population hitting 743 million.

It does make sense when you realise that 884 million people visit an Ikea store every year. Who knew Swedish design was the ultimate aphrodisiac? Or, maybe there's something in the meatballs...

Photography Ikea Australia