This week’s heroes are Jūratė and Aleksas, parents of two sons, who bought a house with partial finishing and decided to renovate it themselves. As they are doing the renovation with their own hands, there is currently no functioning kitchen or dining area in the house. However, this space is the heart of the family home – a place not only for eating but also where a lot of time is spent together. To make it comfortable, spacious, and suited to their lifestyle, Jūratė and Aleksas turned to our interior designer, Anastasia, for help.
Before the renovation
Interior designer‘s task:
- Create a comfortable kitchen, tailored to the family’s needs.
- Design the space to accommodate their dream – a kitchen island.
- Compensate for the lack of natural light in the kitchen and dining area.
- Allocate space for waste sorting, while leaving enough room for storage.
- Find space for a large dining table and a sideboard for the family’s treasured dishes.
Have you heard of the kitchen triangle?
It’s a layout scheme for furniture and appliances that significantly reduces unnecessary movement and allows for more efficient work in the kitchen. The concept is quite simple: the three main kitchen points – the fridge, sink and hob – should form a triangle. Anastasija designed the new family kitchen following this rule, without even changing the existing positions of the electrical and plumbing connections.
The centrepiece of the kitchen
If space allows, the interior designer suggests installing an island with seating in the kitchen. This multifunctional solution can be used in many ways: not only as an additional surface for prepping food, but also as a dining, socialising, or even working area.Kitchen furniture & accessories
Kitchen furniture
(excluding appliances and decorations)4 175,30 €
“When designing the kitchen, I recommend focusing not only on aesthetics but also on functionality. The surfaces need to be durable, heat- and moisture-resistant. To ensure the new family kitchen lasts and stays easy to maintain, I chose a high-quality laminated worktop, easy-to-clean lacquered BODBYN fronts, and the METOD modular kitchen system covered under a 25-year guarantee.”
Anastasija Rogačevska, IKEA interior designer
Drawers or cabinets?
When planning the layout, we recommend opting for more drawers, especially in the lower part of the kitchen. This makes it easier to reach items without needing to crouch or bend to pull out the necessary pot or bowl. To make it even more convenient, drawers can be divided using special inserts for cutlery, dishes or spices. Cabinets with shelves and doors are more suitable for the upper part of the kitchen: they’re perfect for storing items that are used less often, such as decorative glassware or small appliances.Kitchen storage & organising
Dining room cupboard
1 074 €
Waste sorting solution
(support frame and 5 bins with lids)55 €
Jūratė and Aleksas’ family are committed to recycling, so the HÅLLBAR waste sorting system was installed in a deep drawer under the sink. Bins of different sizes, each with lids and handles, are easy to carry to the recycling containers once they’re full.
Children-proof space
- All taller furniture in this kitchen is securely fixed to the walls to prevent any accidents.
- Drawer and door locks prevent children from opening cabinets, the oven or the dishwasher.
- Socket covers and corner protectors from the UNDVIKA series ensure the curious little ones are safe, even when adults aren’t watching.
- The bright yellow TROGEN step stool helps children reach the worktops and learn to help out with cooking alongside their parents.
The dining area fits right in!
In front of the kitchen island, on a soft RYSSGRÄS wool rug, Anastasija created the dining area. Instead of a standard table, the interior designer chose an extendable one with extra chairs, providing ample space for both family members and guests. Next to the table, she placed an additional sideboard with BODBYN fronts, the same as those used for the kitchen furniture, ensuring it blended seamlessly with the overall space.Dining room
“In the kitchen, it's essential to have several types of lighting: general lighting, which ensures the room is evenly lit, task lighting under the cabinets to illuminate the work surface while cooking and ambient lighting for cosiness. I added spotlights to the sideboard, which both enhance the atmosphere and illuminate the dishes inside.”
Anastasija Rogačevska, IKEA interior designer
Would use some help?
If you'd like to renovate your home without a big investment or major repairs, you can always ask our interior designers for help. With your input and home furnishing style preferences, whether it be traditional or modern, our professionals will help you navigate our wide range of products and create a complete furnishing solution for one or multiple rooms, or for your entire home.Interior design service
What was done before?
In previous seasons, IKEA interior designers shared their tips on how to furnish odd spaces, adapt homes to changing life situations, and organise all belongings. We have organised kitchens, children’s rooms, and bedrooms, set up a home office in the living room, furnished a tiny one-room apartment, upgraded premises for family business, and so much more.Previous makeovers