"Home idea with IKEA": a tiny kitchen for a kindergarden

"Home idea with IKEA" works on makeovers in homes and businesses alike. The miniature kindergarden in Smārde, run by Anete and Elīna, is also a small business that has become a second home for both of them: they call the children of the kindergarden their second family. They have applied for a makeover in their, which is not comfortable and functional enough for the daily needs of the kindergarden. It would be easy to plan a kitchen in a large space, but this time everything has to be thought out centimetre by centimetre, because there are many needs but very little space.

Before: when the expectations are bigger than reality

Both Anete and Elīna say that the biggest disadvantage of their current kitchen is its small size and lack of space. A priority would be to have a larger work surface, which would make it easier to work during mealtimes, and to be more active in teaching children simple kitchen tasks. At the moment, when baking, the oven has to be removed from the top of fridge first, which is very inconvenient, and the fridge itself also takes up a lot of space.

After: a functional solution in bright colours

The makeover has made the small kitchen visually more inviting and cheerful. Designer Anastasija, together with the owners of the kindergarden, has chosen a trendy grey-green shade for the walls, combined with a contrasting soft peach shade. The light blue kitchen fronts contrast with the walls, while the colour scheme is slightly muted by a light wood tone. The previously straight-lined kitchen now has an L-shape, which instantly gives much more space for food preparation.

Layout plan: how to make the most of a small space

The smaller the space, the more important it is to have a good layout. Since the owners' greatest wish was to have a larger work surface, the L-shaped installation is particularly handy. In the new kitchen you can look out of the window when cooking and the steam will escape directly outside, allowing you to do without a hood. The large, massive fridge is replaced by a smaller one that fits under the worktop, and there is also space for a washing machine and oven.

Everything in its own place

In a kitchen, great thought must be given to the storage of small items, as they tend to create a cluttered impression. By combining cupboards with open shelving, things can easily find the most convenient place. Shelves can be fitted with a variety of boxes and baskets that help to organise smaller items so they can be seen at a glance and are handy to pick up.

A dining space for children

For children's safety, furniture with rounded corners or corner protectors should be chosen. The light wood tables in this solution were originally made as coffee tables, but are at a suitable height to serve as dining tables for children. The wooden stools match the wooden tables. The owners are particularly happy about the stools: they have no backs and this will help their small visitors to learn to sit upright.

A child friendly interior

Children's spaces are a safe place to get creative, making interiors more interesting, colourful and lively. Here, the designer and the hosts have created an attractive wall decoration using the same colours as the walls and kitchen fronts. The racks on the wall can be used for small things that need to be handy, or for displaying children's drawings.

"It's easy to make interiors more special and interesting with a creative approach. Here in kindergarten, the possibilities are especially great, as you can use the children's creations to decorate. They can be conveniently displayed on narrow shelves. The drawings don't have to be fixed to the wall and the display can be changed frequently. Displaying the work improves children's self-confidence and is very pleasing for the eye. The possibilities of making great displays are endless, you just have to use your imagination!"

Is it hard to do a makeover?

If you‘d like to renovate your office or other premises without a big investment and major repairs, you can always ask our Interior Designers for help. With your input and home furnishing style preferences, be it 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.

At IKEA we offer excellent design, diversity of styles, great prices and a quality you can really trust. Our interior designers are ready to prepare and finish design projects as well as give you inspiring tips and ideas on how to set up functional premises or choose furniture.