Modern kitchen for a big family

Kitchen is the heart of most every home and it plays a huge role in the everyday life of a family. It is crucial to plan it in a way that it is functional for big and small and also aesthetically pleasing. "Home idea with IKEA" is visiting a mother of four planning a surprise makeover for her husband in their kitchen and IKEA Interior Designer Alla shares best tips & tricks in kitchen planning.

Before: a temporarily permanent solution

This kitchen has not changed since the family bought this home three years ago. The hostess Kitija admits it was meant to be a temporary solution as it did not require immediate attention when moving in. But now all the makeshift solutions and combinations seem to have become permanent. Kitija would like this to change and dreams of a makeover to surprise her beloved husband currently away on a business trip.

After: a modern interior to use and to enjoy

After the makeover, the kitchen seems unrecognizeable. However, there is one thing that the old and the new kitchen have in common ant that is the layout. This type of layout is called gallery kitchen and the main elements are placed on both sides and sometimes lead up to an open end with a dining area like here. This layout is great as it offers a lot of storage and room for preparation and the open end is like a cosy nook to sit and enjoy good food and company.

Cooking and storing in style

In many kitchens, when planning a makeover, you have to take into account the existing flooring and wall colour if not renovating completely. Here, Kitija and Alla have managed to choose the perfect colour for the kitchen as the grey-green fronts contrast beautifully with the warm terracota floor and neutral light walls that blend in with the worktop. Accentuated by black appliances, sink and dining set, this kitchen offers a lot of hidden storage and comfortable solutions to cook with joy.
 

Tips for everyday organisation

IKEA range offers a lot of organising possibilities for the kitchen and Interior Designer Alla advises to use as many of those as you like as there can never be too much organisation. Drawers with hidden additional compartments inside are an excellent addition as the front looks more uniform but the inside can be organised in a more precise way. A rod with hooks above the worktop is a practical addition to anly kitchen as the most often used things can be kept close at hand and visible at all times.
 

Flexible dining for a big family

This cosy dining area seems small but is quite flexible. The lightweight table can be moved if necessary and extra chairs can be added when needed. A round table allows more variety as to how many persons sit around it. A lamp right above the table is a visual accent that makes the dining area seem more private and cosy.
 

Adding accessories for more personality

If an interior is kept rather minimalistic like here, the accessories are the way to go to still make the space personal. Even here, Kitija has kept the contrasting black colour scheme and combined it with some fresh plants and colourful accents.

Celebrate everyday

This kitchen uses the colour black in many details and also in the dining area. The elegant ensemble with a black table and chairs is lightened up by some chair pads, making the chairs even more comfortable for longer evenings. The new table makes for an excellent background both for minimal as for a more oppulent setting as demonstrated here with some turquoise accents. The black candles finish the elegant look.