Apartments, summer houses, balconies and terraces... but never a garage! This time, "Home idea with IKEA" is faced with a challenge of converting an old garage built in 1931 into a modern space for all kinds of activities of technical nature. Host Mārtiņš is a passionate high-wheel bicycle builder and needs space for many different tools and gadgets for this hobby. He wishes to keep all his equipment but to have it better organised.
A challenge for the designer
This is the very first garage makeover for "Home idea with IKEA" and so Interior Designer Ieva is navigating an unknown territory. The hosts Liāna and Mārtiņš and their children Marta and Miķelis admit this garage is quite traditionally mainly a male territory, where Liāna and Marta only come when their bicycles or other things are in need of repair. The family feels that this space where so many things begin a second life, deserves an update.
An organised chaos
Quite often a garage is a place for everything that "will become useful one day". But not this one. Mārtiņš values order and has himself come up with many ingenuous solutions for keeping the chaos at bay. Nevertheless, time has taken its toll on this old space and there is a clear need for a modern version of this interior. As personal as before, but with some functional updates.
Bringing on the colour
It is very common to use only very basic finish for spaces like garage as they are often perceived only as auxiliary premises. Interior Designer Ieva encourages the use of colourful accents as they create a more personal impression and a homier feel. Here, a peaceful blue-green colour acts as a backdrop for the graphic black and white storage combination and the array of different tools displayed on magnetic holders.
Essential storage for bicycles
Bicycles are the main feature of this garage and thus deserve an own storage solution. In order to save space, Designer Ieva repeats the old wisdom of interior professionals – when lacking floor space, use walls instead! Here, Ieva has found a clever way to use one wall as a two-storey bicycle storage to free up space for host's dearest possessions – two high-wheeled bicycles that Mārtiņš has built with his own hands. Proudly displayed on a stand, they draw immediate attention when entering the garage.
A multifunctional workbench
It is hard to imagine a space for hobbies and serious bicycle building without a sturdy workbench. Even better, if it comes with additional storage solutions. Ieva has chosen an open combination with shelves and a spacious wooden top that will serve well for years to come. In open shelves there is a good overview of everything, so no time is wasted for searching.
Small scale organisation
When the bulkier items are organised, it is time to downscale and to think about all the small but much needed things that abound in every hobby space. Screws, nails, cables and all kinds of odds and ends is the day-to-day reality here. Luckily, there is a whole array of different boxes and other storage accessories to help with that. Ieva has combined shelves with boxes of different sizes and a pegboard with a selection of things needed most often and not to be mixed up with other stuff, like a wall clock and a radio.
Think mobile
A quick clean-up? Sort everything in a trolley. Car repairs? Roll the trolley where you need it. There is no other furniture as flexible as this small trolley. It takes up only a small space but is a superhero in terms of versatility and mobility. in the open shelves everything is visible and close at hand.
Versatile pegboards
Is there a storage solution for small things that is functional yet pleases the eye? Yes there is! SKÅDIS pegboards and accessories ensure a never ending supply of storage ideas. Just put up some pegboards and choose the right accessories, from containers to shelves to magnets. One, two and a solution is ready!