The power of nature: an orangery and a kitchen in one

What is the most unusual room IKEA interior designers have worked with in "Home idea with IKEA"? From bedrooms to studios, to a tree house: every project has had its own challenges. Still, there has never been a room as unusual as this one. It is a kitchen and an orangery in one and an activity hub for the whole family. IKEA interior designer Katrīne will need all of her skill to make change happen in this space: a room where plant-lover Margita lets her passion free rein.

Something old, something new...

Plants are definitely the element that dominates and defines the space before the makeovers. There are so many of them that Margita has already lost count. The furniture choice reflects family's love for sturdy pieces that make a definitive statement. It is clear that it would be waste to get rid of all such furniture, so the challenge for Katrīne will be to incorporate parts of the existing interior in the new one.

The harmony of giving and taking

To get to know each other better and to catch some inspiration for the makeovers, Katrīne brings Margita to the Botanic Garden, where they meet Zita, a coach and a Cigun specialist. Zita tells Margita and Katrīne about the ancient techniques of Cigun that help to bring harmony to body and soul. She admits that Margita's winter garden is a great place to find the inner peace as it gives the opportunity to channel the energy in the ground and thus to neutralise it.

The story of an interior starts with an inspiration

After finding some inspiration for the soul, it is time to get down to practicalities of the makeover planning. However practical, this does not have to be boring. Katrīne brings Margita and her daughter Daiga to IKEA. Together, they make a mood board that reflects the main characteristics the family would like the new interior to have. Natural shades, harmonious textures and some colourful elements make up a whole that will form the backbone of the interior plan.

Finding a place to relax

As the kitchen is in one end of the room, it was only natural to plan the relaxation area in the other end. Here, all furniture has been chosen to enhance the light and airy appearance of the space. Natural materials add to the feeling created by plants and invite to sit back and relax. After the makeover, the plants have been organised more and there are plant stands that harmonise the space and create a unified impression.
 

Use the space and organize

This room is quite spacious and in order for the furniture to not look small and lost it is all about grouping and making up different areas for different activities. Grouping a sofa and some additional seating on and around a bold-textured rug is a way of making a great relaxation area. And when there are as many plants as in this room, some organization is needed and the best way to organize are plant stands. Katrīne has used those to add some multi-level element and make the plant display more impressive.
 

A place for the whole family

Kitchen and dining area are always the place that attracts the most in a household. This kitchen is no exception and Katrīne has planned the makeover with a quality family time in mind. She has kept the spacious dining table and built the rest around it to enhance its best features. The light colours are a great background for things and the warm wooden elements are a subtle uniting feature that creates harmony.
   

The previous rather dark kitchen has given way to a light and airy solution that offers all the space needed but does not weight down the overall impression. Even though white may seem as a difficult choice for kitchen, it is actually one of the best, as it is easy to clean and always looks fresh. Adding some leather handles, Katrīne has made the plain white fronts a real eye-catcher and natural wood elements add to this. The big family table has found its well deserved place in the new interior and has place for the whole family to spend time together.

Katrīne has used a clever designer trick to make the kitchen seem even more light and airy. Instead of wall cabinets, she has chosen some open shelves. Not only can such choice reduce the massive impression sometimes made by closed solutions, it also creates an excellent chance to display the most beautiful things and to arrange them in a way that pleases the eye not to mention the good overview one has with such shelves.