Meet the family of four with parents Elīna and Kārlis, who occasionally work at home. Elīna is a psychologist, and she sees her clients in a private space in her own home, which is this weeks challenge. Be prepared to be swept off your feet seeing the IKEA interior designer Elīna transforming the small room of merely 9 square metres into a cosy psychologist's consulting room. The ambience truly matters in this personal profession and may even speed up the healing process – the room has to leave a calming feeling, help clients to open up and ease the process of personal transformation.
Storage for knowledge
The second most important thing after the overall feeling in this kind of a room is the seating arrangement. The previous interior was very minimalistic and basic, which, although brings a feeling of clean sleight in some cases, does not really make one feel relaxed and cosy. The sofa seems a bit too relaxing for the implicit work, and the piles of books clearly need a bookshelf, in order to leave a more professional and orderly impression. Such room must be convenient for an eye-to-eye conversation. It has to be comfortable and cosy for both – the client and the psychologist.
Sandbox is a keeper
In this consulting room sand tray therapy is a commonly used method, therefore the 80 cm x 80 cm sandbox must definitely find its place in the new interior. Another work tool is the collection of figurines. Finding a neat place for all of those would be great, keeping in mind that occasionally they travel to out-of-the-office visits, therefore, mobility and convenience really matters. They have to be close at hand and not in a way at the same time.
The power of light and art
The tiny room gives a feeling of a cube, with high ceilings, which asks for smart ideas for lighting. General lighting might just not be enough, if sessions happen to take place in different times of the day, since they require a diversified lighting. It is even more true for a room, which is occasionally used by the psychologist herself for doing research, writing and reading. The intension of artistic accents in the room is noticeable, yet obviously has not find the right manifestation.
Warm and cosy meeting place
The usage of wall-space gives a warmer feeling in the room, which is highlighted by plenty of natural, warm materials, such as wood and rattan, as well as textiles, plants, pastel colours and lighting. Note the cunning solution for the unusually high ceiling – several KRUSNING ceiling lamps spread for a broader distribution of the light. The seating furniture is facing each other encouraging the eye-to-eye talk and the placement of chairs gives a view to the window. The homely atmosphere is reached by personal details, such as drawings in KNOPPÄNG frames, as well as STILREN vases, FENOMEN candles and other accents.
Broad and spacious, yet discrete
BILLY bookcase has so many variations that it is always a good choice for a spacious storage. Moreover, it makes a good use of corners of a room. The white colour of BILLY matching the tone of the walls gives the feeling of a wider space. VEDBO armchair with pastel shade cushions is a comfy spot for hearing out patients. PJÄTTERYD art piece gives the feeling of a wide world outside and the plants add to the warm and homely atmosphere. TJENA paper boxes on the top of the bookshelves serve as the extension of the high shelf, providing additional storage place. The accented RANARP work lamp serves well for reading.
Hidden therapeutic tool
The major challenge for this makeover was the large sandbox, which is the key attribute for helping many patients. It was painted white and hid under the matching size LIATORP table. Now it looks like a drawer, yet, in fact, it is still a box and ready for out-of-the-office sessions. Natural materials of the GRÖNADAL rattan rocking chair, HELLESTED jute rug, FLÅDIS seagrass baskets for figurines play well with TIBAST and HILJA curtains in pastel green and pink.
The warmth of nature
The little figurines are an essential part of the therapy, therefore they must be neatly arranged and within an easy reach. The hero product MELLÖSA plastic picture ledge perfectly serves the purpose. Moreover, it is really easy to install – just drill it to the wall, and see how the unusual shelfing item holds your lightweight decorations. LAUTERS floor lamp with the solid ash base adds well to other natural materials in the room. The free space on the wall behind the rocking chairs is saved for hanging additional seating – ALSEDA stool made out of sustainable banana fibre.