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See and store

Most important in a kitchen? Food! Hans put his main food storage in a high cabinet with wire baskets. The baskets’ low edges and pull-out function work like a drawer, so it’s easy to take stuff in and out. His food is mostly in jars and plain brown bags. “I don’t like packaging,” Hans says. “It’s much nicer to actually see the ingredients you’re going to cook and eat.” Next to the dry goods are perishables in the fridge and freezer that have integrated doors so they blend in with kitchen.

Prep and cook

Next to his hob, Hans made a prep and cook area with a big worktop that has room for two. Since he didn’t want wall cabinets, he added a pendant lamp here to make sure there’s good working light. Everything is close at hand and has a dedicated spot, like his pots, lids and cooking tools. He made a rail from painted pipes and used it to hang most-used tools, recipes, fresh herbs and some decorative objects, too. He put more food in see-through containers on the worktop and in drawers. Inside and out, he left some space. “You don’t have to maximise just because the space is there.”

Wash and serve

For storing his glassware and tableware, Hans chose drawers, not shelves. “Kitchen drawers are amazing. You don’t have to take everything out to reach the back, and they cut down on clutter because you can organise much more.” He put drawers underneath the sink, too, for sorting waste. The black sink and kitchen mixer tap maintain the line of the worktop, where there’s space to stack dishes going in/out of the sink, dishwasher and drawers. The dishwasher has integrated panels, so it doesn’t break the kitchen’s modern lines.

Sort and recycle

At the end of his row of base cabinets, Hans couldn’t fit another cabinet. So he turned the empty space into a sorting station for his recycling. There’s just enough room for some stacked bins to pull out and flip open. “Maybe recycling in a dream kitchen is really Swedish, but I do dream about better recycling in Paris.” Hans originally thought the empty spot could be a cosy kitchen nook for his dog Felix, but it wasn’t big enough for Felix to spread out!

Tend and grow

Hans included a gardening station in his dream kitchen. “We don’t have a balcony, so I repot plants on the floor, which is not so popular.” He found an old table and faucet and put in a new, deep sink. And he made sure to put his gardening stuff away from his food and cooking stuff so there’s no worrying about dirt. Open shelves are great for storing unused pots, and a rail with hooks holds an extra chair. An adjustable lamp keeps his eyes from straining. As a bonus, Hans has a spot to clean his paintbrushes!

Dine and work

A dining table can be more than a dining table. For Hans, it’s a table big enough for work, too, so he doesn’t have to clean up his creative messes when it’s time to eat. A pendant lamp centred above the table makes mealtimes cosy and spreads a good directed light. Hans mixed in a favourite old work lamp that clamps to the table and adjusts to give him more light where he needs it. “For the dining area, it’s always nice to be by a window if you have one, and it doesn’t hurt to look out for creative inspiration.”

We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.

Check back next week to see how hans’ dream kitchen gets its style!

Made by

Interior designer: Hans Blomquist
Photographer: Andrea Papini
Writer: Marissa Frayer