Hi! Finally I get to reveal the video I made with IKEA a few weeks ago! It was a very exciting time for me and I was so grateful they asked me to do it.

So, let me tell you about it…

IKEA asked me to style one kitchen three ways. I had to come up with three themes, use IKEA products and get to work creating gorgeous spaces within the one IKEA kitchen. The kitchen is owned by a beautiful family in Allambie Heights, Sydney.

If you follow me on Instagram and read this post, you’ll know that it took a couple of days to get this video done. I loved every second of it.

Below are the three moodboards I created in pre-production meetings…

My first moodboard (click on the images to enlarge if you like) was a CAMPING theme… ↓

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My next moodboard was an AFTERNOON TEA ↓

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The final moodboard was a PIZZA RESTAURANT ↓

 So… here it is… the video will tell you all about why I created these spaces and how easy it is to do it yourself!

Click here to view it directly on YouTube.

What did you think?

Let me give you some kitchen tips from my time spent with IKEA…

The kitchen really is the central hub for your home so it’s important to have a space that is not only stylish but is also smart with clever storage, practical work spaces and multifunctional elements. 

Brighten up the kitchen with new tableware and textiles

An easy and affordable way to change the styling within your kitchen space is to jazz it up with tableware and textiles. Depending on your mood (or who you’re entertaining), you can style the space for a morning tea using pretty pastels and florals, or set the table for a stylish cocktail party.

Make room for storage – use every space!

Look at building or adding overhead cupboards to the very top of the ceiling. If you’re lucky enough to have a high ceiling you may be able to add 2 overhead cupboards.

Give your kitchen a facelift with new cupboards, handles and tapware

If you want to give your kitchen an easy and quick makeover that costs so much less than a new kitchen (but looks like a new kitchen!), why not swap the cupboard doors, handles and taps for new ones? With new hinges and new door fronts your kitchen can be looking brand new in no time.

Think about lighting

Kitchens generally need 2 types of lighting – overhead lighting for the entire room and task lighting which is directly over a workspace or an oven. IKEA has a huge range of these which can totally transform the look of your space especially when they are a good size and are repeated over an island. Pendant lights are great for task lighting.

Surfaces

A kitchen can never have enough work surfaces. The hub of the home can easily become the dining table, the homework space, the flower arranging bench… so when deciding on a bench top it’s important to pick something which is easy to clean and hard wearing. Can your bench top handle knives, scissors, coffee stains, beetroot?

Sometimes, we can even mix and match our work surfaces. You might prefer a timber look on the island, but a streamlined white surface for the rest of the space. Trends at the moment predict tone-on-tone. This means also picking a light bench top with darker cabinetry. This looks great!

Eating area

Where will you eat in your kitchen? Do you have a separate dining area, or would you like to create a space within your kitchen to pull up chairs eat or chat?
Work in 3’s for the bar stools. You could think about a colour, or height, or texture. If your kitchen is a neutral colour a bright red would look great. Dare to step outside the norm when it comes to chairs.

Open shelving

Open shelving is great for easy access items that you might use often. You can easily grab coffee mugs, blenders, plates and wine glasses. Add a few on top of each other to create a great an open space to display your favourite kitchen items.

Interior Fittings and stay tidy

Don’t forget to grab some great interior fittings to make the inside of your cupboards looking amazing too. With the use of cutlery trays, dividers and plate holders, you can really show off when people come to visit!

Bring the outside in

Grow some herbs, or pot an indoor plant to give your space some colour and life.

Green symbolizes nature and is used to convey tranquility and health. Inject some life in to the hub of the house! Pot some thyme or rosemary on a window sill with 3 in a row and you’ll have some herbs at your finger tips.

Artwork

Fill your walls with affordable and statement pieces which will have people talking. This is a great way to bring colour in to the kitchen, and you can change them around often!

Where’s the electrical?

When planning a kitchen sometimes we can forget to think about the power sources. It’s not until we start to use the kitchen (when it’s finished!) that we realise we haven’t got enough power points. Make sure you have a source of power available in a variety of locations – against the splashback, on the island and even inside your pantry.

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For more clever kitchen inspiration visit IKEA here, or for more information about IKEA kitchens visit this link.

How’s your kitchen looking? Ready for a bit of a makeover? I’d love to hear what you LOVE/HATE about your kitchen? Let me know in the comments below.

Disclosure: I was paid by IKEA to make this video and provide content for their website and my own.