In Germany, it's not unusual for rental apartments to arrive without a kitchen installed. Renters often face the task of creating their own cooking area from the ground up. Hillary and her husband Pat encountered this exact situation when they moved into their new apartment.
"Since our apartment is a new build, we did not have the choice to buy [an existing kitchen], but were happy to be able to fully customize our kitchen to our needs," Hillary explains. They set a firm budget of under €10,000 for the entire project, including appliances.
Design and Planning Phase
The couple turned to IKEA for their kitchen components, finding it both affordable and suitable for their Scandinavian aesthetic. Hillary utilized IKEA's planning tools to draft her ideal layout before consulting with a store designer. This preparation helped them identify cost-saving opportunities, such as constructing their own island.
Warming Up a Cold Space
To counteract the chilly feel of gray tiled floors, they selected oak veneer cabinets paired with marble countertops. Professional installers handled the lower cabinets, countertops, and appliances, but Hillary and Pat opted for floating shelves instead of upper cabinets. "The shelves themselves were made by a local woodworker," Hillary notes, adding that installation took less than an hour.
DIY Challenges and Solutions
Building the IKEA island proved to be the most difficult part of the project. "We were surprised how there were pieces that we had to cut on our own and it wouldn't have been possible without a power saw," Hillary says. This DIY effort saved them approximately €1,000 in labor costs.
For a splash of color, Hillary applied peel-and-stick tiles from Singapore. To avoid wall damage in their rental, she mounted them on an MDF backing. "I'm really proud of how I came up with the idea to install a MDF backing for the tiles to stick on," she shares.
Successful Outcome
The finished kitchen features a cohesive look with oak cabinets, marble surfaces, and blue tiles. "The oak veneer cabinets, subtle marbled countertop, and vertically stacked blue tiles work really well together to create a warm and inviting kitchen!" Hillary remarks. They also appreciate the open feel from the floating shelves.
Ultimately, the project cost €6,700 (about $7,048 USD), well under their initial budget. "I'm proud of myself for designing the IKEA kitchen the way I did," Hillary concludes, emphasizing the practical organization of the space.
