How the pressing need for a proper desk led us to a three-room makeover

When I was younger, my dad used to tease my mom for being the kind of person to remake a dress because of a button that needs to be replaced, or to buy an entirely new dinnerware set because of one broken plate. Well, I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, because our current apartment remodeling is exactly like that. It started with a desperate need for a desk and became a total makeover for three rooms - the living room, the bedroom and the children's room. In the past, maybe I would see it as exploiting one tiny "flaw" as an excuse to make a bigger change, but today I see it more as an opportunity. And even more so, I can understand and relate to that feeling you get when you realize that fixing just one little thing isn't going to be enough. That it actually emphasizes all of the other flaws or problems that you could ignore up to this point, but can't anymore.

We have all lived through over two years of this Covid situation, so I probably don't need to explain why the need for a proper desk was so pressing. Rafael continues to work most days from home, and during those lonely lockdown days he was working from our dining table, and with two young kids, it was far from ideal. To be honest, I liked looking up from across the room and seeing him there, even if he was busy, but for the most part, it was messy, uncomfortable, noisy, and quite an inconvenience for us all. 

This apartment has been our home for 3 years now, and while we have been thinking about buying a flat here in the city, we came to terms with the fact that we will probably stay here for at least 2-3 years until the kids are older. In Berlin, the majority of the population is renting their homes, and buying is not really the standard. There are laws that protect the tenants and make it possible for long-term renting, therefore it is common for tenants to put in the work (and the money) to make it their own.

While we like this place and the neighborhood, it’s not our dream flat, it doesn’t have the amazing features that some of the apartments in the older buildings (known as Altbau) have, and it’s not newly renovated either. It is somewhat ordinary, and I assume that many of you are in the same situation - living in an okay flat with okay furniture, and wishing to make it better, nicer, prettier and more comfortable. We definitely get a little jealous sometimes of other homes that we see, the type of spaces that are so easily made beautiful. But I knew that it had great potential and that with a little bit of love and care it could look and feel elevated.

The first thing that I had to figure out was where to place the desk. One option was to design a custom-made wall unit in the living room, which would include storage, a TV, and a desk. But after experiencing first-hand working while the kids are at home, we preferred to separate the work area from the living room. In addition, we wanted to use the budget for furniture that could be later repurposed if we move or need to rearrange the flat again.

The second option was to place the desk in our bedroom. I know, it's not ideal, and experts could argue that welcoming work vibes into the sleeping area is a mistake, but in small apartments, there are only so many options, and that felt like the right thing for us at this time. There are two bedrooms in the apartment, both are large enough to fit the bed along with a desk, but the room that was used as the nursery is slightly bigger and positioned right next to the living room. Initially, we liked the fact that while the kids are playing, the two spaces are used as one. However, when they are asleep we have to tiptoe around so we won't wake them up. The other bedroom is slightly more separated, and could allow Rafael to work in a quieter environment during the day and for us to be more comfortable in the living room at night. For those reasons, we decided to flip the rooms and dive into a bigger transformation.

I played around quite a bit with this room's layout in order to make sure that the existing furniture fit, that there is enough room for the desk that Rafael needed and that he would enjoy the large window and the natural light without it reflecting on the screen too much. The majority of the furniture was moved from one room to the other, and because it was mostly basic and white Ikea furniture, I knew that I wanted to add color, texture and character to the room somehow. I was set on wallpaper from Room Blush, I had my eye on their designs for a while now, and got three samples to see the pattern and color up close. Their service was impeccable and we wound up choosing a 

 that gives a wall-art vibe. People visiting actually think it was painted. Two small shelves that were previously in the living room got a new location, as well as the white wireframes that I styled with family photos and artwork from society6, and hung above the new desk.

I wrote a little bit about Robin's room in an 

, and disclosed the fact that this room has been "a work in progress" for over two years. I kept waiting for the next milestone and never got there. Now I decided that I'm done waiting, and designing the room as I would like it to be now. Thus while having a plan for changing it up a little bit again, when we can replace the changing table with taller wardrobes. I already created a design for the next phase in order to make sure that the layout as I planned it would work out well in the future.

The two main issues that I was concerned with were color and toy organization. We already had some decorative elements, such as a trio of paintings made by my talented mom, so I based the color palette on them, using bright green and deep blue colors. I tried a few different ways to incorporate the colors on the walls and fell in love with the arches motif, which creates a playful vibe and adds fluidity and flow to the room. Regarding storage, I looked for open shelves that would allow the kids to see and reach everything. We have additional toys and craft materials stored away and we rotate between them every once in a while. On the opposite wall, I created a craft area using Ikea SKÅDIS with extra accessories that I found on Etsy, and matched two stools from SKLUM to the small table that we already had.

"It would be really cool to have a standing desk" Rafael said to me, while we were discussing his exact expectations and requirements for his new workspace. I have had the same idea a while back, while trying to get some things done and wearing Libby in the baby carrier. We know that there are modular desks with adjustable height, but with another workstation we could both work comfortably at the same time and also have more flexibility. After much thought and concedirations, I found a 

 that I liked and found the perfect place for it in the living room, it only meant that we needed to change the entire layout of the room, even though we had no such plans initially. A little help from our parents allowed us to replace some of our least favorite furniture (yes uncomfortable sofa, I'm talking about you).

Our family situation with a toddler and a baby made it clear that we needed to minimize the shopping trips and do as much as possible online. I used free online tools to decide on the layout, share my thoughts with Rafael and create a shopping list.

Having a very clear vision and budget allowed us to be quick and efficient while shopping and get everything that we needed before the kids lost it. Other than the sofa, dining table and cabinet for the living room that we got from Höffner, all items were ordered online, including the colored wall paint and wallpaper.

Making over our Berlin apartment 

One Berlin standard kitchen space - three different kitchen designs

During my time here in Berlin I've managed to see quite a few apartments. While they differ in size, shape and location, there are noticeable similarities, such as the shape of the kitchen and bathroom. In many Berlin apartments, the kitchens and bathrooms are parallel to each other and their shape is long and narrow. Another thing about Berlin kitchens, that I personally find quite strange, is that in many cases the apartment is rented entirely empty, and each new tenant has to plan, buy and install a brand new kitchen. That leaves many renters puzzled and uncertain about designing their kitchen in a cost-effective, comfortable and stylish way.

Naturally, every small detail could affect the kitchen design - a different sized door, a differently placed window, the initial dimensions of the room, electrical and plumbing constraints, etc. But I prepared a few possible layouts for a typical Berlin kitchen using the Ikea kitchen modules, which remain the most convenient and affordable solution to most of us. These examples could be used as inspiration and a stepping stone for your own design. All cabinets and appliances were drawn according to the models available in Ikea, so you can get a clear picture of the proportions and how much counter and storage space you could create in your own kitchen.

Note that these drawings are just examples. You can mix and match the elements as you see fit, change their positions, use cabinets or fixtures that I haven’t used here, and create the layout that best suits YOUR space, needs and desires. The same space can be designed in numerous different ways, so these are mere suggestions to help guide you through the design of your own kitchen. If you don’t feel comfortable planning your own kitchen, you could use the design services in the Ikea kitchen department, or contact me to learn more about the services that I can offer.

Before I elaborate on my design suggestions, I wanted to share some dos and don’ts, tips and guidelines for kitchen planning and design, in hopes of helping you boost your confidence and prepare you for the task. When it comes to design in general, and kitchen design in particular, there is a lot of ground to cover. In fact, each topic that I write about here can potentially be the subject of a stand-alone post. But as they are all so intertwined, I found it important to create one basic kitchen guide that you could always come back to. One last thing to note before we dive in, is that I don’t discuss color and material choices here at all, since this is too much information for one post. This time I chose to focus on the layout and utilizing the Ikea modules. Ready? Let’s go!

#1 Think about your cooking routine - how often do you cook and for how many people? This is your opportunity to get it as right as possible and create the perfect cooking environment for yourselves and your family. Ask yourself - how many people use the kitchen simultaneously? Do your kids join you sometimes? Do you cook regularly or do you usually reheat and order takeout? Take a close look at a typical week in your life and take note of your personal cooking routine.

#2 Take a look at your current kitchen and figure out how much storage space you need. Are there items that you haven't bought because you don't have space? Are there items that you don't use because they are stored away inconveniently? Which appliances do you use?

#3 Draw your kitchen as accurately as possible, including the door, windows, electrical and plumbing fixtures, heating system, etc, and take measurements of everything. Now you have all the information you need to start planning, using the Ikea kitchen planner.

#4 Allocate a specific use for each cabinet. That will help you figure out which module is best for each storage space that you have and to make sure that you have a place for everything you need. You could also later print out the drawings and write down what should go where, so that the organization process is easier.

Moduled kitchen systems and how to use them

Kitchen cabinets will be available in a few constant measurements usually 40/60/80 cm wide. The height defers, depending ion the type of cabinet - 88 cm tall for base cabinets, 200/220/240 cm for high cabinets, and 40/60/80/100 cm for wall-mounted cabinets. You could use all the different modules available, but we would normally prefer to be as consistent as possible and go with a constant size for most cabinets.

Balance and proportion - while it's obvious that high cabinets maximize the available height of the space and provide lots of storage, they also come at the expense of countertop space. In addition, you should consider the fact that a small space with a massive amount of furniture could feel small, unpleasant and claustrophobic. Make sure you balance your high cabinets with elements that are more open and airy, like a worktop with open shelves above it, or a worktop niche framed by tall and wall cabinets.

Price - tall cabinets are usually more expensive than lower base cabinets combined with wall-mounted cabinets. However, the tall cabinets provide aesthetical and functional solutions, such as built-in appliances and storage.

Comfort - drawers are usually more comfortable for daily use because you can easily see and reach everything inside.

Price - drawers are more expensive, and because you will need quite a few cabinets, the difference could potentially be significant.

There are many different storage systems and solutions that could supplement the cabinets, such as open shelves, kitchen carts and wall organizers. Those can be very useful for items that are used constantly and daily, therefore need to be easily accessible and reachable.

The basic appliances that you should consider in your design are a refrigerator, a stove, an oven and a dishwasher. I also added a washing machine in all three designs, since it is very common in Berlin apartments that the washing machine is located in the kitchen. Other appliances you could consider adding to your plans are a coffee maker, microwave, food processor, mixer and other small and medium-sized appliances that take up counter and/or cabinet space.

Know that you can choose between stand-alone, built-in and integrated appliances, depending mainly on your budget. In my examples, I used a little bit of all types to give you a sense of what you have to work with. On social media (mainly Instagram and Pinterest) you can see many many more examples for inspiration.

The basic appliances that you should consider in your design are a refrigerator, a stove, an oven and a dishwasher. I also added a washing machine in all three designs, since it is very common in Berlin apartments that the washing machine is located in the kitchen. Other appliances you could consider adding to your plans are a coffee maker, a microwave, a food processor, a mixer and other small and medium-sized appliances that take up counter and/or cabinet space.

METOD - the most commonly used kitchen system, and the one that I based all three designs on. It offers the widest variety of sizes, fronts and design details, and allows quite a bit of flexibility.

ENHET - designed to allow dis-and-reassembly if you move. On the one hand, renting terms here in berlin usually allow you to stay for many years in the same apartment without moving, so you may never use that function. On the other hand, the market these days is changing a lot and still many apartments are offered without a kitchen, so you can never know.

KNOXHULT - basic cabinet fronts and very affordable. This option could work if you don't want to customize your cabinet fronts and can do just fine with white and minimal fronts.

SUNNERSTA - metal frames with no fronts. This system could work out well for a tiny kitchenette. But you should be aware that it could look messy if you don't keep your kitchenware always well organized.

And now, without further ado, here are my three sample kitchens:

This kitchen includes only base cabinets, therefore it is not as expensive as the other two. It keeps the small space light while offering a convenient countertop. I added open shelves for dishes and utensils that are used often, and a small round dining table suitable for 2-3 people. You could hang on the walls more cooking utensils, small pots, pans and a spice rack, and add a kitchen cart, which could be used for bottles, potatoes, onions, and other kitchen essentials.

This option is really about optimizing the space and maximizing storage. I incorporated two high cabinets - one that can be used as a pantry and another one with a built-in oven and a designated microwave shelf. In between, is a worktop with a sink in the middle, framed by three wall-mounted cabinets. More counter space is available on the opposite side, where I placed the stove and a stand-alone fridge. I kept this wall free of hanging and tall cabinets, to balance the mass on the other side.

This option could be defined as a mid-way between the two other options, offering wall-to-wall cabinets on both sides, and an integrated refrigerator. Again, on one side I planned only base cabinets with artwork on the wall to balance the proportions, and on the other side I added hanging wall cabinets. to make the design more interesting as well as comfortable and light, I combined both open and closed modules.


Tag: Berlin apartments