~ the Sunny Kitchen project

Well, I know that we are just around the corner of Christmas and this might seem like a summer project, but as the sun rose this morning brightening up even more the all white surrounding (it snowed so incredibly much last night!), all I could bring in my mind was a little side project I engaged in while I was in Greece this past November.
So, I decided to take a little break from all the seasonal activities and come here to share with you:


                                                      The Sunny Kitchen project, accomplished with such simple solutions as the ones pictured below ~ but more detials and before and after pictures in just a while 










So is the case, that sometimes there are parts in our homes that are left a little bit untaken care off, no matter how well organised the rest of our dwellings might be. They probably represent parts of our personalities and/or lives that need a change, a change we are quite possibly resisting. We could be holding on to the past, when all we actually need to do is to carry on.


The corner of this filled with love and sunshine kitchen is such an example. The incredibly lovely lady who owns and cooks there her tasty Greek meals, decided to have it made over, after she returned from a trip to the East. She was prepared for the change but needed help in actually making it happen.


So, we had an appointment, sat together over tea and sweets and talked about what can go, what can stay & which is the budget for organising and decorating this little corner. Ikea catalogue had come along with me and she had also agreed that it is the best solution for a cost effective, quick, easy and stylish make over. 

 I came up with a plan A and a plan B. As she was pleased with both solutions, she left it up to me to decide. So, let's see first, what we had to deal with: 

Above you can see marked all the things that needed to be organised:

So in this corner of her kitchen, she was used to and it was convenient for her to store there:

1. bread

2. potatoes

3. onions & garlic

4. walnuts 

5. newspapers (her husband reads in the morning at the breakfast table, just on the right of the picture)

6. various biscuits & crackers

7. kitchen paper

Now let's make a note of what had to go:

Actually alsmost everything else! So here is what happened:

~ the two wooden stools are being taken to the summer house (quite possibly after a nice make over and fresh coat of paint)

~ the rustic wooden storage for the bread, plastic drawers and newspaper holder are being donated to people who might need them.

~ the bottle and tin on the floor are being organised in the cupboard on the left, as it became quite accessible after the make over.

Splendid! We got rid of all things unwanted and it's about time that I hit the road and visit my closest Ikea (which in the case of Greece is the one next to the airport)

to get supplies:

Here are our tools:

Are you wondering how all of the first list's  ingredients can fit in the items pictured above?

I think a little mathematical equation will clear things out. No worries... It's the happiest case of a mathematical equation you could ever get!

In my shopping list there were actually the following:

~ 2 shelves: EKBY JÄRPEN 79x19cm

~ 2 sets of brackets: EKBY BJÄRNUM 19cm

~ 2 baskets: BYHOLMA in grey

~ 2 plastic boxes:  RETUR 22ml

and 

~ 3 ceramic KARDEMUMMA pots with plants 

(yes, there was even place for decoration after!)

And here is how it turned out after my dear technician and I put this corner together :

So, what do you think?

The kitchen's owner was pretty excited with the outcome and she particularly liked how the splashes of green brought a fresh note and binded nicely with her happy, flowery, vintage tiles.

There was tremendous economy done on space, as the length of the whole setting above is 79cm & the width is 20cm, in contrast to the almost 1,50 x 45cm of the previous arrangement, which was also blocking her way to the cabinets on the left.

Moreover, the ground is left completely free, which gives an airy feeling and makes moving around more easily.

Quite an effective use of space, don't you find?

Here you can see, where we organised what:

The top of the shelf on the right is left completely free (with the exception of Zucchini Love, a print from my shop which was offered as a present) so as to provide some extra space for a small plate or something else when the table is set for meals.

This is quite a small kitchen, so the table "meets" the shelves on the right part.

The lovely lady who owns this kichen had been particularly enchanted by the kitchen I designed for Apartment 44, supplying myself all the way from Ikea and therefore asked for my assistance.

She is already planning a complete kitchen make over, so that it looks something like that:

and waits for my next visit to Greece so that I pull the project together.

I couldn't be happier in working with her again!

Have you also perhaps some little corners in your homes left untaken care of?

Do you have some plans for their reorganisation?

Do you think you would benefit from some advice?

Would you like to be provided with some by me,

despite the fact that visiting here the little Penthouse or me coming to you is not an option?

Contact me via email and I'll tell you what can be done :)

In the meantime, I'd better return to taking care of seasonal issues and  promise to be back with more inspiration soon.

Warm regards from a very snowy and freezing Germany!

Ivy