Aha, it's IKEA!~

I have to say when it comes to flexibility, no one beats IKEA. I had spent months looking for furnitures that fit my particular remodeling requests, but eventually I found almost everything I needed from IKEA.

Once the stairs were relocated, there was a 11"x24" recess in the wall which I decided to use as a broom closet. The problem was to find an appropriate door for the closet. There was nothing in Home Depot or Lowe's that I could use to cover the 78"x20" opening. My contractor suggested to get a Louvered Bi-fold door and cut it to fit, but I knew I would hate that look to the very deep core of my being. Then IKEA came to the rescue. This PAX Drammen wardrobe door is exactly what I was looking for. The tempered glass surface looks sleek and is very easy to clean. The one I got was 19 5/8"x76 3/4" which fit perfectly and cost me only $100. I also got a pair of Jigga handle to go with it. I couldn't be happier with the outcome.





A window seat was the first thing I wanted for my new home. The original window stool was about 10" deep and 54" wide , it was good to sit on, but not comfortably. So I got this LACK shelving unit from IKEA and laid it against the window horizontally and held it with four sets of Capita legs. These legs are great because they are adjustable so that the unit top levels with the window stool perfectly. In this way, not only did I get a cozy window seat with minimum cost but also a functional shelving unit.




The most problematic area of my new home was an odd triangle corner in the living room. The angle is just about 60-degree and virtually nothing can fit in there, but that's where the window with better view is located. Eventually I made the corner a study nook. I decided to put a desk in front of it so that when I sat I would be facing the view all the time. I also asked my contractor to build up a big step in there to hold my printer. For the desk, I bought the black-brown Galant corner desk with matched round extension at each end. For legs, I am using four Vika Runtorp which comes with caster so the desk can move around easily. My contractor also altered the shape of the table top so it could fit the corner better. I was a little concerned about cutting the table top, but the end result looks just fine.

A Fabulous Piece of Decor

Even though I knew it from the very deep bottom of my heart that the chance of me taking full advantage of a kitchen is as slim as G.W. Bush getting through a public speech without any mispronunciation, I was still dying for a glittering food making (or massing) stage fully equipped with top-chef class appliances. So here it is, the dazzling center piece of my home decoration - kitchen.

The entire cabinetry is from IKEA. I am mixing two series from IKEA's kitchen collection: Linjar and Abstrakt. This combination is interesting in a sense that Abstrakt is one of the best selling series in US market while Linjar is probably the worst. In fact, IKEA has decided to discontinue Linjar and sell all its current stock for half of the original price. It really surprised me. Linjar is the only IKEA cabinetry with integrated handle, its glossy surface, minimal design and vivid color compose the typical European style that has been the hottest trend in today's home renovation market. I found it hard to believe that the sales don't perform well. The only thing I can think of is the bold color which can be hard to accommodate. But to my design, Linjar is a perfect fit and I certainly didn't have any complaint about IKEA's 50% off sale (^^)v

One good thing about buying IKEA kitchen is that you can download its kitchen design program and have a visual perception of how the kitchen will look like. You can do all your design at home and upload your plan to IKEA's server and place your order at any store. It is a great tool for control freaks like me who want to be completely in charge of every detail. Here are a few images from my IKEA kitchen plan.






The back splash is my favorite. I am using 1" glass mosaic to cover the entire wall. The gradient pattern has a zippy name "Disco", perfect for its dancy rhythm and invigorating luster.

For the countertop, I spent quite some time shopping around, but eventually I decided to go with IKEA's Numerar birch. I really like the warm feeling of butchers block and IKEA's low price is just impossible to resist. The floor tile is 18" square porcelain. The light gray color echoes Linjar's handle while the matte surface keeps the glossy blue from overpowering the space.

During the renovation, I had such a hard time convincing my contractor that I would prefer appliances smaller than standard size even if that means spending more money. I don't blame him for looking at me as if my brain is flood-damaged. In a country that believes "the bigger the better", the philosophy "small is smart" doesn't fly. But to me, big means inefficient space, wasted resource, and clumsy looking. My kitchen is only about 70 sq ft, any standard American size will make the space look crampy and awkward. Instead, all my appliances are cabinet fitting. I asked my contractor to "fake" a build-in looking for the LG refrigerator to coordinate the 24" wall oven.