Kitchen in Cabinet, IKEA Customization and 8 More Design Hacks

We've gathered all the interesting solutions from May design projects for you. Check them out soon!

Spaces for Air Conditioners

All the available spaces in this 2-bedroom apartment are creatively used with wardrobes, niches, and maximized for functionality. For example, the dimensions of the niche with shelves in the living room and the door between the bedroom and living room determined the size of the air conditioner units.

"We hid the air conditioners in furniture and niches to preserve the European ambiance of the interior," says designer Alina Lyutaya.

Kitchen in a Cabinet

People who are often on the road, travel frequently, and engage in sports spend minimal time at home and hardly cook. For such clients, Irina Yezhova designed a mini-kitchen and placed it inside a double-door wardrobe cabinet with a working surface inside.

"For cooking, the homeowner uses a blender, multicooker, microwave, coffee maker (we removed it for the shoot). The lower part of the furniture houses appliances like a refrigerator, dishwasher, and bottle warmer. The upper section is dedicated to storage," explains the designer.

Bookcase for Bedroom Zoning

An ideal solution for self-isolation was developed by Zina Malysheva together with studio Finterio — an interior that is comfortable for both working and relaxing.

To achieve this, the living room space was zoned using a bookcase — the sleeping area is hidden behind it. Natural light penetrates sufficiently, so the mini-bedroom does not seem too cramped. At the same time, it is almost invisible in the interior.

IKEA Customization

To prevent the ready-made IKEA dresser from looking too dull, designer Tatiana Ivanova added vibrant accents — she used acrylic paints and replicated the geometric pattern of the kitchen backsplash on its facades. The result was impressive!

Niche for Wardrobe

The hallway in this small 3-bedroom apartment had a very poor layout — with many door openings. To use the space rationally, designers from IVA Bureau created a niche where they placed a large wardrobe for clothing.

Sill as a Bar Table

What’s not perfect about this idea? The balcony was insulated and turned into a cozy spot for working or relaxing with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Closet Door in Bathroom Cabinet

In this small apartment, there are no storage issues — designers Polina Afonskaya and Elena Trofimova designed a compact space that combines functionality and elegance. For example, in the bathroom, an interesting solution for the vanity cabinet: a sliding door allows hiding the washing machine.

Rotating TV Panel

A supermodern and convenient solution for small apartments: a TV screen emerges from the ceiling between the kitchen and living room on rotating lifts, which can be turned toward either the living room or the kitchen.

Bookcase Instead of Buffet

On this kitchen, there was a very narrow wall between the balcony and the rest of the apartment, where no cabinet would fit. Designer Anastasia Zarqua didn’t want to waste precious space and came up with a solution — she placed an IKEA bookcase that fit perfectly into the niche!

Partition Instead of Window

To define another room and solve the lighting issue without an additional window, Anna Aranovich installed a glass partition adjacent to the dining area. This is where the owner's bedroom will be. The main room was given to her young son — it gets plenty of natural light.