Kitchen Redesign in Scandinavian Style + Budget

Elena Pino and Julien Schwartzman are a couple of architects from Strasbourg who decided to move to Paris and open their own company Heju.

The guys settled in a small apartment on the attic, renovated all the floors and painted the walls white. Initially, they had enough budget and time only for the bedroom, while the kitchen remained untouched.

Only when the couple changed their views on kitchen design did they manage to completely transform it. The guys calculated the main expenses, and we translated them into rubles — scroll to the end of the post to see the budget.

A cramped space and low ceilings — that's how you could describe this kitchen, but the owners liked it at first glance.

About the renovation

The guys decided to update everything, even the wiring — it was too old. As in the whole apartment, they repainted the walls white and refinished the floors.

They decided to buy cabinets at Leroy Merlin — they offered more options than IKEA. Moreover: the cabinet doors were lined with birch plywood by the architects themselves. They also decided to do without handles: instead, they drilled small holes.

To avoid overloading the tiny space, they made cabinets only at the bottom, and decorated the walls with minimalist shelves from the same plywood. There is a small panel with hooks for kitchen utensils under them — a convenient solution.

Along the perimeter of the cabinets, they created something similar to an apron: they painted part of the wall with light gray washable paint.

They bought plumbing fixtures at IKEA, and didn't skimp on the tap — they chose brass. It looks great in a bright interior.

They chose household appliances with a minimalist design so they wouldn't look too ornate against simple cabinet fronts. There was even space for a washing machine: they hid it behind cabinet doors.

The only thing the guys didn't hesitate to spend money on — a round dining table made of solid wood. And they didn't hesitate at all: for quality, you often have to pay.

About the budget

• Cabinets bought at Leroy Merlin: 13,000 rubles
• And lined them with birch plywood: 29,000 rubles
• Plywood was laminated: 36,500 rubles
• New window installed: 22,000 rubles
• Basin bought at IKEA: 7,000 rubles
• Brass mixer installed: 36,500 rubles
• Smeg oven installed: 33,000 rubles
• Smeg induction hob installed: 27,000 rubles
• Box under the oven made: 2,000 rubles
• Table bought: 60,000 rubles