This small IKEA kitchen's stylish terracotta makeover is proof that saving money doesn't mean sacrificing style

It's safe to say kitchens are a major investment, so you want to get the design right and make sure your money is well spent. You might think that cutting costs means you can't achieve your dream design, but what if we told you that you could have it all?

There are more and more companies, like Plykea, innovating the budget kitchen market with their model that uses IKEA cabinets and upgrades them with more design-led fronts. This is exactly what attracted homeowner Issey Rider when faced with a sensible budget, small space and big aspirations for her new kitchen.

Transforming a dated ex-council 1960s maisonette into a contemporary kitchen that oozes an earthy colour palette and tonnes of innovative features, Issey and her partner Steph and Plykea have achieved the ultimate on-trend design.

'A small space doesn't have to mean a style compromise!' Issey urges. Let's see how she did it.

Before

Issey and Steph's before was a classic 1960s maisonette set-up. Simple, dated fittings and not much light - it wasn't the pair's dream kitchen, but they also didn't want to do any structural work.

They did, however, demolish the internal wall leading to the cupboard shown above, to open up the left-hand side of the room and make more space for large appliances.

'Our main goal was to have a multi-use kitchen (a kitchen & chill-out space), with good storage and lots of prepping space - all of which were non-existent pre-renovation,' Issey explains.

This is where the clever IKEA kitchen hack comes in - with IKEA's innovative storage options combined with Plykea's stylish fronts, it's a match made in heaven.

After

Issey and Steph's completed kitchen embraces modern living. The pared-back cupboard doors open up the room to make a relatively small space feel as large as possible, without feeling cold.

When combined with the warm terracotta and cream colour palette, it's exactly where you want to cosy up cooking after a long day. They chose Plykea, who use IKEA cabinets with their own doors to give a stylish touch to affordable cabinetry.

'We love how Plykea elevates an average IKEA kitchen and seamlessly integrates their tech to give the appearance of a super chic kitchen that doesn’t cost the earth, We went for simple brass edge pull handles on the fronts, with Plykea’s longer invisi-pull doors on the wall units for a clean, slab-front look.' Issey adds.

'I’ve always loved earthy and neutral tones within my style & interiors. We explored lots of different colour combinations, sage green, brown, even duck egg blue crept in but we landed on a deep wine red (Fenix NTM Rosso Jaipur) as the previous flooring was a similar colour so we knew it worked in the space. It really is by chance that this colour palette is in trend for 2025!'

The bar area

Kitchens are now so much more than a space to cook - we use them as the hub of our homes, somewhere to mix and mingle with family and friends, and even dine. However, this can be a challenge if you have a smaller home that doesn't lend itself to an open-plan layout.

With a kitchen island or dining table out of the equation, Issey and Steph took inspiration from their favourite London bars and restaurants with a compact but ever-so-cute bar area. It's the perfect spot for a pre-dinner aperitivo or for a guest to perch while you cook.

'We call this area the wine/tapas/ramen bar, because we love all three! The inspiration came from the desire of having an area for people to sit, have a drink and chat to us whilst cooking,' explains Issey.

'We have two stacked Plykea’s URTIL shelf units in Fenix NTM Beige Luxor, with reeded glass doors—offering extra storage without the bulk of full kitchen cabinets. We then added red tiles (with red grout!) underneath to bring the colour scheme together along with a thin bar surface - also from Plykea - screwed onto the wall with 3 L brackets.'

Plenty of storage

While kitchen storage ideas are never the most fun part of a kitchen design, it's what will really make a tangible difference to your day to day life. Sitting down with your kitchen designer before you start planning to assess how much storage, and what type, you need will ensure your kitchen actually works for your lifestyle.

Issey and Step included deep drawers at the bottom of their base units to house small appliances such as an air fryer and balanced this with cupboards up top. Adding an open shelf below the wall cabinets is a handy way of not overwhelming the room with cupboards, while still adding a nice platform to pop your cooking essentials.

Stylish touches

Once all of the practical elements of a kitchen design have been considered, it's time to make room for the fun features. Setting the mood, adding personal touches and finding room to showcase your favourite pieces of crockery is what makes your home feel unique.

'As Steph and I both work in the film industry, we know a thing or two about good lighting so our kitchen was no exception,' Issey explains.

'The most used & complimented light feature is the integrated IKEA Mittled LED light strips within the underside of the wall units and the Urtil shelves which Plykea have cleverly designed a recess for the light to pop straight into, ensuring a sleek, considered aesthetic.'

We also love the gold rechargeable lamp Issey has on the bar too - this lamp from Dunelm gives you the same look for just £15 and will add ambient task lighting to your surfaces.

Get the look

While bespoke kitchens often come at a price, there are so many ways to create a kitchen design that gives you the look you desire and suits your budget. There are so many ways to use IKEA cabinets for your base kitchen design with additional doors and accessories that take it to the next level.