Before and after: 3rd stage of makeovers at the family crisis centre

At the third stage, we have renovated two more blocks of the family crisis centre choosing red and green as dominant colours to separate them. In total, we have implemented makeovers in nine rooms, two kitchens, several family leisure areas, and common corridors.

Before the renovation

Private rooms are used for families to relax, study and play. They must therefore be easily adaptable to different activities, as well as parents and kids of different ages. However, the crisis centre‘s premises are not that large. So, before the makeovers, all family rooms were only furnished with basic pieces, lacked cosiness and privacy.

Enter the green block

All rooms in this block are linked by green furniture and accessories, but that’s not all. We wanted the temporary residents to have similar conditions regardless of which room they stayed in, so we’ve designed them alike. Each room has a space-saving sofa or daybed, an armchair with removable covers, a spacious wardrobe for clothes and laundry, a shelving unit for children’s toys, and a table on castors, which can be used in two ways: placed against the wall as a desk or moved to the centre of the room as a spot for family gatherings.

A corridor kitchen

Crisis centre residents eat and cook in communal kitchens shared with other families living in the same block. However, the red block was so small that there was no space for a separate kitchen. This is why we’ve set up one in the corridor. The space was cleverly designed to accommodate not only some essential kitchen appliances, but also a dining area and a sofa.

We-time areas

After our makeovers, the red block also features playing and resting corners where families meet to socialise and spend time together. To make these spaces even cosier, we decorated them with artwork donated by IKEA interior designers.

“I wanted to get rid of the dormitory atmosphere and to set up a home that looks like a modern hostel. All the blocks of the centre are functionally similar, thus we have separated them by colour. In addition to the previously furnished blue block, there are now two more: one in green and one in red.”

Ūla Žebrauskaitė, IKEA interior designer

Our most loyal volunteers

Meet the team of IKEA co-workers who volunteered in bringing this meaningful project to life. Together, we assembled furniture, ironed curtains, decorated rooms and did everything we could to turn the crisis centre into a cosy home.