“Home idea with IKEA”: pet-friendly kitchen and dining area

This week’s heroes are Greta and Rimas. They share their home with a Wolfspitz and two Maine Coon cats, so space and order are particularly important. The couple recently bought a flat and dream of renovating the kitchen to make all surfaces easy to maintain, ensuring that every household member – including the four-legged ones – has their own cosy spot. Our interior designers helped bring their vision to life.

Two smiling people—one with long pink hair sitting, and another standing behind them—along with a fluffy grey Wolfspitz dog.

Interior designers‘ task:

Significantly improve the kitchen’s functionality: the couple needs a larger dishwasher, a wider waste-sorting drawer, a bigger fridge and more worktop space for cooking.
Transform the empty kitchen corner by the window into a dining area, creating a welcoming spot for guests popping in for coffee.
Refresh the outdated interior with more light, a greater sense of order and a modern touch.
Include as many closed cabinets and hidden storage solutions as possible to make tidying up easier.

Kitchen with yellow cabinets, orange tiled backsplash and a black hob.

Bright corner with a bench under the window and beige tiled floor.

Narrow space with white walls, a white door, and some shelves on the right.

Have a look at the result!

Modern kitchen with green lower cabinets and white upper cabinets, wooden countertops, built-in appliances and a small dining area by a window.

Bring these great solutions home:

Kitchen furniture & accessories

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Depicts a round, extendable wooden dining table with white legs. Its designed for 2-4 people and has a smooth, light-colored top.

Modern kitchen with extendable table, chairs, rug, and lamp. Table set with dishes, glasses, and flowers.

GAPERHULT

Price 199€

Currently unavailable for delivery

A green upholstered chair with metal legs, back support, and padded seat for comfort.

VIHALS

Price 35€

Available for delivery

Last chance to buy

IKEA Family price

DELSJÖN

Price 29€

Save 50€

Regular price 79€

Price valid 25.06.2026 - 25.06.2026 or while supply lasts

Available for delivery

BUNKEFLO

Price 29,99€

Available for delivery

Beige rug by door, chair with cushion, jacket on wall, bright room.

FULLMAKT

Price 39,99€

Available for delivery

ENHET

Price 50€

Available for delivery

KÖLVATTEN

Price 4€

Available for delivery

Kitchen furniture & accessories

Bringing the kitchen into a new light

Greta and Rimas wanted a pet-friendly space with surfaces that wouldn’t require special maintenance. Our interior designers chose ash-effect worktops that don’t easily show dust, along with matte grey-green NICKEBO base cabinet fronts – a practical choice, as they’re resistant to smudges and pet paw marks.

Brightly coloured tiles were concealed behind sleek white wall panels, and to enhance the entire space, smart lighting was installed: dimmable LED strips above the worktops and a colour-changing pendant lamp in the dining area allow for a customisable atmosphere at any time of day.

A modern corner kitchen featuring grey-green NICKEBO fronts and white VEDDINGE fronts.

A view from the kitchen into a small dining area with a round dining table and green chairs.

“If you have pets, it’s important to consider the pattern, texture and durability of furniture surfaces. A more patterned finish hides dust and minor imperfections, while a hard-wearing, scratch-resistant surface requires less maintenance.”

IKEA interior designer

Smart features out of sight

A thoughtfully planned, functional kitchen is the foundation of an easier daily routine. To make the most of the available space, hidden solutions were introduced, such as deep drawers with inserts and dividers. The old narrow dishwasher was replaced with a standard 60 cm-wide model, capable of accommodating not just plates but also larger pots. An 80 cm-wide drawer under the sink contains HÅLLBAR waste sorting bins, while a corner cabinet features rotating shelves, making pots, baking trays and other cooking utensils easier to reach. Even more, these are conveniently close to the built-in oven and hob.

Kitchen storage & organising

A kitchen drawer with neatly organised drawer inserts and trays, providing efficient storage for kitchen utensils and tools.

A corner cabinet with rotating shelves, maximising storage space and making it easy to access items at the back.

Kitchen storage & organising

To free up the worktop, it’s important to review the items kept on it and move as many as possible into the cupboards. In this case, the microwave took up a lot of space, so we decided to install it inside a wall cabinet.

A dining area for family, guests and pets

The uniquely shaped space by the window was perfect for the new dining area. The semi-circular room naturally called for a round table rather than a rectangular one – which is why the extendable GAPERHULT dining table fits perfectly. Its tabletop is covered with a scratch-resistant melamine foil, so if the cats decide to jump up, it won’t be damaged. The ash pattern complements the EKBACKEN kitchen worktops beautifully, while the green VIHALS chairs tie in nicely with the cabinet fronts.

Did you notice? One table leg is protected from sharp claws by the UTSÅDD scratching mat.

Dining room furniture

A cosy dining nook with a round wooden table and four green chairs, placed by a bright window with potted plants on the sill.

View from the dining area into the kitchen, showing a set table with soft pastel tableware, green napkins and a pendant lamp overhead.

Dining room furniture

“The dining area isn’t very spacious, so I chose a round extendable table, 90 cm in diameter, which can be extended to 120 cm, turning from a two-seater into a four-seater. I also added space-saving chairs that can be stacked when not in use.”

IKEA interior designer

Little things that matter

Because of their cats and to avoid blocking the view from the window, the couple didn’t want curtains in the dining area. To improve acoustics and soften the overall look, our interior designers used other textiles instead: table runners, fabric napkins and rugs – one placed under the dining table, another by the kitchen cabinets. The open wall shelves add to the cosy feel and provide the perfect spot for family photos or trailing houseplants that brighten up the home.

Home decoration

A dining area with a light wooden round table surrounded by four green chairs. A pendant light hangs above the table, and a large window lets in natural light.

A close-up of a minimalist shelf with black-and-white framed photographs and two hanging plants in small white pots.

Home decoration

“If you'd like to combine different coloured fronts in your kitchen, choose more practical shades for the base units and go with white – or your favourite accent colour – for the wall cabinets. The same principle applies to handles, which act as subtle design accents. Drawers work best with long, ergonomic handles, while minimalist round knobs can add a refined touch to cabinet doors. Another option is handleless fronts with push-to-open mechanisms.”

IKEA interior designer

What was done before?

In previous seasons, our interior designers transformed a wide range of home and business spaces, offering practical tips on how to adapt interiors to personal needs and keep everything well-organised. We renovated kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms, created a children’s room in an attic, refreshed office spaces, redesigned a compact one-room apartment and so much more.

Previous makeovers

A carousel of home makeovers showcasing transformations in bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms.

Previous makeovers

Would use some help?

If you'd like to renovate your home without a big investment or major repairs, you can always ask our interior designers for help. With your input and home furnishing style preferences, whether it be traditional or modern, our professionals will help you navigate our wide range of products and create a complete furnishing solution for one or multiple rooms, or for your entire home.

Interior design service

View from above: an IKEA interior designer in a yellow uniform takes notes at a desk with a laptop, a mug of tea, a paint colour palette and inspirational images.

Interior design service

An episode of a home makeover show showcasing the transformation of an old yellow kitchen into a functional, minimalist space with a dining area. The show features homeowners, a host and an IKEA interior designer.

Have you missed this episode on TV3?

Watch it here, track all makeovers and get inspired.