Bedroom Makeover in Jelgava

A loving couple, a small room and some 40-year-old furniture. This time, "Home Idea with IKEA" visits Jelgava where a special challenge awaits IKEA Interior Designer Dagne – she will create a whole new retreat for this lovely couple.
Helga and Andris have been married for 40 years and have lived the last 20 in their own cosy house in Jelgava. After giving all the best to their children and renovating their rooms it somehow never came to renovating their own bedroom.

Always the Same, for 40 Years
The room awaiting makeover has looked the same for the last 20 years and not much different for the 20 years before, as the furniture was also there in the previous home of the family. The carpeted floor shows clear signs of wear, a clear pattern of the most used zones. As for the furniture, Helga refers to the two massive wardrobes on each side of the bed as "the two towers" that dominate the room both in size and in colour. Together with the dark red bedspread and the matching curtains, the room seems somewhat dark despite the fact that it faces South and gets a lot of sun actually.

His & Hers
Even though the initial idea for bedroom storage – a wardrobe for each – seems reasonable, it has subdued to chaos over time.  As Andris says, his wardrobe has turned into a "half-wardrobe" as there were too many things to be stored. Helgas' side looks crowded and it is clear it lacks some sort of organisation to make it more comfortable. A better place for the ironing board and the iron is also a must in the new interior.

The Awkward Corner
Helga and Andris say, they have always thought about using the wall opposite from bed in a way that would offer more possibilities both to store and to add some cosiness to the room, but it always seemed like a hard thing to do as it would only allow for a 40 cm cabinet depth that they thought would be too few. And so the only thing that found place here is a TV corner, a belloved place of the grandchildren.

A 180 Degree Change
In the new interior, a new bed has literally taken the place of the old one – it has been placed in the same way while the main storage has been moved to the opposite side. The light wooden tones on soft gray background create a distinctly Scandinavian flair. On each side, there is a nightstand for things that have to be close at hand and some additional storage has found place above the bed. In a flawless transition from the white nightstand on Helgas' side of the bed there is a small dressing table.

More, not Less
As for the storage Helga and Andris are in for a big surprise! The space in their bedroom they always thought of as "difficult" has been transformed into a storage wonder. IKEA Interior Designer Dagne has played the combination card smartly, by combining wardrobe frames of different depths to work out a solution fitting for this room. Between both spacious wardrobes, a couple of cabinets with fitting fronts have been added to create space for the TV.

Smart Storage
Organisation is essential for keeping good order. In this room, different solutions have been used to fit everything in a way that is both comfortable and aesthetically appealing. Even a 40 cm deep frame can be used for clothes on hangers if used in a smart way. Different organisers for shelves and drawers add to the comfort level.

Multifunctionality is the Key
When planning storage, one has to think about the needs first. As Dagne says, no dream solution will be complete if it does not correspond your needs. Clothes on hangers create a good overview – everything is visible as soon as you open the wardrobe door. The lower part can be used for shoe storage, both with boxes or without.

The Beauty Corner
Helga likes jewellery and in the old interior this was one of the things she could not agree with Andris. If there is no designated place for keeping jewellery and it is strewn all over the room, it is quick to create a cluttered impression. Here, a dressing table with a drawer is the solution. Using drawer organisers each small thing finds its place, looks orderly and is easy to find.

Lighting a Room
When creating an interior, one of the essential things is lighting. This room was a particular challenge as it gets a lot of Southern light through the window. Dagne used a clever solution in three layers, combining blinds and two layers of curtains. The blinds let some light filter through and allows for a comfortable light when watching TV in the day, but the outer layer of curtains blocks the light for a more quality sleep.