My Happy Place

You know when you see people getting past life regression therapy or being hypnotised and they are told to go to their 'happy place'? Pretty much nine times out of ten you can be damn sure that happy place involves a deserted beach, scorching sun and nothing but the sound of the waves crashing against the sand. For me? Screw your sands. To hell with your deserted island.

My happy place is my kitchen. Every single time.

I'd spend all my time in there if I could. Armed with my holy trinity of cooking (good music, glass of rouge, new recipe), I spend a good hour in the kitchen every evening after Ava goes to bed. So although we just rent this little place of ours, the kitchen was most definitely what swung it for me when I decided to move here. I had looked at too many tenement flats in my quest to find us a new home and was always let down by the kitchen. Tiny, box sized rooms with everything squashed together and no room for kitchen dancing as you cook.

Not that I do that.

The kitchen in Ava and I's home is definitely my favourite room. The walls are covered in her drawings, the clean dishes are never put away and the windowsill is littered with cooking books, oils and about 387374 different kinds of salt.  The fridge is currently awash with shopping lists, recipes to try and dresses to buy (ripped out of the latest Marie Claire). One wall is now covered with photos of Ava, the cupboards are full to the brim of different spices and my wine rack is rarely empty. Hands down favourite room. Second only to the bathroom. Because long, leisurely bubble baths in the evening are my second favourite thing to do. And on the nights I do both? Don't even talk to me because I can't even deal.

Wild.

So when an invite popped into my inbox for a media briefing at Ikea on their new Metod kitchen range, I thought FUN. Apart from Ikea being another one of my happy places, the idea of pouring over kitchens I cannot afford but dream about having totally does it for me.

That one in the middle there? One day that kitchen will be mine. Because you are no one until you have a breakfast bar. I've just decided.

Ikea have (because they put it so much better than me): 'redesigned the basic building blocks of kitchens to create a new system that's flexible, stylish, highly functional and super customisable. Truly IKEA, the new kitchen system is value for money, reliable and designed for countless years of hurried mornings, long dinner parties and those sneaky midnight snacks'.

But more importantly - look how PRETTY they are.

The kitchens are full of smart organisers to keep clutter to a minimum but they still allow you to choose any door or front. Basically you can design the look, colour and storage all on your own. You can personalise it to your hearts content. Gone are the MFI days of here you go, that's what it looks like, take it or leave it....

So these kitchens are functional, stylish & have tons of storage. Yet you get the freedom to design it yourself. What's not to love?

 

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate that the microwave up there is under the stairs. Under the stairs. The fridge is under there too. *dies*

These kitchens actually aren't as expensive as I thought they would be. And you can set yourself a budget before you start. Ikea will help you with everything. From the designing and planning to the buying and installation. 

And just look at how PRETTY they are. Did I already say that? Sorry.

This was a fun and interesting morning and thank you to Ikea for looking after us so well. Namely for giving us cake. And for allowing me to drink before 10am.

You can learn more about the new Ikea Metod kitchens on the Ikea website.