Kitchen of the Week: Base Cabinets by Ikea, Chic and Colorful Doors by Reform

If we were to describe this kitchen using words only and no images, you’d be forgiven if the word “tacky” comes to mind. Let’s give it a try: This kitchen in Berlin features minimalist cabinets with fronts in a variety of colors—red, green, orange, white, and blue.

See what we mean? Fortunately, we have images to go with our description. And what these images show is a kitchen that uses color in a fresh and sophisticated way. It belongs to a Scandinavian couple who, not surprisingly, both work in design. “As the apartment was brand new when we moved in—we’re the first couple living in it—we wanted to bring some kind of personality to it,” they tell us.

In the kitchen, they accomplished this by choosing cabinet doors, in multiple hues, designed by Belgians Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen for Reform, the Danish kitchen brand that specializes in fronts for Ikea cabinets. “We’re big fans of the award-winning design duo Muller Van Severen, so when we saw their kitchen design for Reform, we were not in doubt about the choice!”

The hardest part: deciding on the colors. Muller Van Severen’s Match line for Reform comes in six colors. Clients can choose one hue for a monochromatic space or a variety for a fun, bolder look.

“The biggest decision was to make it right with all the color options: Should we make it all blue, all green, a mix of red-peach-brown, or mix them all? We chose to mix all the colors, and then we spent two weeks of vacation in the South of France where we discussed the color options. That was both the hard part and the fun part with this design: endless opportunities.”

We think they nailed it.

Photography courtesy of Reform.

Above: The apartment is in Prenzlauer Berg, “the hipster family area in Berlin,” says the couple, who have two young kids. They chose the Match line of fronts both for its design pedigree and its durability. The doors are made of HDPE (High-density Polyethylene A 500), a resilient (and recyclable!) material. Above: HDPE is wax-like, the same material that’s often used for cutting boards. A trio of Tolomeo Swing-Arm Wall Lights offer ample task lighting in the space. Above: The Match fronts are designed to be installed on Ikea’s Sektion cabinet frames. (For more companies that make fronts for Ikea cabinets, see Ikea Kitchen Upgrade: 11 Custom Cabinet Companies for the Ultimate Kitchen Hack.) Above: Marble countertops are a luxe counterpoint to the HDPE doors. Above: Hay’s Indian Plate Rack hangs above the sink. The Vola faucet is by Arne Jacobsen. Nestled in a nook is a bench from Studio Ilse. While the couple are knowledgable about the design world, they are also democratic in their design approach. Case in point: The metal canisters on the counter “are from the hospital where and when our son was born.” Above: Just off the kitchen is a wide hall with custom wall-mounted shelves. Above: The dining area is open to the kitchen. A motley array of dining chairs surround the table, above which hangs the 2065 Suspension Lamp by Astep. Above: The view from the dining area and adjacent living room. The sofa is by Swedish design duo Afteroom for Copenhagen’s Common Seating. Next to it is a vintage Murano lamp.

For more Ikea-hacked kitchens, see:

• Kitchen of the Week: An American In London Creates Her Dream Ikea Hack Kitchen
• Two London Creatives Shore Up a Tiny Beach House, Ikea Hack Kitchen Included
• Kitchen of the Week: An Architect’s Light-Filled, DIY Copenhagen Kitchen, Ikea Hack Included

N.B.: This story originally appeared on March 18, 2021 and has been updated with new links and information.