Maximum aesthetics and storage in minimal space

The Ibrahims were faced with a challenge when it came to organising storage in a pantry space of barely 2 sq.m. and a tricky laundry room with its awkward angles, electricity switchboards and heat pump. But with Elfa’s flexible units and airy shelving, they created a pleasing solution with a perfectly organised storage system!

By Charlotta Flinkenberg

This is where we live

Fanny Ibrahim (age 30) is a doctor, married to Alexander (29) who is a dentist. The couple recently welcomed their first child. They live in Kvicksund, halfway between Eskilstuna and Västerås, in a newly built house which, when completed, will have 200 sq.m. of living space.

Well-organised home for the new family

Fanny and Alexander Ibrahim are building their rural-style house in a forest near Lake Mälaren. The ground floor is already completed and work upstairs is ongoing. The couple recently had their first child, so it was a priority to create organised storage solutions in their home. – Living here during the house’s construction has been chaotic. We were so fed-up of not having any proper storage space, Fanny says. – When we designed the house, I knew I wanted a pantry. It’s the most important room for me.

The pantry

A minimalist aesthetic runs like a common thread through the interior of the couple’s home. And without any wall cabinets in the kitchen, it is particularly important to plan where to store pantry items.

– We want to achieve an airy feel with open spaces throughout our home. The kitchen and living room form a single space and wall cabinets would have given the kitchen a heavier look.

The kitchen island has some built-in storage and the pantry that Fanny included in the design is just next to the kitchen.

– There wasn’t much room for the pantry. I think it’s slightly less than 2 square metres, but on the other hand we have 2.60 m up to the ceiling which means plenty of wall space to use.

The couple initially considered installing fixed shelving. But that would have been difficult in the confined, L-shaped space, which has awkward angles and power sockets here and there on the walls for a microwave and other appliances.

– In the end, we realised that a bespoke solution was the answer. So we contacted Elfa, the experts in this matter.

Elfa offers a wide choice of sizes and depths when it comes to baskets and shelves, making it possible to squeeze the maximum amount of storage out of these two square metres.

– A storage board, mesh baskets and a giftwrap holder make smart use of the wall just to the left.

We’re impressed by how organised and accessible the pantry is! Are you a pedantic person?

– I’m fairly pedantic when it comes to what is visible. I love getting things organised. The great thing about open shelving is that you have to keep it neat and tidy, and that makes it more pleasing to the eye.

The pantry is the most important room for me

– My husband is Syrian so we have lots of spices from the Middle East. And I cook a lot of Indian and Thai dishes and use quite a variety of seasonings. We keep our extra spices, herbs and flavourings in the pantry, and also have a spice drawer next to the stove.

Wrapping paper is tricky to store, but a giftwrap holder solves that problem easily enough.

– We also keep our recycling bins and some kitchen appliances in the pantry.

“My husband almost cried tears of joy”

Fanny was given a helping hand to install the pantry shelves and surprised her husband with the finished results when he came home from work one day. – My husband almost cried tears of joy when he saw it! Incredibly satisfying. All our pantry staples have been sitting in boxes on the floor for ages. Now we can bulk-buy tins of crushed tomatoes and Pepsi Max when they’re on offer because we have room in the pantry for them.

See kitchen inspiration

Laundry room

Storage in a hopeless space

As well as getting their pantry organised, the couple needed a practical solution for their laundry room which was also a rather chaotic space in their newly-built home. What specific storage requirements did you have for this space? – We wanted room for four separate wash baskets. And to be able to hang freshly washed clothes up, and also put the drying rack away to create space when there isn’t any laundry to dry.

Inspiration for the laundry room

– It felt quite hopeless, however, because there are two electricity switchboards, lots of power sockets, water pipes and a heat pump in the space. We need to be able to access the switchboards. They can’t be hidden behind fixed shelving or inside cupboards.

Elfa’s storage expert Christine Dahlman is a professional when it comes to creative ideas for solving storage dilemmas that leave others completely stumped. Fanny and her husband Alexander carefully measured all the space in the laundry room, took photos and sent the information to Elfa. Christine designed a storage system using Elfa’s visualisation tool and showed it to the couple.

– Christine sent us the exact measurements for the hang standard so that we could double check that it really would fit between the two switchboards.

Gliding mesh drawers, folding drying racks and wire shelves provided the practical and very airy solution for a space where damp can easily collect. Transparent drawers are great time-savers too as the contents are visible at a glance.

– It’s so smart to be able to fold the drying racks up when we want. As space is limited, you need to be able to fold them away to get to the things on the shelves next to them. This maximises the versatility of the room.

The textiles, baskets and style of the laundry room have a predominately monochrome palette and elegant feel. There’s even a rod for hanging garments that need ironing or airing.

– I was absolutely set on having natural, earthy colours. I have high standards when it comes to the aesthetics throughout the house and I wanted the same style in the laundry room too.

A natural fabric curtain has been hung in front of the storage wall so the couple can close it when they don’t want all the shelves and their contents to be visible.

– The curtains are always drawn shut in front of the heat pump area, because it’s so unattractive. But you can hide the whole storage area behind the curtain, if you want, which creates a more calming feel. Hung-up washing, storage items and folded towels can make the space appear cluttered and I like a restful and harmonious look.

Without Elfa’s system, we would have had only about a third of the storage space

Clothes that need ironing or airing are hung on the rod.

Laundry supplies have their own space and are close at hand.

Fanny has a methodical system for sorting dark and light laundry according to the wash temperatures into clearly labelled drawers.

– I grew up with this system of sorting our laundry and am very pleased that we now have it here. It makes the whole laundry process much easier and you can see at a glance when it’s time to do a wash.

Attractive storage that makes full use of the space

What is your overall impression of Elfa as a storage system? – If we had used standard wardrobes and cupboards we would have had only about a third of the storage space. It feels wonderful to finally be organised after living amidst a chaos of boxes for months. Extremely satisfying to have everything in its place! We are overjoyed and there’s been no compromising on aesthetics or space. It has ticked all our wish boxes.

See the storage system