Before and after: see the full makeover of Tallinn Women Crisis Centre

Crisis centres provide safe shelter and support for anyone trying to break out of unhealthy and violent relationships. To create a feeling of homeliness for those in need, IKEA has completed a makeover of Tallinn Women’s Crisis Centre within the framework of the initiative "Notice violence". In total, we have invested more than 29 000 euros in the improvement and renovation works. During the makeover, a new look was given to four family rooms, two bathrooms, a hallway, and a kitchen with a living room.

One step towards a better future

''Acknowledging domestic violence is still a big taboo in Estonian society and considered a private family matter, not shared even to the closest friends. The welcoming and supportive environment that the makeover has created is one of ways to encourage women not to be afraid of the change as they have a safe place to go,'' emphasizes Tallinn Women Crisis Centre manager Inga Mikiver. According to her, every bystander plays a role in combating domestic violence. ''We as a society can make a change by keeping our eyes open and reacting on acts of any type of violence. We can all contribute to creating a safer environment,'' she says.

Before

Before the renovation, the crisis centre was furnished comfortably yet modestly, with mostly essential furniture in the rooms. However, we wanted it to provide its residents not only with temporary shelter, but also with a cosy and homelike environment that would help to make their days brighter and support the recovery.

Kitchen and living room

IKEA Estonia interior designer Anneli Taavet, who together with a team of volunteers was planning and implementing the whole makeover, shares insights behind the chosen solutions. “Most of all, I wanted to create a feeling of cosy and comforting home, and for that I got inspiration from Estonia’s nature tones and integrated it with the functionality of Scandinavian design," she explains. The freshly furnished kitchen is perfect for cooking, enjoying meals together and relaxing, and there´s also a small workspace.

Adjustable furniture that adapts to the user's needs

“When choosing the furniture, we preferred timeless and adjustable solutions, which are easy to change according to the needs. We also added divided wardrobes, extendable beds and day-beds to make the co-living spaces fit to ever-changing needs and the number of crisis centre women and children,” explained the IKEA interior designer.

Cozy and functional

When planning the rooms, the main focus was their functionality, ergonomics, and convenience. Bed frames with underbed and storage help to maximize the use of floor space and keep personal belongings in a safe place. The desk is perfect for studying or reading, and there is plenty of space for stationery in its drawers and mesh baskets hidden under the desk.

Light colours make the room more spacious

The interior designers used calming and light colours for both textiles and furniture. “With light colors we also added a more spacious look to the room, other tones were brought in with different accents and decors,” says Taavet. The extendable and bunk beds were also equipped with reading lights, so that in the evening you can either read a fairy tale to the children or spend a private refreshing moment in the company of a good book.

Contribution of volunteers

In addition to improving the living conditions, the makeover process creates a movement against domestic violence by also supporting volunteering culture. More than 50 volunteers from the different departments of IKEA Estonia joined to assemble hundreds of items to create makeovers by our own hands, meanwhile gaining deeper understanding of domestic violence, crisis centre work and the importance of by-standers role.