Did you spot this IKEA kitchen hack on Escape to the Chateau? Dick and Angel Strawbridge say it's a staple in their home
IKEA made more than a couple of appearances on the hit Channel 4 home renovation show


If you followed Dick and Angel Strawbridge's hit channel 4 show Escape to the Chateau, I imagine you've dreamed of recreating some of Angel's magical interiors in your own home. Well, what if I told you that the stunning family kitchen includes an IKEA hack you can try at home?
The couple first landed on our screens in 2016, and treated us to eight seasons where they transformed a dilapidated French chateau into a stunning events venue and family home. Despite the show ending last year, Angel and Dick are still inspiring households with their new show Secret France and Dick and Angel: Forever Home UK tour.
The family kitchen was one of the first rooms that the couple transformed in the series, and when Ideal Home spoke to Angel about the new tour she revealed that the cabinets are all IKEA.
'We have got IKEA carcasses and cupboards in all of our kitchens,' Angel explains.
'When we first moved in, I was looking at lots of old French kitchens and there was a brand called La Cornue,' she says. 'They have got this signature brass trimming around all of their hobs and they're just wonderful. And we initially wanted to buy a whole bunch, but it was so beyond our budget.'
'I wanted to have a vibe of La Cornue, so I ordered in these beautiful just simple brass strips, and I lined the outsides and across the middle in certain circumstances with this brass, so we had a shiny silver IKEA door with the brass trimming, and I have to say it was not La Cornue but it did turn out quite nice.'
'We had a lot of cupboards in our family kitchen and to buy all of those brass strips cut to size already that cost a couple of 100 euros at the time.'
Get the Ideal Home Newsletter
Sign up to our newsletter for style and decor inspiration, house makeovers, project advice and more.
Chateau kitchen before the renovation
A couple of years on Angel and Dick haven't left the IKEA kitchen hacks behind.
'Recently, we've got a little kitchen area and we just painted all of the cupboard doors and changed our handles to non-IKEA beautiful wooden scandi-style door handles and painted these white cupboards in this lovely kind of grey colour. It was a really quick job that made a big difference. And it made me start to like it again,' says Angel.
Dick explains that the reason they rely on IKEA kitchen carcasses is that he knows 'They always come together properly.' All he needs to do is cut down the backs to ensure they fit perfectly to the unusually shaped walls of the chateau.
There are so many ways you can make an IKEA kitchen look more expensive like Angel did. Here are three of our favourite buys to upgrade them instantly.
Well if IKEA kitchen cabinets are good enough for a chateau, they're good enough for us.
Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.
-
Wildlife experts are urging gardeners to add a potato to their bird feeders this spring
If you treat the birds in your garden to this high-calorie treat, they will be flocking to see you again
By Kezia Reynolds
-
Do I need planning permission for windows?
Experts explain the rules for changing your existing frames and adding new openings
By Rebecca Foster
-
8 things you need to know before converting a basement, according to renovation experts
Avoid any disasters when converting an unloved space into a fully functional room with these tips
By Holly Reaney
-
7 ways to store pots and pans in a small kitchen - expert tips for clutter-free cooking
Genius ways of storing cookware in a compact kitchen
By Natasha Brinsmead
-
George Home is selling an air fryer that rivals the coveted Ninja FlexDrawer - it's getting rave reviews from shoppers
The George Home 11L Multi-Drawer Air Fryer has a five-star rating
By Kezia Reynolds
-
5 ways to organise food containers in your kitchen - for clutter-free cupboards that actually close
A ten minute task that provides so much satisfaction
By Holly Cockburn
-
Every homes editor I know owns this Joseph Joseph kitchen essential, and I've finally been persuaded to buy one too
I've never known a washing up bowl have such a cult following
By Rebecca Knight
-
'Dirty kitchens' are the luxury kitchen trend with practical appeal - here's why you need one
It's much more appealing than it sounds
By Holly Cockburn
-
The White Company is embracing Mamma Mia core with its new summer collection - these are the stunning pieces to watch
These sun-soaked styles are not ones to miss
By Kezia Reynolds
-
I wish I'd known these 4 things before I bought my Ninja air fryer – here's how to buy the right one for your home
This is what I'd change if I could do it over again
By Molly Cleary
-
Do acoustic wall panels soundproof a room? Experts reveal what they should really be used for and dispel the biggest myth
This is what acoustic wall panels are actually for and why they don't soundproof a room
By Sara Hesikova