What To Expect With Your IKEA Kitchen Purchase Experience

Learn from the pros how to navigate the IKEA store and kitchen department

Walking through a never-ending maze of furniture can be overwhelming.

If you don’t plan on spending hours – yes, hours – wandering around your local IKEA store, there are certain things you should do.

As certified kitchen designers, our team at IKD knows what those things are.

We know the ins-and-outs of the IKEA kitchen purchase experience, including: How to navigate your local IKEA store, what to expect in the IKEA kitchen department, and what to do, and not do, when you’re ready to make your IKEA cabinetry purchase.

So, if you’re an IKEA customer that has your kitchen design finalized (from IKD, of course!) and are ready to go to IKEA to complete your purchase, this article is for you.

Each year we help our customers maximize their time and money during the IKEA sales events that take place through IKEA US and IKEA Canada.

We’re well versed in how to navigate the maze that can be the IKEA kitchen purchasing process.

Ultimately, we’d like to provide you with a clear path to move forward with your IKEA kitchen design and installation.

This will insure creative IKEA kitchen designs that reflect your unique needs and save you time, money and stress.

And it’s all made easier by being prepared.

Let’s see what to expect at your local IKEA!

Navigating Your Local IKEA store

So, you have your kitchen design finalized and you’re ready to purchase IKEA cabinetry at your local IKEA store.

The first tip is to create a plan and stick to it.

You’ll already have your kitchen purchase list – courtesy of IKD – so all you’ll have to do is get to the kitchen department.

Of course, if this is your first time at IKEA or if you’re going during a particularly busy time of day (or year) this can be easier said than done.

For instance, there are differently themed room vignettes for living rooms, bedrooms and children’s areas, for example – all designed to give you ideas with IKEA products.

And any one of those can easily grab your attention!

Bins throughout the store showcase IKEA products, from storage supplies and lighting to small appliances, and of course, IKEA cabinetry (hint, hint, that’s the one you want).

Keep in mind, the layout of IKEA is such that visitors can really only walk one direction.

IKEA is set up very much like a labryinth.

So, we highly suggest you ignore everything but the blue signs (they tell you exactly where you’re going) and create your own path.

Remember, there will be a lot of sights and sounds (and smells of Swedish meatballs from the food court) vying for your attention there.

If you go during a weekend or during an IKEA sales event, there will be a lot of shoppers.

It can definitely be a sensory experience.

So, stay focused.

The IKEA Kitchen Department

Hooray! You’ve made it to the IKEA kitchen department.

The department will have many fully designed kitchen vignettes featuring IKEA cabinetry that showcase creative IKEA cabinetry installations.

Plus, the square footage of each IKEA kitchen vignette is typically clearly visible.

So, if you have a smaller kitchen design, these vignettes can make it easy to see how your IKEA cabinetry choices will look.

You’ll be able to see all of their available door styles, and visit a display showing all cabinet boxes in their SEKTION system, including measurements, and various sinks, appliances, and accessories.

This is the perfect time to test the soft-close features on IKEA cabinetry, take a final look at the door style you’ve selected and shop around for accessories like bins, trays, etc.

One important thing to remember is to NOT let the IKEA sales rep change your IKEA Home Planner design that we’ll provide to you.

Don’t let them add or take items off.

What we’ve uploaded to the Home Planner plus the Extra Items list will contain all the parts needed to assemble your IKEA kitchen.

Placing Your IKEA Kitchen Cabinet Order

If you’re ready to place your IKEA kitchen cabinet order, look for an IKEA sales rep.

They’ll request your IKEA Home Planner username and password to access the design we uploaded.

Remember, the design on your IKEA Home Planner won’t look like our renderings as it was created only to generate an items list for your IKEA purchase.

Therefore, there will be certain items not included on the Home Planner.

In fact, the Home Planner can miscalculate leg counts, for example.

That’s why we don’t include legs on your IKEA Home Planner. These will be included in your Extra Items list, which is a personalized list we include on your final design.

You must ask the IKEA sales rep to manually add these items to your order.

If you want a true design reference for your contractor or installer, use the PDF we created for you.

If you follow these tips you’ll know definitely know how to navigate your local IKEA store.

And the time and money you save here will leave more for other parts of your IKEA kitchen – or other rooms in your home – now that you’re an IKEA pro!

Learn more about how we can design your IKEA kitchen, bath, laundry room and closet at https://inspiredkitchendesign.com.