Architect Remodels Space Into a Modern IKEA Kitchen

IKEA novice collaborates with IKD to capture all the modern conveniences

Sometimes, it takes one to know one. This was the case for IKD customer Johanna, from Richmond, VA, who as an architect knew what she wanted from her modern IKEA kitchen design.

The problem? She’s not a cabinet designer.

“We did some of the original design work ahead of time, but we needed to do it correctly because our existing U-shaped kitchen was so small. If one person was loading the dishwasher, then the other person couldn’t use the sink area and it was frustrating; especially considering how much time we spent there.”

To that, she wanted more space, more storage, and to maximize her dining room area, since it was largely unused before. So with a budget of $15,000 along with design guidance from IKD, Johanna combined IKEA’s SEKTION cabinetry framework with IKEA White AXSTAD matt-white doors and Hanstone quartz countertops.

The quartz countertops are featured around the U-shaped work triangle (on the tiered island on one side and over the dishwasher on the other) as well as on the adjacent side for the coffee station. And since she had previous experience installing cabinetry, she was able to save money by applying IKD’s layout in for the DIY project.

The result is that a previously undersized, inefficient kitchen is now an ergonomic IKEA kitchen that is spacious and stylish. And she accomplished this with a budget-friendly cost of only $5,526.62 for her IKEA product choices.

Let’s see how it came together!

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Why a Modern IKEA Kitchen?

As an architect herself, it says a lot that Johanna opted for IKEA cabinetry.

“Price was a huge factor” she says. “Also, it was the ability to customize the drawers and shelves.” This was crucial because her existing cabinets had no adjustable shelves and she had lost a lot of storage space due to that inflexibility. “The large pull-out drawers (by the oven, dishwasher and coffee station, respectively) help us find our stuff much more easily and the soft close hinges make these cabinets more durable in the long run” she says.

She concludes: “I liked that we had the option to DIY. IKEA makes it so you can build all the cabinets and drawers fairly easily, assuming you have enough space for all the assembled components. Some of my co-workers have had IKEA kitchens for years and the cabinets have maintained their quality.”

IKEA Dream Team

While Johanna had the origins of her kitchen design idea, she also needed IKEA kitchen design specialists to make it come to life.

“One of my co-workers recommended IKD as a way to confirm we were selecting the right IKEA products. IKD was able to ensure our design was built without having cabinets colliding into one another at the cornersand switching an uppercabinet out for some open shelving. Previously, we wouldn’t have been able to open the door with the exhaust fan in the way!” she explains.

She also credits IKD with providing the proper amount of space between the end of the cabinetry run before it turned the corner and making sure the style of IKEA cabinets matched the style and function she wanted.

“Lastly, IKD provided a list of items to order from IKEA, which meant we didn’t have to add hundreds of items to our cart and could purchase everything much quicker. There is no way we would’ve known to order all the parts we actually needed,” she concludes.

Reinventing the Kitchen

The original kitchen was so inefficient that it became difficult for Johanna, her partner and their 45-lb. dog to move in comfortably.

“It was so crowded when we were in the original U-shape of the kitchen. Anytime we had friends over there was not enough room to grab stuff out of drawers without running into someone” she says.

To that end, she wanted a kitchen that was wide without having to relocate the existing door and windows she was putting the IKEA cabinetry between.

The U-shape of the kitchen — once a source of inefficiency — now functions smoothly with plenty of storage options with IKEA AXSTAD base cabinetry and MAXIMERA drawers. This base cabinetry runs from the oven to the dishwasher, with plenty of options for eating and cooking utensils, extra plates and linens, for example. There is also an additional bank of cabinetry next to the coffee station (and above it) which serves as a pantry and additional storage as well.

Words of Wisdom

As a DIY IKEA customer, Johanna provides some insight for future IKEA remodelers.

“If you have patience, you can pick up most of the skills needed to remodel your kitchen. Nothing is too hard, as long as you take the time to think through where you want everything to go” she says. “This will ensure that the project ends up the way you are anticipating.”

Notably, Johanna and her partner also spent time walking through how they planned to use their space — which we at IKD highly recommend — to make sure it functioned as they wanted.

She concludes: “After figuring out IKEA’s instructions we were able to get everything situated the way we wanted and save money. Plus, we had plenty of time to install everything considering we were quarantining at home through the pandemic!”

Learn more about how we can design your IKEA kitchen, bath, laundry room and other rooms at inspiredkitchendesign.com.