Customer Remodels IKEA Kitchen Back In Black

Making an all-black kitchen work requires a modern sensibility — and the right IKEA cabinetry

Going from a light-colored kitchen to one featuring black cabinetry might seem like an unusual kitchen design idea, but for one IKD customer, it was the perfect choice.

Sandrine, from Jacksonville, FL, explains: “We didn’t want a typical kitchen. Going with black was scary, and we had to mix my European taste for a clean line kitchen with my partner’s taste, which was modern farmhouse with character. So we chose a black kitchen remodel with very white, modern countertops.”

Specifically, this IKEA kitchen features IKEA’s SEKTION cabinetry framework with IKEA LERHYTTAN upper and base cabinetry with black stain. The look is complemented by Bedrosian’s white quartz countertops, called Bright Paradise, which are featured in an L-shaped design around the perimeter, and light wood flooring.

“We wanted to break the traditional side of the black kitchen with a modern countertop and we looked for the whitest we could find,” she says.

Of course, the style wouldn’t have worked if the layout itself didn’t work.

“We wanted to open up the room and integrate the kitchen with the dining room. Plus, we wanted the kitchen to have a lot of storage while removing the top cabinets, and create an overall good flow,” she explains.

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All Black IKEA Kitchen

After initially attempting to do the remodel herself, she decided to rely on IKD’s kitchen design services, which gave the project direction.

“IKD made the concept really easy,” she says.

Notably, they also elected for IKEA’s cabinet lighting system, which provides each cabinet drawer with light and makes it easier to see stored items.

“It brings a very nice touch,” she says. “The drawer system and the ability to add lighting inside the drawer was a big plus – and of course the price!”

With a budget of $25,000, she also selected mostly all IKEA appliances, except for the counter-depth Samsung refrigerator, in Black stainless steel; as well as recessed lighting.

“The refrigerator also fits well with the pantry and we went for recessed lights since the ceiling is low (8 feet). Plus, it added a modern touch,” she explains.

She continues: “I agreed to the black backsplash as long as the other wall was pure white and the overall design was a mix between farmhouse and Scandinavian.”

The backsplash is contrasted with open shelving for added storage and for display items, such as flowerpots and bottles of wine.

In the end, one of the most crucial elements of the design process was Sandrine’s flexibility with the overall concept. She had examples of kitchen designs from HOUZZ and Pinterest as inspiration and originally wanted a glossy white kitchen.

“My partner is much more artistic than me and he pushed me to take risks with the layout,” she admits.

She concludes: “Really, we wanted something that was modern looking that will last a long time, [and we achieved that].”

Let’s see how her IKEA kitchen took shape!

Great Wide Open

From an efficiency standpoint, the goal of the kitchen design was to create an open feel to make the room look bigger, more modern and brighter.

Therefore, the $25,000 budget covered the full project from moving the plumbing – they had to go through the concrete to bring the sink on the opposite side – as well as the electricity for the new appliances, the new cabinetry and countertops.

For instance, the original kitchen had a small island nook dividing the kitchen from the dining room combined with upper cabinetry that was an inefficient use of storage space and workflow.

“We wanted something that would flow without screaming ‘kitchen,’ ” she says.

To improve that they extended the kitchen into the dining room, eliminating the island and placing the refrigerator at the end of that wall with the IKEA LERHYTTAN upper cabinetry around it.

She also enhanced the IKEA LERHYTTAN cabinetry with custom copper handles she ordered through Etsy.

“It was a splurge but added a unique touch. We [also splurged] with the refrigerator because it’s a counter-depth fridge with access to Internet; but going with IKEA cabinetry gave us the opportunity to spend on other things,” she explains.

Aside from the budget-friendly cost of the IKEA cabinetry, Sandrine also notes a personal reason for selecting the IKEA LERHYTTAN door style.

“Being from Europe, I always liked the design,” she says, adding: “We wanted to mix the white countertops with some butcher block but we gave up the idea. However, we like the end product: An open and bright room that’s great for entertainment that also feels cozy,” she says.

Working Together

Sandrine and her partner initially attempted to use IKEA’s design services, but found it difficult.

“We tried to design it ourselves with the IKEA [Home Planner] tool but it was too cumbersome and time consuming,” she says.

They also ran into difficulty with the cabinet installer they chose.

“We didn’t have a good experience with our installer. He was not used to IKEA cabinetry and it was another cumbersome process. The plumbing was an issue, for example, since we could not close the sink cabinet. It was finally fixed but it took time. He was not really willing to think outside of the box. I recommend finding a contractor that knows IKEA products.”

To get through the process, she recruited IKD’s design team for help.

“My advice is use IKD. It made the process so much easier. The [materials] list we got made it so easy to order the kitchen,” she says.

She concludes: “Using a professional to design the kitchen was key to making sure we did the best with our investment, including measurement, where to put what, and making sure the flow worked. The price with IKD’s design was reasonable enough to be a no brainer.”