DIYer Updates Kitchen Layout For Unique IKEA Design

Proper planning and research go a long way in making your IKEA kitchen truly unique

For IKD customer Adam from New Hampshire, the main goal with his new IKEA kitchen was simple: Make it one of a kind.

He explains: “Our previous kitchen was poorly laid out and had very limited cabinet space for its size, and the way our neighborhood was built every kitchen was built identically. So, we wanted an IKEA kitchen that could better optimize the space while differentiating our house within our neighborhood.”

To remedy this, he replaced the previously stale-looking cabinets with IKEA SEKTION cabinetry and IKEA BODBYN Off White doors for the upper base cabinets, as well as BODBYN Grey for the large center island.

And for Adam – who installed the kitchen himself – the IKEA cabinetry fit perfectly into his vision of having more space and a better overall layout.

The result?

An inviting and clean IKEA kitchen that combines stainless steel appliances, warm hues and plenty of storage space for a very updated look. And even more impressive is that he accomplished this while only spending $10,009.30 on his IKEA cabinets!

Of course, he credits IKD’s certified designers for guidance during the process as well as his own research.

“We used design Web sites like HOUZZ to help inform our decision about using IKD, for tips about installation techniques, and for suggestions about how to overcome installation challenges. HOUZZ was the most regular online resource we used throughout our design and installation process,” he says.

Notably, Adam did not set a budget. Rather, he did calculations during the planning stages to know what price range he was comfortable with for his IKEA purchases.

“We even went up a level on our cabinets when saw the first revision of our design from IKD. The change was financially feasible for us and we were happy with the final estimate on our design. When we ended up purchasing our cabinets, the estimate and final cost were very close to each other,” he says.

Rounding out the product lineup are an IKEA NUTID microwave; Samsung stainless steel appliances; luxury vinyl flooring (that was installed ahead of the kitchen) and granite countertops from a local third-party, non-IKEA affiliated vendor.

“We did not hire a cabinet installer and I proudly state that we did it ourselves” he concludes.

Let’s see how Adam’s kitchen came together!

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One of A Kind IKEA Kitchen

For Adam, the previous kitchen was drab, outdated and completely inefficient with narrow passageways around the refrigerator and previous island.

Therefore, he discovered that IKEA cabinetry was ideal from a style and budget standpoint for his kitchen remodel.

“We were impressed with the quality of the cabinets at the price point. We were also able to plan well in advance of IKEA’s Spring kitchen sale to enable us to purchase our cabinets at a lower price point,” he says.

To that end, the IKEA BODBYN Off White cabinetry runs along the upper perimeter of the kitchen, from the Samsung refrigerator, over the stainless steel stove and above the sink and granite countertops.

“There is also undercabinet LED lighting that was moved from the old kitchen. We had the two pendants removed that used to hang over the island for a moveable pot light that allowed us to keep costs down by not moving the pendants over the island. Plus, not moving the pendants allowed us to open the space further,” he adds.

The large center island also maximizes the space and creates a much more efficient workflow as it houses the NUTID microwave as well as large amounts of drawers for additional storage options; such as for pots and pans, and other cooking supplies.

On the opposite wall is a glassfront display cabinet which showcases glassware and mugs.

Doing It Yourself

One of the most impressive parts of the kitchen is that Adam installed it himself – even though he admits that initially the idea was daunting.

“When we found that IKEA cabinets might be a fit for our project, we took a trip to our closest IKEA to look at their cabinets. We found the choices both amazing and overwhelming,” he says.“We also felt that we could not renovate our kitchen by just using the IKEA design tool.We were looking to get some help on optimizing the space. A Google search brought IKD up as the option that best fit what our needs were – so we started working with IKD.”

Calling the design process with IKD “a breeze” Adam decided to take the next several months to research how to install the kitchen.

“We visited IKEA again to better understand how the cabinets were put together. I’m glad that I really focused on the IKEA kitchen installation guide at the beginning of the installation to help get my rails installed properly and to really speed up putting the cabinets onto the wall,” he adds.

He also points out that he got lucky as the BODBYN cabinet fronts were on sale when he was ready to purchase – making the cabinetry a cost effective choice as well.

He concludes: “We were really attracted to that fact that we could reduce our kitchen’s cost by installing it ourselves. Doing this required watching a number of YouTube videos and reading numerous articles on how to do it as well as having smaller scale home improvement projects to have the skillset necessary to do the work.”

Expert Advice

Now as an experienced DIYer, Adam shares some important advice for other IKEA customers.

“Remodeling your kitchen is hard under any circumstances. IKEA does present remodelers with an option for higher-end remodels that can be done by oneself, but it is not an easy road. There are plenty of tutorials online, but you will also run into situations that will not have a tutorial somewhere,” he says.

To that end, he advises that as you go through the process, you will develop more confidence in how to manage these challenges.

“Make sure you know what your limits are and know that once you start it can be impossible to stop with half a kitchen built. Take your time to investigate this project and make the best-informed decision for your home,” he adds.

He concludes: “Installation was definitely challenging for a first-time installer, but it got easier as we progressed. I certainly could install another kitchen much faster right now!”

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