Is it better to have a free planner or a paid designer for your IKEA kitchen?

Everybody loves the word free. When we hear “free,” we hear, “Try this product or service without risk.” But does free always mean no risk?

When considering a new energy bar flavor, it does. We can decide if we want it in our pantry before opening our wallet.

When considering an IKEA kitchen design, there is more at stake. We’re not talking about what’s in your pantry; we’re talking about the pantry itself. And it’s not so easy to throw that away if you don’t like it.

What does IKEA’s free planning service offer?

When looking for an IKEA kitchen design, IKEA attempts to be one-stop shopping. Walk in, pick out cabinets, and follow the arrows to the free kitchen planning service.

However, you must keep in mind that IKEA planners are not design experts; they’re IKEA experts.

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IKEA employees are essentially trained to walk you through the online kitchen planner. They have more training in how to use the software and have been instructed in basic design techniques, like spacing, the triangle rule, hardware and door clearance, etc. You can utilize their services online or in-store, and at the end, you’ll receive an IKEA shopping list, floor plan, and elevation diagram.

Why is a skilled designer more beneficial?

A professional, paid designer knows how to work with any kitchen products, not only those offered at IKEA. If you want SEKTION cabinets with Semihandmade doors and hardware you found on Amazon, we can show you the end result with high-resolution, 3-D color renderings.

IKEA planners may be able to show you something close, but they’ll always be limited to IKEA products for their final designs.

We use professional design software. IKD designers use 2020 Design software to create a complete design package that includes 3-D color renderings, floorplans, elevation drawings, optional lighting plans, IKEA hack diagrams, and an IKEA shopping list with extra materials for installation.

Whether planning your IKEA kitchen remodel as a DIY project or a professional installation, our packages include everything you need to take the room from design to reality.

You get more individualized service with a professional kitchen designer.

With IKEA, you can schedule a 30-minute kitchen consultation, 90-minute planning appointment, or 30-minute plan verification. However, you are always just one person in a revolving door of customers. If you have any issues with your design, an endless number of employees can play “pass the buck.” If you need an extra appointment slot, there is no guarantee it will be with the initial associate.

With IKD, you’ll know who your designer is and who to contact with any questions or problems. Our design price includes two revisions, and we work hard to understand your vision. It’s important to that we get to know you, your lifestyle, and your aesthetic to help build a kitchen that is both functional and pleasing to look at.

Don’t leave your IKEA kitchen design to chance.

Kitchen renovations cost thousands of dollars. It doesn’t make sense to skip one of the most critical steps in the process to save a few hundred. Without a kitchen design by a certified design professional, you may end up with the best kitchen IKEA can come up with instead of the best kitchen.

We have more tools, experience, and drive, and that lets us do more for you.