IKEA Accessories To Enhance Your IKEA Kitchen in 2019

January 10, 2019 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

We at IKD know that our clients are savvy about the products they choose for their IKEA kitchens. More than anything, they want products that are reasonably priced while enhancing their life and style.

And as IKEA often notes on its Web site’s product descriptions, many of these products are designed for accessibility, ease of use and maintenance, and clever problem solving.

So for 2019, our design team is expecting a variety of different IKEA accessories to grow in popularity. These accessories include flatware and utensil trays; a digital tablet stand and various integrated lighting systems, among others.

Our team has compiled a listing of these products to help simplify your product search while making your IKEA kitchen more stylish and functional.

Let’s take a look at what’s in store in IKEA kitchen accessories for 2019!

Organize Your Life (And Your Cutlery)

According to IKD designer Paulina, one of the most useful IKEA kitchen accessories is the VARIERA flatware and utensil tray.

“These come in different widths that you can mix and match to fit any cabinet or drawer width. You’ll be able to keep your cutlery and knives perfectly organized,” she says.

She continues: “This means less time searching for utensils and more time having fun cooking. These clever interiors inside drawers and cabinets keep things organized.”

One useful tip is to keep the VARIERA flatware and utensil tray near to where the utensils will be used as this enables a smooth workflow.

Another nice aspect is that instead of putting your knives in a large wood block on the counter, the knife trays allow you to organize everything safely while still being accessible – and increasing the lifespan of your knives.

IKEA notes that the bamboo wood surface is durable yet also gentle on your knives as well, and the VARIERA trays are made of 100% renewable material, which also happens to be a growing kitchen trend among IKEA kitchen customers who are eco-conscious as well.

Standing At Attention

The Internet puts the world at your fingertips, and IKEA’s VIVALLA tablet stand puts the Internet at your fingertips.

According to IKEA’s Web site, you can use the VIVALLA tablet stand to hold your tablet, phone or cookbooks. You can stand it on the countertop or hang it on the wall for more space when you are cooking.

To hang the tablet stand from a wall rail, a space of 3-7/8″ is needed between the rail and any shelf, wall cabinet or structure above it. The rail for wall mounting is not included though. IKEA recommends its KUNGSFORS or SUNNERSTA rail.

The VIVALLA is made of Birch veneer, Bamboo veneer and clear acrylic lacquer which make sit easy to care for, simply requiring you only to wipe clean using a damp cloth and a mild cleaner, and then dry with a clean cloth.

Standing At Attention

The Internet puts the world at your fingertips, and IKEA’s VIVALLA tablet stand puts the Internet at your fingertips.

A Moveable Feast

For IKEA customers looking for alternatives in more ways than one, there is the IKEA VADHOLMA kitchen island.

Not only does it add storage options, the island also is moveable and can be placed anywhere you want in your IKEA kitchen, based on your needs.

Paulina explains: “The VADHOLMA provides extra storage, work and seating space. This is an ideal solution for a freestanding island. The butcher-block look brings warmth to the room and it can be used as an occasional breakfast spot, or for food prepping.”

She continues: “I consider it the perfect complement for any kitchen that requires that extra bit of space without having to ‘build’ or install an actual island.

The VALDHOLMA’s measurements are 49-5/8″ x 31-1/8″ x 35-3/8″.
Complete the island with the VADHOLMA rack for additional storage. Also, bar stools with a seat height of 24¾” fit in well with this kitchen island, so it definitely serves as a gathering option as well.

“The VADHOLMA is a great alternative for when you don’t necessarily have the space or budget for a fixed island,” Paulina concludes.

Lighting The Way

According to Paulina, a well-lit kitchen is at the top of most IKD customer’s wishlists. And we think they are pretty illuminating.
“IKEA has the perfect lighting solutions for all your kitchen needs. You can choose from different under-cabinet lighting solutions like the STRÖMLINJE LED countertop light or the IRSTA LED countertop light,” she says.

According to IKEA’s Web site, the STRÖMLINJE LED countertop light can be wirelessly dimmed and the lighting adapted based on activity, making food prep and kitchen work safer and easier.

The IRSTA LED countertop light – which comes in multiple sizes – can also be dimmed wirelessly and adapted based on activity. For the eco-conscious, the LED light sources consumes up to 85% less energy and lasts 20 times longer than incandescent bulbs. IKEA notes that when you add IKEA’s TRÅDFRI gateway and app, you can create several groups of lights and control them in different ways, including through Amazon Alexa or Apple HomeKit. Designed for IKEA’s SEKTION kitchen cabinets, the LED lifespan is approximately 25,000 hours, IKEA adds.

“Also, if you happen to have glass fronts you can use IKEA’s OMLOPP spotlights,” Paulina says. “For your cabinet drawers you can use IKEA’s OMLOPP light strip to make it easier to find stuff on your bottom drawers – or when you sneak to the kitchen for a midnight snack!”

Click here to learn more: https://inspiredkitchendesign.com/.

Modern IKEA Kitchen Has European Style Without Breaking The Bank

December 25, 2018 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

For her IKEA kitchen, IKD customer Charmaine from Long Island City, NY, wanted European style without European cost.

“We met with several high-end European kitchen companies and we didn’t think it was cost effective to move forward since the cost was almost the same amount of our labor expense from our contractor. We decided IKEA was the best choice since it can achieve the same European style at a fraction of the cost,” she explains. More specifically, she also wanted to achieve a high-end look with her appliances while making sure the cabinetry was installed properly. All within a $40,000 budget. So after searching HOUZZ and Pinterest to get ideas of how IKEA cabinets worked, Charmaine went to IKEA for the SEKTION cabinetry frames and combined them with custom fronts from Semihandmade.

“The lowers were Super Matte Light Gray Slab and the uppers were Super Matte White Slab,” she says. To complement the cabinetry, she selected quartz countertops called Calacatta Nuvo from Caesarstone, purchased from Hempstead, NY-based Nassau Stone Depot. She also added a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Wolf cooktop, wall oven and microwave, Faber vent hood, Asko dishwasher and Insinkerator garbage disposal. “We decided to put our money into high-end appliances which really complemented our IKEA cabinetry,” she adds.

To ensure her under cabinet lighting wasn’t visible, Charmaine selected IKEA’s cabinet lighting system. She explains: “Our upper cabinet door fronts are slightly longer than the actual cabinet. There’s a lip where you can open and close the cabinet. We decided to do this because the lip covered the under cabinet lighting. We love the lighting system and it’s definitely worth it because of its cost.”

With young children, Charmaine also knew that her IKEA kitchen couldn’t just be stylish. It needed to be sturdy as well, and she hired IKD to accomplish those goals.“We have four boys. We had to consider times they could get a little too active in our apartment and [damage] a really expensive kitchen,” she says. “So, if one of our boys somehow broke the cabinets, we wouldn’t have a heart attack since we didn’t spend the price of a luxury car on our kitchen.”

Let’s see how Charmaine achieved her IKEA kitchen!

Modern Times

One of the main design wishes for her IKEA kitchen was to have a sleek, modern look. “I wanted to have a modern European look and the upper cabinets we originally chose in our design were long narrow ones. We scratched that idea and decided to stack two upper cabinets to have the look we wanted,” Charmaine explains.However, the project did run into a few obstacles.

The first challenge was actually getting their cabinets delivered.
“We scheduled delivery three times. The first time they were on the way on the wrong date. The second time IKEA arrived and left because they couldn’t find the service entrance [of our building]. The third time was the same reason as the first – and then our cabinets were lost!”
Ultimately Charmaine and her husband had to place their kitchen order again and go back to IKEA to get reimbursed for the first kitchen order.

“Another obstacle was choosing the cabinet sizes where the upper and lower cabinets were aligned. Since IKEA only offers specific widths, we had to figure out how to evenly distribute them based on the entire width of our wall,” she says. Their next concern was aligning the cabinets without having one stick out obtrusively. So, Charmaine and her husband hired a contractor who used a subcontractor to install the entire kitchen. But unfortunately, that posed more challenges to the installation process. For instance, they needed to correct how the filler above the wall panels next to the refrigerator and wall oven were installed. “They didn’t cut the top filler and it wasn’t flush to the upper panels. We also had a hiccup in our nook where we asked them to install it a certain way and it wasn’t done so. Overall, it was a fair experience. There are always some hiccups but all were corrected before completion,” she says.

To The Rescue

After initially attempting to go it alone, Charmaine hired IKD to lay out her IKEA kitchen. “It was difficult for me to envision how our kitchen would look using the IKEA Kitchen Planner. It just looked like boxes to me. I wanted to have a full kitchen rendering and that was why we chose IKD. We wanted to see how our kitchen would look and [see] other ways we can configure our cabinet sizes,” she says. She continues: “The price was so affordable and IKD really moved quickly with our design to meet the kitchen sales deadline.

They were also able to line up our upper and lower cabinets at the same widths. Since we used Semihandmade fronts we were able to achieve this because IKD knew that they offered these door sizes.”She concludes with advice for future IKEA remodelers.“Patience is important from beginning to end. You’ll spend a lot of time going to IKEA, staying there for hours designing your kitchen, spending another day placing an order for your kitchen and then waiting for delivery. There’s a lot of legwork involved but know it’s all worth it in the end.”

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

9 Design Details to Make Your IKEA Kitchen Perfect

October 26, 2018 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

It’s the details that really pull a room together. In the kitchen, the most effective details not only improve the aesthetics of a room, they also provide better functionality. After designing hundreds of IKEA kitchens in all different styles, I’ve come up with a list of nine go-to tips for giving any kitchen that little extra something that can make a big difference in the day-to-day enjoyment of the room.

Lighting and Outlets

Get Task Lighting Right

While kitchens can be beautiful spaces, they must also provide work spaces for meal prep and other activities. Task lighting—lighting that is mounted underneath the cabinets—is a great way to provide concentrated light just where you need it. IKEA offers a range of under cabinet lighting options including OMLOPP, LINDSHULT, and IRSTA. To make the most of task lighting, be sure to place your light source on the forward edge of the cabinet rather than the rear. If you place the unit too close to the wall, the light will fall mostly on the backsplash rather than on the countertop where you need it.

Color Coordinate Your Outlets

Because building codes often require quite a few electrical outlets in a kitchen (often one every four feet), you’re bound to have a lot of outlets in this room. Instead of defaulting to a basic white, black, or beige outlet, choose something that either blends with or contrasts to the color of your backsplash tile or wall. Many lighting and big-box stores carry a wide variety of outlet styles and colors, including Amazon.

Mix Up Your Outlet Styles

Another way to bring in some variety and sophistication to your IKEA kitchen design is to use different kinds of outlets. In addition to the standard wall outlet, did you know that you can also use under-cabinet plug molding strips, modular track outlets, or pop-up outlets? Just installing an outlet sideways can help you refine the look of your IKEA kitchen by allowing for a lower profile along the wall. (For instance, a sideways outlet on the wall behind a small appliance like a toaster will be completely hidden from view.) By getting a little creative with types, colors, and placement options, you can make your outlets work more beautifully in your design—and even add some useful functionality.

Storage and Functional Spaces

Maximize Your Island Prep Space

The kitchen island is a central focus of most of of my IKEA kitchen designs. It’s where everyone in the family gets things done, from food prep and serving to homework to general socializing when you have company over. One mistake many people make is to assume that the prep sink should be placed in the center of the island. While this placement seems logical, it actually limits the available workspace on either side of the sink. Instead, consider placing the sink on one end of the island. This frees up the other two-thirds of the surface to be working space.

Consider Speciality Storage Options

One of the biggest challenges in any kitchen is finding a place for everything. Between appliances and cookware and all the other paraphernalia that belongs in the kitchen, even the most organized of us can be hard pressed to find adequate storage for every item. Luckily, IKEA kitchens offer a variety of specialized storage options. Take, for example, lid storage. No one wants to have to dig through a random pile of lids to find the one they need. Instead, you can use a simple organizing accessory such as IKEA’s VARIERA lid organizer. Another common cause of kitchen clutter is charging various devices—phones, speakers, tablets, etc.. You can eliminate the unsightly tangles of cords on your kitchen counter by using a compact charging station or by creating a hidden charging station by installing an electrical outlet inside a drawer.

Conceal Appliances

Appliances are a necessary element of any IKEA kitchen, but that doesn’t mean they have to be the focal point. For larger appliances, such as refrigerators and dishwashers, adding coordinating paneling can create a clean, continuous look. For smaller appliances, you can create an IKEA kitchen “appliance garage” that will not only keep things like your microwave and toaster out of sight, but also free up valuable counter space.

Spacing and Placement

Give the Hood Some Space

If your IKEA kitchen design includes a chimney hood over the stovetop, make sure you leave at least two to three inches of open space between the hood and the wall cabinets on either side. This placement detail serves two purposes. First, it ensures that the hood doesn’t look cramped or crowded. Second, the additional space will help the exposed sides of the cabinets stay cleaner for a longer period of time.

Keep Floating Shelves and Glass-front Cabinets Away from Cooking Spaces

Floating shelves are a big trend in IKEA kitchens right now, which is unsurprising based on all the design options they offer. One key tip I always use with my clients, however, is to place floating shelves a good distance away from anything that throws off steam or grease. If you put this kind of open shelving too close to the stovetop, for instance, the shelving and objects on the shelf can quickly build up an unpleasant film that’s difficult to clean. The same rule applies to glass-front cabinetry, which also gets dirty more quickly and easily than traditional cabinets.

Step Back and Consider the Functional Zones in Your IKEA Kitchen

Even as you’re working out all these special little touches, remember to also think about the bigger picture. Every IKEA kitchen has its own flow, and you create that flow by planning out how each area will be used and making sure that you have positioned everything (appliances, storage, etc.) to best serve the needs of each “zone.” For instance, if your design includes both a prep sink and a cleanup sink, you definitely want those in separate spaces. Most likely, the prep sink will go in the island while the cleanup sink might be placed in an out-of-the-way spot.

Each detail of your IKEA kitchen design matters. After all, for most people, it’s the most-used room in the house. It’s where you grab your coffee in the morning, prepare your dinner in the evening, and—usually—where all your friends and family congregate when you get together. AS professional IKEA kitchen designers, we’ve had the pleasure of creating aesthetically beautiful and highly functional designs for hundreds of client homes. No two are ever alike, but each one is perfectly suited to the needs of the people who use it.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can design your IKEA kitchen, bath and closet, visit us at https://inspiredkitchendesign.com.

Common IKEA customer home planner mistakes Part #1 – Appliance/Sink location

September 5, 2018 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

IKD customers often complete their IKEA kitchen design using IKEA’s home planner and send it to us because they’re not sure it’s right. They want a second set of professional eyes to review it for errors — or how it can be improved. They don’t have any kitchen design experience and it’s too hard to design with IKEA’s home planner. They’ll be spending a substantial amount of money for the cabinets — and they’ll have to live with their design for the next 20 years — they’re worried.

It makes sense to work with an IKEA kitchen design professional. We know what to look for. We’ve seen all kinds of mistakes — big, small and strange. If they weren’t discovered before ordering then they would have had serious problems in their kitchens. At IKD it’s our job to provide an IKEA kitchen design that is highly functional, beautiful and is adapted to your needs. We’ll start with some sink and appliance locations. Situations that look simple enough on the home planner, but would’ve caused a lifetime of hassles if they were ever implemented.

#1. Range Abutting a Refrigerator Panel

A potential fire hazard.

It’s bad enough that you’re forced to stare at the back wall while you cook (that’s why we prefer to design stoves on islands). Now you’ll feel even more boxed-in if your range was right against the tall panel for your fridge. It doesn’t end there, your arm would bump against the panel — making cooking considerably more uncomfortable.

Then there’s all the grease and gook that’ll accumulate along the fridge panel — it’ll always look dirty. What about an area next to the range for plates and utensils? Any good cook knows that plenty of space is needed around the range for the ingredients you’ll cook with and the finished dishes.

Designing a drawer base cabinet between the refrigerator and range changed everything. Better light, space for everything, cleaner — and the space didn’t look so crowded. Good that we fixed this IKEA home planner design error and made life better for our customer.

#2. Sink Too Close to Range

Soapy water and plated food don’t mix.

Only 12″ of countertop between the range and the sink! But it looked OK on the home planner! We just explained how there needs to be space at the sides of the range for cookware and ingredients. How could they make the same mistake?

Obviously you need space at both sides of the sink. But the 12″ of countertop is being fought over by stuff from the range. There’s also the issue of safety — water causing hot grease to splatter. There should be at least 24″ of countertop between them. We also didn’t like the look of a narrow wall cabinet dangling down between the microwave and sink wall cabinet — it just wasn’t right.

We love our IKEA drawer bases here at IKD and increased the space to 24″ with a drawer base. Really would have preferred much more — or the sink in another location. But the space was small and had to work with what was available.

#3. Sink Abutting a Refrigerator Panel

IKEA particle board cabinets and water don’t mix.

This IKEA home planner mistake applies to sinks abutting tall cabinets as well as refrigerator panels. Designing a sink directly next to a panel is awful. To start there’s the water that will splash against the panel and steadily erode it. Then it’ll drip down between the cabinets and cause further damage.

Normal sink countertops have two sides — one for dirty dishes and the other for clean ones. This design error leaves you to combine both on one side. Yecchh. Then there’s all the problems that were described earlier for the range: no elbow room, poor lighting, too crowded and looks bad.

There’s just nothing more to do than separate the two. It seems so obvious but while designing yourself with IKEA’s design tool, it’s hard to see.

#4. Sink at the Edge of an Island

Recipe for a nasty fall.

On IKEA’s home planner one sees small shapes, so it’s tricky to see the kitchen as a whole. I’m not a fan of designing sinks in islands because cooking should be the islands main activity. Guests want to sit around an island to watch you cook and nibble — not watch you wash dishes.

There’s absolutely no room for anything on the side of the sink. Pretty much makes the sink kind of useless. Worse still water will splash on the floor beside it — constantly. Both dirty and a set up for someone to slip.

We immediately reversed the location of the dishwasher and sink.

The home planner is an interesting tool to experiment with options for your kitchen. But when it’s time for serious design of a highly functional kitchen, then design with the pros at IKD.

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

A Colorado-style big-space IKEA Kitchen

August 31, 2018 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

The kitchen is meant to be the heart of the home, but for Jennifer from Centennial, CO, her original kitchen felt anything like it. That is of course, until her family decided to remodel the space using IKEA cabinets and IKD’s design services.

“We needed our new space to function better. Our original kitchen was inefficient and it just never felt right,” she explains. “Plus, with the view walking into the kitchen area from the front hallway, you looked straight at the end of the peninsula. It was an eyesore.” This meant incorporating multiple design revisions– all based around IKEA BODBYN cabinet doors in off-white with IKEA SEKTION framework.

And there were many challenges inherent with the original layout. For example, the floor plan featured wood floors in the kitchen that weren’t finished under the cabinets, so Jennifer didn’t want to redo the floors. “The design needed to at least cover the same footprint,” she explains. Also in its original configuration, there wasn’t even adequate space for a trash can in the kitchen!

By incorporating floating shelving and other creative storage ideas from IKEA, the space took on a whole new life, she says. “Before, it was dark and boring with Formica counters. The kitchen now looks modern and fresh! It reflects the decor in the rest of the house and is now the heart of our home,” she says. Let’s see how the IKD design team accomplished this transformation.

Design Desires

With a busy family who entertain often, presentation was a key for this kitchen – and that meant ample storage in multiple ways. For instance, Jennifer wanted to feature a pre-es- tablished baker’s rack, shelving and one sentimental item – a cutting board, which blends with the warm tones of the shelving. “We wanted the kitchen to look totally open; like IKEA’s Scandinavian styling” she says. “We also wanted one of those hidden drawers in the second drawer for spices.”

To create the airy design theme they desired – and to accommodate the necessary storage options – the family chose IKEA BODBYN cabinet doors in gray and paired them with BODBYN off-white cabinetry throughout with IKEA SEKTION framework, including the revised pantry area and coffee station.

“We picked IKEA’s cabinets because we heard they’re sturdy and the biggest bang for the buck,” Jennifer explains. “We had a small budget ($25,000) so they were the way we could get what we wanted in our price point.” The cabinetry was complemented by black ENERYDA cabinet knobs and cup handles from IKEA. She selected Silestone quartz for the countertops, bought from YK Stone Center in Denver, CO.

Design Challenges

The original kitchen presented several challenges. Since the flooring was an issue the family didn’t want to move any large appliances. “Before our appliances were shoved into cabinets, in the garage, in the basement and on the countertop. Now there is more than enough room for everything!” she says.

The peninsula, which was considered an “eyesore,” is now a centerpiece of the space, including faux doors for added appeal and multiple storage options.

The IKD team also took underused space from the previous layout, extended the back of the peninsula and was able to create a personal coffee station, including storage with additional IKEA BODBYN drawers.

Design Solutions

Jennifer knew she needed design experts to navigate the design process. “We did some research and found that people’s biggest complaint was IKEA’s kitchen design software. We wanted to get someone who knew the IKEA system and how to make things work in ways we had not thought of – that was IKD,” she says. In fact, IKD turned what was one ofthe original challenges of the kitchen into a highlight – literally.

“The main window over the sink was old and falling apart. Although it offered a great view of the backyard, we wanted more natural light. So we asked IKD to bring the frame down to counter level and replace the window,” she says.“This window is one of our favorite parts of the remodel – it totally opened up the kitchen.”Since the design called for chang-ing the location of dish storage, the dishwasher was moved to the other side of the sink for efficiency sake. With the space originally occupied by the dishwasher now available, a concealed IKEA pullout trash can was installed.

Likewise, items like glasses and dishes found new homes, such as a glass front corner piece that displays glassware, and open shelving over the peninsula wall which houses plates and bowls. “The dishes are right there, easy to grab and put away, and the white dishes on the dark tile really make a statement!” she adds.

Lastly, a space that originally housed the refrigerator and a pantry area was flipped. The refrigerator was moved to the right and more BODBYN storage drawers were added to the left. “The kitchen just flows so much easier and the kids have easy access to what they need,” she describes.

She adds: “My advice is think about how you want your kitchen to function. Inventory your kitchen items and envision how they will be used and where you want them stored.” IKD also recommended installer B. Young Renovations based in Aurora, CO.

She concludes: “Our installer was wonderful. He had it all ripped out and installed in seven days. If we’d tried to do it ourselves we would have lost our minds!”

See more IKD designed IKEA kitchens. Also learn more about our IKEA kitchen design services and where to find IKEA kitchen installers.

Remodel Your Kitchen & Make Great Savings with IKEA

December 29, 2017 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

Remodelling your kitchen with IKEA kitchen cabinets is a popular choice for many people. IKEA has a reputation for providing budget-friendly cabinets that don’t skimp on quality. Not only that, they offer products in a range of styles designed to suit both small and large kitchens alike.

From cabinetry to appliances, countertops to sinks, it’s possible to remodel your kitchen entirely with IKEA products.

If you’re brave enough to go it alone, you’ll quickly discover that designing and remodelling your kitchen is pretty daunting. If you’re dead-set on doing things yourself, here are some of our key tips to make the process easier.

Measure your kitchen carefully

Before you start anything, you’ll need to accurately measure your kitchen. Customers who choose to have us design their IKEA kitchen often tell us that this is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to the whole process. That’s why we made this simple video for them to follow, making measurement much easier.

IKEA also have resources available, so you’ll want to check out both.

The golden rule? Be exact. Ensure your cabinets and appliances fit the space available. Mistakes at this stage will prove costly! You might find yourself purchasing the wrong cabinets.

Think About What Will Go Where

Once you’ve measured your kitchen accurately, picture what your kitchen will look like. You can find inspiration online (think Pinterest and Houzz, for starters) and by visiting your local IKEA.

Remember: the kitchens you see in the showroom are typically a different size than the one in your home. IKEA’s designers and store staff have way more freedom than the average American homeowner. Try to visualize how the windows and doorways will affect your design choices. For example, you might end up preparing food in the darkest corner of your kitchen just because the countertop looked good against the back wall in the store.

Try to identify the areas in your kitchen where appliances and cabinets can be grouped together. (You might find paper and pencil are the best way to do this, for you visual learners) Lots of factors will influence this! For example, you’ll want your dishwasher placed next to the sink, to ensure easy connection to water pipes. Also, you’ll want your cooking items within easy reach of where you will prepare food.

This isn’t something to rush. Professional kitchen designers like the team at IKD think long and hard about designing a kitchen that really works for each, unique customer. If you need help figuring out what should go where, let us lend you a helping hand.

Great Quality at an Affordable Price

IKEA cabinets come in a range of standard sizes and have a good selection of internal organizers and options such as adjustable shelves or pull-out drawers. We always recommend the drawer dampeners because they improve the way the drawer closes, reducing the wear and tear on your cabinet as well as keeping the noise down! Although the dampeners are an extra cost, the benefit is worth the extra outlay.

Base cabinets

Choosing the right base cabinet takes careful consideration. Some cabinets will be easy to select, like your sink cabinet, corner units or cooktop cabinet. But choosing the right type of base cabinet for your kitchen means that you need to decide what objects go where and how you want to access them.

IKEA’s base cabinets are available as 15” deep and 24” deep. The 24” deep size is standard, whilst the 15” depth is for narrow areas.

IKEA’s ovens, like the majority of ovens, are designed for a 24” depth kitchen. Make sure you check the required cabinet depth for your existing model if you’re not upgrading. This is one of the traps newbies fall into when going it alone. There are always those little things you can forget!

Wall cabinets

IKEA wall cabinets are 15” deep, and whilst you can choose from a wide range of cabinet door fronts, there aren’t many options for how you organize them inside. Basically, it’s shelves!

If you’re upgrading from an earlier IKEA kitchen, you’ll notice that IKEA cabinets are now frameless. Previously, they were framed. Frameless cabinets have 10% more storage per linear foot than framed cabinets, allowing pullouts and drawers to make use of the full width of the cabinet. It’s important to remember this if you plan to keep existing cabinets from an earlier IKEA kitchen alongside new cabinets. The door sizes may fit but you’ll struggle if you are looking to upgrade old, damaged drawers.

Cabinet legs and toe kicks

IKEA offers a range of cabinet legs and toe kicks. Cleaning under a 24” deep base cabinet can be a real pain, so you might want to opt for a toe kick. On the other hand, exposed legs give your cabinets (and your whole kitchen) a lighter, more modern appearance. It all comes down to personal choice, environment, and how you use your kitchen.

The Home Planner can give you a sense of how these details will look. If you’re really not sure, however, you’ll want to seek the advice of a professional IKEA kitchen designer like our team at IKD.

Cabinet fronts and pulls

Like cabinet legs and toe kicks, your choice of cabinet fronts and pulls will affect the feel and look of your finished kitchen. IKEA sells a wide range of colors and materials for their cabinet fronts, which means that if you tire of a particular color in the future, you can swap it out for a different one. (A small word of warning: those of you with older, framed IKEA cabinets won’t have this option)

Putting it all together in the Home Planner

Hopefully these tips and tricks will help you design your kitchen. All that’s left is for you to bring it all together in the IKEA Home Planner. That is, if you can figure out how to use it!

It’s not rocket science – if you’ve successfully done it 20 times before! However, a lot of our customers struggle with it. That’s why they turn to us, once they’ve figured out the styling options that are right for them. It’s not just our customers that complain about the Home Planner, there are hundreds of complaints over on Houzz by frustrated homeowners, trying to remodel their kitchen.

5 Ways to Save Money on Your IKEA Kitchen Renovation

October 4, 2016 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

Ready for a flash round of IKEA kitchen Family Feud? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say “kitchen renovation” ?

Because the survey says, “Can I afford a kitchen renovation?” was the top answer!

If you think an IKEA kitchen renovation will be too costly right now, you’re not alone. Even though IKEA kitchens are known for their affordability.

Luckily, there are ways to save money on your IKEA kitchen renovation

In fact, we know of 6 tips to save money on your IKEA kitchen renovation. Don’t give up on your dream of a beautifully updated kitchen design.

You can accomplish an IKEA kitchen remodel within a reasonable budget. And whether your “reasonable budget” is lean or large, you’ll still want to spend wisely.

So, pay close attention here. We’re going to show you 5 ways to save money on your IKEA kitchen renovation – without skimping.

[Read more…]

Six Steps for a Quick and Painless IKEA Kitchen Design Process

July 5, 2016 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

What if I told you that you could complete your IKEA kitchen remodel in as little as three months and that your first design draft could be in your hands in as little as three business days? I’m guessing that prospect excites you but might also bring out the inner-skeptic, asking—with everything involved, how is this possible?

Well, it all starts with the actual design, and—if we have the right information from you—IKD can have a new kitchen design in your hands in as little as three days.

We’ve been designing and delivering kitchen plans to our customers for years. Our expertise combined with a user-friendly online process means we can get your first design draft in a matter of days, not weeks.

So, whether you’re in a rush or simply want your kitchen redesign process to be as painless as possible, here’s what you need to do to help us make it happen.

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How Much Will an IKEA Kitchen Cost?

May 26, 2016 By Michael Toth 5 Comments

What’s the first thing a homeowner wants to know about remodeling their kitchen?

How much it’s going to cost!

IKEA kitchen customers are no different. If you’re like most of our customers, IKEA kitchens appeal to you because of their price. You’ve done enough shopping around to know IKEA offers the right blend of affordability and quality for your kitchen.

But do you know how much an IKEA kitchen will really cost for your home?

Get the Free Ebook & Find Out

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Help! How Do I Design for a Small Kitchen?

June 26, 2015 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

So you go to your local IKEA. See a fantastic showroom kitchen. And then you need to figure out how to get it into your place.

Bummer.

This happened to my friend Esther when she was renovating her two room condo in Connecticut. In the showroom, the BODBYN kitchen, which she told me she totally loved, was massive. And I mean seriously massive: it was at least twice the size of her place.

Still, she told me she wanted that minimalist, clean, Scandinavian design. She’d already decided she wanted pale blue walls and white Italian tiles, to make it feel more roomy: the BODBYN kitchen would match perfectly.

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An Italian-Style IKEA Kitchen for a Hostess with the Most-est

June 19, 2015 By Michael Toth 3 Comments

Justyna and her husband loved the new, open-concept home they bought, but the kitchen wasn’t exactly a selling point.

They never even used it. The day after they moved in they took the kitchen right out, along with the wall that held the refrigerator.

“The old kitchen stuck out like a sore thumb,” said Justyna. “I wanted a kitchen that didn’t look like a kitchen. I wanted it to look like just part of the living space.”

She also needed her kitchen remodel to be affordable. IKEA turned out to be just the right choice for a high-end looking Italian-style kitchen for a fraction of the price.

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How Thick is that SEKTION Cover Panel in the Showroom?

May 13, 2015 By Michael Toth 1 Comment

I do hope that cover panel’s for sale..

No IKEA kitchen design is complete without cover panels. Like Ana wrote in this post, cover panels can do everything from supporting countertops to creating custom cabinets and islands for our customers. These extra pieces match the finish of your IKEA cabinet doors.

IKEA’s new kitchen line, SEKTION, offers matching cover panels just like AKURUM did with their PERFEKT panels.

We discovered something about the SEKTION cover panels that you simply must know before you start designing your IKEA kitchen.

And, we hate to call people out, but – even sales associates in the IKEA kitchen showroom didn’t know this for sure!

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A Look at SEKTION in the IKEA Kitchen Showroom

February 16, 2015 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

SEKTION is finally here! I had to see for myself so I took the trip to my local IKEA. A sign saying “SEKTION: a new kitchen with more of everything” greeted me at the entrance to the kitchen section of the showroom.

I was pretty excited to see it in person, so I snapped a few photos with my phone. Here were just some of my favorite things.

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A Close Look at IKEA SEKTION Cabinet Doors

January 29, 2015 By Michael Toth Leave a Comment

ICYMI: Photos of IKEA’s new kitchen line, SEKTION, are out.

Not even a month has passed since you packed up the ornaments and took the elf off his shelf, but it’s Merry Christmas for IKEA fans all over again!

In just a few days you’ll be able to give your kitchen the gift of SEKTION. Are you as excited as we are?

We’ve discussed how IKEA’s SEKTION will make your kitchen look slimmer and sexier by hiding your appliances. We also heard you liked drawers, so we talked how SEKTION puts drawers INSIDE of drawers. We even went undercover to photograph sneak previews from IKEA kitchen showrooms.

But now, we have the hard facts and data.

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SEKTION Rumors from Your Spy in the Field! Part 1

January 12, 2015 By Michael Toth 1 Comment

Our IKEA kitchen blogger has gone AFK (away from keyboard) in pursuit of SEKTION intelligence.

There are three more weeks until IKEA officially unveils SEKTION, its new kitchen line that’s replacing AKURUM in North America. IKEA has been so secretive about SEKTION that IKEA fans have been desperate to know what this new kitchen line could mean for them.

IKEA kitchen customers and fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of SEKTION..but wait.

Aren’t IKEA showrooms already setting up? Why yes, they are.

Your IKEA kitchen blogger does leave the safety of his office now and then to gather real, in-the-field intelligence.

Intelligence that can only be found behind the heavy plastic sheet hiding IKEA kitchen showrooms as they get set up with SEKTION.

Hey, we go the extra mile for our customers!

[Read more…]

About IKD

Products & Services

Resources

Blog

News & Updates

Organize Your Life (And Your Cutlery)

Standing At Attention

Standing At Attention

A Moveable Feast

Lighting The Way

Modern Times

To The Rescue

Lighting and Outlets

Get Task Lighting Right

Color Coordinate Your Outlets

Mix Up Your Outlet Styles

Storage and Functional Spaces

Maximize Your Island Prep Space

Consider Speciality Storage Options

Conceal Appliances

Spacing and Placement

Give the Hood Some Space

Keep Floating Shelves and Glass-front Cabinets Away from Cooking Spaces

Step Back and Consider the Functional Zones in Your IKEA Kitchen

#1. Range Abutting a Refrigerator Panel

#2. Sink Too Close to Range

#3. Sink Abutting a Refrigerator Panel

#4. Sink at the Edge of an Island

Design Desires

Design Challenges

Design Solutions

Measure your kitchen carefully

Think About What Will Go Where

Great Quality at an Affordable Price

Base cabinets

Wall cabinets

Cabinet legs and toe kicks

Cabinet fronts and pulls

Putting it all together in the Home Planner

Luckily, there are ways to save money on your IKEA kitchen renovation

About IKD

Products & Services

Resources

Blog

News & Updates