The key to any successful IKEA kitchen design is for the vision to match the results.
This was certainly the case for IKD customer Elaine from Harrison, NJ, who recently worked with IKD to design a modern and family-friendly IKEA kitchen in her home.
“I looked at HOUZZ and many other design Web sites for inspiration and various ideas about what could be done. I had a general idea about what [appealed to me], and the Web sites really helped to bring those ideas to life,” she explains.
Therefore, Elaine elected for a minimalist, all-white kitchen with lots of cabinet space and a large island with a sink. It also needed to be durable enough to handle her family’s busy lifestyle and provide enough storage with many cabinetry drawers.
However, she knew she could not design and install it alone.
“After trying to design my kitchen with the IKEA Home Planner online design tool, I realized that my kitchen required professional assistance. It was a large kitchen project with lots of cabinets and options and I needed serious help!” she says.
With IKD’s design guidance, Elaine combined IKEA SEKTION cabinetry framework with white IKEA RINGHULT cabinetry and IKEA GREVSTA stainless steel cabinetry for the kitchen island, which was complemented by solid white Quartz countertops purchased from a local vendor.
She also selected a variety of high-end appliances, including a Fisher Paykel refrigerator and two-drawer dishwasher; a Whirlpool microwave/oven wall combo; a Bosch induction cooktop; an XO range hood and solid maple wood flooring.
The result not only matched her vision, but is budget friendly as well.
“I didn’t have an exact budget for the kitchen project. I just wanted to get the kitchen I envisioned at a reasonable price. I think IKEA kitchen was well worth every penny because it looks ten times more expensive than the actual cost.”
Let’s see how Elaine’s kitchen was created!
A Team Effort
Busy with a new home, working full-time and raising a young child, Elaine knew her large, white kitchen required a team effort.
Luckily, she researched examples of all-white kitchen designs as inspiration.
“I knew what I wanted my kitchen to look like, but I needed more customization and ideas for the space that would appeal to my aesthetics as well as our busy lifestyle,” she says.
Therefore, she recruited IKD’s design team.
“I wanted someone who had lots of experience designing IKEA kitchens. IKD fit the bill after seeing the results of their work online from past customers. They had the experience and knowledge to manage all the finer details of the IKEA kitchen options. IKD helped me focus on the big picture by helping my stay organized and keep my sanity!”
She adds that initially she was tempted to do the install herself, but knew she didn’t have time.
“Although I’m handy, I worried that it would take me twice as long because I would have to figure out how to install it first. I ultimately went with IKEA’s installers. IKEA’s installers were extremely professional and did an excellent job,” she says.
This was a good choice as the installation for her IKEA kitchen – particularly with its minimalist kitchen theme – faced a few unique obstacles.
“It was tricky trying to coordinate everything; from ordering the new appliances, scheduling the kitchen installers and [coordinating with] my general contractor who did the electrical and plumbing. It was rather time consuming and nerve-wracking,” she says.
She adds that the installers were able to customize all cabinets and pieces to fit around the appliances for a seamless look.
“They made the installation seem easy but it was definitely not,” she says.
All The White Stuff
Elaine’s all-white IKEA kitchen is a stunning combination of IKEA RINGHULT cabinetry, IKEA GREVSTA stainless steel cabinetry for the massive kitchen island, along with a variety of high-end appliances.
This creates a very minimalist, sleek look throughout the layout.
“I chose IKEA cabinets because it appealed to my aesthetics and fit into our busy lifestyle,” she says. “I wanted an all-white kitchen that has a modern clean design but was still family-friendly and easy to maintain.”
“I also liked being able to easily replace a shelf or a drawer if I needed to make a change or if there was a minor accident by an overactive child or clumsy adult. I can see that the cabinets are extremely high quality and can withstand a few dings from a busy family,” she adds.
This also includes a ton of storage throughout with the IKEA RINGHULT cabinetry featured around the upper perimeter of the kitchen; from around the refrigerator, above the countertops and Bosch induction cooktop and around the Whirlpool microwave/oven wall combo.
More storage is found with the IKEA GREVSTA stainless steel cabinetry in the kitchen island.
Not only is this a perfect choice as it reduces fingerprints and smudges (from active young children) but also provides an ideal spot for pots, pans or other serving dishes located conveniently near the Fisher Paykel two-drawer dishwasher.
In fact, all the cabinetry drawers used not only serve a functional role for storage but also enhance the modern kitchen design as well –especially with the minimalist theme.
To that end, she adds that her favorite part of her IKEA kitchen is the cooking area.
“I like how the new cooktop fits seamlessly into the space, and the XO range hood is hidden inside the upper wall cabinet,” she concludes.
Tips for Success with Minimalist Kitchen
Elaine says there are many factors to remember during the IKEA design and installation process.
She explains: “First, it’s important to stay calm, and be flexible. Our kitchen was quite large and the IKEA store representative who completed the order made many mistakes. So, I made many trips to IKEA to buy extra parts.”
She continues: “Also, go early to IKEA and don’t wait until the last minute. I couldn’t get to IKEA until the last day of the IKEA kitchen sale but that wasn’t a good idea!”
From a product standpoint, she says that she would not recommend the IKEA push openers for cabinet doors.
“I wanted a flush look on the tall cabinets and wall cabinets without any knobs or pulls. IKEA’s push openers were not strong enough for the horizontal wall cabinet doors that swing open from the bottom,” she says.
Ultimately though, Elaine says she couldn’t be happier with the results of her modern, white IKEA kitchen.
“My initial concern was whether the kitchen would look as nice as I had envisioned. I have to say that the actual kitchen has exceeded my expectations and looks better than anticipated!” she concludes.
Learn more about how we can design your IKEA kitchen, bath, laundry room and closet at inspiredkitchendesign.com.
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