Ikea kitchens

[COPA]

So with interest rates so low we've decided to refinance and pull out some equity to redo the kitchen; we're cutting 8 years off the mortgage, getting enough to redo the kitchen, and our payment stays the same .

We're the original owners, but I hate the way we did the kitchen and the cabinets are cheap and falling apart so they need to go!

We really like the Ikea kitchens. They have a great warranty, have very flexible designs, and seem very sturdy. I would like a little more choice in styles/colors, but I can deal with it given the lower cost and flexibility.

So - does anyone have an Ikea kitchen? If so, I would love some tips from someone who has BTDT. We are planning to have Ikea do the whole project plan; dh and I have neither the time nor the talent to do any of it ourselves, and if something ends up wrong I don't want us pointing fingers at each other, lol. At this point we aren't planning to replace the appliances, well maybe the microwave, but that could change if we decide to change the layout of the kitchen.

Any advice, success stories, or horror stories?

[stefakee]

I'm no help, but a client of mine has an IKEA kitchen. It is BEAUTIFUL! I even shot her newborn on the counters because I loved them so much :P

[Purple]

Not an entire kitchen, just the butcherblock countertop. And only in my laundry room. I can't speak for the quality of everything else, but that particular item is awesome.

[zippity_38]

We redid our kitchen on a very modest budget (about 6 yrs ago) and used Ikea cabinets. We love them. I did all of the measuring and planning and purchasing (to save $$), and our contractor assembled and installed them. We got appliances & countertops elsewhere. The cabinets are sturdy, the drawers slide beautifully, your options for customization are fantastic, and they look/function better than I had expected. No regrets.

[sarahintexas]

We DIY'd an IKEA kitchen (kitchen was a gut - cabinets/counters from IKEA). We did all the planning/measuring/purchasing/delivering/assembling/installing. The customization factor was fantastic, and it held up great for the 3 or so years we were there before we sold. The counters didn't hold up; we replaced them with IKEA butcher block before we sold. If we did a do-over, then either butcher block from them or solid surface from somewhere else.

The way the kitchen area at IKEA is run has changed some in recent years. They now have people dedicated to help you through the process. We've found it less friendly to our DIY "sell us this part" method, but they seem more friendly to the "do my kitchen" people now. I would call and ask when they are not busy because this new friendlier approach means that you might be waiting a while to meet with someone. Maybe like 7 or 8 p.m. on a weeknight would be a good time? Go in with preliminary measurements and be prepared to play with them on a computer for a while.

[COPA]

Originally Posted by sarahintexas

The counters didn't hold up; we replaced them with IKEA butcher block before we sold. If we did a do-over, then either butcher block from them or solid surface from somewhere else.
.

Turns out we have a VERY wonky kitchen design so we paid to have them come out and measure and plan the whole thing - totally worth it!

What counters did you originally use? We were planning to do the ceasarstone, which comes with a lifetime warranty from ceasarstone. What happened to the original ones, how did they fail you?

[sarahintexas]

We did the Pragel countertops. The cheap ones - haha. They ended up getting water in the edges around the sink and buckling. We just needed something to sell the house so that's what we bought. The butcherblock held up okay - but was finicky, especially with things like my old cast-iron pans, toddler stains, and my messy cooking (curry, tumeric, etc.). That's why we could never live with marble anything either.

If we were staying there, then ceasarstone is probably what I would have picked. Although, I suppose, with the time and effort and price of two different surfaces, we could have just bought a nicer one in the first place.

[skyfiregrl]

I LOVE caesar stone. I used it all the time when I was designing hotels, never had a complaint. I can say the same thing for silestone, they just have different colors. I have a friend that did her kitchen with Ikea, and used the butcher block, and it still looks brand NEW.

[november]

We almost bought a home that would have needed an entire new kitchen and we were planning to go with IKEA cabinets for our kitchen. I researched the crap out of them and they seem very highly rated amongst everyone I asked and pretty much every review I found online was favorable. We were very impressed by them in person and the customization was amazing. PLUS, they way they are installed is also pretty sweet!

[COPA]

I am so excited! We are getting rid of every.single.bottom.cabinet - and putting in deep drawers!! I hate bottom cabinets, stuff gets shoved to the back and you can't reach it, the kids hang on the doors when they look in, the 'bottom cabinet Bermuda triangle' eats Tupperware and sports bottle lids, etc - can't wait to have drawers!!

[Nic&Kenna'sMom]

Originally Posted by COPA

I am so excited! We are getting rid of every.single.bottom.cabinet - and putting in deep drawers!! I hate bottom cabinets, stuff gets shoved to the back and you can't reach it, the kids hang on the doors when they look in, the 'bottom cabinet Bermuda triangle' eats Tupperware and sports bottle lids, etc - can't wait to have drawers!!

This is SO what I want to do!!! Makes me excited and happy for you!

[tcufrog]

I love our drawers way more than our cabinets. Just make sure your kids don't yank too hard on them like my older son used to do.