ᐅ Questions about kitchen design and layout from a beginner :)
Created on: 12 Jul 2016 08:57
L
lavirco
Hello everyone.
My name is Ingo, and I am 42 years young.
Believe it or not, I am putting together my very first kitchen. 😀
Since I have trouble visualizing things, I need a bit of help.
That’s also why I’m shopping at IKEA. I always wanted a kitchen with white, high-gloss fronts. IKEA has some on display, so I was able to look at different layouts.
In my case, I am installing a Karlby countertop (oak).
I’m not much of a DIY person, but assembling the IKEA cabinets is really straightforward. It’s even fun—probably because everything works so well.
Here is my current plan:
The right side is already installed.
Regarding the installation of the left side:
I want to do as much as possible myself, except for connecting the stove and cutting the countertop.
I have a few questions.
1.
I only took rough measurements with a tape measure. The left part of the kitchen is still in place and I plan to dismantle it in the next 2–3 days. In my plan, I left some clearance at the upper end (at the side wall) and near the refrigerator, allowing about 10cm (4 inches) of leeway to shift things around. Do I still need to have a professional take measurements, or is that not absolutely necessary since I have some margin?
2.
Should I use wall mounting brackets? (On the right side, I only installed 2 angle brackets.) If so, should I use them for both base cabinets and wall cabinets? Are the ones from IKEA good, or are there better options? I’m a bit worried the wall cabinets might come loose. Are there special anchors I should use?
3.
I also have questions about the design. I’m considering installing the following range hood and kitchen backsplash:
I originally wanted a black sink, black cooktop, and black range hood. But if I go for the green elements, should I avoid the black and opt for a white cooktop and sink instead? I’m not sure if having both black and green might be too much color.
4.
About the kitchen backsplash—maybe someone here has experience with this— is there a big visual difference between a glass backsplash and an aluminum one? If possible, maybe someone can recommend an affordable supplier. 🙂
I look forward to your answers.
Best regards,
Ingo
My name is Ingo, and I am 42 years young.
Believe it or not, I am putting together my very first kitchen. 😀
Since I have trouble visualizing things, I need a bit of help.
That’s also why I’m shopping at IKEA. I always wanted a kitchen with white, high-gloss fronts. IKEA has some on display, so I was able to look at different layouts.
In my case, I am installing a Karlby countertop (oak).
I’m not much of a DIY person, but assembling the IKEA cabinets is really straightforward. It’s even fun—probably because everything works so well.
Here is my current plan:
The right side is already installed.
Regarding the installation of the left side:
I want to do as much as possible myself, except for connecting the stove and cutting the countertop.
I have a few questions.
1.
I only took rough measurements with a tape measure. The left part of the kitchen is still in place and I plan to dismantle it in the next 2–3 days. In my plan, I left some clearance at the upper end (at the side wall) and near the refrigerator, allowing about 10cm (4 inches) of leeway to shift things around. Do I still need to have a professional take measurements, or is that not absolutely necessary since I have some margin?
2.
Should I use wall mounting brackets? (On the right side, I only installed 2 angle brackets.) If so, should I use them for both base cabinets and wall cabinets? Are the ones from IKEA good, or are there better options? I’m a bit worried the wall cabinets might come loose. Are there special anchors I should use?
3.
I also have questions about the design. I’m considering installing the following range hood and kitchen backsplash:
I originally wanted a black sink, black cooktop, and black range hood. But if I go for the green elements, should I avoid the black and opt for a white cooktop and sink instead? I’m not sure if having both black and green might be too much color.
4.
About the kitchen backsplash—maybe someone here has experience with this— is there a big visual difference between a glass backsplash and an aluminum one? If possible, maybe someone can recommend an affordable supplier. 🙂
I look forward to your answers.
Best regards,
Ingo
I
IKEA-Experte24 Jul 2016 18:45With the excuse of not being skilled at handiwork, you won’t be able to avoid anything in the future anymore...
I
IKEA-Profi24 Jul 2016 21:23Wow.
Very stylish.
I can hardly believe it's not crafted by a skilled professional...
I would have chosen narrower wall cabinets; the sleek hood looks a bit "squeezed in."
Otherwise, a great kitchen!
Very stylish.
I can hardly believe it's not crafted by a skilled professional...
I would have chosen narrower wall cabinets; the sleek hood looks a bit "squeezed in."
Otherwise, a great kitchen!
😀
I could hardly believe it myself
Thanks 🙂
Yes, purely from an aesthetic point of view, narrower cabinets would have been the better choice. But the kitchen isn’t very large, and I cook and grill almost every day. That means I have a lot of equipment that needs to be stored. I would have preferred to use the entire wall, but that wouldn’t have looked good to me anymore. This was a compromise. Now I have about 5 cm (2 inches) of space on the right and about 25 cm (10 inches) on the left (which isn’t very clear in the photo).
Compared to the previous kitchen, where the entire wall was fitted with wall cabinets, this is already a huge difference. The whole area now feels a bit brighter and less overwhelming.
I could hardly believe it myself
Thanks 🙂
Yes, purely from an aesthetic point of view, narrower cabinets would have been the better choice. But the kitchen isn’t very large, and I cook and grill almost every day. That means I have a lot of equipment that needs to be stored. I would have preferred to use the entire wall, but that wouldn’t have looked good to me anymore. This was a compromise. Now I have about 5 cm (2 inches) of space on the right and about 25 cm (10 inches) on the left (which isn’t very clear in the photo).
Compared to the previous kitchen, where the entire wall was fitted with wall cabinets, this is already a huge difference. The whole area now feels a bit brighter and less overwhelming.
You’ve created a great kitchen! There are a few things I personally don’t like and would still consider if I were you:
Buy an extra 60x80cm (24x31.5 inches) dishwasher front from Ikea, even though Ringhult fronts aren’t exactly cheap, because:
- A semi-integrated dishwasher with a stainless steel panel next to the cool white cooktop and oven just doesn’t match.
- The trend is clearly moving toward fully integrated dishwashers, and the selection is larger in that category.
- Eventually, your dishwasher will break down, and when you need a new one, you might no longer want a silver control panel next to your white oven and instead need a fully integrated model.
- Although Ikea keeps fronts in their range for years, they do slightly change the color over time, so they no longer perfectly match. That’s why it’s best to keep a 60x80cm (24x31.5 inches) front from the same production year as the rest in stock. Similar changes happened multiple times with the Faktum Applad and Nexus fronts.
Buy an extra 60x80cm (24x31.5 inches) dishwasher front from Ikea, even though Ringhult fronts aren’t exactly cheap, because:
- A semi-integrated dishwasher with a stainless steel panel next to the cool white cooktop and oven just doesn’t match.
- The trend is clearly moving toward fully integrated dishwashers, and the selection is larger in that category.
- Eventually, your dishwasher will break down, and when you need a new one, you might no longer want a silver control panel next to your white oven and instead need a fully integrated model.
- Although Ikea keeps fronts in their range for years, they do slightly change the color over time, so they no longer perfectly match. That’s why it’s best to keep a 60x80cm (24x31.5 inches) front from the same production year as the rest in stock. Similar changes happened multiple times with the Faktum Applad and Nexus fronts.
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