The IKEA Dream Kitchen Project: Installation of the new kitchen

Sponsored by IKEA

Not long to go now and the new kitchen will be complete! Last time I shared with you the demolition of the existing kitchen and the new kitchen is now being fitted out according to the design we planned using the in-store planning tool. It is exciting to see the kitchen start to come to life.

The cabinets arrived flat packed and they were built by the kitchen team and fitted. Next came the shelving, the cabinet doors, rangehood, oven, tap fitting and the new Caeserstone bench top. I’m so glad Diane proceeded with my suggestion to use this particular bench top which has beautiful flecks within the stone to add interest and also helps to avoid the sterile look you might get with some all white kitchens. 

The decision to move the placement of the fridge to sit to the side of the kitchen space, hidden from view behind a wall was a good choice both aesthetically but also functionally. The row of cabinetry now becomes the focus of the kitchen as does the beautiful rangehood from the new IKEA range. It is also more practical to place the fridge where it is so that the side entrance to the kitchen isn’t blocked when the fridge doors are open allowing free movement through the space. I believe it is important to visualise how you will walk through and use the space before committing to a design.

Diane and her family love to entertain and having a Greek background, the parties usually involve a lot of food! So now, even though the physical size of the space hasn’t changed, with some design changes to the layout there is now more bench space to prepare and serve food. The oven, instead of being wall mounted as it was previously, is now fitted under the bench and double sided cabinets have been installed at the front of the kitchen. Diane’s home in general is lacking storage so her family can definitely make use of these additional cabinets and this in turn has also allowed her to increase the bench space width of this part of the kitchen to become the main serving area, or to be used as a study space or a breakfast bar area – it will no doubt serve multiple uses in the future.There is still a little more to do to complete the kitchen such as choosing the backsplash and I can’t wait to show you the finished space! And because I can’t resist sharing, here’s a sneak peak of the tile we love for the backsplash. Gorgeous, isn’t it? 

In the meantime, I asked Diane a few questions about her new kitchen: What are some of the cool features of your new kitchen?Lots more than I had before, and so practical. Having draws that pull out at a good height to store and access plates and heavy pots is so welcomed. My back says thank you. 

Little things like plate racks to group and stop the plates from moving is great and it’s much easier to put them away. The soft closing doors are great with the boys getting used to their strength. No more doors slamming. 

The pantry pull out drawers are fantastic. They help to organise and access the grocery items and see where they are! Less frustration and doubling up on buying groceries I thought I didn't have but were hiding away at the back of the cabinets.

The built in lazy susans in the corner cabinets now make it easy to store and access items that are heavy and clunky. They can carry a big weight. You roll out the shelf towards you and grab what you need without having to reach into the far corners of the cabinets to pull out heavy items you need. Lazy susans are so cool.

Last one; is again about organising. Adjustable dividers for the drawers that can take any shape for your cutlery and utensils.How did you find the installation process? I have to say I was surprised. IKEA pick their tradies well. They must test them on their ability to do jigsaw puzzles and keep their cool. They took the old kitchen out, treated it with care and on the same day had a good part of the new shell in. The install team were flexible with any needed adjustments to our online design. We felt that they cared about doing a top job and made us feel comfortable. Cabinet work, plumbing and electrical work coordinated well. We had to wait a little longer for the Caesar stone bench top but well worth it. We could make a few custom changes as well which suited our taste and it was never a problem. The caesarstone team provided great advice and knew their stuff.Next on The IKEA Dream Kitchen Project: The new kitchen – finished!