Understanding IKD’s Signature IKEA Kitchen Cabinet Hacks – Part 2

Learn how IKD customizes IKEA kitchen cabinets to fit with appliances

In Part One of our two-part series called “Understanding IKD’s Signature IKEA Kitchen ‘Hacks,’” IKD’s design team discussed what exactly an IKEA kitchen hack is and how our hacks fix storage issues — or any overall spatial challenges — facing your kitchen design.

Our designers would like to now share extra IKEA hack ideas based around customizing IKEA cabinets for appliances. These hacks are important to your design as they provide additional base cabinet size options for microwave placement and custom base cabinet options for apron sinks, for example. Ultimately, this creates greater design flexibility and improves efficiency and storage around the appliances in your IKEA kitchen.

Remember, all of IKD’s signature IKEA kitchen hacks work seamlessly with IKEA’s SEKTION cabinetry framework, (we can also provide design plans that modify cabinets from third-party custom cabinet front manufacturers), so there is no concern there. (In fact, IKD has been recommended by The New York Times as a design resource for customers considering custom doors for their cabinets.) And just as the hacks in Part One feature customized cabinet applications — so too do our IKEA cabinet appliance hacks, all with the goal of providing unique storage solutions (and some personalized style for your space as well).

IKEA kitchen hacks are inexpensive and easy modifications made to standard IKEA cabinets in order to create custom design solutions for maximizing your space and storage. This is made even easier through our two-part formula that provides our Hacks Extra Items List — showing all the items needed to accomplish your IKEA hack — as well as a “blueprint” (instructions/renderings) of the steps needed to assemble and install your modified IKEA cabinet. Examples of our IKEA kitchen hacks include useable fillers, personalized coffee stations, or custom appliance garages; all of which can be readily incorporated into your kitchen layout. In case you’re wondering, yes, IKEA hacks are also possible for the master bath and many other rooms in the home as well.

Here in Part Two though, we are focusing on IKEA kitchen cabinet hacks for better appliance placement and usage: Two key areas that — if left unchecked — could really cause some unnecessary “pain points” in your design and purchasing process. So, if you’ve been researching examples of IKEA kitchens on HOUZZ or Pinterest and have a specific kitchen storage idea or your kitchen has difficult dimensions that are creating real spatial challenges, then our customized design alternatives will fix them.

Let’s see how IKD’s custom kitchen solutions can make a big difference in your IKEA kitchen!

IKEA Custom Base Microwave Cabinet

If storage space is at a premium in your small kitchen and you can’t tolerate to clutter your countertops by putting your microwave there (or, you just don’t like the look of a large, bulky wall-mounted microwave as an alternative), IKD’s got the solution for you.

1. Our IKEA custom base microwave cabinet will provide custom storage solutions and find space in your kitchen you didn’t know you had. In addition, IKD’s hack offers different sizes with different openings to better integrate your microwave into your IKEA kitchen. This is very important because microwave sizes are not standardized. More specifically, built-in microwaves are typically 15” and 20” high. They’re also typically 24” or 30” wide, with some 27” wide. At the same time, SEKTION cabinets for microwaves are 24” and 30” (not including the height of the toe-kick) high, which can leave you with 10” to 15” of leftover space. Plus, almost all of IKEA’s microwave cabinets are tall cabinets. IKEA does have one base cabinet intended for a microwave, but because there’s no standard microwave size, you could easily end up with a lot of extra room to the right or left of the microwave. So regardless of the size microwave you choose, our IKEA kitchen hack solves that issue by providing a storage drawer, such as IKEA’s MAXIMERA drawer, on the base cabinet to ensure there is no wasted space. Also, it opens up more design options as you can incorporate our custom microwave base cabinet into a large center island as well.

IKEA Custom Apron Sink Cabinet

Apron front sinks, or farmhouse sinks, have a unique main characteristic where it protrudes from the front of the cabinet and countertop. As such it is typically best suited for traditional or country kitchens (although modern kitchens can use them too). However, due to the height of the apron, it also requires special design consideration.

2. IKD’s custom apron sink cabinet hack solves these concerns and provides storage and spatial advantages (particularly in relation to other appliances in the layout like the cooktop). For instance, you need to take into account that the apron protrudes and adjacent cabinets will need a bit more clearance to open without bumping against the apron. That said, most apron sinks are 10” high. Our apron sink cabinet hack uses 15”(H)x24”(W) cabinet doors and then secures a 5” high panel in between the doors and the sink. The total cabinet height will then be 30.” This hack works very well with IKEA’s HAVSEN apron sink in white, for example. However there are many other sink options available. Ultimately, you want your sink to work as well as it can within your IKEA kitchen design — especially with your IKEA cabinets, and in the best possible location — and this solution makes that a reality for you.

In the end, choosing the right appliances for your IKEA kitchen remodel and making them work with your IKEA cabinets is crucial. Our custom kitchen cabinet appliance hacks will get the most out of your appliance choices. In fact, IKEA customers now have the opportunity to enhance the storage options and improve their overall kitchen layout. Th The result is a more efficient workspace for food prep and cleanup, for example; along with unique storage solutions and a kitchen design with its own personal style.

Learn more about how we can design your IKEA kitchen, bath, laundry room and other rooms at inspiredkitchendesign.com.