FAMOUS KITCHENS – Get the Look: You, Me and Dupree – Movie Homes

Today’s famous kitchen comes from the Kate Hudson and Matt Dillon’s home in You, Me and Dupree :

IKEA Door Style: Adel White / Adel Birch
Main Features: Combination of two colors (white and birch), glass doors, island with a single cabinet and table
Faucet: Hjuvik with Handspray
Sink: Domsjo Double Bowl
Estimated Price:  $3,208.01

Complete the look:

1.   Pragel, White Stone Effect	2.  Numerar Countertop, Birch	3.  Magasin Cutlery Caddy
4.  Hultet Dish	5.  365+ Brasa	6.    Skanka Cookware Set
7.  Molger Storage Stool	8.  Vinna Handle	9.  Droppar Jar with Lid

Kitchen Island Configurations: Stacked Cabinets for an island

After considering styling and function, kitchen cabinets are there to compartmentalize things.  The above design does this nicely.

By designing two Ikea refrigerator wall cabinets (15″x30″) instead of full height door base cabinets each level has a distinct function.  The island becomes a coffee station where mugs, cups, saucers and spoons are stored in the top cabinet and bigger items such as the coffee maker, grinder and coffee cans are in the bottom cabinet.

Maybe a gadget charging station?  Install power outlets on the inside cabinet walls and each family member stores and charge their gadgets overnight.

Don’t forget to add panels Perfekt panels on the exposed side to cover the seams between the cabinets.

Ikea International: Faktum versus Akurum. What’s in a name?

If you’ve ever had a chance to flip through a European Ikea Kitchen catalog, you might have noticed at least one difference: the name.  The Akurum cabinets are the standard for the US, Canada and Dominican Republic; Faktum is used for the rest of the world.

The difference in name implies significant differences.

1. Unit of Measurement: Akurum cabinets are measured in the Imperial system, while Faktum cabinets use the metric system.

2. Cabinet Standard Sizes: 

• Faktum wall cabinets are about 4cms (roughly 1.5″) deeper with a greater range of cabinet widths (30 cms to 120 cms /  11.8″ to 47.24″) versus Akurum cabinets ( 12″ to 36″ / 30.48 cms to 91.44 cms).
• The maximum wall cabinet height of  Faktum is 92 cm (36.22″), while Akurum cabinets offer 39″ 1/8 (99.37 cms)
• The height of a regular base cabinet is 70cms (roughly 27″ 1/2) in Faktum, while Akurum cabinets are 30″ 3/8 (77 cms). This doesn’t mean that kitchens in Europe are lower; the plinth (or toe kick) is 16 cms (around 6″ 1/4)  for Faktum cabinets and 4″ 1/4 (10.80 cms).  The total  difference is only 1.8 cms (0.71″).
• The main difference is the tall cabinets.  Not only do Faktum cabinets have a wider variety of combinations available, they also have 141 cms (55.5″) towers, which is an unusual height for an American style kitchen.

3. Cabinet Variety:  Faktum cabinets offer 5 drawer base cabinets, sliding door wall cabinets, and a wider variety of cabinets for cooktops that aren’t available for the US market.

Ikea Baths: Using Door Panels to match your Ikea Vanity

Most designers design a single vanity area leaving the rest of the space to be covered in ceramic tile, marble or granite. We believe that a built-in cabinet-look can tie-in the tub and shower areas also.

Here 24 x 18” Stat  kitchen doors were used as matching panels on the sides of the tub; IKEA 21″x39″ doors were ideal for tall sides of the shower area.

The doors should be placed over drywall with some protection to assure that they won’t be in contact with water. There’s some details to figure out, but the look is unique and warmer than traditional hard surfaces.

Kitchen Island Configurations: A Funky Colored Island with Floating Shelves

Our designers love taking the Lack shelves and placing them in unusual locations. It’s just that they’re so fun-looking and practical that we can’t resist.

A 24” and 15” full-height door base cabinet was designed for each of the island cabinets – leaving a total island area of 48″x 78″.

Perfekt stainless steel cover panels were designed behind the red Lack shelves – to match the Abstrakt doors.  Stainless steel toekick was used as a final touch to tie-in to the panels.

FAMOUS KITCHENS – Get the Look: Dunphy Household – Modern Family – TV Homes Edition

This week our famous kitchen comes from the TV show Modern Family.  Here’s our version of the Dunphys kitchen:

IKEA Door Style: Adel Birch
Main Features: Built in microwave, open shelf cabinets, glass doors, island.
Faucet: Ringskar, Single Lever
Sink: Boholmen, 1 bowl inset sink
Estimated Price:  $3,601.62

Complete the look:

1.  Pragel Countertop	2.   Dish Drainer	3.  Forhoja Cutlery Tray
4.  Stockholm Sofa Table	5.  Franklin Bar Stool	6.  Soder Chandelier
7.   Kattrup Rug	8.  365+ Serving Platter	9.  Stornas/Henriksdal Dining Set

Common Kitchen Design Mistakes: What’s the Appropriate Space between a Peninsula and Cabinets Close to it.

Inexperienced designers often forget to leave enough circulation space between  cabinets (see another example here) and cabinets and appliances. As shown above, any refrigerator in inaccessible when there only 25” of free space.

Our IKEA designers weren’t thrilled about placing a refrigerator perpendicular to the end of a peninsula – but the client insisted. The only remedy was to increase the opening space from 25” to 36” to at least leave space to access and remove food. See the design below.

Kitchen Design Ideas: Staggered Heights and Accent Doors

Window frames, like cabinets, have gotten away from certain basic colors. Window frames used to be just aluminum and white – now they’re available in lots of the same colors as IKEA’s cabinets. Here our designers aimed to tie the ceiling window frames and the glass door cabinets in with the base cabinets to create a bit of symmetry.

Nexus brown-black cabinets are designed below and birch above.  Stacked cabinets were designed above the sink  – and instead of using the suggested Aviskt aluminum glass door frames – Ramsjo brown-black glass doors are being used with birch frames to match both colors, accenting them even further by leaving the two cabinets slightly higher.

Kitchen Design Ideas: What are Staggered Heights?

Our designers usually design IKEA kitchens from the corner outwards. It seems as if this designer had a change of heart after designing the tall corner cabinets and then went back to normal 30” high uppers.

The tall corner was intentional because it gave a little lift to the design and offers more storage space. An IKEA blind wall cabinet was chosen over a diagonal so the design kept its right angles and matched the corner below.

Please see the our previous post for more on Blind Corners

FAMOUS KITCHENS – Get the Look: Mrs Doubtfire – Movie Homes

From the charming 90s family comedy Mrs Doubtfire, here’s our IKEA version:

IKEA Door Style: Lidingo White
Main Features: Two sinks, ends finished with open shelves, breakfast bar, built in appliances.
Faucet: Lagan, single lever
Sink: Boholmen, Single Bowl
Estimated Price:  $4,428.64

Complete the look:

1.  Fintorp Knobs	2.  Fintorp Handles	3. Bosse Bar Stool
4. Evalill Apron	5.  Tripp Storage Tins	6.  Sickan Dish Towel
7.  Framtid Double oven	8.    Byholma Basket	9.   Favorit Casserole