How to:
Prepare for planning
Your dream kitchen. It starts with an empty space and endless possibilities.
Need an extra hand? We can help plan your kitchen.
Measure and mark
Getting the right measurements is a prerequisite when planning a new kitchen. Be meticulous – it’ll pay off through the whole process. Most importantly: Your kitchen will fit perfectly with the space you have.
Having all details and measurements covered is also important when you contact – and discuss your plans with – one of our kitchen experts at the IKEA store.
Doors and windows
Measure the size of doors and windows, as well as the height and distance of each from the floor, ceiling and edges. It is a good idea to mark onto your drawing the space that doors and windows need to swing open. If you are planning to have a cabinet under the window, remember that the minimum distance between the window frame and the floor should be 90 cm, and preferably 105 cm.
Sockets, switches, water connections, etc
So you’ve measured the big stuff. Now it’s time to look at the details. Note the location of existing electrical sockets. Switches. Water and gas connections. Remember that these can be moved to suit your new kitchen. Mark down the approximate position of where you would like these new outlets, switches and connections to be placed.Kitchen zones and layouts
With the help of a few basic principles, you can design a kitchen that meets your need precisely – saving you time and effort and contributing to a better quality of everyday life.
Red: Cooking zone, Blue: Washing zone, Green: Storage zone
The work triangle – creating an ideal work flow
The main working functions in a kitchen are carried out between the hob, the sink and the refrigerator. These three points and the imaginary line between them, make up what kitchen experts call the "work triangle".The trick is to position these three points so that they are not too far from each other (this would make you walk backwards and forwards more than you need to when carrying out a task) and not too close to each other (this makes for cramped working conditions).
Ideally, the line between these three points should not exceed 6 metres in total. The ideal distance between the different working points is 90 cm.
If you’re thinking you don’t have room in your home for a triangular kitchen, don’t worry: the working triangle can be effectively achieved in many different layouts, according to preference and the shape of the room.
Work zones – simplifying everyday life
When deciding where to put cabinets and appliances in relation to each other, it can be helpful to think in terms of zones, or work zones. This approach, focusing on function rather than objects to fit in, mean you’ll end up with an everyday-friendly and efficient kitchen.The three main zones are, in relevance to the working triangle, are: storage (fridge/freezer and dry storage), washing (sink, dishwasher) and cooking (hob, oven, microwave). Placing them well is crucial to achieving an ergonomic work triangle, with a natural workflow and everything within reach.
Here are some basic tips to consider when planning your work zones:
Cooking zone
Avoid crossing the kitchen with hot pots and pans. Think about placing your oven and hob near the sink and worktops.Washing zone
Your sink is an important area. Plan to have your fridge close at hand for easy food prep. And close proximity to your hob makes it easier to drain your pasta and vegetables.Storage zone
For storing, make sure you have enough storage for all the food - both for dry goods and in the fridge. A worktop nearby your high cabinets and fridge makes it easier to unpack shopping bags.Common kitchen layouts
In most cases, it’s the shape and size of your room that decides what kitchen layout you ultimately will choose. However, some kitchen layouts may suit your needs and living situation better than others. Here are five common kitchen layouts and their main characteristics. They also illustrate how to ideally plan your working zones.
Single-line kitchen
Where space is scarce, a single-line kitchen in which the working triangle is reduced to a straight line, can be the most practical solution. It’s also pleasing to look at.
Single-line with island
This single-line kitchen includes an island. An island provides plenty of storage as well as extra work surfaces, but it requires at least 120 cm of free space around to work well.
L-shaped kitchen
The L-shaped kitchen is ideal when you want to add a small dining table or kitchen island. It’s also a good way to make the most out of a corner, as well as integrating the kitchen into a dining area.
U-shaped kitchen
If you have a large room the U-shaped layout is ideal. It gives you maximum space and plenty of storage options – ensuring that everything is within easy reach. If the room is very large, it’s important to ensure that the points of the working triangle (see explanation above) are not too far from one another.
Parallell kitchen
You don’t need to have a huge amount of space for this layout. It’s geared for food preparation and provides two great work and storage areas on opposite sides. In fact, it’s favourite of many professional chefs.When we say kitchen range we mean everything that makes your new kitchen complete. So if you want to get into details about our cabinets, doors, sinks, appliances, interior fittings, lighting and more – there’s a lot of useful information ahead of you.
FAKTUM is a concept you’ll come across numerous times. That’s our versatile, flexible kitchen system and the foundation for all our built-in kitchens. As a complement to FAKTUM, we also offer free-standing kitchens, built on free-standing units. The ones you’ll find at IKEA are called UDDEN and VÄRDE and are presented at the end of this chapter
structure of your entire kitchen. With such a critical
function, it pays to invest in quality materials that will
hold up under years of daily use. IKEA FAKTUM cabinets
are made of sturdy 18mm board (substantially thicker
than most in the same price range) with white melamine
foil for a hard-wearing, moisture-proof and
scratch-resistant finish. What’s more, the entire product
is recyclable.
Because FAKTUM is available in a wide range of sizes, you can fit the structure to your
kitchens dimensions. The system includes base cabinets in several different widths, 2
special corner units and wall cabinets in a variety of shapes and heights.
kitchens dimensions. The system includes base cabinets in several different widths, 2
special corner units and wall cabinets in a variety of shapes and heights.
Your sink and built-in appliances fit into kitchen cabinets designed to accommodate them. To the FAKTUM framework, you add your choice of cabinet doors and interior fixtures, for a kitchen that suits your tastes and needs perfectly.
Base cabinets
The base cabinets is the obvious place for everything from pots and pans to utensils and plastic jars. There’s even a special base cabinet it you want a built-in oven underneath you hob. Use RATIONELL interior fittings to organise inside your cabinets. Pull-out wire baskets, adjustable shelves and drawers give you a good overview of all your kitchen things.Corner cabinets
Find exactly what you’re looking for with a corner cabinet for your pots, pans or dry goods. These can be fitted with swivel shelves (90 cm) or pull-out shelves (120 cm).Wall cabinets
There are wall cabinets that fit in corners and behind glass doors. You can even choose a horizontal wall cabinet with a door lift that has a catch for gentle closing. And fully extending drawers help you turn a low-placed wall cabinet into a practical storage solution. Wall cabinets are available in two standard heights and in many widths, and include several special cabinets. All deep enough so you have plenty of room, even for those big serving platters. Complement with adjustable shelves in melamine or tempered glass and combine different wall cabinets as you like.High cabinets
Choose a high cabinet if you want plenty of storage space in your kitchen. Fully extending drawers with drawer dampers turn a high cabinet into a practical larder with everything within easy reach. Glass doors and adjustable shelves turn it into a place for your fine glasses. And if it’s a cleaning cabinet you need, there’s a special pull-out fitting for that too. Another bonus is that our high cabinets are available in two depths and different heights and widths. One of them is sure to fit.
Doors
They are by far the most important element in the overall appearance of your kitchen. Whether you aspire to a timeless sense of warmth and cosiness, a hightech, minimalist look, or something in between, our range of cabinet doors can help the dream kitchen in your mind become a reality. Before making your choice, find out more about todays wide selection of materials, styles and finishes.Solid wood
Solid wood is a natural, living material. Extremely durable and pleasing to the eye, it suits various design styles and budgets, as different timbers vary in cost and appearance. Wood can be more susceptible to scratches and dents than some other surfaces, but the effect of ageing on this material can have a charm of its own. Wood is a good choice for cabinet doors exposed to rough treatment from younger family members. Fingerprints don´t show so much on a grained wood surface either. In fact, a kitchen with solid wood cabinet doors will still be looking great long after the kids have left home!Wood veneer
Often underestimated as merely a more economical solution to solid wood, veneers have come a long way since the 1970s. What is veneer, anyway? Simply stated, it’s a thin layer of wood stuck to a core of medium density fibreboard (MDF), or plywood. Wood veneer cabinets provide the warm, natural look of wood surfaces, often for a less expensive price tag. But don’t let the lower price mislead you; this material is stable and less susceptible to warping than solid wood and will retain its good looks for years to come.Lacquer
Lacquered doors have a base of fibreboard and are then coated with a colourfast lacquer and a painted finish. They provide an excellent option economically while offering great flexibility when it comes to colour and style. Lacquer doors are practical and easy to maintain.High gloss foil
Foil allows you to achieve a bold, high gloss finish that transforms your kitchen into a style statement. It’s a beautiful, durable surface which reflects light into the room. However, it may not be ideal for kitchens where small, sticky fingers will be in contact with cabinet doors. On the other hand, foiled doors are easy to clean and maintain and can really brighten up a dark kitchen, bringing intense colour into the room.Glass
You can use a few glass doors to add variety to a row of solid cabinets, creating a lighter, more open feeling in your kitchen. Glass also works well with most kitchen styles, from traditional or rustic to modern. And it is less expensive than you might think. All IKEA kitchen cabinet styles include a glass-fronted version to combine with solid doors. And since all of our glass doors are tempered, you won’t have to worry about shattering.Melamine
Melamine is a paper film that is provided with a single-colour print or pattern print and then impregnated. The finished film is applied under pressure to a board, normally a particleboard. This treatment makes the melamine surface hardwearing, heatresistant, water-repellent and easy to care for.
Handles
The material, style and size of the handles and knobs you choose for your cabinet doors and drawers will have a surprisingly big effect on the overall look of your kitchen. At IKEA, you’ll find a wide variety of materials and designs, and many handles have matching knobs if you want variation. Changing handles and knobs allows you to liven up old doors and drawers for little money, giving the room a whole new look. The distance between the holes is the same for most of our handles, so you don’t have to cover old screw holes.
Worktops
Worktops are probably the hardest-working element in your kitchen. They’re subjected to a daily onslaught of knocks, spills, hot pans and sharp knives. There is no single material that can withstand all these assaults better than any other, but here is what you can expect from each.At IKEA, you can choose between pre-cut and custom-made worktops. Our pre-cut worktops are either made of laminate or solid wood and come in a chocie of three different lengths. And if you have specific design details or features you need to work around, you can order our custom-made worktops available in acrylic, laminate, stone or wood.
Wooden worktops
Wooden worktops will age gracefully if you treat them regularly with oil. We pre-treat all our wood worktops to give them a good start. Then it’s up to you to maintain the wood by treating it with BEHANDLA wood treatment oil every now and then. The oil protects the wood from marks, stains and cracks, and prevents water from penetrating the surface and destroying the wood. If the surface looks a little tired and worn after some time, you can give it a real facelift by sanding and oiling it. It will be as good as new.Acrylic worktops
With a made-to-measure acrylic worktop you can also choose matching sink bowls in the same material. Everything is cast in one piece, with no seams, and you can choose between four different colours. The work surface may be less scratch and heat-resistant than laminate or stone, but the smooth, poreless surface is easy to keep clean. And if you want to remove small scratches and stains, you can polish the surface with the cleaning set that comes with it.Stone worktops
If you choose a made-to-measure stone worktop you’ll get a work surface that’s extremely durable, scratch resistant and able to withstand high temperatures. The 12 mm top layer of the worktop is a moulded stone powder. This makes the surface non-porous, smooth and easy to keep clean. It’s also stain resistant, and doesn’t require any impregnation. And the surface always looks the same, which is good to know if you want several worktops in your kitchen.Laminate worktops
If you want a worktop that can take tough daily use - choose a laminated surface. We test ours to ensure that they can cope with hot pans (180°C), as well as shrug off spilled wine, oil and hot drinks. They are even resistant to scratches and chemicals, and the smooth, hard surface is easy to keep clean. The material is made up of a thin plastic laminate bonded to a particleboard for great stability. Laminates are available in a variety of finishes and detail, so finding one that looks beautiful with your cabinet doors couldn’t be easier.Custom-made worktops
If your kitchen design calls for a customised solution, you can take a closer look at our selection of custom-made PERSONLIG worktops. Perhaps you want to round the edges, have an angle cut or attach an edging strip. You’ll find a range of flexible solutions we tailor to your wishes.
Sinks
The sink and mixer tap should do more than complete the look and style of your kitchen; they should also make your work in the kitchen easier. With our range, you never have to choose between form and function – you can have both. Everything is made of high-quality materials that have been tested and approved.One bowl or two?
How will you use your sink? Do you need one or two bowls? If you wash a lot of dishes by hand, a sink with a drainer can be helpful to keep water off the worktop. Choose a sink with the drainer or a large bowl to the left or right to suit the space and the way you work. Then decide on the material - stainless steel or porcelain. Most of our sinks can also be completed with practical accessories like a chopping board and a rinsing basket. A smart way to free up space and get more room to work on.
Taps
A kitchen mixer tap should suit your needs and be able to cope with a lot. If you usually rinse off your dishes, a handspray will come in handy. And a high spout makes it easier to wash big pots. Consider whether you want a tap with a single-lever or dual control.
Appliances
IKEA has — together with Whirlpool and Electrolux – developed a broad selection of ovens, microwave ovens, fridges and freezers, dishwashers, hoods and hobs to suit your needs and lifestyle. To make planning your kitchen even easier, all appliances are designed to perfectly fit and match your IKEA kitchen.All IKEA appliances are rated energy class A or better – contributing to reduced energy consumption at home. And they’re all backed up with our 5 year guarantee.
How to:
Choose appliances
Choose appliances
Together with Whirlpool we’ve considered the way you cook and go about everyday life in the kitchen. From there we’ve designed a range of appliances that make life in the kitchen just a little bit easier.
Forced air function
A forced air oven is perfect for the avid cook who ends up preparing several dishes in the oven at once. The fan in the back spreads pre-heated air evenly throughout the oven. So those blueberry muffins on the bottom rack? They’ll taste just like blueberry muffins and not like the lasagne you’ve got baking above.Steam function
Keep the vitamins in your veggies and the moisture in your roast. An oven with a steam function is easy to use and yields great results. Just add water to the steam dispenser, and as your food is cooking it will gradually release moisture into the oven. Not only does it enhance your food’s natural flavours, but it’s also a healthier option; the added steam means you won’t need to add extra fats or oils to keep food ender/moist.Pyrolitic function
‘Pyrolitic’ is a fancy way of saying ‘less cleaning for you.’ A special function in these ovens turns the heat up to over 400°C, causing grease and dirt/food remnants to turn into ashes. When the cycle is complete all you need to do to clean the oven is wipe it down with a wet cloth.
Microwave ovens
A microwave oven saves you time and facilitates your everyday cooking in a flexible way. Better still: they’re all built-in and coordinate perfectly with all our other appliances, creating a great, integrated look. Being built-in and mounted in a high cabinet means you have it at a comfortable working height and free up extra space on your worktop. And, as well as defrosting and heating up food, we have models with an extractor fan, so you get two functions in one all the while it coordinates with the kitchen and the rest of your appliances.A wide range of functions
Our microwave ovens include all basic functions for quick defrosting and reheating. They also have an additional steam cooking function for quick and healthy cooking. You can steam potatoes, vegetables and fish fillets – and the food will retain both its vitamins and consistency. Just fill the included steaming set with water and select the desired program.We also offer microwave ovens with a wide range of functions – beyond just defrosting and warming up food. With crisp and combination grill functions, for example, you put an extra touch and a crispy finish to gratins, meat and lasagne.
Our microwave combi ovens are a microwave oven and forced air oven in one. It gives you several different functions to choose between or combine. The forced air function distributes the heat quickly and evenly throughout the oven, which makes it easier to get great baking and cooking results. The large microwave oven capacity also allows you to cook larger dishes like roasts, lasagne and cakes.
Ceramic hobs
These hobs give an even heat and have a smooth easy-toclean surface of tempered glass. Some have variable cooking zones that provide effective heat and that can be adapted to the size of the cookware.Induction hobs
Induction hobs get the job done faster than any other hob. Not to mention they are also easier on both your energy bill and the environment. Compared to traditional hobs, they save up to 40% energy and bring two litres of water to a boil in just five minutes, almost twice as fast as a glass ceramic or gas hob. To work, your pan simply needs to touch at least one of the crosses marked on the cook top. The induction zones sense the size of the pan and automatically adjust to suit it. This gives you the flexibility to place your cookware almost anywhere you’d like on the surface.Gas hobs
Many avid cooks swear by gas hobs. They respond almost immediately when you increase or lower the heat, giving you lots of control and accuracy. And because the flame responds so quickly the burner doesn’t need extra time to heat up or cool down. Ours even have automatic shut-off safety valves for added security.Domino hobs
Glass ceramic, induction, grill and gas hobs. They all have unique benefits, and picking just one can be a bit of a challenge. Domino hobs allow you to mix and match different types for one hob that’s customised to fit the way you really want to cook.Energy-saving tip!
You’re using the cooktop a lot. By choosing an induction cooktop that heats up quickly you’re saving a lot of time and energy. The induction cooktop is also more efficient in transferring heat to the pot compared to other types of cooktops. Use the right sized burner for the size of pot or pan you are using. If the burner is bigger than the pot it wastes energy. Also always use a lid when bringing e.g. water to the boil.
Energy-saving tip!
Clean the grease filter often. This way you’re keeping the function of the hood and saving energy since the hood doesn’t need to use as much energy with a clean filter compared to a greasy one. It’s easy to keep the grease filters clean since they are dishwasher-safe.
Fridges and freezers
We offer a wide selection of fridge/freezers in different sizes and with different features to match all kind of family needs; side-by-side, combinations of a larger fridge and a smaller freezer, fridges with freezer compartments, fridges and freezers that fit between cabinets under the worktop and even a 2-drawer fridge.Integrated or freestanding?
Choose between an integrated or freestanding fridge/freezer. With the integrated fridge/freezer you can match the front with the rest of the kitchen doors to create an integrated look. They fit perfectly in the FAKTUM high cabinets for built-in fridge/freezers. The doors can be mounted to open to the left or right.A freestanding fridge/freezer is easy to plan into the kitchen, to place and to move. They also work as a design feature that can change the character of the kitchen. We are offering freestanding fridge/freezers within the NUTID and FRAMTID series with handles that are matching the VINNA and TYDA handles.
