Don’t forget anything at Ikea: the essential list
Summary of your last trip to Ikea: three frames in which you don't know what to put, four marital crises between the sofas on display and the bathroom department and a packet of Suede too quickly devoured to calm your nerves. Once you get home, you have to face the facts: you are missing at least four elements for your kitchen or layout to stand up. Don't worry, we've all been there. Over the course of our omissions and our errors, we have made up a small list to avoid the traps set by the Swedish giant. First tip: open this package of Daim as soon as you enter the store, it's relaxing. Put down that English-Swedish dictionary! All you need before going to Ikea is our checklist to make sure you don't forget anything once there.
Start right: hardware!
Note: Plum Living does not supply hinges, which must be purchased from Ikea.
References you'll need
- For standard doors, Ikea Metod cabinet frames: Utrusta 110° hinges (ref 805.248.82). You'll need 2 hinges per door of 100cm or less, 4 per door of 200cm and 3 hinges for those between 100 and 200cm.
- For corner doors, Ikea Metod cabinet frames: Utrusta 153° (ref 104.272.62)
- For upward opening doors, Ikea Metod cbinet frames: Utrusta horizontal door hinges (ref 504.624.80). They are fixed to a drawer front and create upwards opening door.
- For a standard door, Ikea Pax cabinet frames: Komplement hinges (ref 002.145.05 or ref 302.145.04, sold by 3 or 4). You'll need 3 hinges for a 201cm door and 4 hinges for a 236cm door.
The trap to avoid
Please note, if you use the Ikea Kitchen Planner and you remove all your fronts from your plan before placing an order, the tool will automatically remove the hinges (but not the drawer rails, which remain present). Remember to add the hinges to your Ikea basket before placing your order with the Swedish giant.
Good to know
As of February 2020, Ikea Utrusta hinges have built-in dampers, as do their drawer rails. Your doors and drawers will close smoothly, without slamming.
Choosing the right feet
At Ikea, everything is carefully designed to ingeniously optimise your space. Even plinths are considered: they clip directly onto the feet of your Metod cabinet frames. The good news is that our lacquer and brass plinths work in exactly the same way. If you’re considering our oak or walnut versions, you will have to attach the black plastic ring directly on to the plinth itself.Don’t forget to add feet to your Ikea basket, even if you plan to attach your cabinet frames to a wall-mounted rail.
The references you'll need
Metod feet (ref402.055.99), these can be adjusted from 8cm to 10.5cm in height.
Avoid these mistakes!
Be careful, the Capita legs (ref 102.678.95) are not compatible with plinths. These feet are more aesthetic, and are intended to remain visible.
Public enemy #1: the dishwasher
If you have chosen a non-Ikea dishwasher, the installation of the front will require the use of special slides, sold by Ikea. These will allow the front to slide slightly forward when you open your dishwasher, which will prevent the front from bumping against the bottom of the machine.
The reference to know
Sliding hinge for integrated dishwasher: Behjälplig (ref 604.923.49 )
I promise, it's not pronounced easily with a suede glued to the teeth.
Create a trompe-l’oeil effect to hide your dishwasher
Integrating your dishwasher into your kitchen is good. Creating a trompe-l'oeil so that it is completely forgotten is even better. You can opt for a combination of two or three fronts of the same size or of different sizes to suggest that it is a piece of furniture with drawers. The trick? The connection bars for faces sold at Ikea. All you have to do is fix them on the door of your dishwasher before installing your fronts, and you're done.
The reference to know
Våglig (ref 004.845.16 )
To create a sliding door
The space available under the sink is often ideal for accommodating a trash can. It is better to create a drawer with a front 60 or 80 cm high to leave all the necessary space. Only problem, this front format does not exist for drawers, but only for doors. As a workaround, Ikea offers a drawer rail mounting kit on a door front. So all you have to do is buy a 60 or 80 cm high door front, and use this kit to attach it to the drawer rail.
The reference to know
The usual suspect...
Utrusta drawer to door mounting kit (ref103.122.37)
