Modular kitchens, such as IKEA, have their advantages and disadvantages. They are a great deal for the price, but you might be wanting a high-end look. How to make IKEA kitchen look high end and custom?
- Choose the right IKEA cabinetry style that matches the overall concept of the kitchen or the house space in order to ensure a “tailored” look from the get-go
- Hide all the clutter and appliances behind the doors
- Go for high-end appliances if they are visible and save money if they are not
- Simplify design by using the same grid / size of the cabinet doors
- Frame the doors with plasterboard paneling
- Change IKEA doors with custom doors
- Choose a different, high-quality sophisticated countertop
- High-end hardware and lights
- Change some of the upper cabinet doors with glass
- Experiment with color and paints
- some of the colors look more high-end and sophisticated than others
- go for two-toned cabinetry
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Why you might want to customize IKEA kitchen cabinets (Do IKEA cabinets look cheap?)
First of all, why would you want to go for IKEA kitchen cabinetry? Are ikea cabinets cheaper than custom? The answer is YES, definitely.
IKEA offers the best-selling on-budget kitchen cabinetry in the work. I love IKEA, and I love their kitchen cabinetry, particularly because of the value of the price. IKEA kitchens are unbelievably affordable, yet they do not look cheap.
However, you might want to make your kitchen look not only “not cheap”, but custom, high-end, and expensive. Ikea itself does offer some level of variety of materials, looks, finishes, and colors, but sometimes they are not quite enough to achieve that high-end look you’re looking for.
This post is about tips and suggestions on how you can create an Instagram-worthy designer look out of IKEA kitchen cabinets and yet stay within your budget.
How to make the IKEA kitchen look custom and high-end
#1 Choose the right IKEA cabinetry
The right style of cabinetry that matches the overall concept of the kitchen or the house space will ensure a “tailored” look from the get-go. If the overall design concept is minimalistic, go for the cabinetry which is also very minimalistic. If you use natural materials and colors in the overall design, choose cabinetry in the same style.
Cabinetry doors matter the most because they are the main visible elements that define and affect the overall look. Most of the time, you can find the right cabinetry door style in IKEA. If not – there are custom cabinet door options: there are actually companies that make fronts for IKEA cabinets.
Another important point is to plan the kitchen layout professionally. All and all, the high-end designer kitchens have something in the common – flawless workflow.
The foundation for achieving a high-end custom plan with a modular kitchen (like IKEA) is to measure the space thoroughly, use as much modular cabinetry as possible, and fill the leftover spaces with custom fillers.
Fillers are a great way to complete the modular layout wherever room dimensions make it necessary.
You can go for a perfect minimalistic look by choosing white IKEA kitchen cabinetry with integrated handles and a white laminate countertop.
I can’t emphasize this enough: measure the space thoroughly. Imprecisions do not look high-end.
#2 Hide all the clutter and appliances behind the doors
“Steal” the best qualities from high-end suppliers: symmetry, simplicity, and clean lines, and try to achieve the same look on a budget. High-end kitchens look clean, sleek, and simple. The higher the price, the less the clutter.
Well, you can achieve the same simplicity by hiding the appliances and clutter behind the cabinet doors or drawers. By hiding appliances behind cabinet doors, you can save some money by purchasing less expensive ones, because they are hidden anyway.
Having a dish draining rack exposed is far from minimalism or high-end. Make sure, it is integrated within the cabinetry above the sink.
You can organize the behind-the-door space super efficiently on a budget using IKEA products themselves.
#3 Simplify the design by using the same grid/size of the cabinet doors
Speaking about simplicity, we have to mention that the simplicity of the cabinetry doors is one of the basics for achieving a high-end look.
We all know that drawers and cabinets come in different sizes. Then how can you achieve the same grid/look for all the modules?
The simple answer is to choose a drawer size as a basic unit and repeat it. In some places, the interior of the cabinetry will match the size of that unit. In some cases – it won’t and that’s not a big problem: You can use the faux cabinet doors concept.
By fixing two drawer fronts together to form a double-drawer height cabinet door or by dividing the interior space as necessary you can achieve a sleek minimalistic look on the outside without compromising the usability of the cabinet interiors.
#4 Frame the doors with plasterboard paneling
Speaking about cabinet doors, the question is: how do you get custom cabinetry look for your IKEA kitchen cabinets?
If you are using IKEA cabinet fronts, then you can customize them by adding paneling.
Again, the key here is to choose the right style and profile. While clean minimalistic profiles are perfect for Scandinavian or other minimalistic style kitchens, v-groove or shaker style cabinet doors are mostly used in Modern Country or Modern Farmhouse style kitchens.
Upgrading IKEA kitchen doors with paneling can be a DIY project for a weekend, but I can imagine that not everyone is ready for this adventure. That’s why let’s consider the next option for upgrading your kitchen cabinet doors:
#5 Change IKEA doors with custom doors or reface them
If you are not an experienced DIY-er who has all the necessary tools and space for installing the paneling for your IKEA kitchen cabinetry on your own, then consider changing the doors or drawer fronts with IKEA kitchen custom fronts from different suppliers who offer a great variety of materials, looks, and finishes.
My favorite producer of IKEA kitchen custom fronts is Reform. They offer incredible quality and a variety of options when it comes to custom cabinet fronts and honestly, they all look fabulous.
My absolute favorite is FRAME. You can choose between different colors and finishes and get an incredible modern sleek cabinet door that can be installed right on your affordable IKEA kitchen cabinets. If you have a push-to-open solution, you are going to save quite some money on kitchen hardware by keeping the drawers and doors without knobs and pulls.
Skinny Shaker cabinet doors from Nieu can give your kitchen a sleek minimalistic look and some depth and shadows and the look is created with a single piece of paneling.
If you are going for shaker-style cabinet doors, keep in mind that there is a difference between creating the look with 4 pieces of paneling or a single piece. The four-piece paneling with four corner joints is more likely to warp or crack.
Another great option on the market is Semihandmade which offers an amazing variety of custom cabinet doors. You can order the right color and they paint it for you, or you can choose to DIY paint the doors.
Semihandmade paint-ready DIY Shaker fronts a great deal of customization. They provide an excellent surface to apply any color you desire. In this case, the designers at Oak Design Project applied Farrow & Ball’s beautiful Green Smoke. Is not it lovely?
#6 Go for high-end sink and tapware, and appliances if they are visible and save money if they are not
Another great way to achieve a high-end kitchen look on a budget is to invest in things that are most visible or can be a focal point (such as sink or faucet) and save money on appliances that are hidden behind the drawers.
If a sink or a faucet is not meant to become a focal point and draw attention to itself, go for the option that creates the least color contrast with the countertop material.
If you want to know, my suggestion is to splurge money on really great faucets, hardware, and lighting. Those are the things that will make the difference.
#7 How do I choose countertop material?
All and all, worktops are what we see and touch on a daily basis. That’s why it’s important to choose them wisely.
While marble offers timeless natural beauty, and uniqueness, and guarantees a sophisticated look, for someone it might be high maintenance: due to its porous nature it needs to be sealed and then resealed every couple of years not to develop stains.
Kitchen remodel checklist
DIY kitchen remodel projects can be intimidating. If it’s your first project, you might feel overwhelmed and anxious. I have created this kitchen remodel checklist, which you can share with anyone and track the progress of the project.
Simply, duplicate this page and edit it as you wish: check and uncheck boxes, add notes, and add items.
If you find this resource helpful, write a review!
In that regard, quartz offers a perfect balance between maintenance, beauty, and timelessness: it looks fabulous, and it is resistant to scratches, heat, and even acid. It also doesn’t have a porous surface, which means that you don’t have to seal it.
Another great option is solid wood, such as a full stave oak worktop. Natural stones are great, but wood countertops offer amazing warmth to the space. Needless to say, you shouldn’t put hot stuff straight on it, but keep in mind that wood surfaces can be sanded and renewed from time to time.
You can achieve a flawless high-end minimalist look by choosing white cabinetry (can be IKEA doors, actually) with integrated handles, and adding a white laminate countertop. Those countertops are super versatile, look very minimalist, and are super easy to maintain.
Remember: if you are going for an all-white look, add some texture to the backsplash. Otherwise, the kitchen might look very sterile, like a medical research workstation.
#8 Lights
Cabinet doors are not the only thing that makes the difference when it comes to making your IKEA kitchen look built-in.
Hardware, faucets, and lights are the jewelry. The lights are the focus piece and one of the first things you look at when entering the space. That’s why it’s important to be intentional with choosing the right lights.
Lights also can define space. Placing them properly can add a few extra points to the kitchen design and give it more of a Designer-look.
Is not it what you are here?
#9 Hardware
Details, like hardware, make a bigger statement than you can imagine. Hardware, like the countertops, is touched the most. Therefore material choice matters.
There are cases when you can get away without hardware – designs with cut-outs on the door, or handleless cabinet door designs. In the rest of the cases, you have to think about choosing the right one.
It’s a good idea not to introduce too many different finishes into the design. Stick to 3, at maximum. For example, choose the same finish for all of the hardware, and contrast it with light.
Black hardware, that creates clean straight lines, works great in minimalistic, modern spaces.
Silver is a timeless choice. Even though it’s on the pricier side, the long-term satisfaction with it is pretty much guaranteed. polished or brushed chrome and nickel can be a great alternative as well. Choose the right style and you are safe to go!
They all work perfectly with both, modern and traditional designs.
When it comes to brass hardware, you might feel lost. There are many types of brass finishes: aged, unlacquered, lacquered, satin, antique, polished, brushed satin, etc. One thing to remember is that it should be solid brass that won’t wear off even after touching it thousands of times.
After choosing the right material, the next thing is to choose the right piece that suits the function and design of the space.
#10 Change some of the upper cabinet doors with glass
Glass upper cabinetry is a great option between closed cabinets and open shelves. Definitely go for it: this will make the space so much lighter. Plus, you can display your favorite pieces without exposing them on open shelves.
While IKEA also offers glass cabinet doors, if the rest of the cabinet fronts are sourced from elsewhere, make sure the glass doors match the style.
For example, Semihandmade, which is one of the greatest suppliers for IKEA kitchen cabinet fronts, offers glass-ready doors in two varieties, DIY and Supermatte which you can easily install on your Ikea Sektion kitchen cabinets. You just have to buy glass, which is a super easy task to do.
#11 Experiment with color and paints
How can I make my kitchen look more expensive?
The color choice matters. Some colors make the kitchen look more expensive. Shades of neutrals, like beige, grey, white and greige are the easiest guaranteed way to make the kitchen look more expensive. Shades of blue, and green work perfectly as well. The only consideration is the space you have: if your kitchen is large enough, you can go for darker shades of blue, green, or grey. However, for smaller spaces, lighter colors are recommended.
The custom cabinet door providers for IKEA cabinetry usually offer a great variety of colors and finishes.
For darker color schemes, dark grey/anthracite, deep shades of green or blue will provide all the high-end-ness you’re looking for, especially when combined with beautiful hardware.
Sometimes two-toned kitchen cabinetry is the way to go. Make sure, the color scheme works well together.
combining different materials and finishes through custom cabinet doors can also be an option: warm natural wood textures with solid color paints.
Conclusion
We discussed how you can get a custom, high-end look out of your IKEA kitchen that is more budget-friendly than its fully custom counterparts.
The tips discussed in this post can be used together or just some of them. However, I strongly suggest not saving money on cabinet fronts, hardware, faucet, and lights.
As for countertops and backsplash – there are some alternatives to natural materials that are on the pricier side. For example, quartz can be a beautiful alternative to Marble. You can go for simple, nice quality backsplash tiles instead of splurging money on a Marble backsplash.
All and all, to achieve a high-end custom, Instagram-worthy look with your budget-friendly IKEA cabinetry, you have to always remember that less is more. Simplicity is always better than clutter, and it can be achieved on a budget too.
