[Marisyl]

This looks like a wonderful site, with interesting people around the world united by the Ikea concept.
It's about 4:30 AM here, I'm using my bedside Mac laptop, and thinking about the Ikea kitchen I'm hoping to have installed in my daughter's house.
My husband and I did a ripout of the kitchen in our house when we bought it about five years ago. We've had remodeling experience, the biggest kitchen project had been about 10 years prior, using Home Depot cabinets and working with one of their planners. There were many problems, and we were happy with the end result, as we used their top of the line cherry cabinets, but Ikea is far superior. Still, we had many hurdles to contend with in the process.
(I wish pressure could be put on Ikea to be more Mac aware and friendly! I couldn't even get the online catalog to load!)
Getting back to kitchens--I do love mine! I used the beech Akurum, and basically laid out the dimensions using the little grid and punch outs which come with the catalog. The house was built in 1940 and has the original brick backing for the stove which I needed to work around, as it is a decor asset. Somehow I was able to fit in a tall putlout pantry cabinet and another tall regular cabinet framing my French door fridge! It has a built in look, with cabinets going above the fridge connecting the two tall ones. We wired the regular one so we have the toaster oven and the microwave in there behind the door, and our recycling bins are below. The top of the line Ikea hardware is obviously Blum, which I've seen at the European cabinet shops which abound in the Bay Area.
The alarm just went off for my husband to get ready for work. He is a software engineer who works in the San Jose (Silicon Valley) area. I drive him to the Amtrak station, leaving at 6 AM so he can catch the 6:30 Capital Corridor Amtrak train. I call it the Nerd Train. We wait in the car until it comes, listening to Stephanie Miller and friends and watching the people gathering on the platform. One guy arrives on his bike, goes to the far end of the platform, lies down and does calisthenics--No mat, either. There are a couple of guys who drive up and have their folding bikes, too, and several women with regular bikes. My husband keeps a car at the San Jose station, it's too far for him to bike, and it's verboten to pedal on the freeway.
I digress. Back to the reason I'm posting, which is to get an Ikea kitchen in my daughter's house. I will have to stop when it's time to medicate our two elderly cats and put jam on my husband's toast, and spend some coffee and newspaper time with him before we dash out the door.
My daughter, her husband and three daughters bought a small Victorian house in Alameda, which is a family-oriented island community on SF Bay. Of course, they bought when prices were highest, and there were competing bids, etc., etc. They also had to have the foundation redone, as this is earthquake country. This was the reality two and a half years ago in the SF Bay Area. And for that money, you didn't get much. The house is one of many of similar or identical design built for blue collar workers, and the original footprint is small, but his one has an addition of two bedrooms and a family room and bath. It is a raised plan, which means the main living area is over the garage, so you go up a flight of steps, which has a small porch. This is not the kind of Victorian you see in the glossies, but there are nice features, like 12 foot ceilings and an attractive tiled fireplace in the dining room. But what passes for a kitchen is a sick joke. There is a largish room between the dining room and the bedrooms, with an alcove. There is a doorway from this room into a bedroom, and another to the back hall, which is where the addition is. The main floor bath is what they call Jack and Jill, which means it's between two rooms, the girls' bedroom which is off the kitchen, and the office which opens onto the foyer and front door. Is this making sense? The gas stove and fridge are in the big room, and the alcove has the only counters and cabinets and the sink. They use a portable dishwasher. There is a storage cabinet next to the sink alcove.
Our plan is to take out the wall making the alcove/storage cabinet, and move the bedroom door into the back hall, freeing space for cabinets there. My daughter would love an island, but it may not be feasible.
So here I am, it's still dark outside, thinking about how to help my daughter with all this.
When I dealt with the Emeryville Ikea, there were numerous glitches getting the cabinets delivered. We used the contractor they recommended, and they were helpful, but it all took time, and we had to return misorders. I hated the return process. Wait, wait wait, and then have to deal with an often pressured and surly person, and reel off long lines of numbers. It made my head spin. But at least throughout it all my husband, who can do plumbing, kept a working sink and dishwasher going, even when the counters were plywood awaiting the granite tops.
The worst part of the experience was not Ikea, but the place where we got most of our appliances, a store in Berkeley. The salesman was smooth and friendly, and I ordered Franke sinks and faucet, a Miele dishwasher, a Thermador Professional dual-fuel range and Thermador hood. They recommended an installer, who was rude and incompetent. They sent the wrong faucet, worst of all the wrong hood, and didn't want to replace them. This is a store which is the local Thermador dealer, and the manager was beyond rude to me.
Uh-oh, my husband brought me my coffee, so I must sign off for now. Sorry about the rambling...Looking forward to returning to the site.

[dalbrough]

HI,

Just wanted to wish you a big warm welcome to IkeaFans. You will love it here - everyone is so friendly and more than willing to help you.

Too bad about the Mac - I know there are others who are in the same boat as you.

I can't wait to follow your progress and see the exposed brick - your plan sounds nice and cant wait to see it.

I sure wish someone would bring me a coffee..............sigh.........

[DulcineaK]

thought i'd welcome a neighbor
emeryville can be tricky, but as long as you keep your receipts and hold yourself to the strictest interpretation of the "procedures" you'll be fine. When ordering in the kitchen department stay away from Yuki, she's really nice but you'll always end up with extra and missing parts (all at the same time) Stephanie is by FAR the best equipped in that dept. I haven't seen Luis since they moved to their new spot.... hmm, just realized that.

[Marisyl]

Thanks for the welcoming words.

I guess I didn't make it clear that we did our Ikea kitchen almost five years ago, and I agree about Stephanie being excellent. I also had some contact with Natalia who was manager of the kitchen department.

I can certainly post some photos of the completed kitchen if I can figure out how to do it on this site...

One thing I changed from the original plan which worked well for me was I added a peninsula to the former pullman style design, which meant I had a corner to deal with. Originally the designer I worked with suggested the corner with the wire swing out semi-circular shelves, and this even got installed. Then I thought about it and realized it would work much better to have a regular cabinet facing the breakfast nook, with a drawer and shelf cabinet. This has proven to be wonderful for storage of all out papers and magazines, plus the drawer is a sort of tableside junk drawer. Just a thought for anyone with the same configuration.

[DulcineaK]

well, if you worked with a planner then you definitely were there a long time ago... they don't plan anymore at all. Amy was the manager for a long time, but they sent her to closets, i'm hoping they bring her back. the top dog in kitchens is Chan (i think) and there are a lot of newbs in there now. but Stephanie is still the best, imo

[DulcineaK]

and the flipped cabinet for a corner rather than a blind is one of my favorite solutions. i use it whenever i can (in fact i'm using it in the install i'm currently doing). i've even seen where one member (forgetting who right now, but i think it was a mod/mentor) who did it through a wall so there is a bank of drawers near their entryway/staircase. i hate blind corners with a passion!