[jblazq]

I am about to embark on a renovation that includes a lot of IKEA products: kitchen (akurum), closets/wardrobes (Pax) and living room area (Besta). I am here to learn as much about how to go about doing this whole process. I am acting as my own contractor and are thus responsible for the process from chosing the IKEA product, to ordering, to installing or making sure it is installed properly. So any recommendations are welcome.

Some questions already:

1. I have a MAC and cannot download the IKEA kitchen planner. Does anyone know how to overcome this simple fact? I don't have access to a PC (I cannot download software on the one at work).

2. Has anyone used the IKEA kitchen measuring and installation service successfully? Any tips?

3. Suggestions about installing a sliding door system to the 'back' of a large Pax closet? I want to use it to enclose a bedroom and it needs to be able to attach sliding doors to the back of it (the front will use its existing doors).

4. Any suggestions regarding the Besta entertainment system? I am planning on using that.

5. Ikea bathrooms - good choice? Good quaity? Tips on how to go about it?

Many thanks in advance for any responses,

J.

[kelly]

jbalzq- Welcome to IKEAFANS!! We've got lots of people here using Akurum and Pax, so you're in good company. Love your idea about Pax as a room divider- never seen that particular concept, but I have seen people use the doors without the closets- so it's a very sturdy and flexbile system.

I, too, am a Mac user, and sadly your choices are a new DuoCore MacBook so you can boot into Windows (my choice- but I needed a new laptop anyway) or use a program like stetchup as lots of FANS do here.

Glad to have you! Let's start off with some before photos, shall we??

[Narf]

Welcome. Just some comments of mine's, either personal or from observation of others here ...

1. I'll let others chime in on this one ...

2. Some have complained that the measuring service was more a sales call than a service call. Reality is that all you need are dimensions of the room, dimensions to the windows/doors/openings off of a said wall, and where the existing stove and sink hookups are - no need to pay anyone to do something you can do yourself with a tape measure in less than 15 minutes.

3. The sliding doors can mount on a back side, although you will need something to keep the unit squared up (which is what the masonite board does otherwise) and something to finish the exposed edge on the back side. The Pax system is better than their other "wood box" wardrobe lineup.

4. No idea on this ... it's a new product line.

5. The consensus is that if you can use the kitchen cabinets in the bathroom, do so. It's sturdier, better hardware, offers more options, and prolly at a lower price, even. The sinks are fine if they fit; the faucets are a bit more of a headache, however, as the fittings are metric on one end and requires some adapters (1/2 brass nipple) or creative plumbing (hose clamps and barb fittings) on the other.

[jblazq]

Thank you very much for the good advice. I think I can measure things on my own as you say but I am very much contemplating the IKEA installation service. Any thoughts on that?

As for the kitchen planner? I have begun to use google sketch and it seems to be ok.

Thanks for the suggestion about the bathroon and using kitchen cabinets. I think it is a very good idea and it may bring some continuity to the design.

In terms of the Pax system, I think we have decided to drywall the back of it and put on a set of pocket doors in each direction. That way I get to have a wall where I can hang some of my art.

If anyone has experience on the Besta I'd love to hear it. Particularly because it is a new system and seems to be untested though in general Ikea is pretty trustworthy with their new products.

Lastly, has anyone used kitchen cabinet doors to fill in the wall around the kitchen?

What is the best way to order all this stuff (a full kitchen, four pax wardrobes, a full Besta system and a table? Should I do all of it online and have it delivered? And if I do it that way, how many weeks in advance of the actual installation date?

Cheers and thank you in advance for your thougths/comments.

[Gloria]

Hello J, and welcome!

I've seen doors attached to the backs of islands and cover panels as wall coverings but your idea of covering wall space with doors sounds intriguing. I'd like to hear more about your plan.

For kitchens anyway, if you are able to place your order in the store and have the store deliver it, it's usually less expensive than the freight shipping through IKEA Direct. If you start to place your kitchens order online, you will eventually be directed to call the toll-free number for IKEA Direct which is totally separate from the stores. IKEA Direct has a totally separate department for Kitchen orders. If you have everything for all the rooms delivered at once, do you have room to store/sort the boxes?

For quick and easy planning purposes, don't forget the little paper cutouts in the back of the Kitchens catalog. If you're starting from scratch, that may be an easier way to get a basic plan before entering it into SketchUp to see what it looks like.

HTH
Gloria

[jblazq]

Thank you Gloria, the idea is to buid a set of pocket doors attached to the back of a large PAX system (118' long and almost 8 feet tall). We would put drywall around the back and use Johnson hardware to make the pocket doors which would then be used to 'close' the bedroom area. I hope that makes sense.

About ordering, I think I like your idea to order it from the store. But how about the rest? In addition to a full set of cabinets I am also purchasing three pax closets and a Besta entertainment system. Oh, and a kitchen table too. So should I order it in phases? I know it seems like a lot of IKEA but we are going to build drywall around it to make it feel/look built in so it should be pretty seemless.

Thank you for the suggestion about the cutouts, I will try that first. Sketch up is proven a bit more challenging than I suspected!

I have attached here a pdf with the simple plan on pdf so that you can get a sense of what we are working on.

Cheers,

Juan

[Gloria]

Thanks for the pdf, looks like a nice plan.
I think shipping from the store is generally less expensive. I would do the ordering in phases but I would want plenty of time/space to check over the order and I can get easily overwhelmed. You may not have that limitation.
I'm looking forward to following your progress.
Gloria

[jblazq]

Thanks Gloria. Kitchen and Pax systems first? and then Besta. As you can see in the plan it is not a big place so I was hoping to use the small bedroom as a staging area. I was also hoping that as IKEA delivers and installs they would take all the stuff back with them. Is this the case normally? It would go a long way towards making the place bearable during the construction.
Cheers,

Juan

[Gloria]

Definitely check with your installers to coordinate their schedule and when they want different materials on hand. I'm pretty sure the people who deliver won't be the same as the people who install so there will be some overlap time between delivery and install. Also, some in stock items may be delivered right away and things ordered from the distribution center may take a couple weeks. I really don't know, you'll have to ask the store about delivery and the installers about how they operate.
Best wishes,
Gloria

[DesignDiva]

Hi and welcome! Which IKEA will you be working with? We have some store-specific tips and people to find or avoid there.