[amelia]

HI all,
I am having a contractor install my cabinets while I am 1000' 0f miles away. Tough, but possible with email ( i hope).

Currently i have a 15" 3 drawer cabinet right up against the wall on either side of the stove. Ikea kitchen planner software says i need the 2" filler. My contractor isn't so sure. what do you think?

Also, what sort of panel should I put on the end of a dishwasher? and should i use a filler there as well to make it look more substantial?

Lastly, i need to order this long distance. Does anyone know how to go about doing this? I'd like it delivered from the Tempe, Az store...but i live near an ikea here. Can i order through the local ikea and have it transfered to the tempe ikea?

thanks so much


amelia

[Gloria]

Hi Amelia, and welcome to IKEAfans!

Do you have just a little more than 60" on that stove wall (assuming a 30" stove)? It's best to have a little filler between the drawer and the wall in case something isn't perfectly straight. A deco trim piece (aka light rail) is about 3/4" thick and would do nicely. Since the cabinets are frameless, the drawerfront uses the full width of the cabinet and pulling it straight out, it needs to clear any waviness in the wall.

Is your dishwasher at the end of a run of cabinets with no cabinet or wall at the side? If so, a 30"x40" "oven panel" will hold up the countertop and provide a finished look. Here's a tutorial: How to install a dishwasher at the end of a cabinet run

You can ask but I would be surprised if the order can be transferred from one store to another. I would go to your local IKEA to get a "draft order" and triple check it to make sure everything is correct. Then place the order through IKEA Direct. Having the draft order first may save some headaches, since you'll have the article numbers of all the pieces you'll need. Read through some threads on the Long Distance Ordering forum to get an idea of some of the pitfalls to watch out for.

If you'd like to post your plans on the Kitchen Planning forum, there are many IKEAfans who would be happy to look them over and make suggestions. Sometimes another set of eyes can help.

I hope that's helpful to you. Please feel free to ask lots of questions. The collective experience on these forums is amazing.
Gloria

[erikakn]

Hi Amelia,

FILLER
Fillers (or at least a 1/2 inch thick end panel) do give you some leeway for clearance--particularly if walls are wonky.)

If you had a door instead of drawers, I'd recommend filler. Two elements determine how wide you can open a door: (1) The hinge and (2) the amount of free space you have on the hinge side of the cabinet.


ORDERING LONG DISTANCE
1) Confirm that the Tempe store does long-distance orders. Schaumberg is my closest store and they no longer do fax orders. Did your local store say they could take your order but have items come from a second store? Double-check to see if that's even an option for you.

2) Consider going with IKEA Direct. You have to spend time writing up your order anyway so you could compare the costs of having the store delivering it versus IKEA Direct. Additionally, the stores are so swamped you might get better customer service from IKEA Direct!

This thread describes my positive IKEA Direct experience at the end of May '07.

And here's my follow-up thread describing the delivery itself.

You'll be working with one IKEAn and there will be a bit of back and forth as you double and triple-check your order. Write up your order carefully in Word with each cabinet listed in a separate table. Include notes about modifications too (such as "no doors" or "extra pair of shelves" or "no hinges.")

In my case, I spent a lot of time writing up the order and IKEAn Marcus Turner and I talked several times on the phone to discuss the order.

Be sure to ask your IKEAn (whether it's your local store or IKEA Direct) about any upcoming specials for delivery. When I ordered from IKEA Direct in May '07, orders over $3K had shipping 50% off.

You're fortunate to live near an IKEA. I have to admit that I'm not so keen on ordering anything in the store. My recent visit to Schaumberg was maddening. It was Thursday morning--around 11 a.m. and already busy in the kitchen department. I think the entire store has about 10 people working there.

It's a tedious process whether you do your order in the store or via IKEA Direct. I found working from home was more tolerable.

Good luck!

--Erika

[woodswell]

Amelia,
You might save a little on delivery charges if you can order through the Tempe store, but given my frustrating experience just trying to finalize and pay for a completed order, I suggest that you see if any of the members here can give you the name of an IKEAn at Tempe that can handle your order.

Members here have had excellent results going through the stores, but it seems to be totally dependent on having an IKEAn who is dedicated and willing to follow through with each order. The IKEAn at Atlanta who handled my order was not and I ended up going through IKEA Direct. That experience was good and both orders I have done through IKEA Direct went through with no problems at all. But you do pay a lot for shipping and handling (which seem to be separate charges).

If you are doing any modifications, I suggest you get help here converting them to a list of article numbers. This confuses the IKEAns less and lets them concentrate on simply completing the order.

Good Luck!