Discuss My modern Adel Birch kitchen. on IKEAFANS.com. We're Personalizing the IKEA Experience. My modern Adel Birch kitchen. - We heart photos. Also look at images in the IKEAFANS Galleries for over 8000 IKEA photos and pictures of IKEA stuff!.
It was a first time for me to renovation on such scale, and it took forever to complete, but I can finally share some pictures. I like large kitchens, but mine presented a challenge. It is by no means small- 20'x12', however it was divided by a major traffic route, and some space was wasted by a doorway to a dining room. With the encouragement from DW, I selected a plan, which would close off the dining room, to be used as an office, and the former breakfast area will be a dinette. The dining room is12'x12', and the kitchen is12' wide, so I can fit the table of the same size. Just don't want to waste a whole room for a very occasional usage.
So, the pictures...
Before:
The previous owners painted the kithcen in a hideous dark green. I heard that dark colors reduce appetite, but judging by their look, it had little effect.
Old kitchen included a built-in pantry and a small office space.
Depressing
Original layout
My new layout
After
The everpoplular Arietta hood
I wanted no gap between the cabinets and the ceiling, so the tall pantry was modified. There is a toekick drawer (not visible here)
It took many hours to come up with this placement of CAPITA brackets supporting the bartop.
Flip trays were made with parts from Woodworkers Hardware. The hinges are not even close to Blum used by IKEA.
Toaster on a top of the trash cans was a tough decision, but we aimed for a clean countertop. We opted for small cans, so they get emptied often, before their contents start to stink.
A regular door would provide a better access, but it had no place to open.
Originally, the floor was tiled. The former owners replaced the tiles with a laminate, which look more like a vinyl. I also used a laminate, but I didn't like the preparation fo the subfloor. Level subfloor is crucial for floating floor installation. I poored additional slef leveling concrete and used a double layer of Floormuffler acoustic undrerlayment in the kitchen.
I tested the laminate, and found that the joints are germetic- water will evaporate, but will not leak through. To be on the safe side, I caulked the locking mechanisms in potentially wet areas.
I sealed off the fridge and the dishwasher, so any leaking water will flow in front and will be instantly visible.
The sink cabinet is also sealed
The bartop is held by the screws attached to the anchors in the granite. The anchors are epoxied to the stone. Additionally, tops of the brackets are glued with a silicone based adhesive.
The main countertop was partially drilled to conceal the nuts. The thread on the bottom of the CAPITA brackets was shortened.
Wow! What a warm and gorgeous kitchen you've created. It was nice to see your in progress pictures. They gave me hope that there really is an end to cooking in a microwave and electric frying pan, picking pieces of insulation and sheet rock out of every meal, then washing dishes in the bathroom. My layout is similar to yours in a couple of areas, and seeing what you've done gave me some good ideas. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do regular cover panels around the fridge, or do a major build-in with more and bigger panels, but yours looks great.
It looks like you haven't used any filler strips between the pantry and wall or pantry and fridge. Is that working okay? It looks very clean and sleek.
Also, may I ask what you sealed the sink, dishwasher and fridge areas with? That's a great idea. I imagine it's all caulked at the seams, but what's the silvery stuff?
Usually when I see AB it seems like they are sort of bland. However, the backsplash you have is awesome! It makes the entire kitchen look upscale. Looks wonderful!
So I was sceptical looking at the before pics because the original cabinets looked quite nice and was wondering why you were replacing them, but I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the final kitchen looks. I do like the layout much better. Nice job.
i have two things to say: first-wow! that is gorgeous
and second: dw? i remember you proposing, so she said yes AND you've already had the wedding?
CONGRATULATIONS AND MAZEL TOV!!!
Thanks, Dulcinea! The proposal was actually a long time ago. Last summer she arrived here on a fiancee visa, which is valid for 3 months, so it was a shutgun wedding, with Uncle Sam holding the weapon So during the remodel not only we managed to get married, but we are expecting our family to grow very soon!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Draperbound
. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do regular cover panels around the fridge, or do a major build-in with more and bigger panels, but yours looks great.
It looks like you haven't used any filler strips between the pantry and wall or pantry and fridge. Is that working okay? It looks very clean and sleek.
Also, may I ask what you sealed the sink, dishwasher and fridge areas with? That's a great idea. I imagine it's all caulked at the seams, but what's the silvery stuff?
Melissa, thanks for you kind words. No filling strips were needed- doors on a standard counter depth fridge are protruding beyond the cabinets and have enough clearance to open. 36" fridge is actually just a little narrower, and it fits perfectly under a 36" cabinet. I installed it on top of 3/4" board to close the gap between the top of the fridge and the bottom of the cabinet. The panel on the left side is not a cover panel (didn't want to spend another $100), but a sidewall from another tall pantry I ended up not using. It matches the doors perfectly. Initially, I was planning to install a mounding on the right side of the pantry, but decide that it will not improve anything. To the contrary, a gap between the molding and the neighboring wall, rangind from 0 to about 3/8" would only emphasize unevenness of the wall.
The tape I used to seal under the sink and in other places is a regular aluminum foil tape, availabel at HD. It is strong and sticky enough, but not as ugly as a duct tape.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pgans
Usually when I see AB it seems like they are sort of bland. However, the backsplash you have is awesome! It makes the entire kitchen look upscale. Looks wonderful!
I agree that Adel Birch is bland, and I wish IKEA had more choices. The were several reasons I picked it. My kitchen is away from a window and thus not very well lit. So I wanted to preserve as much light as possible. I also didn't want all white kitchen. I liked Kaselbo color, but didn't care for the design of the door. Adel MB was a little to dark and it is just too popular- my friend has a AMB kitchen, and my cousin used it in his bathroom.
Other important advantage was that AB matched the color of the frames. I have several spots were frame elements are visible and I don't have to worry about it. So it was more a practical, rather than emotional choice
Quote:
Originally Posted by dcmerger
So I was sceptical looking at the before pics because the original cabinets looked quite nice and was wondering why you were replacing them, but I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the final kitchen looks. I do like the layout much better. Nice job.
Well, it wa a builder grade kitchen- it belonged to a cheap apartment. The house was 16 years old, all appliances were original, countertop was ugly, sink was shallow and I didn't like the layout. I treated the project not as a house chore, but more like a hobby, and it was fun.This hobby costed me about $15000 give or take, but I am so happy and proud every time I look at the kitchen, tha it is priceless to me.
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