Mac Compatible IKEA Home Planner Launched 
Mac lovers rejoice! The long awaited Mac compatible IKEA Home Planner has launched in Denmark! Based on 2020 Software, the new planner allows both Macintosh and PC users to design their own kitchens from home, or in the store, save their plans to the IKEA servers or share through email. Customizability has increased tenfold and the options available are incredible.
Thankfully, it’s all in English for those of us who aren’t actually Dutch Danish (edited – thanks jamey015!) Looks to be fairly well documented, though I haven’t been able to download it and try it yet. My laptop is on its last legs, and my new Mac Quad Pro is coming this week – just in time!! w00t! Tons of screenshots and links to resources, articles and interviews with the IKEA Home Planner IT guy after the jump!
Quickstart Video and Guide
You can download the new IKEA Home Planner in Danish here: IKEA Home Planner Download in Danish or in English here: IKEA Home Planner Download in English. I’ve been told that the site and the download may not be available at times as it is still in Beta (i.e. 404 Page not available error) and is sometimes down for upgrading. But if you want a headstart, download it now when available and get going! We’d love to see your pictures, screenshots and planner files as soon as you can upload them!
Check out the Quickstart video and the Guide – this is in English for you to navigate easily.
IKEA Home Planner
According to the (Google translation of the Danish page) IKEA Danish site’s IKEA Home Planner’s page, the IKEA Home Planner is:
Planning tool from IKEA anyone can be his own decorator. You can quickly and easily plan how you will furnish your home and see the final result in 3D. You can choose to print your favorite, with all necessary details. You can also choose to save your drawing to an IKEA server so that you, along with an IKEA employee may review your subscription next time you visit your local IKEA store.
The new IKEA planner offers Setup your Room, Furnish your Room, Decorate your Room and Print your Plan options that are wholly different from previous versions of the IKEA planner software. Read on to learn what’s new!
NEW in this Version
There are hundreds of new functions, options, abilities and applications in this new version of the IKEA kitchen and home planning software. These are just the ones I noted when doing my overview – I haven’t actually been able to run it to see how it really functions – all of the screenshots below are from the IKEA Home Planner Guide, which looks to be highly informative and a great introduction to the new application.
Discuss the new IKEA Home Planner with IKEA Fans in the IKEA Fans Community Forum.
New Print Options
Excellent! Now you can print out elevations, overhead views and frontal views as well as the price and item list inventorying all the items needed to make up your new IKEA kitchen.
Predesigned Room Options
Now you can get a jump start on your planner by using a predesigned room as a start – make adjustments for your actual room size, the location and position of your utilities and then fine tune to your delight. Either fill in the room layout information in the sidebar, or click on a wall to resize it directly. Awesome!
New Start from Scratch Options
Or, start from scratch like always, but now you can do lots more to configure your room to the exact layout of your interior.
Wall and ceiling options: Change the wall height in the 2D view to create sloped ceilings. Add ceiling wedges, bulkheads, ceiling boxes, columns, partition walls and more. Also hide walls to create rooms with less than four walls. Great for greatrooms! Paint the walls, or add moulding, trims, skirting, crown molding, and other decorative finishes to walls. Choose wallpapers, various paint colors – even split walls up and add different finishes to the top or bottom.
Floor options: Add floor obstacles, vents, radiators and columns in addition to the partition walls mentioned above. In Decorate Your Room, customize the floor to help visualize what your kitchen might look like with parquet flooring, hardwood floors, carpet, tile, stone or granite.
Door and Window Options: Now, finally (!) you can resize door openings, create a 3 sided room, change the swing of a door, select from multiple window arrangements, change the size and material of the window and door casings, and even select a window background!
Additional Room Features: Add columns, radiators, air conditioners, vents, fireplaces, stoves and pipes in many configurations. Change the swing of a door, and the position of a door handle, even! You’ll have to add the appropriate utilities and pipes in order to add appliances later on, so spend some time getting the placement of these right. The nice thing is, you’ll have a blueprint for your plumber or electrician when you’re finished with your plan. Use the print option!
Resize Options: Click to change the height of doors, doorway openings, windows, obstacles like bulkheads, ceiling boxes, columns, partition walls and more.
Furnish Your Room
Ok, this is where the real awesomeness begins! Finally – options to change everything from the direction of the door swing on cabinets, to the legs or plinth (toekick) options, the cover panels, the filler pieces, the countertop and the appliances. Even add placeholders for own appliances! Add kitchen tables, chairs, bar tables, stools and benches, entire dining sets, cabinets and sideboards and cafe items.
Filler pieces: Accurately visualize a refrigerator encased in cover panels. Understand the warnings about filler pieces with improved warnings.
Appliances and Hobs: Change the look and feel of cabinets surrounding ‘built-in’ appliances such as ovens and refrigerators (keep in mind that this Dutch version of the IKEA Home Planner has appliances that are not available in North America) by changing the cover panels, legs, handles and cornice options. Add hobs (cooktops and stove tops to us in North America).
Cover Panels: Select cover panels for the right or left side of your cabinets. Planner conveniently reminds you of the additional space taken up by cover panels and the need to plan for that in your overall length of the cabinet run.
Sinks and faucets (taps): In this new IKEA Home Planner, you can only place appliances and fixtures where you’ve previously indicated that the appropriate utilities or pipes exist to support them. Add sinks and faucets in your plan, plus mix and match to see how different taps would look with various sink options. I don’t see an option to add your own sink like you can with appliances, but I might be overlooking it.
Cabinets: Place and move cabinets with ease. Select from the regular lineup of cabinets with additional options for open shelves, microwaves, horizontal cabinets and roll-front cabinets. Make changes to any individual cabinet options such as the handles, the fronts, the cover panels legs, cornice or deco strips.
Worktops: Finally a way to put a countertop where there is no cabinet! Think accesibility for wheelchair users, open spaces for stashing footstools, work stations, breakfast bars, built-in table tops and more. Woo-hoo!
Move multiple items: You could always multi-select items and move them around, though it was always a little sketchy as to what would actually move and where it might go. Move multiple items with precision in this new planner.
Tables, chairs and other dining furniture: Now add your dining furniture to the room. Sideboards, bar tables, dining sets, tables and chairs. Make your room complete! Visualize an eat in kitchen easily by adding these items to your design.
ADD YOUR OWN APPLIANCES! What if you don’t have IKEA appliances? How many of us do, anyway? Now you can set placeholders – resizable placeholders for dishwashers, extractor hoods, microwaves, ranges, refrigerators and even washing machines. This increases the flexibility of the planner to the extreme.
Decorate Your Room
This is an awesome development* for the new IKEA Home Planner. Now you can change the wall color, add wallpaper, decorative trim, moldings, skirting boards, and more to your walls. Add carpet, stone, tile, granite, hardwood or other types of flooring to your design to really get a feel for how it will look.
*Ironically, this is a feature that was in early versions of the IKEA Home Planner, but was removed because people using the computers in-store to design their kitchens spent WAY too much time trying to get the wall color *just* right. Now, do it at home then save it to IKEA’s servers!
Using the New IKEA Home Planner
Understand what the warnings mean, and how to avoid kitchen planning errors by leveraging the knowledge available in the IKEA Home Planner guide. The warnings will actually now make sense, and you can make relevant changes to your plan ahead of time to avoid mistakes and safety hazards in your new IKEA kitchen!
Learn how to save your plans to the IKEA server, then print or share via email. Of course, we share files here on IKEA Fans Kitchen Planning forum all the time. (FREE Kitchen Planning advice!)
Print your plan: This is a really great aspect of the new planner. Once you’ve completed your design, click on File>Print>Print all design views and you’ll get a printout of the front view, the overhead and the frontal elevation (!) as well as the list of items in your order with a total. Almost like having your own architect!
IKEA Home Planner Resources
A few weeks ago, we did an IKEA Home Planner Resource Roundup in which we reviewed all the available resources for the kitchen and home planner software. Don’t miss our IKEA Home Planner forum for peer-to-peer support if you have questions or problems, or need help with troubleshooting the software, new or old. We also have a wide array of articles on using the IKEA planner, understanding the IKEA Kitchen systems and more.
Learn how to save and post plans from the planner to our forums and read up on 9 Ways to Break the Creativity Block
Thanks again goes to Hadirajan, our IKEA insider who slipped us the info on this new planner being available. Don’t miss the interviews we did with Jesper on the planner:
IKEA Home Planner Sneak Peek Exclusive
Tags: 2020, hadirajan, IKEA Home Planner, IKEA Home Planner Software
Man, I JUST did a new design (we have parallels to work windows), but it still stinks. I LOVE all the new options. Now I’ll get even closer to what it will really look like! Yay! Can’t wait to play around with it, but with moving in less than a week, I guess it has to wait a wee bit.
Wow, thanks for the tutorial, Susan! Very helpful.
Thank you! I can’t wait until I get my new machine and can play with this!
Thanks Susan!
This was really impressive work from your part, we’re very greatful for the time you’ve taken to put this togehter.
If we have any news we’ll make sure to let you know.
I want to know how I can save something to post here at Ikeafans! :)
NBeth, there’s actually a fun feature for this.
However at the moment it’s pretty messy to use.
If you create an account on the Danish website (remember NOT to use your primary email since this might disable you to register it with the Homeplanner when the US version is released)
Then you go up in the menu item “File”, here you’ll find email.
Email the plan to yourself and voila, a link to your kitchen plan :)
Here’s an quick example that I did.
http://kitchenplanner.ikea.com/DK/UI/Pages/VPUI.htm?Lang=en-GB&LoadDesign=480a5d6d7caf4e839be96cb3d57dfd9c&UIContext=b984bb2fbc444be89d1b3e3f9860afbe&IsSharedDesign=1
Best regards,
Jesper
I like Wall and ceiling option though all idea are very excellent. I wi ll get even closer to what it will really look like! You have done great yet and hope you will continue with same here.
You know, there probably aren’t that many who speak Dutch in Denmark either. The Danes mostly talk Danish. Dutch is spoken in the Netherlands.
Hi! Some of this program is in Dutch, like when signing up for an account. The mm throw me off too because I use inches. :( Am I clicking the wrong link? Is there a full english version for mac?
Hi,
I downloaded the english version for Mac and installed it as directed. When I tried to open it – from Library:internet plugins: NP20202player.plugin it asked what application I want to use to open it.
Anyone have a suggestion?
Is it possible to run this planner if not in Denmark? I can Log In (with a danish Log In); but it will not run on my MAC. Nothing shows up in the workspace, and it is not possible to select a pre-designed plan.
I’m in Canada.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I had the same problem using Firefox on my Mac, however I switched to Safari and it works!
I cannot get it to work. What do i do once i have downloaded it?
Thanks so much for sourcing this! Any word when a North American version will be available? mm aren’t so bad for us Canadians but the Faktum cabs are rather different sizes than here.
Any word when the Windows version of this new software will be available?
*hoping that IKEA NL will release this soon*
It looks totally awesome. Much better than the Windows version.
BTW, you made a mistake:
…blahblah… who aren’t actually Dutch. …blahblah…
That should be:
…blahblah… who aren’t actually Danish. …blahblah…
It seems as though it only has European products. It is missing some of our european products and sizes of products and it has some products that we don’t get over here in the new world (Canada). And the Danish language and mm/cm lengths are tough to use it properly. I don’t think it will be useful for me but it would be if it had Canadian Ikea products in it. Here’s to hoping they will branch it out to other countries soon as I am eager to build a new kitchen soon.
I have a friend that’s asked me to design their kitchen and this came just in time, or at least so I thought.
I’ve downloaded the internet plug-in, but there’s nothing to find to download a Mac application let alone one in English that I thought was now available?
I thought the plug in was just for the player to look at the designs. There’s nothing to download to actually design. When I think I get someplace it’s just a sweedish page with two iconic links, and those don’t do anything either.
C’mon “IkeaFans.” If you’re going to post info here on your site – why not just be straight up about it with direct links and info rather than post Flash pop-ups getting in the way?? And the links that “are” provided aren’t helpful at all.
I’m convinced there is neither an actual Kitchen planner for Mac in either English nor Danish. Anyone find different – PLEASE… prove me wrong. I would LOVE to be wrong.
I’m not sure where the confusion lies. Have you tried clicking on the links in the article? This one should take you to a page for the planner in English.
Was so excited to find this link to the mac compatible planner BUT after downloading the planner it allows me open it but won’t give me any options to make up a plan. I can get into the pre designed kitchen but again once i select one the next screen comes up blank, can’t see the kitchen layout at all.
I’m on a Mac Book Bro with Inter Core 2,running Firefox 2.0, is there anything i’m missing. I’m desperate to get access to this!
Looks like an early Aprils Fool Joke, There’s nothing Mac compatible to download at any of those links
It’s not a joke – there’s really there.
ok i think i know why it won’t work for some mac users! You have to be on Leopard!!!!
I was on tiger and it wouldn’t work for me and i’ve just upgraded to snow leopard and now it works. Still can’t get files to save for me but i am able to plan the kitchen and use all the features! I hope ikea perfect the programme for all mac users and have the full version available in English as i’ve been trying to register in Danish to see if that would help let me save my files. Come on Ikea get it together and get this available for all countries, Mac users all around the globe are waiting!!!!
oh please, this is actually very nice but where is the actual LINK to the planner??NOT the plugin, the APPLICATION. cause I don’t see anything like that, just the guide.
darlings, I figured it out..u install the plugin, than u need 2 restart your mac and return to http://kitchenplanner.ikea.com/DK/UI/Pages/VPUI.htm?Lang=en-GB.. it works! =)
Well that didn’t work, I tried it on my Leopard machine and my Tiger machine, Are you going to have to use an Intel Mac ?
i thought you have to have intel to run leopard anyway? I updated my intel based mac to snow leopard, downloaded the english version of the planner, re-started mac, go back to the planner and it works for me!
The planner DID NOT work for me when i was running Tiger though so i think this is why it won’t work for a lot of users.
Leopard runs on 867 mhz G4 or higher, Snow Leopard will only run on an Intel Mac
ok so maybe the planner only runs on intel based macs running leopard!
I’ve one problem still with the planner….though i am having great fun with it i can’t seem to get it to save my designs, when i try it tell me an error occured and to try later, i can email the plan to myself but it doesn’t allow me access that design for editing again which means i’m having to sit down and plan the whole thing from start to finish in one go and i can’t make amends later which is a pain. Did anyone have this problem?
Yea… I still don’t believe anyone who says they’ve been able to get anything to run on a Mac.
As others have said, and I will confirm: Leopard doesn’t require an Intel processor. Snow Leopard only runs on Intel.
There is no “english” version of any planner software to download. There is only a software “plug in.”
When I first wrote on this forum, I was already running Leopard, snow leopard in fact on an intel processor. I had already installed the plugin, and went to whatever link was available, and nothing.
I’ll go through the motions again, on an entirely different Mac and try the process again and post results.
If anyone has actually been successful – post the links and process. Post the link to the English version plugin and your steps, otherwise there’s a whole lot of hot air going around.
*** UPDATE – SUCCESS – INFO ***
I was able to access the kitchen planner. It’s an ONLINE application used through whichever browser you use along with the plugin that you download and install. I don’t think the process to use the kitchen planner has been clearly explained on how to install or use. The link below does TWO things.
http://kitchenplanner.ikea.com/DK/UI/Pages/VPUI.htm?Lang=en-GB
FIRST: use the link to download the plugin.
SECOND: Then use the SAME below link to access the online kitchen planner.
When you go to the link for the first time, it only gives you an option to download, but after you’ve downloaded, installed the plugin, restart the browser – use the link again, go to the page and now a “start” button will appear instead of “download” for the online application.
You can restart whichever browser you’re using after installing the plugin, or immediately start using the online application with a different browser by going to the same link/page.
I hope that helps.
One other point I forgot. I was only able to glance at the kitchen planner page. It looks like most of it is in English, but if you go to save your page or set up an account (log in) the text is in Dutch, or whatever it is.
Thanks for giving us the proper procedure, but it still doesn’t work, no start button appears, just the same download button. Any word when a working version will be launched in the states ?
glad you got it working ikeafan, it’s still a bit rough oround the edges for the macs but at least me an do something. Can anyone tell me if you can rotate wall cabinets with this planner and if so how?
Thanks
I followed the procedure IkeaFan set forth, but I’m still getting the same download screen and no start button. Has anyone else gotten it to work in the last couple of days?
I’ve put the plug-in the Internet plug in folder — that’s all that the installer tells me to do — is there another step that I’m missing?
I was having issues this morning as well. I kept getting the page with download button only. But, now I’ve got it working again (start button instead of download button).
Here’s what I did:
1- In Finder search for 2020plug. I had two copies and dragged both to trash.
2- Shut down Safari
3- Empty trash.
4- Restart Safari and go back to download page and follow instructions from IkeaFans March 3 post.
5- Restart Safari
6- Click the link (http://kitchenplanner.ikea.com/DK/UI/Pages/VPUI.htm?Lang=en-GB) again and voila, a start button instead of the download button. All of my previous info was still saved.
I guess the problem was that I had multiple copies of the plugin in my plugin library…
Make sure you don’t have multiple copies of the 2020 plugin. That seemed to be my problem. I moved all 3 (!!!) copies of the plugin that I had to the trash, emptied the trash, and then followed the instructions again. Works for me now (start button instead of download button).
I’m using Safari on a G5 macbook pro running OS 10.6
minimum 800MHz processor. i think you also need 64GB ram.
Just a note to remind all that there is an IKEA Home Planner Forum in the Forums section of the site where questions are answered by other members as well as members of IKEA’s team on a regular basis.
Just a note to remind all that there is an IKEA Home Planner Forum in the Forums section of the site where questions are answered by other members as well as members of IKEA’s team on a regular basis.