IKD vs. IKEA: Kitchen Design Package Comparison

There are a number of similarities, however IKEA’s in-house planner doesn’t stack as much as our skilled kitchen designers.

On this article:

The T-word.
Why IKEA usually isn’t a one-stop-shopping expertise.
Causes clients favor IKD’s design package deal over IKEA’s plan package deal.

About IKEA’s Planning and Set up Service

We’ll name IKEA’s planning and set up division “the T-word.” They was a third-party service, however IKEA’s guardian firm acquired them in 2020. The transition interval and provide chain points from COVID put a brief cease to IKEA kitchen set up providers.

We anticipate IKEA to supply kitchen set up once more quickly, below a brand new title, however clients have been fending for themselves for months. Is {that a} dangerous factor? We don’t suppose so.

Because the nationwide installer should use IKEA merchandise and IKEA-approved hacks to take care of the service guarantee, installers should usually watch for merchandise to restock fairly than downside clear up. Which means the shopper has to attend, too.

This doesn’t sit proper with us for 2 causes:

Innovation is the place designers are alleged to shine.
Each kitchen installer ought to provide a service guarantee.

In our opinion, the comfort of one-stop procuring isn’t price hiring the primary planner and installer that IKEA recommends.

Design Choices Past IKEA’s Kitchen Planners

Sadly, the next Reddit thread from Could 2023 isn’t a novel IKEA buyer expertise:

Impressed Kitchen Design usually is aware of extra about designing with IKEA than IKEA’s kitchen planners, and we provide a listing of skilled IKEA installers by means of our Set up Join program.

Why Select an Impartial IKEA Kitchen Designer?

Many shoppers work with us over IKEA’s in-house providers as a result of we provide what they anticipate from IKEA’s design providers however don’t all the time get, like:

Licensed designers who deal with buyer wants earlier than these of a guardian firm.
Steering when contemplating design choices and performing duties comparable to measuring and photographing the design house.
Potential to design with customized doorways and supplies in addition to IKEA merchandise.
Designers who’re educated about IKEA hacks and capable of present detailed hack diagrams.
Full room designs with 3D shade renderings.
Entry to vetted and skilled impartial IKEA kitchen installers (who can usually deal with different wants, like plumbing and electrical).
Affordability.

This distinction is particularly stark when evaluating IKD’s kitchen design packages to IKEA’s.

IKD’s Design Package deal vs. IKEA Kitchen Planners’ Package deal

You’ll discover that the T-word’s plan package deal is extra like a design assessment. It’s a set of floorplans and elevations you’ve mentioned along with your IKEA planner, with photos direct from IKEA’s on-line house planner. It additionally consists of buyer info and a procuring listing.

IKD’s design package deal is all the time a collaboration, with the flexibility to revise the plan, ask questions out of your designer (fairly than whichever IKEA worker is on responsibility that day), and drawings that element each inch of your house. We use skilled design software program from 20-20 Applied sciences Inc., permitting us to incorporate extras, like IKEA cupboard hack diagrams, lighting plans, and inside storage designs.

The distinction is obvious from step one of your IKEA kitchen design.

Buyer Consumption Info

IKEA is Restricted to Designing With the IKEA Model

IKEA begins the kitchen planning course of by encouraging clients to go searching the showroom and write down the kinds they like for cupboard doorways, drawer fronts, {hardware}, counter tops, and so forth. They’ll ask for kitchen equipment measurements, room measurements, and details about layouts, workflow, and cupboards.

Since they know the design appointment shall be restricted to about two hours, they maintain the questionnaire as restricted as attainable.

IKD’s Detailed Design Survey Contains Non-IKEA Supplies

We require the identical info as IKEA when designing your new kitchen, however we additionally ask for inspiration photographs with as many notes as attainable to get an thought of your fashion and objectives earlier than designing. Our kind has choices for selecting customized cupboard doorways and counter tops from distributors aside from IKEA.

Since we don’t work for IKEA, now we have extra design flexibility. We additionally take as a lot time as we have to assessment the varieties, talk with our clients, and create the IKEA kitchen design.

The Design Course of

IKEA Planners are on a Strict Schedule

You may meet with an IKEA planner in-store or on-line by means of a digital design appointment. Have your questionnaire stuffed out so you’ll be able to profit from the appointment and dive into the web house planner instantly.

Lots of our clients (like Michael, who reviewed us on Houzz) really feel the IKEA on-line planner is troublesome to make use of.

The good thing about having an IKEA planner create your kitchen format is that they’re extra aware of the web planning platform than clients. That’s why the service is free. They aren’t bringing something new and revolutionary to the desk; they take two hours to enter your info, verify for lacking parts and fundamental design errors, and make it straightforward to visualise your new kitchen and buy the mandatory provides.

IKEA planners are usually not licensed designers, and so they mainly simply know the way to fill in empty areas in your design with cupboard bins and counter tops. They don’t all the time succeed, both, as evidenced by the BBB report under.

We Take our Time Creating Skilled Designs

At IKD, you’re employed with one designer who thrives on particulars. Your designer will take your info, ask further questions, and supply a customized design inside just a few days. Our designers don’t need to rush to the subsequent two-hour appointment, so we will work fastidiously by means of each design problem.

When designing, we contemplate who’s utilizing the kitchen, how they use it, and if our clients would possibly profit from cupboard hacks or inside organizers. We additionally embody two design revisions with every design package deal and a handy IKEA procuring listing that may be transferred on to the web procuring basket.

The Completed Product

The T-word’s Plan Package deal consists of:

A thanks notice
Set up quote
Copy of house planner 3D rendering
Merchandise listing
Elevation drawings
Directions for minor customizations, like slicing down cupboards to suit home equipment
Full procuring listing

IKD’s Design Package deal Contains:

An introduction to your design coordinator, Florence, and your private IKEA kitchen designer
Skilled, detailed 3D renderings utilizing the most recent design know-how with corresponding elevation drawings
Full room, high-resolution shade renderings
Floorplans
Lighting plans
An IKEA pricing and buy information
Further gadgets listing
A separate inside cupboard organizer design

IKEA Kitchen Set up

With IKEA, you get:A advice for a “third-party set up at their native retailer, the place out there.”

With IKD, you get:Entry to our community of quality-assured third-party installers by means of Set up Join. These are installers who’ve efficiently labored with IKD clients previously.

What Units IKD Aside from IKEA’s Accepted Installer?

The T-word provides a passable design package deal in the event you solely want a basic IKEA design overview, procuring listing, and fundamental set up.

Nonetheless, in the event you want a extra revolutionary kitchen design package deal (that’s nonetheless inexpensive), you’ll wish to select an expert design service like IKD. We provide customizations, personalised service, and detailed designs created by skilled kitchen designers who know IKEA inside and outside.