Are you into interior design, renovations, and podcasts? Make sure you check our podcast Love Where You Live!
Many of you have been on the journey with us throughout our own renovation over the past 2+ years. We’ve shared a lot on Instagram (@peachandpinehome) in our stories and posts and have appreciated all your love and feedback throughout the process! Surprisingly (at least to us) our blog post Our Kitchen Cabinets: An honest review of IKEA and Semihandmade has become one of our most visited web pages of all time. Crazy! But since that is the case, we wanted to do a little 2 year(ish) update here. So without further adieu…
OUR KITCHEN CABINETS: THE 2 YEAR UPDATE
So if you haven’t read the original post, maybe hop over there and give it a look before continuing. There are a lot of details there about pricing, process, layout, etc. What I want to do here is just expand on a couple things.
Things we love…
-
The cabinets themselves: We are really impressed with the quality and the durability…we haven’t had any issues with them
-
The soft-close feature: This is a high-end cabinet/drawer feature that Ikea makes possible at a ridiculously affordable price. It was awesome before we had a kid, and now it’s extra awesome.
-
Going with drawers for the lowers: this was a decision we wrestled with in the moment. We both had lower cabinets growing up, and the thought of doing all drawers as lowers was a bit scary. Now a year in, WE LOVE HAVING ALL DRAWERS. We keep our plates, bowls, pots, pans, utensils, baking sheets, hand towels, accessories, and even our trash can all in drawers, and it’s awesome. I feel like it helps us stay more organized and we are able to keep the drawers/cabinets as a whole much cleaner because of this.
-
Secret drawers: Not only do we have drawers, but we have drawers within the drawers. Woah, mind blown, right? We use these particularly in to spots that are really effective:
-
Above our utensils, are more utensils. If you open our utensil drawer, you’ll see all the normal stuff…forks, knives, spoons, measuring cups, etc. But height-wise, that doesn’t really take up a lot of space right? Well that’s where the secret drawer comes in, because above that main utensil drawer is a second drawer of more “specialty” utensils! Stuff like pizza cutters, can openers, cheese shredders, etc. It’s just an extra layer of organization and making sure we are using all the space available to us. It’s great!
-
The second place we use a secret drawer is for the dreaded junk drawer. Every home has a junk drawer. It’s just a thing. but I LOVE that ours is hidden. It’s a little out of sight out of mind, which also encourages me to throw away things I might normally put in there. But, of course, it’s always there when I need it, just waiting in its secret spot.
-
Things we would do differently…
Despite overall loving what we have going on in the kitchen two years later, there are a couple things that if we were to do it again we might do differently.
-
Buy the pre-finished Super Matte thermafoil fronts from Semihandmade. If you read our first post, you know that we were thrilled with our custom doors from Semihandmade. Well, we are still thrilled and would purchase again any day! In fact, we often recommend these to clients who are doing IKEA kitchens. BUT instead of buying the DIY option and painting ourselves, I think we would buy the pre-finished thermafoil fronts from Semihandmade. This is our second go-around at painting cabinets. It’s tough to get right and requires a lot of time, space, and patience. The pre-finished fronts from Semihandmade look great and are much simpler!
-
We touched on this in the first post, but make sure your measurements are spot on. There is a place in our kitchen where we could have gone with a wider drawer but mis-measured. It’s not a big deal at all, but the extra space would have been nice.
Another quick note – the Ikea Kitchen Planner software has really improved since we used it to plan our kitchen a couple of years ago! It’s a bit easier to use, a bit more comprehensive, and Ikea is always updating their inventory and improving their products.
So there you have it. We are still loving our Ikea Cabinets with Semihandmade fronts! For more tips, tricks, and general insights into the design and renovation world, sign up for our email list in the side bar and/or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Also, enjoy a few more pics of our kitchen!
Want more inspiration for ways to love your home sent straight to your inbox?
Great post! How did you paint everything – rollers, brushes or spray? Did you have to make any special adjustments or build anything up for the countertops?
We sprayed them before they were installed! If you have the space and time time, that’s definitely the best way to get a smooth coat. But it’s very messy and you need enough space to lay them out to dry. No special adjustments for the countertops! Our countertop supplier just came in and templated once we had the lowers installed and took care of the rest!
Great post! How did you paint everything – rollers, brushes or spray? Did you have to make any special adjustments or build anything up for the countertops?
We sprayed them before they were installed! If you have the space and time time, that’s definitely the best way to get a smooth coat. But it’s very messy and you need enough space to lay them out to dry. No special adjustments for the countertops! Our countertop supplier just came in and templated once we had the lowers installed and took care of the rest!
I love your kitchen! Why did you choose the semihandmade doors instead of the ikea doors? Was it the color or shaker style?
Thank you! We chose the Semihandmade doors because they are real-wood fronts, as opposed to Ikea which aren’t real wood. The Semihandmade fronts are much a much better quality material and look more like custom cabinets. Both Ikea and Semihandmade offer shaker style and various colors though! We actually painted these ourselves.
I love your kitchen! Why did you choose the semihandmade doors instead of the ikea doors? Was it the color or shaker style?
Thank you! We chose the Semihandmade doors because they are real-wood fronts, as opposed to Ikea which aren’t real wood. The Semihandmade fronts are much a much better quality material and look more like custom cabinets. Both Ikea and Semihandmade offer shaker style and various colors though! We actually painted these ourselves.
Where do you keep your microwave?
We keep the microwave in the pantry! It’s behind the sliding door in the picture above. It’s a small microwave, but it works for us!
Where do you keep your microwave?
We keep the microwave in the pantry! It’s behind the sliding door in the picture above. It’s a small microwave, but it works for us!
Where are the pendant lights from?
They are from Wayfair! Here is the link if you want to check them out: https://rstyle.me/+wrzalHHcmB4HD7eHZbZa1w
Where are the pendant lights from?
They are from Wayfair! Here is the link if you want to check them out: https://rstyle.me/+wrzalHHcmB4HD7eHZbZa1w
What color did you paint the cabinets. I decided to go with the DIY instead of the supermatte white so I now need to find the right white color that will be bright.
FYI the precolored ones dont have real wood panels at all which is why I went with the DIY. Would this change your decision to go with the therafoil instead?
Hi Jaime!
We painted our cabinets White Dove by Benjamin Moore. That is one of our favorite whites!
I don’t think it would have changed our decision. The SH fronts are higher quality than Ikea anyway, and both options from SH are good options…it just depends on what you’re wanting to accomplish!
What color did you paint the cabinets. I decided to go with the DIY instead of the supermatte white so I now need to find the right white color that will be bright.
FYI the precolored ones dont have real wood panels at all which is why I went with the DIY. Would this change your decision to go with the therafoil instead?
Hi Jaime!
We painted our cabinets White Dove by Benjamin Moore. That is one of our favorite whites!
I don’t think it would have changed our decision. The SH fronts are higher quality than Ikea anyway, and both options from SH are good options…it just depends on what you’re wanting to accomplish!
Did you install IKEA boxes yourself or hire someone? what was the cost range if you did hire an installer?
We installed it all ourselves! I have gotten quotes for install for clients before and it has been in the $5000 range but it totally depends on kitchen size and who your installer is!
Hi Aubrey,
Sorry for the delayed response. We did install them ourselves! We’ve priced out installers before, and they can definitely be pricey. It totally depends on the size of your kitchen, but ours would have been $3k-4k for installation if my memory is correct.
Did you install IKEA boxes yourself or hire someone? what was the cost range if you did hire an installer?
We installed it all ourselves! I have gotten quotes for install for clients before and it has been in the $5000 range but it totally depends on kitchen size and who your installer is!
Hi Aubrey,
Sorry for the delayed response. We did install them ourselves! We’ve priced out installers before, and they can definitely be pricey. It totally depends on the size of your kitchen, but ours would have been $3k-4k for installation if my memory is correct.
Did you do your countertops and backsplash through Ikea? If so, was that included in the overall price you gave? Also, do you find the hardware of the cabinet drawers feel sturdy and not cheap?
Both of your posts on this process are really helpful – thank you!
Thanks so much for your comment! We did not do countertops or backsplash through Ikea. The $4700 I mentioned in our original post definitely does not include those items. I believe we spent over $4000 on countertops alone (we went with a really quality quartz. You can do cheaper but it will still be several thousand for a stone countertop dependent on kitchen size) and several hundred on backsplash. Also, you will buy cabinet hardware separately from doors and drawers as well. So they aren’t from IKEA or Semihandmade. And we selected a good quality hardware!
The only things included in that price are the cabinets themselves! Lighting, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and flooring are also additional.
I hope that helps!
Hi Cassi,
Sorry for the delayed response! So we actually got the countertops and backsplash separately from the cabinet package, so those are not included in the prices given. We went to a local countertop fabricator, and I did the tiling myself!
The hardware feels really sturdy! They are soft-close and actually feel really nice, especially at the price point.
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for reaching out! In our experience, it’s not usually a great idea to reuse granite on new cabinets because everything is usually cut exactly to spec. But you may be able to reach out to a local countertop fabricator and get a better answer!
Typically, we replace countertops when we replace cabinets. Or you could look at just refacing the existing cabinets with a local carpenter or cabinet company!
I hope that helps!
Chandler
Did you do your countertops and backsplash through Ikea? If so, was that included in the overall price you gave? Also, do you find the hardware of the cabinet drawers feel sturdy and not cheap?
Both of your posts on this process are really helpful – thank you!
Thanks so much for your comment! We did not do countertops or backsplash through Ikea. The $4700 I mentioned in our original post definitely does not include those items. I believe we spent over $4000 on countertops alone (we went with a really quality quartz. You can do cheaper but it will still be several thousand for a stone countertop dependent on kitchen size) and several hundred on backsplash. Also, you will buy cabinet hardware separately from doors and drawers as well. So they aren’t from IKEA or Semihandmade. And we selected a good quality hardware!
The only things included in that price are the cabinets themselves! Lighting, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and flooring are also additional.
I hope that helps!
Hi Cassi,
Sorry for the delayed response! So we actually got the countertops and backsplash separately from the cabinet package, so those are not included in the prices given. We went to a local countertop fabricator, and I did the tiling myself!
The hardware feels really sturdy! They are soft-close and actually feel really nice, especially at the price point.
Hi! I know this post is older, but I was wondering if you could answer my question! My boyfriend just bought a condo, and the kitchen is a bit of a mix. The cabinets are low quality, but the granite and backsplash seems new. Do you think, using Ikea cabinets and semi handmade, if measured out, I could basically order the ikea cabinets to match the current layout and transfer the granite to the new cabinets? In order to save some cash? Thank you! Awesome read.
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for reaching out! In our experience, it’s not usually a great idea to reuse granite on new cabinets because everything is usually cut exactly to spec. But you may be able to reach out to a local countertop fabricator and get a better answer!
Typically, we replace countertops when we replace cabinets. Or you could look at just refacing the existing cabinets with a local carpenter or cabinet company!
I hope that helps!
Chandler
We loved Semihandmade during the purchase and install phase, and loved how everything looked when finished. We have the pre-finished cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Now, three years later, we have a large cabinet door that is delaminating, and we discovered the warranty is only 2 years. That seems like a very short warranty for an item most homeowners would expect to last much longer!
Currently their offer is to sell us a replacement door at 30% off, and since they constantly run 20% off sales this seems like a very bad offer. We believe this is a manufacturing defect, the door finish should not pull away from the door in a sheet after 3 years…who would buy that product? We are negotiating for a better settlement to this problem, and I’ll update this with the end result. I just feel like people should know this problem is possible, and keep that in mind when making their purchase decisions.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had that issue! We no longer live in this home and have moved away from using ikea cabinetry in client projects, so I can’t speak to continued quality, but I will say that we went with the wood unpainted doors because I know that laminated cabinetry typically has a pretty short life. I hope you end up finding a solution.
“and have moved away from using ikea cabinetry in client project” Why have you moved away from IKEA? Curious if you use a different online RTA cabinet source now? Thanks!
We have just come to a point with the budgets and quality needs of the kitchens we are designing that local, custom cabinetry is a much better fit for us and our clients!