In yesterday's post I mentioned that we would be doing a kitchenette in the basement. We need to rough in for the plumbing and wiring, so today I set out to plan a layout for it. I used IKEA's kitchen planner, which was actually pretty fun to play around with.
We are thinking the stove and refrigerator would only be installed temporarily while we remodel the kitchen upstairs (later). The rest of the time it would just be a microwave and sink. So our layout needs to be flexible to accommodate both configurations. My first layout looked like this:
I like the horizontal upper cabinets because of the lower basement ceilings (about 7-1/2 feet) and there is a soffit we have to clear as well. Our microwave is under mount. The problem with this layout is that the last cabinet is hanging out there over nothing if the stove goes away. We could put a mini fridge under it, maybe.
The second option was this:
This option is better when the stove is gone. Although, now I'm thinking I should switch the cabinets on either side of the sink so the microwave isn't hanging out in the middle, and there isn't the weird space on the other side of the uppers. With this option the fridge would have to hang out on a different wall for awhile (or in another room). There is still room for a mini fridge later, if needed. (Our microwave and stove is black, by the way, not white. And I like the cabinets with an espresso finish).
While I'm thinking about it, does anyone have experience with IKEA cabinets? Is the quality OK? I read somewhere that they were superior to Home Depot's cabinets. (Although, Home Depot probably sells different brands/grades). I have a couple of cabinets in the bathroom that would be handy to buy from IKEA as well. We are going to try to build the vanity, but I need 2 tall narrow cabinets.
My only concern is how to get them. I'm afraid shipping might be cost prohibitive and it might mean a trip to Utah to pick them up. (Not that a trip to Utah is the worst thing in the world! Ha!) But we would have to be very organized and get our order just perfect. Anyway, I would appreciate any input/suggestions on buying cabinetry. :)