New Cabinets

Finally I have my new cabinets albeit in 106 boxes from Ikea. I'd better get assembling.

My husband rented a truck and my daughter Eleanor came along yesterday evening for the big haul. Purchasing my cabinets from Ikea is economical but it did require a lot of planning.

I started the active planning process six months ago by going to Ikea and getting their kitchen planning guide and then went to work designing my kitchen. Thirty drafts and four months later (I'm not kidding), I had a final plan.

It was important for me not to feel rushed. I needed time to mull, make changes and ask friends and professionals for their opinions.

Four weeks ago, I went into Ikea and used their CAD (computer-aided design) software to input my design. This is a requirement to order cabinets because Ikea wants to make sure everything fits properly into the space and the customer is happy. A bonus is that your CAD design is accessible at home so you can continue to make changes before you place your order.

I chose the cabinet finish second from left. It's called Abstrakt and it's a foil finish in cream. The finish is Ikea's most durable.

My final design and cabinet choice reflect my number one priority which is easy maintenance...

Upper cabinets mounted to the ceiling so there's nowhere for dust to collect.

Smooth cabinet doors without trim so there's nowhere for dust to collect.

Engineered quartz countertops because they are stain and scratch resistant and require no sealing.

An undermount sink because that means there's no messy caulk line.

A single bowl stainless steel sink with rounded corners so that it's easy to clean... you get the idea.

I want to spend more time cooking than cleaning.