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You’re thinking of starting a Bokea project? You first need to purchase your IKEA® cabinets. We can already hear you saying that working with the Swedish giant can seem overwhelming. Among the hardware, cabinets, drawers and all the other things in between, it’s easy to forget a few items! So we wanted to share a short list of things to remember, and some tips for a hassle-free Bokea experience.
What are the items to buy at IKEA® and Bokea?
When planning your Bokea project, regardless of the furniture you want to create, step one is to head to IKEA® and purchase the pieces you need for the project. Here are the things that should be on your shopping list:
Cabinets
Hinges and soft closing device
Cabinet legs (if applicable)
Drawer hardware
Toekick (if applicable)
Doors and drawers fronts
Cover panel
Trims (light shield)
Kickplates
Accessories (handles, etc)
The cabinets
Bokea doesn’t provide cabinets, hence the concept! This means that during your next visit at IKEA®, you’ll need to see one of their planners to determine the fundamental components of your kitchen, wardrobe or other space that you’re looking to transform. There are two main IKEA® products that we modify: the SEKTION® kitchen cabinets and the PAX® dresser units. Please note that you can choose different models from each collection, for any room you’re designing.
The terms low, medium or high refer to the height of the drawer itself (from the baseboard to the top), and the dimensions 5’’, 10’’ or 15’’ refer to the height of the front of the drawer and not the space of the drawer. Depending on your design plan or what you want to put in your drawer, you’ll have to choose the right product. The 5’’ facades go with the low drawers; the 10’’ facades go with the low or medium drawers; and the 15’’ facades, with the medium or high drawers.
IKEA® offers two types of bin drawers usually made for the trash, recycling and compost. You can install this kind of drawer on a single cabinet front or on a combination of fronts. You just need to make sure you get the right mounting kit for either choice.
Avoid this trap: cover panels
Beware! If you’re thinking of using the IKEA® Kitchen Planner, know that the system can add or remove cover panels from your basket. We advise you to be vigilant and ask yourself the following questions while designing your space: Do I want IKEA® or BoKEA cover panels? Do I want panels that go from the floor to the ceiling? What formats do I need? What are the Bokea designs that I’d like for my cabinet fronts?
Cover panels with Bokea measurements
BoKEA has cover panels that are measured like the ones found at IKEA®, meaning that we use the same measurement scheme as the Swedish store’s, for all of our available finishes. These fronts always come in our Slab design which is smooth and grooveless. They’re drawn in specific formats in order to be cut to specific measurements during the installation.
Custom Bokea cover panels
If you already have your measurements, you then have the possibility to order your cover panels in ANY available designs. These fronts are created to be installed as is, meaning that there isn’t cutting to be done.
Bokea does not supply hinges and stop closing devices. Each BoKEA cabinet door is made to support two to four IKEA® hinges from either the UTRUSTA® collection (for the SEKTION® system) or the KOMPLEMENT® collection (for the PAX® system). These hinges are sold in packs of two and are equipped with integrated stoppers.
If you’re using the IKEA® Kitchen Planner and delete all the cabinet doors from your plan, the system will automatically remove the related hinges. It’s important to, then, re-add the hinges to your basket separately before placing your order.
There are two types of hinges: 110 and 153 degrees. The 110-degree hinges are used for standard shelf cabinets, and the 153-degree hinges are only used for cabinets with built-in drawers. Make sure to make the right choice!
Cabinet legs
Cabinet legs are optional. Some constructions won’t need any. For those who’d like this option, we love the IKEA® cabinet legs and kick plate! So why not enjoy them?
Avoid this trap
Don’t forget to include SEKTION® legs and kickplates to your basket (regardless of the model because they’ll be hidden), and this, even if you’re planning on fixing your cabinets to the wall with a suspension rail. Be careful, though! The CAPITA® legs at IKEA® do not allow to fix kick plates. Aesthetically designed, they’re made to be visible whereas the SEKTION® legs are made to be hidden by the kick plates. In this sense, if you like the CAPITA® legs, you don’t need to add kick plates to your basket.
Drawer hardware
Don’t forget to get rails for your drawers: a tiny detail that makes a huge difference. In fact, they usually come with the following models: the MAXIMERA® drawer (for the SEKTION® system) and the KOMPLEMENT® drawer (for the PAX® system). The drawer runners at IKEA® are relatively cheap, yet very solid.
You must know by now that, before heading to the giant Swedish store, it’s really important to make a small list of things to buy. This will allow you to not forget anything and rest easy during your home renovations. Did you check all of the boxes?
Please share with us your experience with IKEA® and Bokea, we want to know everything: info@bokea.ca.