Practical guides
How can I optimise my IKEA x Plum Living budget?
A kitchen budget is mostly decided before you order anything. These five choices are the ones that move the number the most — without changing how the finished kitchen looks.
Choose cupboards over drawers
A drawer base is more expensive than a door base of the same width. If a run of your kitchen only holds light, occasional items, doors plus internal drawers give you most of the comfort for less.
Go for a two-tone colour scheme
Painting only the fronts that you actually see — the island, or the run facing the living room — lets you use less material without losing the effect.
Pick a lacquer finish
Matte lacquer is our most forgiving finish and the easiest to live with. It also happens to be the most economical of our painted fronts.
Avoid cover panels
Cover panels are sold by the square metre and are easy to over-order. If your cabinets end against a wall, you usually do not need one at all.
Say goodbye to handles
Push-to-open, or a routed grip, removes a line item per door — and gives you a cleaner run of fronts.