IKEA: Affordable, Fast and Stylish

IKEA, the Swedish corporation that designs and sells ready to assemble furniture, is the world’s largest furniture retailer. Its distinctive yellow-and-blue, big-box stores are filled with inexpensive yet stylish offerings that appeal to almost everyone because of their low prices and their sleek european panache. Plus, the chain is known for its philanthropy and social consciousness.

But did you know you can get an entirely new IKEA kitchen? From cabinetry to appliances to fixtures, IKEA has it all. In each of these Tampa-area homes, the owners selected an IKEA kitchen, which was installed by John Hermansen/Ampersand LLC, a Sarasota-based construction, renovation and design firm.

A number of Ampersand’s clients are European, and love using IKEA kitchens because they’re accustomed to the style and because it simplifies the selection process. Many kitchens Ampersand builds are in smaller homes and were completed with relatively small budgets.

According to Ampersand, “The beauty of the IKEA kitchen is that you can create a higher-end custom look, without the higher-end cost or the time it takes.”

Shown here are photos of two recent local IKEA kitchen remodels, including one that was completed in an incredible one-and-a-half days.