To many budget-minded architects, IKEA cabinets represent good quality at reasonable prices. To one California cabinet-maker, the Swedish manufacturer’s products represented an untapped business opportunity.

So in 2011, the folks at LA-based Handmade Cabinetry launched Semihandmade, to produce custom-made doors, drawer fronts, panels and trim specifically designed to fit and complement IKEA’s kitchen and bathroom cabinets. (The company now offers new faces for IKEA closet and media boxes as well.) The entreprenuers chose to match IKEA products because of their quality (3/4-in. melamine boxes and BLUM hardware), their flexibility, simplicity, availability and price. Semihandmade doors and drawer faces come pre-drilled for IKEA hardware, making installation easy (and unlike many manufacturers, IKEA doesn’t require customer to purchase door with their cabinets). The products can also be used to update existing IKEA cabinetry.

Semihandmade products are surfaced with a variety of wood veneers (Douglas fir, zebrawood, and reclaimed wine barrel among them) and specialty materials. Price categories include Classic (costing about twice that of IKEA’s Abstrakt line); Specialty (about 10% more than Classic) and Premium (10% more than Specialty). There are also three lower-priced DIY options if you want to paint or stain your own.

– All parts are made in and around Duarte, Calif.  

– Products are custom made-to-order with a lead time of about 6-8 weeks  

– Design services are available in some California locations

– Find them at semihandmadedoors.com

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