A beautiful kitchen doesn’t require a custom-cabinet budget. IKEA’s cabinet systems give design-conscious, cost-conscious remodelers a solid base to build on, and Portland’s Kokeena makes custom door and drawer fronts, in period-accurate mid-century styles, that fit right onto IKEA’s SEKTION, Akurum, and PAX cabinets.
“Internal boxes, hinges and drawer mechanisms are purchased from IKEA, and we make everything on the exterior: the doors/drawers, the panels, fillers and toe kicks,” says CEO Russell Edwards. “It maximizes the budget and puts the dollars to where it shows.”
IKEA Does the Heavy Lifting. Kokeena Makes It a Custom Kitchen.
The pairing works because IKEA’s cabinets are solid to begin with. They use Blum hinges and drawer slides, the same hardware many custom shops use. “The mechanics are great and easy to customize,” Edwards says. “We add custom fronts that are sized and finished to actually look right in a mid-century kitchen.”
IKEA’s standardized sizing also makes Kokeena’s job easier. Fixed dimensions give the team a grid to design around, keeping things simple while still leaving room for custom work when a project calls for it.
And Kokeena’s offering extends well beyond doors. The company fabricates custom sized side panels, filler trim, appliance panels, shelves, and toe kicks, creating a cohesive, fully realized kitchen solution rather than a simple door‑swap upgrade.
Grain, Finish, and Hardware Are Where Quality Shows
With Kokeena, you can say goodbye to a bland kitchen. Their door profiles, wide quantity of wood species and finish options, and the natural grain variability Kokeena leans into, all offer an enduring style for those considering kitchen updates for a Mid Mod style home.
Case in point, this kitchen in Palm Springs was designed by Kokeena for a homeowner who opted for fun green and pink tones to fit their MCM kitchen.
Normally, people in MCM houses want lots of walnut. This renovated kitchen, however, got a pop of bold color to make the space feel more contemporary, opening it to the living room and hallway to create a space for entertaining and use as a vacation rental. Despite supply-chain delays (missing IKEA boxes, tiles stuck in customs), the team built a U-shaped kitchen with an island, open teak shelving, terrazzo tile backsplash, and brass hardware. Kokeena’s Minimalist door in Moss paint gave the IKEA cabinets a mid-century look that tied the room together.
“Clients come with a plan for their layout, and we work with them to fine tune all the details and select finishes,” says Edwards. “We work hard to support our clients and help them through design decisions.”
The team also assists with veneer selection and trying to get everything to match as best as possible while still using natural wood. In this way, the brand works to make cabinets as custom as possible. Hence, everything Kokeena makes is tailor-made to your space.
Built with a Conscience — What Kokeena’s Sustainability Commitment Actually Means
The brand is eco-friendly and committed to sustainability. In fact, it’s one of the core values of the company. Most of the furniture Kokeena makes exceeds most furniture environmental standards.
Kokeena uses Agriboard, a recycled wheat and wood fiber blend with no added formaldehyde or urea. This type of wood also outperforms plywood and MDF in terms of its stability and moisture resistance.
Kokeena also uses low- and zero-VOC glues, primers, paints and varnishes that won’t off gas in your home, allowing your indoor air quality to remain high. “We think about the entire life cycle of our products, from how they are sustainability made to how they will impact those living around them,” said Edwards.
What to Expect, and Whether It’s Right for Your Remodel
Most projects have a $2,000 minimum. Start with a $99 quote request (credited toward your order), which includes a design review and two rounds of revisions. Lead times run 6 to 12+ weeks: simple slab or shaker doors ship fastest, while custom paint and detailed styles like Craftsman or stainless take longest. Plan for this early in your remodel timeline.
Before committing, you can order 5×8 finish samples in wood, paint, laminate, or unfinished options to test against your actual countertops and lighting. Samples are stocked and ready to ship
What sets Kokeena apart from other IKEA door companies is scope, not just style: because they also make matching side panels, toe kicks, filler strips, and appliance panels, there’s no seam where a stock IKEA part peeks out next to a custom one, a common tell with cheaper door-only competitors. Wood batches are matched across an entire order for consistent grain and color, and for homeowners who want more guidance.
Kokeena connects clients with vetted design partners in Portland, Seattle, New York, and New Jersey (plus remote options), backed by an in-house design team that brings two decades of interior architecture and millwork experience to every project.
