Epoq offers customizable, made-to-measure kitchens and furniture focused on high-quality materials and a premium finish, while IKEA is a global giant known for its affordable, ready-to-assemble flat-pack furniture with a signature Scandinavian-minimalist style. The biggest difference is Epoq’s focus on bespoke solutions tailored to your exact space versus IKEA’s standardized modular systems designed for budget-conscious, DIY-friendly projects.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right furniture brand for your kitchen and home.
Epoq: The Bespoke Kitchen & Furniture Specialist
Epoq is a UK-based brand specializing in high-quality, made-to-measure kitchens, wardrobes, and storage solutions. Their business is built on providing tailored designs that fit individual spaces perfectly, appealing to homeowners who want a personalized look without compromise. Epoq’s aesthetic is modern and sleek, supported by a wide variety of custom finishes and configurations.
- Product mix: Primarily bespoke kitchens, custom wardrobes, and other storage solutions designed to fit specific room dimensions.
- Style/vibe: Clean, modern, and contemporary. Finishes can be highly customized and include matte, gloss, and wood veneers to suit many different design tastes.
- Price point: A premium offering. Basic kitchen configurations start around £3,000 and can easily exceed £10,000 for larger, more complex designs with high-end finishes.
- Quality: Emphasizes durable, high-quality materials including solid and engineered wood. Cabinetry features soft-close hinges and premium hardware designed for long-term use.
- Customization: This is Epoq's core strength. Every piece is made-to-measure, allowing for precise fits in unique or challenging layouts. Customers choose everything from dimensions to finishes.
- Shopping Experience: A design-led process that often starts with an online design tool and includes professional support via phone or partnered showrooms for a consultative feel.
- Installation: Professional installation is typically part of the process, ensuring the custom-fit pieces are installed correctly.
Epoq is the ideal choice for homeowners looking for a high-end, durable kitchen or storage system that is perfectly tailored to their space and style.
Shop Epoq: epoq.co.uk
IKEA: The Affordable Flat-Pack Giant
A household name across the globe, the Swedish brand IKEA revolutionized the furniture industry with its affordable, stylish, and ready-to-assemble products. Known for Scandinavian minimalism, IKEA serves a broad audience, from first-time homeowners to families, offering functional solutions for every room. Their model relies on efficient design, flat-pack shipping, and self-assembly to keep prices low and accessible.
- Product mix: An extensive range of furniture and home goods, including full modular kitchen systems (METOD), wardrobes (PAX), sofas, beds, lighting, textiles, and kitchenware.
- Style/vibe: Unmistakably Scandinavian minimalist. Characterized by clean lines, simple forms, functionality, and an often-neutral color palette.
- Price point: Extremely budget-friendly. A basic modular kitchen can start between £500-£1,500, with complete kitchen setups typically landing in the £2,000 to £8,000 range.
- Quality: Generally uses engineered wood like particleboard and MDF with laminate or veneer finishes. While built for everyday functionality, the materials and construction are not on par with bespoke brands.
- Customization: Offers modular systems that can be configured in many ways using standard-sized units. It's flexible for standard spaces but offers limited true customization for unique layouts.
- Shopping Experience: A self-service model based around large showroom stores and a comprehensive website. Customers browse and plan on their own, often using IKEA's free online planning tools.
- Installation: Famous for its DIY-friendly, self-assembly model. Delivery and professional assembly services are available at an additional cost for those who prefer not to build it themselves.
IKEA excels at providing modern, functional furniture for shoppers on a budget who appreciate simple design and don't mind a little DIY.
Shop IKEA: ikea.com
Epoq vs. IKEA Comparison
Price Comparison
The price difference between Epoq and IKEA is significant and reflects their different market positions. IKEA is the clear winner for budget-conscious shoppers. A full kitchen can be achieved for a few thousand pounds, making it incredibly accessible for renovations or first homes. Accessories and individual units are also very inexpensive.
Epoq operates in a mid-to-high price tier. With kitchens starting around £3,000 and climbing substantially from there, it's an investment in quality and customization. The cost covers the premium materials, custom manufacturing, and personalized design service. Epoq provides better long-term monetary value due to its durability, while IKEA offers great immediate value on a tight budget.
Style & Aesthetic
Both brands favor a modern, clean aesthetic, but their style expressions differ. IKEA is synonymous with Scandinavian minimalism - think simple forms, light wood tones, and uncluttered designs. While universally appealing, the look is quite consistent across its range, making it highly recognizable.
Epoq offers more stylistic versatility. While rooted in contemporary design, its extensive range of custom finishes - from high-gloss lacquer and modern mattes to rich wood veneers - allows you to achieve a more unique and tailored look. If you want your kitchen to have a specific, high-end design that doesn't scream "big-box store," Epoq has the edge.
Quality & Construction
Quality is a primary differentiator. Epoq builds its furniture with longevity in mind, using higher-grade materials like solid wood, thick engineered wood, premium laminates, and robust hardware such as soft-close hinges. This results in heavier, more durable cabinetry that feels premium and is built to withstand years of heavy use.
IKEA's furniture is designed for affordability and functionality. It primarily uses particleboard and MDF with foil or laminate finishes. While sufficient for daily use and impressively engineered for its price point, it isn't likely to hold up as well over decades compared to bespoke cabinetry. Heavy use can lead to chipping or eventual sagging, especially in items like drawers and shelves.
Customization & Sizing
Epoq’s core advantage is its true, made-to-measure customization. Their products are built to the specific dimensions of your room, making them perfect for homes with slanted ceilings, awkward corners, or non-standard layouts. This precise fit ensures a seamless, fully integrated look with no wasted space.
IKEA offers modular customization within a system of standard sizes. You can combine cabinets, drawers, and doors in countless configurations, but you are ultimately limited to their predefined widths, depths, and heights. For irregular spaces, this often means relying on filler strips to close gaps, resulting in a less integrated appearance than a truly bespoke solution.
Shopping Experience
The journey to purchase is entirely different for each brand. The Epoq experience is service-oriented and consultative. Customers use online tools and work with design experts to finalize plans, which is ideal for someone who wants guidance on a major renovation project.
Shopping at IKEA is a self-directed adventure. You wander through massive showrooms, make notes, and use online planning tools to design your space yourself. It puts the power entirely in your hands, which is great for decisive shoppers but can be overwhelming for those new to space planning.
Sustainability & Ethics
Both companies make sustainability a priority. IKEA, with its global scale, has several ambitious initiatives, including goals to be climate-positive by 2030 and significant investments in renewable materials and circular economy models like a furniture buy-back program.
Epoq’s approach to sustainability focuses on creating durable, long-lasting products to reduce the cycle of replacement. They use FSC-certified wood where possible and aim to minimize waste in their manufacturing processes. Both are responsible choices, but they contribute to sustainability in different ways.
Which One Should You Choose?
While both brands offer popular kitchen and furniture solutions, they cater to very different needs, budgets, and renovation styles.
Choose Epoq if:
- You have a unique or awkward space that requires a precise, made-to-measure fit.
- Your budget is higher, and you view your kitchen as a long-term investment in your home's value.
- You prioritize premium materials, superior durability, and high-end hardware like soft-close doors.
- You want a highly personalized look with custom finishes that don’t come off-the-shelf.
- You prefer a guided design experience with professional support and installation.
Choose IKEA if:
- You are renovating on a tight budget and need the most value for your money.
- You enjoy the DIY process and are comfortable with planning and assembling furniture yourself.
- Your room has standard dimensions that work well with modular cabinet sizes.
- You love the clean, functional, and simple aesthetic of Scandinavian design.
- You need a quick solution and want to be able to pick up your kitchen components in-store the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Epoq or IKEA cheaper?
IKEA is significantly cheaper than Epoq. An entire IKEA kitchen can often be purchased for less than the starting cost of a basic Epoq kitchen, making it the definitive choice for budget-driven projects.
Which company offers better quality?
Epoq offers higher quality in terms of materials and construction. They use more robust materials such as solid wood and premium engineered panels with durable hardware, designed for greater longevity compared to IKEA's more price-conscious use of particleboard and light-duty hardware.
Can I customize my kitchen with Epoq and IKEA?
Yes, but in different ways. Epoq offers true "bespoke" customization, where units are made to your exact size requirements. IKEA offers "modular" customization, where you combine standard-sized units to build your ideal layout.
Do I have to assemble my own furniture?
IKEA is famous for its flat-pack, self-assembly model, though it does offer professional assembly services for an extra fee. Epoq’s kitchens are custom-made and typically installed by professionals to ensure the bespoke fit is perfect.
Which brand is better for non-standard room layouts?
Epoq is far superior for non-standard layouts. Its made-to-measure service ensures every cabinet and countertop fits perfectly into alcoves, around pipes, or under slanted ceilings. IKEA's standard sizes will require filler panels and more compromises in such spaces.
How do the shopping experiences differ?
The Epoq shopping experience is consultative and design-led, involving collaboration with experts to finalize plans. The IKEA experience is self-service, requiring you to visit showrooms, measure your space, and use their online tools to design and order everything yourself.
How long does it take to get a kitchen from each brand?
Since IKEA products are mass-produced, many items are in stock and available for immediate pickup or quick delivery within days. As a bespoke brand, Epoq has longer lead times, as your kitchen is manufactured specifically for you after your order is finalized, often taking several weeks or more.
Are both Epoq and IKEA sustainable brands?
Yes, both brands have publicly stated commitments to sustainability. IKEA focuses on large-scale initiatives like using renewable materials and aiming for a circular business model. Epoq contributes by building durable, long-lasting products from responsibly sourced materials like FSC-certified wood, in order to reduce waste and a need for future repurchasing.
At Interior Insider, we're dedicated to curating the best in home decor, interior design, and home essentials to help you discover brands we think you'll love. Every brand we feature is independently selected by our editorial team based on quality, design, and craftsmanship. When you make a purchase through our links, Interior Insider may earn a commission - which helps support our small team and allows us to continue bringing you inspiration and expert advice for creating your perfect space.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore our curated design guides to find your next favorite piece.
