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Most kitchens will offer more than one option for cabinet layout and storage solutions. The various options can be overwhelming. There are several things that you should consider when choosing a designer for your kitchen:

• Has the designer visited your home? It is nearly impossible to expect a thorough design to result from a designer who has never seen your current kitchen. There are too many factors to consider when creating a new layout. Some may be things even YOU have overlooked. Even if you plan to tackle your own remodel, never commit to ordering cabinetry from a cabinet shop that does not insist on first.
• Did the designer ask you any questions about you, your family, or what you like and don’t like about your current kitchen? There are so many possibilities for every kitchen space. Do you want room for a table? Or would you prefer more work space? Do you want to entertain in your kitchen? Pay bills? Do homework? How many people use the kitchen at one time? How many cooks? If your designer has not asked enough questions you are likely to get a very generic design.
• Did the designer take thorough measurements? Measuring a kitchen for a new design requires measurements of every part of the kitchen, including areas that will not contain new cabinetry. Walkways and clearances for tables and islands are important. So is the ceiling height. Be leery of anyone who does not measure everything.
• Did your designer ask about your storage needs? There is no “typical” storage for kitchens. A gourmet cook will have different storage needs than a person who loves to bake. Your designer should ask you about the types of things you need additional storage for.
• Were you asked about appliances? There are many appliances that come in “standard” sizes. Others do not. Some homeowners like microwaves over the range. Others don’t. Double ovens? Warming drawers? Oversized refrigerators? Built in coffee makers? Your designer should not assume that you will be replacing your appliances with ones that are the same size as the ones you currently own.
• Did they take photographs? It is very hard to remember all of the nuances and details of a room that you have only been in once. Certain details of your kitchen may have a profound effect on any reconfigurations. If they do not take photographs they are relying on their memory of every possible obstacle.
• Did they really listen to you? This is probably the most difficult question for homeowners to answer. Perhaps the better question would be “How did they decipher what you were saying?” Answering all of the above questions is not enough. Homeowners will often contemplate over how there “dream kitchen” will layout in their existing kitchen before they call in a designer. They will then ask for specifics, like: “I want my sink over here”, or “I thought a table might go over there”. Your designer should be asking, “Why?” A fresh, professional eye and ear may very well find a solution that better meets your needs than you did. If they don’t know why, they have restricted their own creativity and possibly overlooked the best solution of all.

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