Bringing Your Dream Kitchen to Life
Posted by KraftMaid Marketing on 14th Jul 2011
Are you thinking about starting a kitchen remodel but feel unsure of how to approach working with a designer? Not to worry: Kate Thompson, Certified Kitchen Designer for KraftMaid, shares her personal insight and expertise on the entire process.
From Dreaming to Planning
When planning your new kitchen, every project should start with the same initial steps:
- Create a budget.
- Determine who will use the space and how they will use it.
- Define your personal style.
Budgeting a remodel can be complicated, so it is important to know exactly how much you can spend and what is important to you. Learn as much as you can about what you want and don’t skimp on the features you really love. While the overall look is important, I have never met a homeowner who was happy that he or she didn’t choose the upgrades when they had the chance. Budgets demand respect, but try not to focus on itemized costs alone. Think about the impact of the entire project and what you’re trying to accomplish from a style, design and function perspective in the space. Roll-out trays and molding are worth it!
Always incorporate your personality into your style. Personality can refer to color palette, use of glass doors, specific hardware, molding and much more. For example, my personal palette is black, white and grey, and I love sparkle, bling, birds and classic styling. You can see how my style influences came to life through the kitchen design in our most recent KraftMaid TV ad.
Realizing Your Vision
Choosing the right design partner is key to realizing your dream kitchen. So what qualities should you look for in a designer? You have to feel comfortable with your designer and trust that they are hearing what you say and are able to turn your vision into reality, so good listening skills are as must. A customer’s happiness should be the designer’s priority. Make sure your designer is designing the kitchen for you! If you aren’t happy with your current designer, you should probably explore other designer options.
Often, the best designers have the most product knowledge. The more knowledgeable the professional is, the better the design will be because the designer has room to be more creative in creating the perfect space for a homeowner.
The Building Process
Though it can be a challenge for an eager homeowner, make sure to let the designer do his or her work. Maintain good communication throughout the entire design and build process, but let the designer complete his or her vision. Be specific about how you feel but don’t nit-pick. Never say, “No, I don’t like it” without saying what it is you don’t like. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results when you trust the designer to bring your personality and style to life.
My best advice is to do your homework. Pull pictures to show your designer what you like and don’t like and determine what’s missing or lacking in your current kitchen. Find a designer you trust and build a personal relationship with them to help ensure you are completely happy with the final result. Most importantly, buy KraftMaid!