Should You Hire a Professional Kitchen Designer?
Have you ever caught yourself wishing your current kitchen looked like the beautiful kitchens you see online and in design magazines?
Those gorgeous kitchens are carefully planned and put together by professional kitchen designers who know what they’re doing and have the latest information on what’s hot and what’s not.
With their help, your old, tired kitchen will be turned into a beautiful showpiece to rival what you’re drooling over in the kitchen design magazines.
But can you afford to hire a professional kitchen designer? The thought of having a showcase-style kitchen is very appealing until you start thinking about the cost. Not all of us have Martha Steward talents or her bank account, so we may begin to feel we can’t justify the cost.
Before you think yourself out of a new kitchen, consider the following ideas, tips, and issues where a kitchen designer can help you save time and money creating the kitchen of your dreams.
Free Kitchen Designs
There are opportunities to get free advice on redesigning your kitchen.
Here at Cabinet Select, we offer a free kitchen design consultation to help with your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room remodel. We have a team of experts to help with measurements, kitchen design preferences, layouts, and cabinet styles.
We can also help with selecting which materials and finishes to use for your ready-to-assemble cabinets.
Kitchen Designers Know Code
Every municipality has building codes kitchen cabinet installers have to follow to make sure everything works and your home is safe.
Professional kitchen designers understand and know building codes, he/she will be able to tell you what may or may not work in your kitchen space. The designer will work with the plumber, electrician, and other tradespeople to make sure they are following codes and staying on schedule!
Appliance and Material Selection
If your kitchen redesign includes changing out the counters and appliances as well as the kitchen cabinets, your professional designer can help guide you through the selection process.
Kitchen renovations require a village of vendors! You may need:
- Appliances.
- A stone vendor.
- A stone fabricator.
- Cabinet hardware.
- Plumbers, electricians, ventilation experts, etc.
- Flooring and paint recommendations.
Finding the best source for each of these items can be overwhelming and take a great deal of time. A good kitchen designer will help you through the selection process and guide you in making smart decisions with your money.
Help with Resale Value
Beautiful, functional, and trendy kitchens sell homes. If you are thinking about selling your home in the foreseeable future, having a kitchen that will stand the test of time is imperative for getting top dollar.
A professional designer will help you make good design and appliance decisions, so you get long-lasting value from your kitchen, bath, or laundry room.
Avoid Common Pitfalls
Here are a handful of questions and issues you should discuss with your kitchen designer in the early planning stages:
- Will there be enough space between the center island and cabinets against the wall to move around easily?
- How much kitchen cabinet space will be adjacent to the refrigerator?
- How much cabinet and counter space will be adjacent to the cooktop, range, and on either side of the sinks?
- Where will the electrical outlets be?
- Will there be electrical outlets on the island? If yes, how many?
- Will the RTA kitchen cabinets we purchase fit into the allotted space?
- Will I be able to reach all my cabinets?
- Should we get roll-out drawers for the lower cabinets?
- What kitchen cabinet colors are popular right now? Which colors should we avoid?
- Which kitchen layouts are popular right now?
Redesigning a kitchen is not an easy process; hiring a pro to help can be a lifesaver. From the first to last steps of your renovation project, your designer will listen, give feedback and make recommendations to ensure your kitchen redesign is a rousing success.
More on Kitchen Designs and Remodeling
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris is Director of Product & Design here at CabinetSelect.com. He's certified as a Florida State Building Contractor (CBC1256670) with many years of construction experience. Most important, Chris is passionate about kitchen design – Whether you're building a new home or remodeling an old one, he has plenty of experience and the right tools, ideas and solutions to help create a beautiful kitchen in any space, large or small.
