How to Prepare for a Meeting with Your Designer for a Kitchen Remodel

 

So, you’ve decided to remodel your kitchen, the heart of your home. That’s great! You’ve hired a licensed and skilled company to do the work. Excellent! (If you hired Masters Touch Design Build in Holliston, Massachusetts… even better!) Now you are ready to meet with your designer who will work with you on cabinet layout, space planning, finishes, and selections, etc. How can you ensure a smooth collaboration that results in your dream kitchen? Here are some tips that I recommend to my clients when they first meet with me about their kitchen remodel.

Understand That Designers are Not Mind Readers

 

The hardest client meetings I have are with clients who do not know what they want. I am sure this idea that designers can pull your thoughts out of your brain comes from some of the HGTV shows where a design is presented and instantly it is exactly what the client wants. What is not shown is that there are meeting behind the scenes where brainstorming happens and design drafts are created. While free reign is probably a dream come true to most designers, it would not allow for a space that is truly “you.” To make your design meetings go smoothly, it is helpful to have a collection of online photos, a binder of saved magazine clippings, or even just an inspirational image or focal piece you want to incorporate in to the design. My favorite way to collect inspiration ideas is on Houzz.com. Houzz makes it easy to create “Ideabooks” to store ideas online.   These Ideabooks, along with gathering information about how you will use the space, will help the designer formulate a design that is right for you and your family. The more info you can share, the better.

With that being said….

 

Discuss Priorities and Goals With Your Partner

 

Any decision makers for the project need to be on the same page. This is not to say that you and your spouse and/or family members need to be in agreement right from the get-g0 on the exact cabinet door pull, but your design meetings will go a lot smoother if you discuss larger items beforehand. Do you love hardwood but your spouse insists on tile? Hating the idea of painted cabinets but your family is refusing to have dark stained cabinetry?  While a good designer will be able to listen to all of the family’s needs and accommodate as best as he or she can, your designer does not need to add “family counselor” to his or her long list of job titles. (I have actually had clients speak of divorce during a client meeting because they couldn’t agree on a tile. Yes, this is a real issue.)

 

Have Appliances in Mind

 

While you don’t have to have all of your appliances picked out down to the exact model number, you should have an idea of the type and size of appliances you would like in your new kitchen. Do you want double ovens? Do you want a counter depth fridge and an auxiliary under-cabinet fridge? Do you want a hood over the cooktop or a microwave? A cabinet design cannot be finalized until all appliances are selected, but it is hard to start a cabinet design when you don’t know if you need to leave room for a 45” wide built in fridge or a 48” professional range.  Having an idea on what type of appliances you would like to see in your new kitchen will save time in the design phase.

 

Bottom line: a great designer is a great listener. Tell your designer (and show them) as much information as you can to ensure a beautiful, thoughtful kitchen remodel that functions for all members of the family.