Kitchen Bathroom Feature

Tips on Getting the Most from Your Kitchen Design Consultation

Design consultations are a regular part of the kitchen design process for us.  We’ve collaborated with all sorts of people with unique visions and personalities, but the most successful projects tend to have similar characteristics.  An optimal design consultation will result in the customer getting as much or more value out of the session as the consultant does.  So how can you make sure your kitchen design consultation goes as well as possible?

Debbie Elliott

Debbie Elliott
Kitchen & Bath Specialist

1) Be Open About Your Design Preferences

We can design kitchens all day long. However, if our ideas don’t align with your needs and budget, the project will face significant resistance along the way.  To some degree, many people like to hear from the “experts” in order to learn what’s possible or what they hadn’t even considered.  At the same, we need to hear your honest feedback about your design ideas in order to adjust our mindset.

2) Be Clear on Your Usage Intentions

It can be incredibly helpful for your kitchen consultant to know your expectations for your space. How many people will be using the space? What sort of functions will the kitchen be used for?  Will it be the primary dining area as well?  Once we know how you plan to use your kitchen, a design can be started with the end usage in mind.

3) Describe Your Style Preferences

Everyone grows up getting accustomed to certain designs and ways of doing things.  Details ranging from countertop material to the way you like storing your pots and pans will all come into play with your personal design.  Once we have a feel for your unique tastes, we can suggest other possibilities you may not have thought of but may fit within your design spectrum. This gives you the benefit of our experience without making you uncomfortable in a completely foreign kitchen.

4) Don’t Get Lost in the Noise

Unfortunately, we’ve experienced customers who got sidetracked by a designer’s enthusiasm for big, bold ideas that don’t fit their style.  They may even have entire sessions go by where the designer presents an overwhelming number of ideas and the customer agreeably nods. Then, well into the process, the customer comes back saying “Sorry, but that got away from me.  I don’t want all of those things.”  Draw the lines early on a project so you’re comfortable with the direction and plans won’t have to be redone later.

5) Be Open-Minded

As we mentioned, it’s important to express your own preferences and expectations.  It’s equally important to encourage the consultant to explore the realm of possibilities and not to cripple the creative process.  An open-minded approach to looking at some creative solutions can often give you a result that you hadn’t considered but still fits your kitchen style perfectly. As long as you’ve shared your needs and limitations upfront, your design consultant can keep recommendations appropriately within those bounds.