I believe she is using 20/20 ($$$$ and proprietary to design firms) from her employer, as she is a part time pro. You can get a much less costly software in the BHG version of Chief Architect that will help you to draw what you need. One version is as little as $99.

Holly- Thank you! It is a nice software, so it makes sense it's $$$. I'll check out the Chief Architect :)

Hi LL,
thank you for the nice compliment.

as Hollysprings pointed out, i am working part time doing kitchen design (woodmode/brookhaven dealership). At work, we have autokitchen and planit. i make do.

at home, for my own purposes (and mainly to convey to
DH what I want to do as he really needs a LOT of visuals to get the picture), I use a drawing software that isn't really meant for kitchen design. It is Adobe Illustrator. I am fluent with it because i used it for years working as a graphic designer before having kids. I like it because I can draw anything / everything with it but I can also bring in appliance drawings as long as they are available with vector art in a pdf format.

I second holly's recommendation of chief architect - seems to be very good. I have been using a free download of the chief architect software and people I know who use it love it. I cannot afford the premier or interiors version meant for professionals -- I am looking into the home versions. I sat through a one hour webinar the other day and it looked SO easy but then when I played around myself, i didn't find it as simple as Illustrator. I think my years of experience with Adobe software works against me in terms of learning something new that is more appropriate for drawings with dimensions and/or elevations and perspectives.

I wish I lived closer to you - I would gladly draw up your elevations for you as a simple way of giving back to all you have given to me in terms of encouraging and giving feedback and inspiration pictures, etc.

oh, one more thing... I think Rhome410 uses chief architect so maybe you could ask her what she thinks of it and what version she is using.

MamaPaige- That's so sweet! I wish we lived closer to each other, too :)

I'm just playing around, trying to give my husband a better idea of what it will look like...sounds like we have something in common! LOL

We've had a few setbacks/delays with the remodel, but it's been so nice to have time to really explore our options. I always thought it would be great to turn the existing addition (living room and bedroom) into the kitchen/dining/keeping room, but I could never figure out what to do with the rest of the house. Thanks to some out of the box thinking, by Summerfield, we have a way to make this work, for the first time! It's a big space...and it has a floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace, which will be perfect for a keeping room.

Here's a quick sketch...but I do NOT want you to do any drawings for me. I'm only showing you, to give you an idea of what we're thinking about doing. And, maybe Holly can tell me her opinion, too. She really has a good understanding of kitchen design. If this looks good, I might try Chief Architect and see how it goes! {{gwi:1446458}}From Farmhouse plans

I'm sure you've seen this before, but here's my inspiration picture for the range with windows. {{gwi:1434537}}From Farmhouse plans

While I love the blue hood, I think I'd rather have all the walls a soft gold. It will look better with the brick and warm up the kitchen which faces north and east. The big window in the keeping room faces southeast.

I forgot the dimensions...each square is equal to one foot...and her are the approximate measurements. I'm hoping I left enough room for space around windows, etc.

Top, from left to right, 18" full height pantry, the fridge (with shelf over), 30" window, 42" range hood over 36" range, 30" window, 36" plate rack and dead space in corner. Turning right, 18" upper cabinet, 5' window, 18" upper cabinet, door to glass/screen porch. On the left is the oven/microwave, an 18" upper cabinet for baking supplies and 3' glass upper for other dishes/display.

The island is 6' x 42" with 4' on each side facing kitchen work areas. There's a prep sink on the island and seating for two. Here's a picture similar to our fireplace, but ours is more of a rose colored brick (really pretty) and has the window on one side and space for a bookcase on the other. {{!gwi}}From Farmhouse plans

hi LL,
I LOVE Your inspiration picture. Will you go to the ceilings with your cabinets or keep them shorter like in this picture? I really like the look with the beams and not bringing the cabinets up. How tall are your ceilings?

It sounds like you are taking your time with the design which is the best idea of all. No reason to rush into anything...

The ceilings are 8' and I'll probably keep the cabinets a little shorter. I want to put display or plants up there. I know they're dust catchers, but it's such a friendly look, in the kitchen...and I won't have that many uppers :)

I wish I had a picture of our fireplace, but there just isn't enough light to get a good image. My husband's uncle built the fireplace and I think he got the brick from a now closed brickyard, about 10 miles away. They're really pretty...a soft rose red. Just enough of a rose hint to work well with the blues, greens and soft gold...and some lavender, of course. I want to have herbs/other plants in the big kitchen and out on the porch.

Here's the plan Summerfield drew for me, before I made the changes to the kitchen. I would never have thought to put the master bedroom in front, but it really works with our farm layout. The living room has the better views of the trees/pasture and the master will look out over the garden. I can get away with climbing roses around the bedroom window...a little bit more than our planned 'rustic' living room :)
{{!gwi}}From Farmhouse plans

I really like that the fridge is so close to the living room and there's a perfect space for a little marble, by the oven/microwave. The island will be wood, while the other countertops will probably be ceramic tile.

So, what do you think about the changes to the kitchen? I really wanted more light in the kitchen and I think moving the range and adding more windows, will make it much brighter and more cheerful...at least I hope so!

Here's my 'cut and tape' of the kitchen changes, added to the plan Summerfield drew for me.
{{gwi:1434540}}From Farmhouse plans

LL,
i missed your posts from today... didn't get on to GW until later today.

You've changed your plan A LOT! last time i saw it you had the kitchen by the laundry room and had a baking center off of the kitchen. where will you be entering the house on a regular basis? by the mudroom?

how did the changes come about? it looks like it will be amazing but just curious about where you enter/exit on a daily basis as the kitchen might be sort of far away. also, does the tub in the master bathroom have a private view?

Thanks for asking! I really want to run this past someone, but I think it will work well.

Summerfield posted a few new ideas for my plan, after I showed you the other version. At first, I wasn't sure about the master bedroom in the front. Then, Summerfield posted another version, with the big living room in the back. Between the two, I thought...if the living room and bedroom would work in those spaces...we could have the kitchen/keeping room, on the other side of the house.

I've always thought this was the best place for the kitchen/keeping room. It has the best views, the perfect big fireplace (really better than having this in the living room) the size is great...now the baking area can actually be IN the kitchen! And we have a lovely lilac hedge (15' high) on the other side of the proposed porch.

So, with Summerfield's help, we came up with this new plan. I really like it, but like all things, it comes with compromises. The mudroom, laundry and utility areas either had to go where I want the porch...or on the other side of the house. Not only did we REALLY want the porch, but the parking will be on the left side of the house.

It's about 25' between the kitchen and utility room. There is a small pantry by the fridge, but most long term food storage, paper products and pet supplies will be in the other area. However, we're used to a bit of a trek, so I think it will be fine...and at least we don't have to go to the basement!

The claw foot tub will (hopefully) have climbing roses around the bay window, as well as the window seat in the master bedroom. This is the corner (south side) where we plan to have the garden, so it will be much easier to have roses, lavender and other flowers...off the bedroom than my husband's 'rustic' living room. And, the views out the living room will be of the pine trees on the back hill and the horses in their pasture.

So...all things considered, what do you think?

MamaPaige- I saw this picture in a magazine today and thought of you. Did you decide if you're going to put a window, over the sink?
{{!gwi}}From Farmhouse plans