certified kitchen designer

18 years ago

Have any of you hired a certified kitchen designer just for an hour or two to help you create a design? Was it worth it to you? What exactly do they do?

This is a starter home worth about $130K and we are not looking to over-improve. Basically we want new cabinets, new countertop, and to rearrange some appliances to make the work flow better.

My husband is a GC, so we don't need someone directing the whole process. But neither one of us is very creative. I'm wondering if a "professional" will be able to identify something about cabinet placement that we are missing?

Thoughts?

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Comments (4)

Buehl
18 years ago
You could post your layout here...we can help you with the design.

I'm not trying to take work away from KDs... As a matter of fact, we did hire a KD, but we are doing a major remodel (gutting kitchen, foyer, PR) including taking down walls, etc. She's also acting as our GC (she's our Project Manager).

So, I'm not saying not to go with a KD, but I'm just letting you know your options!

With a modest budget (b/c you don't want to over improve), you might also consider Ikea cabinets.

HTH!
Buehl
18 years ago
I forgot to add that if you do hire a KD for a couple of hours, don't just go to a kitchen/cabinet store/shop b/c many of the KDs there are really cabinet salespersons and not true KDs. No, it's not true of all stores/shops, but it is true of quite a few. Shop around and see what you find at the various stores; some do have certified KDs.

If you decide not to go that route and do the design yourself (or with our help), once you pick your cabinets the KD/salesperson there will be able to take your design and translate it into cabinet specs for your cab company.

HTH!
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holligator
18 years ago
It's true. I will add that I had two different KDs draw designs for me, but neither one was the "right" one--one wasn't even in the same universe as the "right" one. The concept of listening to what I did and did not want was somehow beyond both of them. They were too into inserting their ideas of what would be best for me and ignoring the fact that it will be me living in (and paying for) this kitchen. I'm sure their are many wonderful KDs out there, but mine were not among them.

I brought my layout here and ended up with the suggestions I needed to finish the job.
dsommerl
18 years ago
I reccomend you search long and hard for an independent KD---one not affiliated with a cabinet shop (whose real goal is to sell you cabinets etc)

This is VERY hard to find--I was lucky and found someone moonlighting from a major high end company in my area

This has freed me to shop my cabinets independently with a precise layout and elevations---a detailed plan--including lighting etc etc

Of course--I'm going to blow over $100K on my project with the cabs costing $40K plus--so this added KD expense and time and effort was warranted--I can only say that in my cawse it has been worth every penny (and it wasn't all that much relative to my whole project)