Get the heck out of Homey Cheapo and go to a dealer where they have a clue.

LOL. I ordered painted Kraftmaid for the kitchen, Woodmark laminate for laundry room and Thomasville stained maple for a bathroom vanity. All from HD. They all came in in good condition and look great installed (by my GC not HD). This is my retirement home and I decided for the use they would get and for the neighborhood, these cabs were good enough. So far, so good.

All these brands are fine. Where you need to focus is which Home Depot to use and if the designer is worth a darn. Be sure you study a lot of plans and then I'd go to a Home Depot in the most upscale area you can find. Question the designer on every cabinet in the design and ask them why that cabinet works in that space and how the cabinet opens for access for storage. Question them on the width and the height they use.

Once you get the plans, scan them onto Houzz.com and ask for advise on the plan.

You don't have to spend a fortune to get a great look, but you do need a good kitchen planner.

Getting a quote on American Woodmark as I type this. Already have a Kraftmaid quote. Looked at the display in the store regarding construction and all have wood drawers with dovetail construction with soft close drawers and cabinets. There are definitely differences in colors offered so having to be open to changing my original choices but with Lifetime Warranty and comparison of construction, I can't see a big enough difference in them to warrant the significant cost difference. Would love to get feedback from American Woodmark buyers...

I agree with Sophie. Home Depot doesn't necessarily have the best prices. I got a bid there for Thomasville Studio (their value line) and it was about the same at DeWils (a *much* better line that is also eco-friendly). One reason the price for DeWils is competitive is that the kitchen design store will give my contractor a discount and is watching their sales.