Additional Information

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We also need to know something about you and your family. We're not being nosey, we need this information to help both you and us understand how your space will be used now and in the near future.

Please answer the following questions:

• What are your goals? E.g., more counter space, more storage, seating in the kitchen (island? peninsula? table?), etc.
• What is your family composition? Adults? Children? Age ranges of children? Current? Future?
• How many kitchen workers are there? Cook(s)? Cleanup? Helpers? Now? Future? (E.g., if you have young children, plan for them to be helping out very, very soon as you begin to teach them to help out and, eventually, cook. Also, plan for them as teens for "sizing" since that will also arrive much sooner than you think!)
• Do you or anyone in your home cook? (No, this is not a facetious question. Some people do not cook and their kitchen is a show place only. If that is what works for you & your family, that's fine! We just need to know that.)
• How do you see your kitchen used?
  -- Just for cooking/cleaning up?
  -- Children doing homework while you cook?
  -- Party place?
  -- Something else?
• Do you entertain a lot? If so, formal? Informal?
• Do you want your kitchen to be a "hang out" place? Parties only? Everyday?
• Do you have a separate DR? Do you use it frequently? Infrequently? If infrequently, do you want to begin using it more frequently (e.g., for daily/nightly family meals)?
• Would you like to open up the kitchen to adjacent areas? Close it up?
• Do you plan to merge two rooms/areas (e.g., Nook and Kitchen into a Kitchen only)
• Do you have a basement under the Kitchen space? Crawl space? Slab?
• Where are you flexible?
  -- Can windows or doorways change size?
  -- Can windows or doorways be moved or eliminated?
  -- Can windows be raised/lowered?
  -- Does the sink have to be centered under a window?
  -- Does it have to be under a window at all? (Sinks under windows are an old paradigm left over from the pre-Dishwasher days. Today, we spend far, far less time cleaning up; in fact, the majority of our time spent working in the Kitchen today is spent prepping.)

Note: The more constraints you put on a space (e.g., sink centered under a window, not willing to move plumbing, electric, or gas lines), the fewer options there are. So, be sure any limitations/constraints you mention are true constraints. You could say you would like something to not be moved/changed or placed in a certain location, but if it is not a must or truly impossible, then mention it is a preference but that you would consider something different.

BTW...do not assume something is "too expensive" to do...check around before assuming, you may be pleasantly surprised at how little it costs! (E.g., if you have a basement, moving water or gas is generally relatively inexpensive.)

If one can be fit...

• Do you bake a lot and do you want a Baking Center?
• Do you want a coffee/tea/beverage center?
• Do you want a snack center?

Appliances...

What appliances do you plan on having (it helps to figure out work flow, work zones, and types of cabinets...upper/lower vs full height, etc.)?

• Range or Cooktop or Rangetop?
• Single or Double or no Wall Oven?
• Warming Drawer?
• MW? (Advantium, MW Drawer, OTR MW/Hood, countertop, built-in, shelf?)
• DW? Standard or drawers? If drawers, 1 or 2?
• Refrigerator (French Door (FD), SxS, or all-fridge/freezer? Counter-depth (CD), standard-depth, or built-in?)
• True ventilation hood?
• Other?
• Sizes of desired appliances (e.g., 30" or 36" or 48" cooktop; 36" or 42" or 48" wide or other Refrigerator? etc.)

Pantry...

• Built-in or cabinets?
  -- Types of built-in: Reach-in, Step-in, Walk-in
  -- Note that built-in pantries are the most cost effective and the most functional.
• In the Kitchen or outside the Kitchen (e.g., Mudroom or hall)?

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***** Very Important *****

Is there anything you:

• Cannot live without?
• Definitely do not want?
• Would like if you can find a way?

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All of this information will be valuable to not only you, but also any Kitchen Designers (KD) you may hire or talk to. (If a KD doesn’t ask you these questions, I would seriously consider finding another KD.)

Additionally, if you have been haunting the site, you will have noticed that we also help with almost all aspects of a remodel.

If you do ask for help, then all of the above information will help us help you. Sometimes we stray from what you think you want to give you some ideas that you might not have thought of, but this is your kitchen and you can veto anything...we may argue for something (we are very good at that!), but in the end it is what you want. And remember, we are just giving you ideas and layout options, in the end when you finalize your design it is whatever you want and decide on! After all, this is your kitchen!

[Keep this advice in mind if/when you use a Kitchen Designer or when dealing with a Contractor -- again, this is your kitchen, not his or hers...do not let them talk you into anything unless you are sure it is what you want!

Remember, you will work in this Kitchen for years to come, the Contractor or KD will not. You will see it every day; they will walk away when done and never see it again. So, be sure it's what you want. Listen to what they say so you can make an informed decision, but in the end any decisions should be yours.]

Good luck!