We had a designer work with us on the layout. We pretty much knew what we wanted in terms of layout but she did come up with a pantry wall idea. After that we worked with our contractor to select cabinets & granite from suppliers that he works with and did all the legwork in searching for and selecting flooring, backsplash, trim, cabinet hardware & paint and gave those selections to the contractor and he purchased to get his contractor discount.

Some of my background is in architecture and interior design so I felt comfortable putting everything together. Unless you have specific needs that require custom cabinetry then a stock/semi-custom cabinet will work fine. For example, we used stock cabinets and had the contractor cut the 24" pantry down to 16" depth and ended up with a custom look.

I think our kitchen looks pretty custom.

I can't speak highly enough of the value of professional design--especially if you're spending a lot on the renovation. Beautiful, expensive finishes can look awful if put together poorly--and simple, stock finishes can look high end and custom with a great design.

As an architect we often work with is fond of saying: the opposite of good design isn't no design--it's bad design.

If the contractor you're working with hasn't built a kitchen in a few years, and is designing the space him/herself, I would be very concerned.

The cabinet store came up with a plan and then I brought in a kitchen designer and she changed everything. I love my kitchen. It is so much more workable and better looking. I did not think I needed a designer, I cook a lot, and I had a lot of specific ideas but she foresaw problems, storage issues ect. If you get someone good it is well worth it.

There is no doubt in my mind that anyone who is not a designer by trade will make mistakes and they are not easily reversed once all is done. That being said, there are plenty of places with trained kitchen designers that do not charge. The company I work for is just one such example. we can help you with all you functional needs and help ensure you don't stray too far in your choices. Most people know colors well enough to pick what they like, and though we often make suggestions, that part should be left up to the customer. You live there and you know what colors and styles you like.
Lastly, there are also plenty of places around that sell cabinets and have people who know how to price them and how to work the computer well enough to do basic layouts. Do your best to avoid these type places and stick to companies that specialize and can show evidence of good design work.

Best of luck with your remodel,

Steve from WarehouseGuys London.