Expert Kitchen Designs, LLC

Sandra did an amazing job at rethinking the space for my kitchen. She took a dated, poorly thought out dingy space and made it absolutely wonderful! She listened to how I would use an ideal kitchen, made suggestions for space utilization and then accompanied me to choose appliances, countertops and tile that coordinated with the cabinet color and style I chose from a really large selection she had samples for. She helped me select cabinet hardware, sourced a stainless steel apron front sink and faucet. Really happy with the results!!

We had so many ideas when we started our kitchen, we were a little overwhelmed with the options. Sandra helped us prioritize our needs and wants and brought key design elements to our space that made the decision making easier. She removed a door that we thought was essential and found space in the bathroom that gave our dining area the extra room we needed for larger gatherings. Somehow, she found pantry shelves when we thought that would not be available. She was able to determine our style and incorporate it into a lovely, very functional kitchen. When we didn’t see eye to eye she would clarify why she wanted that design aspect but would listen to us when we were insistent. Thank you Sandra! We love our new kitchen!! Mark and Sarah

This review can be summarized as “How hiring a kitchen designer can save you time, money and increase the value of your home”. Our kitchen remodel was our first and coupled with a larger renovation project. We started with a classic colonial home that was transformed into a transitional home. The combined construction was stressful enough but it seemed that all the challenging decisions that needed to be made were consistently in the kitchen. Counter stone choices, cabinet design and hardware, flooring, appliances, etc. Sandra knew best how to guide us on reallocating our budget to ensure the long term value will prevail instead of selecting items based on current trends. Sandra was able to transform an average “L” shaped kitchen from the 80’s into a room that is the center point of our home. We ended up selecting custom made cabinets after going over multiple options with Sandra. It was clear that although more expensive, it was a wiser investment. Sandra was able to create multiple looks for our kitchen in various prices and guided us on the pros & cons of each. We were able to avoid expensive mistakes (not allowing sufficient space between cabinets counters, appliances & island) that would have made it very hard to navigate through the kitchen. Sandra was amazing at creating multiple iterations of our design, translating to actual drawings our inspiration pictures and keeping up on task (she is very project management oriented). In retrospect, had we followed through with “our” original design it would not have been nearly as sleek and functional as it is. Our end result is a timeless aesthetic kitchen that flows naturally with the adjoining rooms and overall feel of the house. Aside from the kitchen design, Sandra was able to also guide with our selections for bathroom cabinetry, finding us a fairly priced option with a modern minimalistic look that can very easily pass the high-end designer test.

Sandra was so very helpful in designing our dream kitchen. She exceeded our expectations in the design and created such a beautiful and functional kitchen for our family! She was helpful along the way with picking out finishes and colors and was always available when I had questions. We would use Sandra again for other designs in our home and highly recommend her!

Sandra was really great to work with. She is very up front and honest, which I appreciate when investing so much money in a kitchen! She was very responsive to emails and tried to incorporate everything that we wanted. She also honestly shared with us when ideas weren't great, which I think is so important to get constructive feedback. She understood that we were working on a budget and did everything she could to accommodate.

The best decision we made regarding our kitchen renovation was hiring Sandra Brannock of Expert Kitchen Designs. We had been considering a kitchen remodel for some time but were overwhelmed. We wanted to make sure we did it right— we were afraid of messing up an expensive and disruptive project. Sandra came to our home and took note of everything we were looking for. Our layout provided a bit of a challenge, but she welcomed it. She came up with a couple ideas, but then called me excitedly several days later when a new idea dawned on her— it was the general plan we ended up going with. Most of our time was spent on function and flow, which was our priority from the beginning. Sandra spent time tweaking the details based on our feedback and ongoing discussion to get the best result for our family. Once we finalized the layout, Sandra helped us through the other (design and finishes) steps one at a time. As a result, we were never overwhelmed with decisions and always felt prepared for upcoming steps. We have been thrilled with the end result. Our kitchen is functional and beautiful. I was a little nervous about thinking “we should have also done …..” some time after completing the project, but after living with our new kitchen for 6 months, I can say with confidence that Sandra thought of everything!

It took me some time to write this review because I wanted to find just the right words to articulate how pleased we are with the renovations we did and more importantly how happy we are that we were guided by Sandra. Probably like many others, my husband and I were considering buying another home. We felt we needed more space but loved our neighborhood. Our house felt so constricted, particularly in the kitchen, laundry room and main bathroom. To that end, we looked at literally hundreds of homes and even seriously considered purchasing a couple. However we would come home after viewing houses and ask ourselves if the extra $ was worth it. Each home had some compromise. Our house was only 10 years old so it felt hard to justify a renovation but we were tired after weeks and months of looking at houses. We felt it was worth investigating a renovation. I had a few starts and stalls with other folks and then I decided to look for someone on Houzz. I read Sandra’s reviews and her descriptions of the work completed. Her descriptions resonated with me, specific, intentional and detailed. So I reached out to Sandra on aSaturday morning through Houzz and literally got a call from her within an hour – ON A SATURDAY! We had a very pleasant discussion and set up a meeting. Sandra possesses outstanding technical expertise in kitchen and bath design, color theory expertise, and creativity. These skills combined with her personal characteristics of determination, patience, and directness delivers a solid outcome and an enjoyable process. Sandra worked hard to deliver on what I wanted. She played a “friendly challenger” role when it came to designing the spaces – trying to solve problems creatively. As an example, she mentions the window in her project summary for our renovation. This was a big deal for us and we had many discussions about it. Not only would we need to purchase a new window, I was not sure how it would feel without a continuous line of cabinetry (L shaped as is so typical of many kitchens). However, I also wanted an additional oven and coffee maker. Sandra did several drawings and walked me through this design. Now, best decision ever! The window makes the space brighter and the design more bespoke. I would highly recommend Sandra (and do) to anyone considering a kitchen or bath renovation. I am glad we did not find a home in the hundreds of other houses at which we looked. I am over the moon with our home now. Certainly, the functionality is better but more important; it is a better reflection of who we are and how we live our lives. Thank you Sandra! And...adding a picture of the laundry room (before). It was a cluttered mess!

Expert Kitchen Designs recently designed a major renovation of our kitchen. We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! Given the pandemic, we are spending more time in our kitchen than we ever imagined. The kitchen has transformed our entire house – not only are we enjoying cooking in it, but it is truly a warm and inviting place to spend time in. We particularly admired Sandra’s planning and design process and are still marveling at how beautiful the Hickory Creek Cabinetry is. It is clear that she is a perfectionist and works to get every detail just right. We also greatly appreciated that while she gave many valuable suggestions throughout the process, she never tried to foist her own tastes on us but rather respected our own preferences as to layout and style. Sandra is very easygoing, kind and creative and truly a pleasure to work with.

Sandra has been a pleasure to work with on our kitchen/family room renovation. Her expertise is unsurpassed and we were impressed with her vision and attention to detail. Sandra helped us transform our space from "dated and awkward" to functional and beautiful. I trust Sandra completely. She has excellent taste and her consultations were invaluable -- we feel lucky to have worked with her on our project and we couldn't be happier in our new space.

Sandra was an excellent resource helping us design the kitchen in our forever home. She listened to our needs and wants for our kitchen and designed it perfectly. We have been living in our home for 3 months now and everyone comments on how functional and stylish our kitchen is.

What a great designer!!! Sandra took on the challenge of moving my kitchen from one part of the house into an old family room. With her expertise she was able to incorporate an old stone fireplace into the color scheme of the beautiful new kitchen. I loved the kitchen so much I had her transform the old kitchen into an amazing mudroom and bathroom. Everyone who enters my home says they would die for a kitchen and mudroom like that. I have received so many compliments on my kitchen, mudroom and bathroom. I would highly recommend Sandra of Expert Kitchen Designs for any renovation.

Absolutely loved working with Sandra at Expert Kitchen Designs! I couldn't have found a better kitchen designer & person to work with. She has everything you would want in a kitchen/Bath designer. She is creative, pays attention to the minute details, listens to all your needs/desires, explains everything, is very responsive and to top it off, a wonderful person. Love my new kitchen and can't wait to work with her again on future projects.

Sandra helped us through the whole process, with intelligent cabinet design and layout, all the while respecting our personality and needs. She fine-tuned down to the smallest detail, resulting in a harmonious color scheme, excellent efficient appliances, and tasteful integrity of design. Our new kitchen has become the centerpiece of our home, and our favorite place to be.

Sandra at Expert Kitchen Designs has designed two kitchens and several bathrooms for me over the years, and I highly recommend her! She is artistic with her designs while maximizing usability, and she creates beautiful, extremely functional spaces. Her input in my most recent project has resulted in the most beautiful kitchen I have ever owned, and I'm am proud to live in it every day! Thanks for all the great work, Sandra! You'll be my choice for kitchen and bath design forever!

Sandra stepped in to take over a broken relationship with our previous contractor and was a great balance of personable and professional. She is meticulous and attentive and responsive -- all the things you want in a kitchen designer. She was patient with us as we made what felt like endless rounds of decisions -- and even when we were indecisive. She also has high standards, which was very helpful when she was at our house for the cabinet delivery, inspected each one, and sent back the few things that weren't perfect. I also like that she's as creative as you need her to be , while respecting that you want to stay true to the style of your home. I highly recommend Expert Kitchen Designs.

I gave Sandra the task of redesigning my dysfunctional kitchen using the existing footprint, cabinets, flooring and my new restored antique range. She delivered in spades. I have a gorgeous, functional kitchen that is now the heart of our home.

Sandra was wonderful to work with. She was very communicative throughout our process which is a huge plus. Sandra took the time to listen to us and learn what our needs and goals were with our kitchen renovation. She prepared several different design options for us before we settled on our choice. She helped us with our contractor selection and remained thoroughly engaged throughout the entire process, helping us out with selections and to resolve issues that arose. Most importantly we are THRILLED with the end product. We are truly happy with the space. I'd recommend Sandra to anyone that asked.

When we contacted Sandra, I asked if she would be interested in “a small renovation project”. We wanted to explore creative ways to improve the kitchen and bathroom in our weekend getaway, a log home built in the ‘80s. I thought I knew the limitations of the space and was worried Sandra would turn away such a small project. Happily, and without hesitation, she agreed to meet us. Sandra immediately recognized potential where we could only see problems. She helped us completely rethink the existing enclosed kitchen and small bathroom. Sandra’s design has given us an open island kitchen with greater storage than before and plenty of space for two cooks. Both the bathroom and kitchen harmonize with the natural materials we prefer and have a timeless, uncluttered esthetic we were looking for. The project grew organically -- Sandra was great, fun to work with and very patient. Both my husband and I are detail oriented and need time to research, discover, or visualize options. Sandra helped move us forward when we got stuck on decisions. We had the added benefit of getting to know Sandra’s husband, Guy Brannock, who was the contractor for the project. The two of them were a dynamo team both creatively and in terms of execution. We quickly learned to trust their experience and their judgment. Now our cabin is as lovely and functional as we had envisioned – a peaceful place for just the two of us and yet better than ever for hosting gatherings of friends and family.

This has been a wonderful experience. My newly designed kitchen is the best ever. It has all of the best features like the appliance cabinet, mixer lift and pot lid section. The cabinets are beautiful and well designed. The island is very large with an induction stove with a built in downdraft.

Sandra was wonderful! She designed a wonderful kitchen. I could not envision her plan working but, I should have trusted her expertise. She squared off our kitchen making so much more room. The workmanship of the cabinets, the title work all came together to create a modern but warm kitchen. Why did I wait so long!

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! Sandra Brannock is an amazing kitchen designer! We had a dream kitchen in mind and always wanted to have an island. Prior to meeting Sandra, we were told by several designers that having an island would be IMPOSSIBLE! We were recommended by our contractor to Sandra and she designed our DREAM KITCHEN!! She is so talented, so cutting edge and so imaginative!!! She was passionate about the project after retaining her and worked feverishly to make all of our details work well. Sandra reviewed how we use our kitchen, how we store things in our kitchen and what we do in our kitchen. She is truly a custom kitchen designer!!!! I have used many designers professionally in my work endeavors and in my home but Sandra stands leaps and bounds beyond anyone imaginable!!!! I was also appreciative of Sandra's ability to respect our budget and work within our financial confines to deliver a beautiful design

Almost a year after moving into my new home I was ready to remodel the dated kitchen but I was clueless about how to get started. I found Sandra's work online and was impressed by bright and beautiful kitchens in her portfolio. After the initial consultation, I knew I had found a gem! Sandra was able to understand my goals for my kitchen and provide me with a clear design that far exceeded my hopes. Sandra is on top of current trends and materials and melds these with an eye for classic, timeless design. I didn't want to replace my dated kitchen with a kitchen that would be dated in 10-15 years and Sandra was able to help me blend new materials (like quartz countertops) with traditional materials (like subway tile). The result is a crisp yet friendly, modern yet warm, new yet timeless space that my whole family loves to be in. Sandra's cabinet suggestions were wonderful - she was able to give me more storage space than I had before the remodel despite losing several cabinets to aesthetic elements. Sandra was always willing to help me over the phone, through email, and at showrooms to select materials for the remodel. Sandra is uber-professional and conscientious. There can be so many decisions to make but with Sandra's help it didn't feel overwhelming or burdensome. The whole process was exciting and rewarding. Sandra is definitely an expert kitchen designer and you shouldn't hesitate to work with her on your kitchen remodel!

No matter how much experience one might have in managing home remodeling projects and additions, redoing a kitchen requires specific skills that most DIYers don’t have. There are so many important decisions, and it’s a lot of money. While I had some pretty strong ideas about what I wanted going in, I knew I needed professional help. The time and budget dollars were well spent, and I would encourage everyone to hire a skilled designer as a first step. Sandra was awesome to work with, took my ideas and then suggested changes to give me the best design possible given the constraints of the typical 1980’s Burke floor plan (no walls moved). She worked hard to understand my preferences, answered all of my questions with patience, and provided great drawings that helped me visualize the final product and think about how I will actually work in the space once it is complete. Redoing a kitchen is an expensive and intrusive project, and the best shot at being happy with the final product means starting with the guidance of an expert!

Sandra is the expert you need! We needed to make our outdated kitchen larger and she was a fantastic partner in the process. She listened to our priorities, made some great recommendations during the design process and she was able to hone in on the important details to make our kitchen exactly what we wanted. While we did not expand the footprint of the kitchen, her design enabled us to double our cabinet space and achieve a HUGE improvement of the functionality of the entire space. Her process is very straightforward and clear. She is very responsive to questions. Her cabinetmaker did a wonderful job and the quality is fantastic. We were thrilled with the outcome and we highly recommend Sandra's talents.

Working with Expert Kitchen Designs was a total pleasure and success. Sandra is very professional, timely and creative, with a superb eye for color and design. She is on point with current trends and prides herself in offering her clients a range of doable options. All the while, Sandra kept a focus on the pragmatic -- always looking to save me money and time. And she did. We could not be more pleased with our remarkable kitchen and would recommend this company without reservation.

hi I have been providing cabinetry for Sandra for many years now and have always found her designs and attention to detail suburb. It is always a pleasure doing business with her.

Sandra Brannock designed a beautiful and unique kitchen for us. The designs very complicated because we wanted to combine our existing kitchen and the adjoining solarium in one kitchen space. The design required the removal of pass-thru bar and a load-bearing beam which led into the solarium. There was engineering and mathematics far beyond my skill level : ) Sandra worked with us countless hours to measure and design our custom made cabinets. Because this job included the melding of two conjoined but different spaces into one everything needed to be custom measured and designed. She did it all perfectly. Sandra presented us with plans, ideas, and color schemes. We had ideas of our own as well. We the bounced the feasibility and practicality of our ideas back and forth ultimately jointly deciding on a truly beautiful kitchen design. Sandra is also highly respected by all of the materials suppliers. She accompanied us to pick out granite and then flooring. On other occasions she called ahead and we were assisted by people who were already tuned into our needs. Our new kitchen is amazing. It's a work of art and I feel good every time I look at it. We highly recommend Sandra and Guy Brannock.

I came in to the project with some very strong ideas and elements that I wanted to incorporate – but I had no idea how to put them all together without the risk of cluttering up and/or overwhelming the space. Sandra did an excellent job of helping me find ways to make key elements shine by toning down and/or keeping other elements simple. That might be the best reason to engage with an expert – Sandra – to escape the trap of trying to incorporate everything that you like from every kitchen that you ever saw. Kitchen remodels are time consuming and costly – you want to be absent any regrets by the end. I can honestly say that I have no regrets. I don’t feel that anything is missing, that anything is misplaced – I have NO shoulda/coulda/woulda about my kitchen. I just simply love it – I hesitate every time I walk in and I hesitate and take just one more look every time I turn out the lights at night.

I had the pleasure of working with Sandra to redesign my outdated and disfunctional kitchen. She was prompt to return phone calls and email messages. She made my wish list a priority and listened to all the concerns I had over the way I envisioned my new kitchen. She proposed a completely differernt concept that I never would have come up with on my own, and my family loves our new space! She was an integral part of every stage of the job and we couldn't have done it with out her!

Sandra was great to work with. She was creative and smart and had excellent suggestions but also completely respected areas where we had our own ideas. She was very patient and always gave us thorough responses to any questions we had. I never felt like we were bothering her with our questions. Sandra is a professional but she made this process easy and enjoyable!

Sandra's greatest strength is taking the home owner's ideas and running with them! I wanted elements of an English country kitchen in a modern, functional space, with the ability to display my copper collection and use certain furniture pieces as accents. One meeting was all it took to come up with the perfect design. Equally important were her suggestions for the complementary materials -cabinets, counter tops and appliances -to complete the picture. Every time I enter my kitchen I say, "Aaaah!"

If you are considering Expert Kitchen Designs, these are my endorsements: 1. If you have a difficult space, as I did, call Sandra Brannock. 2. If you feel you are in over your head and admit you need help, call Sandra Brannock. 3. If you want your mind to be blown by your new kitchen, call Sandra Brannock. This is my story. I live in a multi-unit condo built in the 60s. I had low expectations for my remodeling project, considering the constraints imposed by the fixed walls, and plumbing, gas, and electrical lines. I remember Sandra's first visit to my place -- first time we met. I led her to my small kitchen and said, "What are you thinking?" It was sort of a test. She immediately laid out a vision that defied all my imagined constraints, understanding the potential. It was more than I realized I had; I was inspired. Nevertheless, because of the difficulties, there were times during the project when I thought we would have to go back to the drawing board or that all I would get out of it was a nice new stove. I might have given up. Sandra knew better and kept me in pursuit of the vision and the ideal. Sandra is able to visualize an end state using only catalog pictures and showroom samples. That was a mighty help. I had some ideas about tile and wood finish, but I was all over the place. She could see how it would all come together. The design covered appliance placement, tile selection, use of space (floor plan), creative storage concepts, lighting, and color & style. I was quite anxious about what I would end up with, but I trusted her judgment, and in the end got a mind-blowing renovation. I was always in control, but she led me to a cohesive design. I do not see how I could have done better.

Sandra did what all good designers do best: She translated a vision and ideas into a plan and delivered my dream kitchen. The collaboration started with high-level requirements i.e. "a white kitchen with an island", "hidden appliances", "lots of storage", and she thoughtfully guided me through all the available options within those parameters. Sandra also knew when to rein me in when I started going off on a tangent! She was also well organized and one step ahead throughout the entire process. I could not have done this without her.

This was my first experience working with a kitchen designer. It had been quite some time since our kitchen had been updated. Juggling a busy job and family, I had little time to sort through so many of the overwhelming choices available today. Sandra brought such a calm and serene approach to the process...her design was terrific and she helped us create the space we so needed and desperately wanted! The finished product is almost there...but all of her recommendations were "spot on" and she advised and guided us with the utmost professionalism. We would love to upload photos, but right now we are still putting on the finishing touches and will do so once its all "spit and polished"!

It was an amazing experience working with Expert Kitchen Designs. Sandra is an enormous talent whose sense of design, experience and creative energy produced a beautifully functional and expanded kitchen space. I now have a contemporary room with state-of-the-art appliances and sleek cabinetry full of the latest kitchen accessories that make life just a little bit easier and fun. It's now my favorite room.

As always it is a pleasure working with Sandra as a go between with our clients. Sandra always accommodates our clients with their schedules during the design stage and is a click away to answer questions. From conception to installing the beautiful cabinets that Sandra supplies for Miller & McIntyre Custom Builders it has been a rewarding experience and the end results with the client has been gratifying.

Sandra did an amazing job helping us reimagine our first floor, including a brand new kitchen that opens up to the other spaces in our home. My main request was that the space looked very "natural" since we were changing the basic design of a traditional 1978 Colonial home. We were very impressed with the results! Sandra was extremely patient as we went through multiple revisions of her plan, so we could incorporate everything we wanted to have and still stay within our budget. She was able to tell us "no" when we needed to hear it and was spot on with her recommendations. She was able to do this while also listening to us and learning about the things that we liked, from a design and finish perspective. Sandra's professionalism shined through and she was consistently there to help us through the entire project, from design, through construction, to completion of the project.

Sandra made good suggestions and also let me express my own tastes, which is not often the case in the decorating world. She will steer you in the right direction! She also went out of her way to help me stick to my budget. I would definitely use her again.

We really enjoyed working with Sandra. She is very responsive--always available to meet and prompt to return emails and calls. She is warm and engaging and genuinly cares about your satisfaction. She did a great job of taking our vision and turning it into a great design and was very respectful of our budget. She's open to feedback while being honest about her recommendations, all in a respectful and friendly manner. In all, the kichen came out fantastic. We definitely recommend her!

We were very fortunate to find Sandra as our designer for our kitchen remodel. She designed an exciting functional space for us integrating my husband's and my wishes but with much improved interest and creativity. We love the cutout she designed for our corner sink area. So attractive! It is a joy to work in our kitchen now! Sandra is a natural problem-solver, she proved very attentive to our needs and responded to our questions in a very timely manner. We felt she was honest and direct in guiding us throughout the project - which made us feel confident with the outcome, even when we weren't quite sure how a problem might be resolved. She was very professional as she worked alonside our own contractor. We would whole-heartedly recommend Sandra and her design services.

Sandra's design and professionalism were so professional that, after a few jobs, we decided to make Sandra the Pennville Representative for the 3 states in her territory. Sandra is one of the rare people who is equally great with both sides of her brain. I highly recommend working with Expert Kitchen Designs if you have the opportunity.

We hired Sandra to help us redesign our kitchen. We had a small footprint to work with, and we needed someone who would actually look at our kitchen and think through how it should be organized (as opposed to the design/build firms, who basically said the current layout was fine - which was not at all true). Sandra listened to what we wanted, and thought very carefully to come up with good options for us. She looked at our kitchen, said she thought one layout might work, then spent a week or two thinking and drawing layouts and came back to say a different layout was best. We spent time thinking about different options and we believe she came up with the best possible layout for our space. (Now that it's done, it looks amazing - couldn't have asked for better.) We hired Sandra to help us with the layout, but she was also great about helping us through the rest of the process, including working with the contractor, making aesthetic decisions like colors and cabinets, etc. This is a long process, and it was very helpful to have someone reminding us what the next steps were and what needed to be done. For each of the choices, she tried to guide us to an opinion of our own rather than stating her own opinion, which worked well once we got used to it! We highly recommend Sandra if you're looking for someone to help you with the design aspects of a kitchen - this was an element we found missing from the contractors, and we felt was very important in getting us the kitchen we wanted.

Sandra provided a complete makeover/renovation of our kitchen and master bathroom. Her designs yielded an open, modern and practical expansion of our kitchen. Additionally a rework of our bathroom that gave us a peaceful, Zen-like atmosphere that we both love. Sandra's suggestions in the choices for cabinetry, back splash tiles, wall tiles and floor tiles provided beautiful, subtle and still daring variations that fully complimented one another. Sandra also managed to deftly navigate the occasionally conflicted ideas of two individuals to help us reach our final selections. That is no mean feat. Starting in November with wrap up in February of this year, we encompassed 3 long holiday weekends plus the blizzard of 2016 and through it all Sandra was there with hand-holding and reassurances. It has been quite an experience, one my wife and I are both are very happy about. Sandra was excellent, as was her suggested contractor, Mark McCormack of Compass Construction.

I need to say that getting a designer was not on my radar, until doing a little research online. Finding Sandra in my home town was a very happy surprise. Then after meeting her and hearing her ideas, I was sure I was doing the right thing by using her services. Sandra listens to what you want. If you are willing to listen to her suggestions as well, and let them sink in, you will not be sorry. She thinks of things not even the contractor thought of. We ended up with a kitchen and master bath that have more room and airiness than before and more storage than before. Sandra in not only doing a job, She is making your house a wonderful place to be.

My niece and I purchased a small country home in 2014. Our plan is to share expenses and to stay in our home as long as we can, maintaining our independence. We are both in our early 70s. Until 2014 we had lived on opposite sides of the country since the 1960s. We knew taking on a kitchen remodel would be a real challenge because we are still learning how to communicate and make decisions together. We definitely felt we needed a designer to help us meet this challenge. We found Sandra and another designer online. After interviewing them we found we really liked the ease with which Sandra communicated with us and the action plan she provided. As seniors we had certain requirements like replacing lower cabinets with drawers and not having the microwave over the stove. Sandra was able to address everything including increasing the lighting, creating a flow where two women can cook different meals at the same time, having everything in the right place, selecting paint colors and granite, and where to buy appliances on-line. Most importantly she chose the cabinet maker for us and acted as our agent with them. There were only two items on which the three of us initially couldn’t agree and I reminded myself and my niece that we had hired Sandra for her expertise. In both cases we were glad we took that leap of faith in her abilities. On a personal level Sandra was wonderful to work with. She takes extreme pride in her work and is very professional. At the same time she has a delightful enthusiastic personality. As a professional she referred us to a contractor who did an excellent job, she was always on time for appointments and with deliverables, and she was always able to find solutions that were within our budget. In the end we have the loveliest kitchen either one of us has ever had.

After having had some time to not only admire the finished product, but to actually work in my new kitchen, I have even more to say about Sandra at Expert Kitchen Design and her design work. My husband and I were complete novices at big projects such as this. As a result, there were some rough patches in our communication which I believe was a learning experience for both of us. Us, in learning how this process works and Sandra in remembering that what is second nature to her is new to some and "you don't know, what you don't know" All throughout, she extended the utmost in patience and understanding as we sometimes muddled through. When my feet would leave the ground at times, she would bring me back down. In the end, her authenticity and devotion to her gift wins out. This gift is being able to create a design that fits well in its surroundings, with beauty and function. For me, she created a feeling, not just a room. It is the design itself, right down to the last detail, that generates the feeling I was looking for in my kitchen. She knew the feeling was primary and the look was secondary. She also knew the importance of making that feeling last for the long haul, even after the honeymoon of a new kitchen is over. Sandra worked with us and heard what we said. She changed some things but built the trust that was needed for us to follow her guidance when we would suggest something that she knew would compromise the primary goal. This is important because "you don't know, what you don't know". and we could either do what we wanted, or listen to her advice. I am grateful already for not going with some of my initial ideas and following her "less is more" approach. She knew what she was talking about. I don't just love my kitchen, it may sound silly, but I have grown in-love with my kitchen. If not for the time, effort, talents, patients and knowledge of Sandra at Expert Kitchen Design, I am not sure I would know the difference between those two statements. I would highly recommend Expert Kitchen Design as well as her husband's exquisite creative work as a contractor with Brannock Indusries.

My husband and I originally intended to design our kitchen ourselves, with some assistance from our contractor and a large commercial kitchen design center. We were knee deep into the project when we realized we were spending a large sum of money, were making major renovations to our home, and didn't want to look back after and feel we had made any "mistakes". I sought out a designer primarily by searching online near my home. I found Sandra and her reviews were exceptional. I called her and she immediately got back to me and had absolutely no problem coming into the "middle" of the job, with knowledge and enthusiasm. Despite being in the middle of the job, where Sandra was forced to work around appliances that were already purchased as well as plans already in place, she sat down with my husband and I to try to re-create our dream. Here design was absolutely perfect! The cabinetry exceeds anything you could ever hope to see in a large "box" store and Sandra was there the entire way. She assisted with paint, met with us to pick out tile, anything we needed. While there were a few hiccups along the way (as with any project I am now learning), they were resolved and the end product is truly one of a kind. We have 4 young children and the design was intended to work for all of us. We enjoyed both Christmas and New Years Eve with more than 35 people and our kitchen could not have worked better. There is an art to design which is a gift Sandra truly has. I hope others get to enjoy her work as well.

We called Sandra knowing only two things: 1. we desperately needed to update and renovate our kitchen, and 2. all the moving parts and 'unknowns' are overwhelming. The thought of hiring a designer sounded expensive and intimidating. We learned very quickly it was neither of those things, and it ultimately resulted in a living space which exceeded our expectations. Sandra asked us initially about our style and our priorities for our new space. We thought we had an idea of what we wanted it to look like but lacked the vision for what was possible. Sandra brought that experience to us. In a series of visits to our home, she sat with us and listened, provided ideas, and quickly developed the concept based on our needs. She provided recommendations and assistance based on our lifestyle and budget and was available to us throughout the project to assist in selecting beautiful cabinets, countertops, fixtures, and tile. Sandra delivered a design tailored for our family's needs and we cannot wait to host our family for the holidays in our new space.

Expert Kitchen Designs helped me plan and implement my kitchen renovation. This included 1) finding a qualified contractor, 2) planning a new picture window, 3) designing and acquiring new custom cabinets, and 4) selecting new associated items like the fan, the backsplash, the cabinet color, the wall color, the cabinet hardware, the sink, lighting fixtures, and the faucet. I absolutely love the result - it is perfect - exactly what I wanted. Sandra did an excellent job balancing my budget concerns and my taste with her recommendations. I was very impressed with Sandra's ability to see very subtle color variances. Picking the right colors was a major concern of mine, but her recommendations turned out perfect.

Sandra was extremely organized, professional, and met all deadlines in a timely manner. But most important was her ability to understand the architect's design perspective and know the importance of attention to details. This skill is invaluable. We enjoyed working with Sandra and recommend her highly as a very dependable consultant. Thank you.

I am delighted to recommend our Kitchen Designer, Sandra Brannock, of Expert Kitchen Designs, located in Amissville, Virginia. I found Sandra online and sent her an email . She called me that very morning and has continued to be responsive to our every need as the project has evolved. We wanted to gut our 30 year old kitchen and were seeking guidance concerning the removal of a wall between the kitchen and dining room. Sandra promptly demonstrated her knowledge, her skill and her talents in the design of our new kitchen/dining room, improving the traffic pattern and relocating the pantry to improve the access. Included in our renovation was the installation of new flooring which extended from the kitchen throughout the entire upper level of our home. Utilizing her keen eye for color and ability to visualize the finished product, she worked with us to identify the perfect floor given our environment and preferences. We have witnessed Sandra’s ability to recognize each client’s unique needs and financial constraints. She brings a creativity and flexibility to her work which makes her a pleasure to work with. We believe we made a good investment and wise decision in hiring Sandra Brannock, and we think you will feel the same should you choose her to improve the function and beauty of your kitchen and home.

Sandra came into our project after we had already started. My husband and I were fairly confident that we knew exactly what we wanted in our kitchen and had been working with another cabinet/"design" company that basically followed our instructions and provided NO creative input. When our builder expressed concerns about our layout and functionality of the kitchen, he suggested bringing Sandra in, and what a gift that suggestion was! Without being pushy, Sandra completely changed our kitchen design for the better. She spent a lot of time listening to our likes and dislikes, asking questions, trying to understand why we thought we wanted certain things, and then went back to the drawing board to create a kitchen that would meet our needs but also have a flow and beauty that we hadn't considered before. Sandra brought up so many different considerations that we wouldn't have thought of which helped our design and the way we planned to use the kitchen. There is a reason why homeowners should hire professionals - because they know what they are doing! And Sandra knows what she is doing! She is professional, responsive, has a beautiful design aesthetic, is very thoughtful, precise (to the teensiest measurement), and has a lot of experience to bring to the table. She made our kitchen amazing and I can't thank her enough. I thank her every time I use my beautiful kitchen. Highly recommend Sandra if you are considering a kitchen renovation.

We hired Sandra Brannock from EKD to help us remodel our kitchen. We were extremely pleased with her knowledge of taking an outdated traditional look to a spacious open modern kitchen. She designed our kitchen by eliminating partial walls, opening doorways, and creating a more workable and flowing kitchen that is also great for entertaining. Sandra is a very professional designer that stood by us from beginning to end. She was efficient with her designs and any changes we requested. She is very personable, and easy to get along with and most important, always listens! This was the first time we engaged in any type of remodel so it was very helpful to have someone guide us through all the steps and help us stay within our budget. Sandra always made suggestions of places to go to pick out cabinets, faucets, door handles, countertops, backsplash, etc., and also brought samples to us when choosing colors for cabinets. Sandra always made an effort to consistently stop by to check on the progress and communicate with us to make sure we were always satisfied with the work. Sandra definitely has an eye for design, and will continue to use her when we remodel our bathrooms.

Sandra designed an absolutely beautiful kitchen in a new build custom home. She helped with everything -- the floor plan and design, the selection of cabinets and countertops, and the colors. Because the house floor plan is so open, allowing the kitchen to be seen from the entry hall, the living room and even part of the dining room, it was important to me that it be elegant and stylish. But because we both cook a lot, it was also critical that it be a very functional and practical kitchen. Sandra combined these two "needs" seamlessly with an amazingly beautiful and workable space. I also love some of the nice details in the cabinets she recommended -- the corner cabinet which pulls out for incredible use of space with no need to get on my knees; the dual trash/recycling pull out bins; and my personal favorite, the great spice drawer which allows easy access and review of all the herbs and spices. I really love that drawer -- it makes getting to herbs and spices a breeze when cooking!!! Sandra also expended great effort and patience in helping me select the granite for the countertops. Her eye for color and detail is incomparable and the granite works so well in the space that it just seems organic. I have received so many compliments on it and I have loved it from the minute it was installed. Sandra was highly professional and reliable and worked very diligently to keep costs within my budget while producing an absolutely top tier result. Finally, I have to share a little story. The kitchen was all done except for getting the frig installed. The delivery men brought it and put it in. After, as they were gathering up their things and starting to leave, the older of the two men looked around and then turned to me and said "I have been delivering appliances to kitchens for 20 years and have seen a lot of kitchens, but this kitchen is the nicest looking kitchen I have ever been in." I know I have not been in as many kitchens as he had, but I agree with his assessment whole-heartedly!!!!!

Sandra was wonderful to work with. Very professional, energetic and creative. We had recently downsized and my new kitchen is much smaller than the last. Yet Sandra was able to give me everything I wanted, which is incredible. She also helped me find my cabinets, at a great price,quality and timely delivery. She worked with my contractor when some changes had to be made, with a smile. She is a delight!

I found Sandra by stumbling upon her blog online. I immediately felt like we would be a good fit together. After my initial interview with her, I hired her for the kitchen design. I am thrilled with how the design came out and am in the process of having the kitchen redone. Having done a kitchen design by myself 10 years ago, I had a good understanding of the process and limitations with our current space. We knocked a load bearing wall down to join the original tiny kitchen to the family room. Sandra worked with me to create a design that will fit our family's needs as well as the space. Sandra's attention to detail is meticulous! We were unable to make the ceiling flush due to ductwork that couldn't be relocated, and she figured out how to build the cabinets with beautiful moldings that make it seem as if it had always been that way. Sandra's knowledge of appliances and their requirements saved me from having a very costly mistake. She is completely aware of all the various lines of appliances and their affect on the overall design. She made sure that she allowed for an emergency gas shut off valve in the design as required by code. I know Sandra has done some very upscale kitchens, but ours was more your average kitchen remodel. I did splurge on my cooktop (Wolf), but everything else was kitchenaid appliances. Sandra got a few estimates for me for the cabinets from companies that she has experience working with and they were very good. Unfortunately, I had to go with a kitchen company and use their line of custom cabinets because we couldn't find a contractor that was within our budget. She also directed me to a few websites for faucets, sinks and hardware. This saved me a bunch of money! I went 33% below the allowances my contractor gave me. When I was feeling tortured by the many choices of granite for the kitchen, Sandra met me at a granite warehouse and walked with me up and down each aisle. I felt much more confident with our final choice. I was beyond grateful for her honesty in explaining to me why my original granite preference would not be the best choice for the overall look I was going for in the kitchen. She has always been there for all my many questions and has been so supportive when I felt overwhelmed with decision overload. I plan to post again with pictures when the kitchen is finished. Best of luck with your kitchen remodel.

It was a pleasure to work with Sandra on my kitchen remodel. After a discussion about what didn't work in the existing kitchen, she came up with an inspired floor plan that completely opened it up while resolving all of my issues. The process became a true collaboration; whenever there was an area where we had different ideas, we were able to form a great consensus solution that turned out wonderfully. I can’t say enough about her attention to detail and willingness to track down and incorporate features that make it my dream kitchen.

The most valuable commodity anyone can give you is time. Sandra came as a referral from our contractor. After being with her for five minutes, I told her I knew she was the real deal- no drama, no attitude, and she knows construction. Sandra listened and guided, but did not corral us into a decision. We gave her a wish list based on magazines and books. She considered it, and came up with a solution that was more appropriate for the space and explained why using design intent. We are over the moon and it has the wow factor because of the thought behind the space. It is the crowning jewel of this restored Tudor.

Sandra Brannock of Expert Kitchen Designs is just that, an expert. She worked with us to redesign our tiny kitchen on a tiny budget. This was our first remodel project and I am not sure what we would have done had we not found her. Sandra is creative, attentive, timely, and has an eye for detail. She provided sound guidance and feedback on all decisions from appliances to toe kick drawers. We also were very appreciative that Sandra was always respectful of our tight budget. I think the thing I appreciate most about working with Sandra is that even though our project was on a smaller scale & budget, I always felt like I was her top client. Of all the decisions we had to make during this process, working with Sandra was the one I felt the best about.

Working with Sandra from Expert Kitchen Designs was such a great experience, I don't know where to start! After doing a lot research online for our upcoming kitchen remodel, I came across Expert Kitchen Designs' website. Other designers we had spoken with seemed to be very "cookie-cutter" and weren't able to offer us any different ideas other than those we had presented to them. We were planning on removing walls and doing a major kitchen renovation. Sandra and I spoke on the phone about our project and she asked questions about how my husband and I work in the kitchen and other functional questions that other designers had not asked us before. In addition, we discussed budget right away and Sandra was sure to keep our budgetary constraints in mind throughout the project. She was able to hone in on specific details about our use of the kitchen (what appliances do you have, what do you want left on the countertops, where do you store your sheet pans, etc). These details allowed her to create a design that gives us a place for everything! She was able to advise us on appliances and even gave us a website to order them from at a great discount. She gathered pictures from us on kitchens we like and carefully listened to what was important to us. She understood our desire for a clean-lined, open concept, transitional kitchen right away. Due to the long distance between us and Sandra we communicated mostly via email and phone which worked out great for our busy schedules. This saved us time and energy as we could get answers to our questions or discuss our ideas right away. She provided blueprint layouts via email which we could then send to our contractor for feedback. We would review the layouts during conference calls with her. This allowed us to review every detail together before moving on to the next step. She presented us with ideas that we would never have thought of on our own while keeping our budget firmly in mind. Sandra was always available for questions and advice. She came out to the house twice and then we communicated almost daily before the start of the project. She left no stone unturned in the project planning and layout which resulted in a smooth remodel once construction began. Sandra has a very good understanding of construction and aesthetics and is able to blend them together. The quality of the cabinetry she provided is impeccable. Our contractor said they were "top of the line". They far surpassed others we had looked at and were about the same cost. Sandra provided us with a kitchen layout that we never would have imagined, it is absolutely perfect! If we ever need to remodel another kitchen, we will be using Sandra without question. If you're looking for someone to create your dream kitchen, contact Sandra at EKD!

Sandra was brought in to finalize a preliminary design that we had made for our kitchen remodel. She provided valuable suggestions for modifications to enhance the layout of the kitchen. For example, our original plan had the refrigerator in one location and she recommended moving it to a different location to open up the space. She was supportive of our concerns, but still able to respectfully communicate her recommendations. We are 100% pleased with the location of the refrigerator and can't even imagine the kitchen any other way. Also, based on the budget we provided to Sandra, she was able to guide us toward extremely well-made, beautiful cabinets which we wouldn't have found on our own. We appreciated Sandra's support throughout the process and would absolutely recommend her to others.

The designer we worked with was excellent, offering us ideas we never would have considered on our own. This opened up our thinking and the end result is amazing. We never would have gotten where we did without the original and creative ideas the designer brought. Working with these folks was easy too...they were there when we needed them, responsive to questions, and experienced in and sympathetic to the issues we were facing in a large remodel job. We highly recommend these folks and will use them again if the need occurs.

Sandra designed our kitchen remodel. She was extremely helpful with her ideas and had a great vision for our space. Sandra was conscience of our budget which helped ease our remodeling gitters. She worked closely with us every step of the way, from the cabinet type, color and design down to the lighting and back splash tile. Our overall experience with Sandra was positive and I would not hesitate to use her again.

Most people admire new kitchens for the quality of the appliances and cabinets. Ours are great too. But the special payoff with the kitchen and butler's pantry Sandra of Expert Kitchen designed for us is the floor plan and arrangement of all the facilities. At Thanksgiving we had 15 at the table and eight of us worked on food prep, yet there was almost no 'getting in the way of each other'. We could all smoothly move around and get all those different dishes to the table warm and stress free. We cook more often every week; it's more fun now. After two years of active use this kitchen/pantry still feels new. It can be a quick meal after work made easy. Or a lazy, long Saturday breakfast made romantic. Or bonding as a couple for a marathon dinner prep for friends. Or not leaving work at the cook top and still being able to see out the front or back or side window, or watch TV-the sight lines are great. True, we were stunned at first by how different Sandra's design layout was from what we had had for years. But we would advise all future clients of hers to seriously ponder any surprising changes she may recommend. The radical changes opened up a cramped space without stealing space from other rooms or expanding the house - oh no! With only trivial adjustments to her original plan she gave us a culinary factory that feels alternately like a limo or a touring car. We could not be happier. The cabinets are elegant, sturdy, and fully functional. We would choose exactly the same for everything whether spice rack, large space for large pots, display of fine stemware, useful space under even the sink and cook top, or making the most of odd corners. We are glad we got them through Expert Kitchen Designs. - Debbie and Mike

Sandra is wonderful to work with. She guided us smoothly and kept us from making mistakes. She has a great way of saying you really don't want to do that......she would say "you could do that". Her knowledge of the cabinet makers available allowed us to have a spectacular looking and extremely functional kitchen. After two years we are still extremely happy with the kitchen she created for us. Thanks Sandra