Team Work Makes Your Kitchen Dream Work > How to Work with Your Kitchen Consultant, Interior Designer + Construction Team
Hire a Designer, get a new Kitchen! That’s all you need, right?
When it comes to getting the Kitchen of your dreams, it takes the right team if you want to get it all * just right *. Hiring the right Designer (or Designers!) is a great place to start.
THE DESIGN-BUILD TEAM
Kitchen Designer
Kitchen Designers come in a few forms. Architects and Interior Designers understand the fundamentals of spatial design, and likely have a lot of experience designing Kitchens. Cabinet makers and suppliers with Design staff such as IKEA know the ins and outs of ‘plug and play’ (space A will fit cabinets B & C) as they’ve seen it over the years. For many Kitchen designs, this may be enough. For the serious home Cook, however, finding a Kitchen Designer that intricately understands both the technical aspects of the Kitchen AND the functions of how we actually cook, use and move about the space is key. If it’s important to you, also hire a Kitchen Consultant that will work well with you and the rest of your team.
Kitchen Consultant
How is a Kitchen Consultant different than a Kitchen Designer? While they may sound the same, many Designers understand design. But a professional Kitchen Consultant should also understand the processes of COOKING - they key function of the space (as well as entertaining, eating, gathering, working, homeworking, etc). Some Kitchen Consultants are happy to work with your Designer, Architect or Cabinet Maker. While it may sound redundant, a professional Kitchen Consultant should understand spatial and technical requirements enough to also be your main Designer as needed. With that, they should be able to see the space from a different perspective, advise on safety or usefulness concerns, as well as create efficient layouts or potentially audit a layout already in place.
As an added bonus, a professional Kitchen Consultant will also be able to think outside the box to help you cook better. Are 24” deep countertops really all that useful? Should some counters be higher, or lower, for certain tasks? What about cabinetry that moves, giving you additional space during canning season or when kneading loaves of bread? How can one space serve multiple functions when needed for cooking vs entertaining vs using the kitchen as a ‘home office’? Why is the seating at Islands usually linear when historically we’ve always gathered in circles? Taking the time to ask these questions (and more) can lead to spatial efficiency down to the millimeters.
Contractor
Most projects require more than a simple installation of Appliances and Cabinetry. A Contractor will be required for permits, plumbing, electrical, drywall and even structural work. They are responsible for the physical integrity of the entire project, coordinating schedules and sourcing materials along with the Designers, managing budgets and invoices, installing Appliances, and ensuring a solid completion. Finding a Contractor that’s honest and experienced to do the job is half the challenge. Finding one who will listen to YOUR needs for the project can be another. Remember that it’s YOUR project, not anyone else's - your needs should always be heard and respected so you’ll have a space that’s FOR YOU long after your Contractor (and Designers) have left.
Appliance Sales
Choosing the right Appliances can be daunting. You may want to stick with a brand you’re used to, or want to check out a beautiful piece you saw online. Friends have a Range they rave about, so why not? Or you like the look of an ‘Appliance Suite’ vs choosing a variety of brands in one Kitchen. Find someone who will give you honest feedback on what will work / not work with your Cooking style. While your Designers and Contractors may also have advice, a good Appliances salesperson will also know the warranties, return policies, which ones have needed far too many service calls, the pros/cons between two choices, which oven bakes the most evenly for the pastry Chef in your house, or which oven will work best with breads.
But don’t stop there - take the recommendations based on your cooking style, and do more research. Every Appliance has a ‘quirk’ and I have yet to find a perfect anything, so look into ALL the pros and cons. If the Salesperson you’re talking to doesn’t seem to have enough information, or it feels like they’re pushing you in a direction you’re not happy about, find another. Ask questions, research, then go back and ask more questions. Hopefully you’ll end up with key Appliances that meet your needs, don’t break the bank (unless that’s your budget!), are generally rated well, and have low maintenance/service calls.
If your Appliances can also be beautiful, why not! While the main focus should be on function, splurging on a bold color, some fancy metal upgrades, or extra uses isn’t a bad thing.
Millworker
While Clients don’t always deal directly with Cabinet makers or Millworkers, sometimes that’s the person they hire first. Cabinetry is a huge component to the Kitchens finishing, and can cost as much as or more than your Appliances. Your Millworker will be able to advise on various door finishes, the right box construction, interior cabinet and exterior finishing hardware, special features such as pull-out Pantry or corner cabinet hardware that best use the space, etc. They’re a knowledgeable and useful team member - ask all the questions!
COMMUNICATION
Whomever you bring onto your team, make sure you have open, positive communication. There will be ups and downs to building or renovating, and communication is important, second only to trust. For most anyone on your team, yes, they have more experience and knowledge than you probably do, but that doesn’t mean your voice shouldn’t be heard. Ultimately it’s YOUR project, YOUR team, YOUR Kitchen. That said, you’ve hired professionals to get the job done and need to trust them. I’ve seen projects go very wrong when HomeOwners micromanage or don’t listen to the advice of their team.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
Can’t afford a Kitchen Consultant for your whole project, but want a design that will WORK for your style of cooking, with out of the box ideas to help or key advice where you need it most? There are a few key timelines in any project where a few hours of specialist advice will help not only achieve the best Kitchen for you, but often help you avoid costly mistakes..
Schematic Design
An hour of professional Kitchen Consultant advice EARLY in your project is a great idea for helping to steer the rest of the project in the direction you’ll want it to go. Help with considering layout opportunities, big picture design ideas, or cautionary considerations.
Design Development
As the details of your design have progressed, having an extra set of eyes on the final Design for organization of spaces/Zones and some solid details to build on here.
Shop Drawings
Once your design is finalized, it’ll go to the Millworker for shop drawings. This is your - and your Kitchen Consultants - last chance to edit/change before construction of your Kitchen begins.
Construction
Have your Kitchen Consultant on call for any tricky bits that (inherently) comes up on site.
The Home Kitchen is here for YOU.
Whether you need a 1.5h Consult to look at a tricky design challenge, a 4-Point Consult to stay with you at key points in your project, or a full Kitchen Designer package, our goal is the same - to help you get the best Kitchen FOR YOU. Find our services page HERE.
