kitchen design

(disclaimer: the text below is based on our personal experience and knowledge - your specific issue could be different and could require a different approach).

How to get started

There are many ways to find your dream kitchen. I recommend - before you start looking around - to find out what you have and like today and what you need tomorrow:

Inventory: open all your cabinets and drawers and - mentally - get rid of all the stuff you did not use within the last 6 month. Then deduct all the things which actually do not belong into your kitchen - like vacuum cleaner, tablecloth, candleholders, napkins ... . In one word 'de-clutter'!

How do you cook: Are you always in a hurry and just need a quick but healthy meal without all the mess - then you probably do not need a large cook top and oven, but you could need a steam oven and a bigger refrigerator with a place to store vegetables and other fresh food.

Do you like to cook and does even your partner show up in the kitchen, then you need a lot of work surface, central storage and enough walkways.

Appliances: Most nowadays kitchens have too many and too big appliances. Do you really need the 6 or 8 burner gas cook top or do you really need a double oven and a microwave and ... - don't just follow the trend, evaluate what you really need!

Who's in your family: Is it just you or are there more? Be aware that family situations can change. Normally we think about all the human beings but what's about the animals - cats and dogs - they are a part of your family too! If so then they and their 'eating things' need space in the kitchen as well.

What do you like: I would recommend not to like something just because you saw it in a magazine (Dwell magazine would be a good place to start). But use all these publications to figure out what kind of style you prefer, rip them apart, make a scrap book with all the items you like - (sometimes it's actually easier to define what you don't like). Be aware we all see pictures with our eyes and not with our brain - which means often we put something on the 'I do not like this' pile just because there's a huge fish on a countertop - and you don't like fish - but the countertop material could be the one you really prefer.

Budget: Yes, you also need to make some sort of budget. Most of the time kitchens are expensive. It's always the same - your wishes are really necessary and the nice things will be expensive. But if you have no budget, or if you don't tell your kitchen designer your budget, then the entire process will get complicated and long - and finally all the involved persons will be frustrated.

Choosing a kitchen designer: Here it get's touchy! What do you expect from a kitchen designer? I would expect that she/he is capable to listen and hear my wishes (even the ones I don't articulate or the one's hidden behind some concerns), She/he should be capable to mix all the ingredients - my wishes, my family situation, my room, my budget, my timeline and last but not least the kitchen product itself - together and come up with some good ideas. A good kitchen designer should not only be able to all the above - he/she should also be able to cook - a kitchen designer who never chopped an onion is not capable to design a functional kitchen. Last but not least you should feel comfortable and secure.