If you aren't planning to change the footprint at all, simply replacing what is already there, you probably don't need a full on KD. A good kitchen contractor should be able to guide you and of course the KD at their supplier should help you decide pullouts, etc. But if you think you would like to change the layout, steal space from another room, etc.you will definitely want to enlist A KD first and come up with a concrete plan. We left our footprint as is, but I wish I had explored changing things with some CKD's...just to see the possibilities. And if you don't like the cabinet lines your contractor uses, don't feel you HAVE to use them. We did not use the place our contractor normally uses.

Whatever you do, first try some free help here.

Make a scale drawing of your kitchen as it is now on graph paper.

Note what you like and what you don't. What you might be up for, or not. What possible features are on your wish list.

Chances are you'll get some excellent suggestions on how to imporve the layout.

You may get suggestions that are beyond the scope of what you want to do, but pay attention to them all, especially why the suggestion is offered. You're likely to also get suggestions for modest re-arrangements of the sequence of cabs and appliances that can have big dividends w/o a big price tag. Plus we aren't trying to sell you anything, we charge no design fees, and posting commits you to nothing.

Your only obligation is to respond to comments once in awhile.

What have you got to lose? Don't think that if your project isn't a wholesale, to the studs gut of epic high end proportions (though we love those, too!) we aren't willing to share ideas. For some peculiar reason there are people here who like looking at kitchen plans and noodling on ways to make 'em better. It's a quirky, but generally harmless, obssession.

(Graph paper with the plan over-inked with a fine dark pen - a fine Sharpie is good - is all we need. Take a pic, post and see what flows back to your in box. Summer weekends can be dead zones. Weekday evenings are better; some times it takes a day or so to pick up steam. A few bumps are considered OK to keep it on the front pages. A strategically timed "thank you " to comments also bring the orginal post back to the front page.)

HTH

L.