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eire6678

Who designs kitchen layout?

eire6678
9 years ago

hi!

We are building a house in the coming months and are in need of help designing the layout of our kitchen. We have the house plans and know the dimensions of the kitchen, please gonna windows doors etc. Our builder would like to use in stock cabinets. The question is who do we get to help us design, choose which cabinets etc.?

Thanks!

Comments (11)

  • live_wire_oak
    9 years ago

    A Kitchen Designer. Or, this forum possibly, if you can post the room.

  • eire6678
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Could I use a kitchen designer even if I don't buy the cabinets from them?

  • snoonyb
    9 years ago

    You!
    It's your money.
    It's your kitchen.
    You, prepare the meals.
    You, wash the dishes.

    Really! Bag-n-box cabinets?

  • live_wire_oak
    9 years ago

    Theoretically, yes. You can pay a design fee equivalent to the profit that they would receive from the cabinet order. Practically, no. Customers rarely want to pay that % as a separate check. And there are very few independents. Fewer still independents that can design within whatever cabinet line that your builder might use. Every line has it's own quirks, and you want someone who knows the quirks of the line you're working with. He should be working with a KD to source the cabinetry, so start there. Or, post your room here to get started.

  • eire6678
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I would love to do it, but how!I can sketch out the dimensions of the kitchen, get the dimensions of the appliances, but how do I know what size of these cabinets come in?do I take a brand, and then look online? I'm so confused!

  • eire6678
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sorry to be dense, what is a KD?

  • laughablemoments
    9 years ago

    Starcraft Custom Builders have a wonderful website that explains the kitchen building process, and one of the best explanations of the NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association) guidelines that I've seen. I will link their site below. Pay attention to the rows of clickable tabs near the top of the page. These tabbed pages are your guide to the wealth of information they've laid out.

    Standard cabinet dimensions are laid out in 3" increments. This will help you when you lay out your plans on graph paper. Make each square of the graph paper worth either 6" or 12".

    Don't miss out on the "Sticky" at the top of the list of the Gardenweb kitchen page, or Marcolo's current thread of how to plan a kitchen where he explains the concept of how we all cook in a certain sequence that needs to be followed when designing a kitchen.

    Beuhl is also collecting some classic kitchen threads right now that you might want to check out.

    Whatever line of cabinets you go for, try to work in as many drawers as possible into your design to maximize storage and make it easy to use. Starcraft explains this really well, too.

    Have fun! : )

    Here is a link that might be useful: Starcraft Custom Builders

  • missingtheobvious
    9 years ago

    KD = kitchen designer.

    Begin with a diagram which shows the exact dimensions of the kitchen, including doors and windows. Add another diagram which shows the rooms around the kitchen (to show the traffic flow) -- or the whole house plan if possible.

  • jdez
    9 years ago

    KD = kitchen designer. Ask the person who drew your plans if you can post the kitchen on this forum. If you can't, copy the layout that is shown on your plans. Just sketch it on a piece of paper. Then start a new thread to ask for advice on the layout and include a picture of your sketch. If you read the sticky which is the first thread you see on the kitchen forum, it will tell you the specific information that you need to include to get the most help from the people here on this forum. When you get the advice and decide how you want your kitchen, draw it on a piece of paper and give it to your GC. Good luck.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    9 years ago

    I'm a little confused - you say your builder would like to use "stock cabinets". What exactly does that mean - his stock, Home Depot's stock, IKEA's stock? Obviously, you will get no customization using stock cabinets, which will likely mean a fair amount of fillers and workarounds, unless the dimensions of the kitchen were already designed to fit his "stock" cabinets. Do you already have a construction contract? Does it specify an allowance for cabinetry? How much is the allowance, and how big is the space?

    There's just too much missing here to really give a complete response.

  • snoonyb
    9 years ago

    Bag-n-box cabinets are dimensioned in 3" increments.

    Custom cabinets, those built in a locale cabinet shop, use every " of space.

    Most have been in business long enough and have enough experience to "advise you" regarding placement of fixtures and appliances.

    Prepare yourself by asking, what do I and don't I like about my existing kitchen.

    In your mind, place yourself in the room and ask if the______ is here, would I like the ______ here, or would it be more convenient there.

    Prepare a meal.

    Does it work?

    What needs to change?

    Then order the cabinets.