A good KD can do any style. Just because they don't show the door styles that you want doesn't mean that they don't offer them. Ask local firms first.

The most important thing in doing a distance design is the contractor on site. He has to be comfortable measuring and installing such a kitchen. If you don't have the right person on site, you can give it up doing anything remote. It does zero good to design something that cannot be implemented. Lots of contractors don't understand frameless, and it's not that they would sabotage the job deliberately, it's that they don't know what they don't know, and end up damaging things.

I'm a KD in the Midwest and several years ago, I had a couple come to my showroom wanting a new kitchen. We did a brief consultation and I prepared a kitchen design for them. I didn't hear back from them for months. I thought I lost the job. The one man was from Seattle and the other was from my area....but they were both successful and pretty well off and they traveled a lot. One day they walked in and said, "We've been to NY, Chicago and Seattle, thinking we'd need to go there to be satisfied with our tastes...but we liked you and your ideas the best.".....even THEY were shocked to find a good KD in little ol' Ohio. I got the job....and about 5 years later, I got their vacation home too.

I've had several instances of this. One lady found me in a national magazine...she liked the kitchen....only to find I was literally less than 2 miles from her home!!!! Later on, I submitted her kitchen to a magazine and it got published too.

As the others noted-pretty much every brand has "some" contemporary styles check to see what is available first.

As to long distance: I've been doing a number of long distance jobs each year but with certain guidelines.
-I do rough schematics and "high" pricing for ballparks based on clients dimensions to start.
-If that is satisfactory I get a retainer and then I always arrange to get to the job site for measurements. Most distance jobs require at least two and usually several more site visits. (once went 550 miles but it was a whole house-over a dozen trips but the food and company were great :-)
-the client must come to the showroom at least once- usually the second meeting
-I must either know OR interview and become comfortable with the installer. Sngle biggest factor.
-I use Basecamp HQ as a project management site for the individual project. The client and the installer must be willing and able to participate in that format. On occasion I use an online meeting but Basecamp typically is sufficient.
-Finally only with clients who have a clear idea of what they want, a fixed reasonable time frame, and the ability to grasp issues that may come up in the design process.

Without all four I would not go near a distance project. Distance jobs are ALWAYS more work for me than local since I have to put together complete comprehensive packages for each virtual meeting.

Crown Point does distance work but I have run into them at a job site once, don't know if that is common for them.

abbacoz:

In this information age, the world is shrinking. Longer distance jobs are probably going to become more common. I'd take a far-away KD I was comfortable with over a local with whom I was less so without question.

I just had my kitchen designed long distance. I was very happy with the designer, who caught things other people who'd looked at it missed. He went over things very carefully and got measurements and pictures from me and we double and triple checked things. I will be getting them delivered next month, so I can't tell you about that end of the process, but due to the diligence of the designer, I'm not at all concerned about them being correct.

I got the solid wood, quality cabinetry I'd been wanting for a MUCH better price than I could have otherwise found. I would have no reservations about working again with this designer.

I think there is a difference between design and then the build. Both are often done long distance. We are in the process of building a second home at the beach and specifically chose a draftsman in that area to help us as he is more familar with local code, trends, etc. So far, we have been very pleased. I would not think twice about using a LD KD. It is a global world thanks to the internet!

Any walls coming down, moving? What is the status of electric, how many lines exist? Any heat moving? Soffit coming out? What's in it? Is floor level? Ceiling? Do switches, thermostat, phone need to move? Is floor sound? Are walls doors and windows plumb? For each run to a corner four dimensions needed minimum : at wall counter height, at wall higher, at front of cabinets counter height, at front of cabinets higher?

Without at least one visit you have to answer all those.

Thanks for the incredibly helpful advice! I have a second local craftsman coming over today. If this doesn't work out, I think I will be turning to a long distance situation - but at least I will be a bit more secure, thanks to everyone's input.