You have read the home magazines, searched Pinterest every evening and saved dozens of photos of kitchens you love. But none of them is quite right: a bit of this one, a detail from that one. How do you pull it all together into the perfect kitchen for your room?
This is where a kitchen designer earns their keep. A good designer has planned hundreds of different rooms and will spot the common pitfalls straight away: the drawer that can’t open past the handle, the dishwasher door that blocks the sink, the corner that wastes a metre of storage. They will suggest practical ways around awkward walls and windows, and they know the ranges well enough to help you choose between them.
Face to face, or online?
Meeting in a showroom is helpful, especially for seeing door colours and finishes in real life, but it isn’t essential. Measurements, photos and a clear brief by email or phone can be just as effective, and 3D drawings let you see the design from every angle before you commit.
How to prepare
- Measure the room and take photos of each wall, including windows, doors, radiators and boxing-in.
- Collect a few pictures of kitchens you like, and a few you don’t. Both help a designer understand your taste.
- Write down how you use the kitchen: who cooks, how often, whether you eat or work in there, and what annoys you about the current one.
- Have a budget in mind, and be open about it, so the design matches what you want to spend.
- Decide which appliances you want to keep or buy, as their sizes shape the layout.
Questions worth asking
- What would you change about my layout, and why?
- Where could I get more storage, and where would I lose it?
- What is included in the price: cabinets, doors, plinths, cornice, panels, handles, delivery?
- How many changes can I make to the design, and is there a charge?
- What are the lead times, and what happens if something arrives damaged?
Points to remember
- Gathering a few ideas before you start will stop you being overwhelmed by the choice available.
- Decide what you are prepared to compromise on and what is non-negotiable.
- Be open to new suggestions. Your designer has solved problems like yours many times before.
- If a designer seems disinterested or too pushy, walk away. It is your kitchen and your money.
Our design service is free and has no limit on changes. Send us your measurements and photos, and we will send back a floor plan, 3D images and an itemised quote.
