HOW TO PREPARE FOR A MEETING WITH OUR CABINET DESIGNERS

Whether you’re wanting to renew or replace your kitchen, living room, garage, or bathroom cabinets, one of the fastest ways to communicate what you want is images. They do say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and it’s absolutely true. When you walk into a meeting with cabinet contractors, you will be glad you don’t have to try to describe shapes, colors, textures, and materials while hoping the contractor understands. Instead, you can pull out a picture, point to a color, and say, “That one.” Not only will you feel more confident, your contractor will likely be relieved to have a visual example of what you like. You can collect images from magazines, online sources, or take pictures with your camera or phone.

What do you love about your current kitchen? What drives you crazy about it? What are your habits? Maybe you buy groceries in bulk, love to recycle, or can’t stop baking. Make some notes about the purposes you give your kitchen and bring them to your meeting. These notes will help your designer understand what you need out of your space.

Once you understand your current space, take a minute to get excited about the possibilities! You’re facing a great opportunity to tweak or change up your space to introduce new uses. Maybe your kitchen has always been a gathering place for family and friends, and you want it to be a bit more spacious. Maybe you just need a space to warm up takeout. No matter what you need, don’t miss the opportunity to take your space in a new direction.

This is especially important for kitchens. If you’re redoing your cabinets around your appliances, just make sure you remember the color of your appliances so you can tell the designer. On the other hand, if you’re replacing your current appliances with new ones, go ahead and pick them out before you head to the cabinet company. You’ll be able to ensure your wants and needs are fulfilled and help your chosen contractor get moving faster.

Even though your chosen contractor will take detailed measurements before offering you a binding contract, you should still take the general dimensions of your room before meeting for the first time. Indicate doors, windows, and hallways. Walking into a consultation with basic dimensions will help speed your process along. It will also give the cabinetmaker the ability to get creative as he or she works to fulfill your vision.

The money side of your project is a crucial discussion to have in that first meeting. Without an initial budget, you have no starting point, and your meeting won’t be very productive. Before the meeting, outline an initial budget so your designer knows the parameters for the project. As you put together this initial budget, consider all the factors of your project. Are you replacing the floor? Moving walls? Replacing countertops or appliances? All of these things will have a big impact on your budget. Don’t forget to factor in installation fees!

A good meeting will include a chance for you to share your hopes and to discuss a budget, style, timeline, and finish. Depending on how complex your project may be, more meetings may be necessary to fine-tune your design. Make sure you ask plenty of questions during your consultation and leave with confidence.