Kitchen planning guide: how to find a designer
When it comes to finding someone to make your kitchen dreams come to life, it’s worthwhile time in finding a good designer.
Image: Wren Kitchens
No matter how refined your interior taste, and how much you love to DIY on the fly, when it comes to the kitchen, the best results come from working with an experienced designer.
But with a whole world of kitchen brands to navigate, how do you go about finding the designer that will help your dreams become a reality?
Get out there
The kitchen is a real investment in your home, so it’s more important that any other room to get right. The best way to do this is to visit kitchen showrooms – this will mean that not only can you get hands on with the merchandise, as it were, but you can also meet designers and see if any strike the right tone for your space.
Start out by choosing 3 showrooms to visit, and see how they stack up against each other. There may be a clear winner, or you may feel you want to visit some other contenders.
You’ll also need to factor in your designer of choice against the kitchen range that retailer stocks.
Image: Masterclass Kitchens
Ask to see previous work
A kitchen designer isn’t always defined by their designs, especially when working with a strong-headed client, but talking through previous examples is a great way to see how they work and how they’ve inputted into a design.
Take along examples of kitchen you love
Whether it’s a Pinterest board or tear outs from your Good Homes magazine, a discussion with a designer about your goals for a kitchen will be helped out with visual aides. A good designer will be able to look at an image and not only work out how to recreate it for you, but how to evolve it into an even better design to suit your space.
Image: Magnet Kitchens
Word of mouth
If you’re unsure where to start in your hunt for a designer, why not ask local friends and family where they went (only if you like their kitchens though!) You could also look on Instagram for kitchen designs, or search your local area for homeowners who have had impressive spaces created, to ask them for advice.
Are you planning a new kitchen? Let us know! Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page. Or, tag us in your own kitchen photos on Instagram, using the hashtag #ThisGoodHome.