Life, Styled
You love your home, but there are some areas that are no longer working for you, if they ever did at all. You have made the big decision to renovate your kitchen, to give yourself the space you have always envisioned, but it feels overwhelming. How do you know which layout will work best for you? Which style best represents you, and what wood type will pair perfectly with certain colors? The kitchen can be a more difficult renovation because it involves multiple facets, such as plumbing and electrical. Adding in the appliances, lighting, and cabinets decisions can be enough to make your head spin. Planning is a critical part of a kitchen renovation, making it a key area of focus, which is why an experienced designer can help you accomplish your dreams on time and on budget.
What Does A Kitchen Designer Do?
Don’t let the word design fool you into thinking they just create a design for the contractor to follow. There is much more to their job description than that. They are experienced in layout, cabinet design, hardware selection, materials, colors, and more. Their job is to help guide you through the renovation process, lending you their years of design experience to create a kitchen that is perfect for you. Our designers are experts in layout and cabinet design, with a creative eye and good communication skills, both of which are essential to building a design that will last a lifetime. A good kitchen designer can take a space, mold it to your specific needs, and help you achieve the dream space you have always wanted. Their job is to guide you through the journey, making it enjoyable and with minimal stress for the whole family.
The Benefits Of Hiring A Kitchen Designer
Hiring a kitchen designer is more than just having a person help you with your selections. There are multiple benefits to having a kitchen designer, including:
- Saves money
- Less stress
- Experience
- Achieve goals
A kitchen renovation can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t have the right help because there are numerous details that go into this project, such as appliances, lighting, and even plumbing. Having someone who can help you through the remodel can make a huge difference.
Because you are paying for a design service, you may not agree that you’re saving money, but their experience means you will avoid costly mistakes and other issues that they know to avoid. Their knowledge is invaluable to you as you make your way through the renovation.
Stress is the number one killer of enthusiasm for a project. It’s easy to get discouraged and disgruntled when things don’t go right, but a designer who has completed hundreds of projects will know how to plan your renovation so that everything goes according to schedule, leaving you feeling relaxed and at ease, able to enjoy the journey.
Experience also lends itself to a quicker layout since they know what works and what doesn’t. They know what size hardware works for a particular cabinet and just how much lighting is needed for the kitchen. A designer will be able to easily tell you how your wish list can be transformed into a design and if there are any elements that will not work within the given space. They are also able to tell you which layouts work best, which, again, saves you time.
The ultimate goal is to create a design that functions and reflects your unique style, and a kitchen designer will be able to help you check off the boxes for your new space. Our dedicated team has helped so many clients accomplish their renovation goals as smoothly as possible. That is the ultimate desire for every kitchen designer: to help their clients get the space they need and still enjoy the journey. Read a few more reasons why you should hire a designer in this blog post by This Old House.
Questions To Ask Your Kitchen Designer
Questions are a vital part of a design meeting. We have a list of things that we ask when doing an initial consult meeting, such as:
- How many people will use this space?
- Do you have any pets?
- Are there any specific needs or wishes you have?
- Are the cooks left-handed or right-handed?
- Do you do a lot of baking?
- Will you need an additional prep sink?
- How about a built-in microwave or warming drawer?
- What are your style and color preferences?
- Do you want a dedicated beverage area?
We ask these questions because we want to get to know you so we can best understand how to serve you. We also understand that you may want to ask us questions, but are unsure of what to ask specifically. Here is a list of some questions you will want to ask your kitchen designer:
- Ask what other projects they have done and look at pictures.
- Have they done anything similar to what you want?
- Ask about the approximate timeline.
- Get information regarding payment schedules as well.
It is important to communicate your needs and expectations upfront so that you will know if they can meet your needs. Hiring a designer is an important decision; they are the ones who will provide you with a new kitchen layout that you can enjoy for a lifetime, so you have the right to be choosy. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Organization is a key part of a successful life. You make a plan, you know what you need, and how you will accomplish your goals. This strategy requires you to lay everything out so you can be prepared, which is why people love apps that help them stay on track or write it down in an old-fashioned paper planner. An organization can also infiltrate multiple areas of life, such as time management and home layout, meaning it has made its presence known in the design world. More and more designers are seeking ways to integrate organization into their designs, to the extent that a new term has been coined to describe this approach: organizeology. Let’s unpack what organizeology means!
If you are looking to hit the refresh button on your home, color is always a great way to start. From simple accent pieces, such as pillows and rugs, to repainting an entire room, choosing a new color can inspire you and help you regain your focus. The color of the year for 2022 are a wonderful place to start and can guide you down the right path for your home. Come visit our showroom in Uptown Shelby, NC, where you can walk through our 5,000-square-foot space and experience the possibilities for your home.
Lighting is a crucial aspect of interior design; it significantly influences the mood in the home and alleviates eye strain when there is minimal natural light or when it gets dark. More often than not, a home suffers from insufficient lighting instead of overillumination. For seniors, lighting is even more critical, as the muscles in the eye weaken over time and the pupil size decreases, making it harder for light to enter. Better lighting reduces the chance of bumping or falling over an obstacle and lessens the strain on the eyes as you look around. Good lighting also helps create a comfortable and relaxing environment, exactly what you want for your well-deserved retirement. Let’s talk about how you can have the best lighting, what the benefits are, and which lighting choices are best for certain areas in the home.
Color matters. It is a part of how we tell our story, especially within our homes. In the last few years, homeowners have ventured off the traditional path of neutrals, such as white, gray, and beige, to bring in pops of bold hues like red, green, and even blue. As the demand for brighter colors increases, both manufacturers and designers have risen to the occasion by creating and incorporating a more diverse color palette for their clients. Traditional products, such as tile, furniture, flooring, cabinets, and even glass, come in a wider selection of bold colors, which provide homeowners with the opportunity to blend a variety of bold colors and neutral colors together in a stunning final design. Although color is a fun element in the world of interiors, it can be challenging to determine the right amount and the various ways it can be incorporated into the home to create the perfect balance for everyone to enjoy.
Home is a reflection of you, and one of the best ways to do that is through color. Color is more than a collection of tints and shades; it has more impact on our mood than anything else and can influence the look of our home more than we realize. Color psychology has been studied for decades, with recent findings revealing just how powerful color truly is in the home. Size and style can change by simply selecting different colors for your furniture, accent pieces, or wall color. As color plays such a vital role in the atmosphere and presentation of the home, it can feel a little overwhelming or even intimidating to make color choices. We have compiled a list of 15 simple ways you can add color to your home.


Walker Woodworking 
Walker Woodworking
Greenbrook Design
Walker Woodworking

Walker Woodworking