I don’t know if you’re like me when it comes to choosing the perfect kitchen design. With so many choices of countertop and cabinet surfaces to choose from, I secretly wish Ty Pennington and his Extreme Makeover Home Edition Crew were here with me to make all the decisions.
Do I go for something stylish? Durable? Easy to take care of? Do I go for a contemporary design? Do the designs accommodate my appliances and lifestyle of loving to cook?
Certified kitchen designers, like Tracy Johnston Caruso of Robert Johnston Kitchen & Bath of Canonsburg, PA, are out there to help us make sense of the infinite options. Tracy says, “Consumers do not compare apples to apples. When shopping for a new kitchen, they need to understand that cost differences from one store to another usually means quality differences.”
Caruso notes something else customers don’t always think about: the time involved in remodeling. It can take several weeks or months to remodel a kitchen depending upon what needs to be done. “Sometimes customers aren’t open-minded to our design expertise”, adds Caruso, “They aren’t always willing to have both of their decision makers available.” Being unrealistic on budgeting can often lead to further delays in the remodeling process.
Tracy tries to educate her clients on kitchen remodeling and includes them in every step of the decision making process. She starts with a survey to assess her clients’ needs. She recommends this 6-part assessment.
How To Select the Right Kitchen Design:
- Why do you want to re-do the kitchen?
- What are the goals of the new design?
- What are the appliance requests?
- One oven or two?
- One sink or two?
- Do you need a family message area with a place for recharging the family’s cell phones, i-pods, laptops, etc.?
Having grown up in the family business that her father started in 1963, she is quite familiar with the many factors that are involved in a kitchen remodeling project. She notes that as a small child she was exposed to the latest materials and the various types of kitchen projects. Her father opened their current show room in 1985, and today Tracy still works in that exact showroom along with her brothers.
Most recently, Tracy was awarded a contract to renovate the historic home in which her client was born and raised. The challenge was to completely remodel the house, blending old world style with modern conveniences and yet retain the historical characteristics of the house. Only products available in the early 1900s were to be used.
Tracy highly recommends that all customers who are getting ready to start their remodeling project first do their research by visiting the National Kitchen and Bath Association web site. This site contains information on the differences between using a big home center such as Home Depot versus a small kitchen dealer in terms of involvement in the decision-making process, scheduling, doing the actual kitchen remodel as a do-it-yourselfer.
