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Do You Really Need to Hire an Interior Designer for a Kitchen Remodel?
When we bought our current home nearly 13 years ago, I never really liked the kitchen. It was a custom home, it just wasn't our custom home. The kitchen was spacious and had a lot of upgrades, but the cabinets were dark and when the weather is dreary nine months out of the year in the Seattle area, dark is the last thing I wanted! But the home was relatively new, and I had a really hard time coming to terms with ripping out perfectly good materials just to replace them with something different. I spent years trying to come up with alternatives to create a space I would like better {paint the cabinets?, add a cabinet box?, remove the tile?, add new accessories?}, but the discontent was still there. The years passed and I started to get more serious about doing a kitchen remodel. I had a few different eyes on the project and took advantage of free consultations from interior designers, to contractors to kitchen designers with a cabinet company, because I wanted to try to see what my options were. Here is how I ultimately decided to hire an interior designer for our project and I have zero regrets! You might choose a different option, and I'll lay out some thoughts on what might work best for any budget during a home remodel.
Do You Really Need to Hire an Interior Designer for a Kitchen Remodel
The Kitchen Isn't Bad, Why Remodel?
Oftentimes remodeling a kitchen is associated with outdated, dysfunctional spaces in need of a makeover. But there are compelling reasons to consider a remodel even when your kitchen seems perfectly fine.
Lifestyle Changes
Sometimes as our lives change, so do our needs and preferences. Your kitchen may have been designed to fit the needs of a family that no longer lives in the home. Or maybe it was designed to fit a style that's just not your style. Remodeling gives you the opportunity to adapt the space to fit you and your current lifestyle needs. Whether you need extra storage, a bigger eating space, or a more open-concept layout for entertaining, a remodel can totally transform your kitchen into a more functional and enjoyable space for you to live in.
Upgrading
Even if your kitchen is structurally sound, it still might have outdated features that make it less than desirable. Remodeling allows you to replace outdated elements and gives you the change to enhance your kitchen's performance to add value not only for you and your lifestyle, but to your home.
Increasing Your Home's Value
We live in a small neighborhood of custom homes all built around the same time. I have no doubt that after our remodel that if our home was to go on the market at the same time as another home in our neighborhood did, that a well-designed, updated kitchen would significantly increase our home's property value and desirability. Not only is a fresh, inviting kitchen a strong selling point, giving us return on our investment, it will potentially attract more buyers.
But in the meantime, it allows me to be more content in my current home because now our space feels more like me. It fits our family and our lifestyle and it feels like a new home!
Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Hire an Interior Designer for a Kitchen Remodel
1. Experience and Expertise
This is the second home I've owned. In our first home, we did a lipstick update on our kitchen. We had someone paint our cabinets, we installed new granite countertops and up upgraded our appliances. I don't doubt for a second that the updates we made in our kitchen of our first home helped sell that house quickly and over asking price.
All that to say, with only one kitchen remodel under my belt, I'm no expert. I don't have the same experience that an interior designer has or the in-depth knowledge that they do. I don't have a clue what the average spacing of can lights is. And I don't know the normal height that a pendant light should be hung. I don't know the code for how many outlets need to be placed and where and honestly, I don't care! You'll be shocked at the amount of decisions you'll have to make in this process, and it's helpful to have someone's experience and expertise on the matter.Each kitchen remodel is unique, and an interior design can help you create a customized design solution. I met with several designers during the process, and every single one, with the exact same information given to them, came up with very different design ideas for our space.
A good interior designer will consider your lifestyle, your cooking habits, and any special requirements you might have to create a space that will fit your individual needs. They can also help you select the right materials and finishes and recommend appropriate lighting and appliances that will create a cohesive design.
One of the common misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that its an added expense. I thought it was boujee. I did. What finally convinced me was that my husband told me that the designers fee was just a small fraction of the total we were getting ready to invest in a remodel. I also realized that an experienced designer is able to help make the most of your budget by carefully allocating resources and helping you identify cost-saving opportunities. They have access to an extensive network of suppliers and often pass on their savings and discounts to you. They can help negotiate better deals on materials and furnishings and they can help avoid costly mistakes.
Should you Use Your Contractor or Cabinet Manufacturer Instead of an Interior Designer?
I didn't realize there was a difference in all these types of designers until I started working with and consulting with each of them. Your contractor may have a designer on staff. The cabinet manufacturer you use might have a designer to help you with the cabinet layout and design. But ultimately, hiring an interior designer will give you the most benefit because they can still work with the contractors designer and the cabinet designer and be your advocate through the process.
When you take on a kitchen remodel, it's a complex endeavor. It usually involves multiple contractors, suppliers, permits and lots of project management. It can be overwhelming! An interior designer can act as a project manager and help you streamline the whole process. They can also help provide an extra set of expert eyes on design details that may get overlooked and when something goes wrong {something always goes wrong!}, they can help provide out of the box solutions to help minimize your stress!
Our situation is a bit different because we had to fire our contractor 12 weeks into the job. Our designer was the only saving grace that we had during the process. She helped gather a team to help fix the mistakes made and complete the job. I'm not sure what we would have done without her as part of our team. So like I said, it's important to have someone on your side to help advocate.
Hiring a Designer Gives You Access to a Professional Network
Here's the thing we've already established...I'm not an expert in this. In my lifetime, I may remodel one or two homes. This is their job! Interior Designers have an extensive network of professionals, including contractors {wish we would have gone with hers to start out with!}, architects and skilled tradespeople. This network can be invaluable to you during a kitchen or home remodel. They can collaborate to bring your design ideas to life and ensure flawless execution.
Should You Do a Whole Home Remodel When You Start a Kitchen Remodel?
Do you remember that kids books "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"? A remodel is kind of like that. Once you start in the kitchen, the remodel can take on a life of its own. Financially plan on the fact that other parts of your home might be easier to remodel at the same time. For instance, we replaced the flooring in our kitchen, but since we have an open concept home, we planned on replacing all the flooring in the home.
Be open to the idea that there may be other things to remodel in your home once you get started!
Remodeling any space, but especially a kitchen can be a significant investment in both time and money. Hiring an interior designer is a wise decision that can yield remarkable results! Their expertise, creativity and project management are invaluable in creating a kitchen that is not only visually stunning but also highly functional and personalized to your lifestyle. By harnessing their knowledge and experience, you can transform your kitchen into a space that truly reflects your personality and becomes the heart of your home. So what are you waiting on? Take the leap and collaborate with an interior designer!
If you are local to the Seattle area, I would highly recommend our designer. Ashley Stiles from House of Stiles is a gem. Our whole renovation process {even with firing our contractor}, was that much more stress free with her on board!
disclaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Rachel Teodoro. Thank you!
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