Cabinets

Buying Cabinets – What to Expect

Most people only remodel a kitchen once or maybe twice in their entire life. Often, it is a project that people wait to do until retirement so they can have their dream kitchen for the rest of their lives. That being said, it can be an intimidating project because anything new and different is a little scary, especially if it costs a significant amount of money. However, going into the process prepared and finding friendly sales representatives can prevent it from becoming a stressful situation. Buying cabinets can actually be fun!

Be Prepared

Before you go to the showroom to pick out a new kitchen there are some steps you can take to be as ready as possible. This will help you get exactly what you want and avoid any hassle.

Bring Pictures – If you can bring pictures of your current kitchen with you, either printed out or just on your phone or digital camera, this is a great help. The kitchen designer will be able to visualize what your current kitchen space looks and feels like.

Take Measurements – Even though someone from the design or installation team might come out to take precise measurements, it is a very good idea to bring in the dimensions of your kitchen so that you can get an initial estimate.

Find Samples or Magazine Clippings – Look around online or inside in-home magazines to see what you like. With a few ideas it should be easier to figure out exactly what you can get that will fit your budget.

Get Color Samples – If you are remodeling the entire room, bring samples of the flooring, paint, and countertops that you are considering. Matching the cabinets to these other critical components of the room will be much easier if you can put all the samples together to compare at the same time.

Look Inside Current Cabinets – Consider what you keep inside your current kitchen, and then as you are designing the new cabinets you can think about where you will put all of your utensils, dishes, pots, and pans. Knowing where everything will go before you even buy the cabinets will ensure that your new kitchen fits your needs exactly.

Likes and Dislikes – Make a list of things about your current kitchen that you like or dislike. For example, if you don’t have enough drawer space for all of your hand towels, write that down. This is a problem you will want to address when you are designing your new space.

Other Kitchens – Look at kitchens in your friends’ or families’ houses. This is a good way to add to your list of likes and dislikes. That goes for design as well as function.

These small steps will get you excited about buying cabinets, because you will start thinking about how wonderful the room could be. There is a lot of potential for happiness in a nice new kitchen, and following these tips will help you and your kitchen designer create your dream kitchen.