Ultimate Up North Kitchen Designers Share Tips for Designing Your Dream Kitchen

We asked the professional kitchen designers from our 2009 Ultimate Up North Kitchen Tour to give you their best advice for kitchen designs that work for modern families and look good too. Here it is straight from the pros:

“Be sure to get your Kitchen Designer involved right from the beginning.  Sometimes a few inches on a window center or mechanical placement can be crucial in the overall space planning.  It will also save cost, by eliminating custom sizing your cabinets to fit the pre-existing conditions.  Function First.” –Angela Goodall, Kitchen Choreography, Traverse City, MI

  “We like to add in extra gadgets into our designs for the client’s convenience.  A majority of clients don’t think about where their spices will be located, or where their waste bin is most convenient, etc. Often clients are interested in the look and not the function.  A good designer makes sure the function is key with each design, putting the spice racks next to the cooking space and the pull-out waste bin in close proximity to the clean-up area.” -Pamela Schindlbeck, Pamela’s Interiors, Design & Construction, Inc., Manistee, MI

 “You absolutely should feel comfortable with the design, layout and flow of the kitchen and how that works with the home. Once you can “tap into” the essence of what makes that work in the given space, you have all the tools to make that kitchen perform for you as it should." –Kristen Bauer Frye, Williams Kitchen and Bath, Pellston, MI

 “Form follows function in good design so it is important not to compromise on the function of your kitchen.  This area is the “work horse” of the home so good planning is critical and is the foundation of a great project!” –Caroline Kimble, CKD, ASID, Pumco Interiors, Petoskey, MI

"Streamlined appliances integrated into the cabinetry are key to making kitchens beautiful and convenient. Drawers function as refrigerators, dishwashers, and freezers. Wine coolers, once considered extravagant, have become the must-have. Built-in computerized coffee makers are ready and able to brew a single cup. In fact, choosing appliances and their locations is a crucial early step in kitchen planning.” –Liz Firebaugh, CKD, Signature Kitchens, Petoskey, MI

“Remember kitchen cabinets aren’t just for kitchens.  They can be used in offices, bedrooms, closets, laundry areas, entertainment/TV centers, garages, wherever your imagination takes you.  Let a design professional show you how.” –Kathy McCreight, CKD, Classic Cabinets & Interiors, Petoskey, MI

You’ll also find valuable information on the websites of our sponsors:

Wooden Hammer LTD

Fustini’s Oils & Vinegars

Amway Legacy of Clean

Cherryland CutStone Marble Company

TileCraft Inc.