Kitchens Designed

by

Ray Carlton

What's a 'FAQ' anyway?

FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. Many websites have FAQ pages so their users may look up answers to common questions. If you have any questions not answered here, please call or email me. I will be happy to answer any questions you have concerning kitchen, bath or other room design. If I don't have the answer, I'll look it up. If I cant find the answer, I'll make something up (not really). Beside my own experience, and the internet, I have access to experts in every aspect of home remodeling and design. If you have an interesting question, I may add it to the FAQ.

Why do I need a designer for my kitchen or bath project?

Kitchens and baths are the most expensive rooms in your house to remodel--hands down. You may have everything thought out. You have researched cabinets and appliances and counter tops. You have referrals from family and friends on contractors and suppliers. You have made some drawings on graph paper or on a simple CAD program. You may have visited a home-improvement center, and received drawings from them. Bottom line, you know what you want. Now you need to put it all together. Many cabinet companies offer 'free design', as do the home centers. The problem with 'free' is usually you get what you pay for. Sure the cabinet shop can draw up your cabinets. Their drawings will show appliance locations. So far so good. What they wont show is the specific location for the gas line for that new Viking cook top or range--or even what size the supply must be. They wont show the locations for electrical supplies or amperages needed for each appliance. Oh and then there's lighting. Want under cabinet lights? What kind? Do you want fluorescent, halogen, rope, xenon? What about LEDs? Different lights have different power requirements. They need to be switched too. You also need to configure your general lighting. Recessed can lights? How many? Should I use fluorescent? Do I have to? You don't want darks areas, but lights placed too close to cabinets will make shadows or halos. Do you want to change a window, move a wall, move a sink or range from a wall to an island location? A good designer can answer all of these questions.

OK that makes sense, but what if I'm not doing a whole remodel? What if I just want to replace my cabinets and counters and upgrade appliances? Do I still need a designer?

Maybe you don't. If all you are doing is replacing what you have with new, you may not need a designer. Notice I used the word 'may'.  You may like the current layout of your kitchen, and merely want to replace it with new, but it wouldn't hurt to have an experienced eye look over your plans to make sure you aren't missing something. Maybe there is a better layout, or a better use of the existing space. If your kitchen is more than twenty years old, it might not have the proper electrical requirements for today's appliances. Could your lighting use an upgrade too? Even in a simple change out, there are so many things to consider.

My friend is an interior decorator. She said she could help us design our new kitchen. She charges less than half of what you charge.

Well...if you want half a kitchen...But seriously, interior decorators are not generally experienced or educated in kitchen design. Their specialty is coordination. They coordinate colors and textures to compliment the style of your home. I specialize in the nuts and bolts of putting together a kitchen, bath or home office that works--and more importantly--works for you and your lifestyle.

Well, what about an interior designer then?

You're getting warmer! Unfortunately, just like interior decorator, anyone can call themselves an interior designer. So before hiring one, you might want to make sure they have some credentials. Only designers who have passed the requirements of the California Council for Interior Design Certification can call themselves Certified Interior Designers. They have a guide for consumers on hiring interior designers: http://www.ccidc.org/pdf/interior-designer-consumer-guide.pdf. You can also look for designers who are members or allied with a design organization such as American Society of Interior Designers. Interior designers run the gamut. Some have extensive education and experience--some have little to none. Most interior designers specialize in space planning with an eye toward an overall design scheme. The better ones will take a project through from design to completion. If you want to use an interior designer for you kitchen design, make sure they specialize in it. I have worked with some of the best designers in San Diego, and even they usually need help with small details that are often overlooked, but expensive to fix later. Not to mention, a top-notch designer will cost you as much if not significantly more that I charge for their services.

Home centers?

I thought we covered this earlier. Home center kitchen 'specialists' generally attend a two week design class, and some continuing education courses to become 'certified'. They put together stock cabinetry to 'design' your new kitchen. They have no clue to structural, electrical or plumbing issues. Their job is to sell cabinets, appliances and counter tops. Check sites like complaint.com for some home center horror stories. The 'designer' who screws up your new kitchen order today, may not be there tomorrow.

Ok, Ok you've convinced me. I need a designer, but why do I need Ray Carlton?

Ok, now it's getting personal. I have been working in the kitchen industry for over thirty years. First (and still) as a custom cabinetmaker, and later as a consultant and designer. I have worked on well over a thousand kitchen, bath, home office, entertainment, commercial and industrial projects in that time. I am also hands on. I have fully remodeled six homes for myself and my family. We did all the work ourselves including construction, plumbing, electrical, flooring and more. In addition to my experience, I have taken design classes through the National Kitchen and Bath Association, I read tons of books and periodicals on design, I frequently visit appliance showrooms, talk to manufacturers' reps and meet with others in this industry. I am down to earth and not the least bit pretentious. I don't know it all, but I can find the answer to almost anything. I want to work with you, so you can have the room of your dreams--not mine.

Well...I've seen you, and you sure don't look like a designer.

Hey, this is a FAQ. You know, Frequently Asked Questions. That's not a question.

Ok, Ok, so I've seen lots of TV shows and the designers are very, ah, how should I say, flamboyant? Why aren't you like that?

Well...not that there's anything wrong with that..., but it's true, I'm not very flamboyant. I often go to meetings with clients, and I can tell they're just waiting for me to tell them something, but that's not how I work. Before I tell you anything, I want to hear what you have to say. This is your project. I'm just here to help you make sense of all the details. After I listen to you, I can better work with you. You really do know what you want. You just need someone to put it all together.

Do you do green?

Yes. I can specify green and/or sustainable products for your project. Some of these materials may add significant cost to your project, but many are close in cost to their less than green cousins. The Forest Stewardship Council www.fscus.org/ certifies lumber products. Rev-a--Shelf has a line of cabinet accessories made from Bamboo www.rev-a-shelf.com/. Green cabinet finishes are certified by GreenGuard www.greenguard.org/. By purchasing wood cabinets, you are already going green. Also, starting in 2009, all wood products made or sold in California will have greatly reduced formaldehyde levels www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/factsheet.pdf.

Is that it? I still have questions.

Feel free to email me info@designsbyrc.com or give me a call 619-328-6291. If I like your question, I'll post it here.

Last modified: 05/19/06