You Don’t Need to Have Everything Figured Out

Planning your first kitchen design appointment? You do not need a finished plan or a long list of homework before you meet with us.

A few basic details can help your designer understand your space and make that first conversation more productive.

WHAT HELPS US GET STARTED

Three things are especially helpful for your first conversation:

Photos of your current kitchen
Rough measurements or a simple sketch
A sense of what you want to improve in your kitchen

That’s enough to get started.

If you already have appliance information, inspiration pictures, plans, or other project details, bring those too. They can be helpful, but they are not required before meeting with a designer.

1. Photos of Your Current Kitchen

Photos help your designer understand the room as it exists today and spot details that can be difficult to explain from memory.

Take a few pictures that show:

Each wall of the kitchen
Windows and doors
Current appliance locations
Cabinets and countertops
Areas you especially want to change

Don’t worry about making your kitchen look perfect first. Seeing the space as you actually use it, including what frustrates you, helps your designer understand what needs to change.

2. Rough Measurements or a Simple Sketch

Your measurements do not need to be perfect. They just need to give your designer a starting point.

What helps your designer most: Rough wall lengths, window and door locations, appliance locations, and ceiling height. That’s enough to begin understanding the space.

A simple hand-drawn sketch is completely fine.

Need help measuring? Use our step-by-step How to Measure Your Kitchen guide →

These are only starting measurements. A Von Tobel employee will confirm the final measurements before your cabinet design is finalized.

3. Your Wants and Needs

You do not need to design the solution yourself. Just think about what you want your new kitchen to do better.

NEEDS

These are the things your new kitchen really needs to accomplish.

More organized storage
Better traffic flow
More countertop space
Easier access to everyday items
More drawers instead of doors in the lower cabinets
Room for more than one person to cook

WANTS

These are features you would love to include if the space and budget allow.

A particular cabinet style or finish
Specialty storage features
A beverage or coffee area
Decorative details that personalize the kitchen

Separating your wants from your needs helps your designer understand what matters most when choices or trade-offs come up.

You may want to keep the current layout—or be completely open to changing it. Either is fine.

Your designer can help determine whether a different layout could better solve the problems you are experiencing.

Helpful to Bring, But Not Required

These details can make the conversation more productive, but you do not need to gather them before scheduling an appointment.

APPLIANCE INFORMATION

If you have selected appliances, bring model numbers or specification sheets.

INSPIRATION PICTURES

Bring examples of kitchens, colors, or details you like. Inspiration is a starting point—not a blueprint.

EXISTING PLANS OR DRAWINGS

Bring any floor plans, builder drawings, or previous kitchen plans you already have.

CONTRACTOR INFORMATION

If you already have a contractor—or are talking with one—let your designer know.

AN IMPORTANT DATE

Mention any move-in date, holiday, or other milestone that matters to you.

OTHER DECISION-MAKERS

If someone else will be making major kitchen decisions with you, having them join the first conversation is very helpful.

Still looking for a contractor? Von Tobel does not install kitchen cabinets, but we can provide contact information for local contractors.

What About Budget?

You do not need a perfectly defined investment amount. A general idea of what you are comfortable investing gives your designer useful direction.

Not sure what is realistic yet? That is part of the conversation. Your designer can help you understand which choices have the greatest effect on pricing.

Learn more in Why Kitchen and Bath Pricing Depends on Your Space.

You Don’t Need to Have Everything Figured Out

You don’t.

Bring what you know, what you like, and what you are trying to solve.

Your designer will help you with the rest.

What Happens Next?

FROM PREPARATION TO PLANNING

Your first design appointment is a conversation. Your designer will review what you bring, ask questions, and begin building a plan around your space and priorities.

Want to know what happens after that first meeting? See The Kitchen Design Process at Von Tobel →

OUR DESIGNERS ARE HERE TO HELP