Designing kitchen cabinetry for your home will take some careful planning. Our design specialists will help you with this important step. The designer will assist you with the selection process, help you find the best alternatives, estimate the cost for selected alternatives and provide a timetable for project completion. Throughout the design process, you will have expert advice from an experienced designer.

Here are a few things the designer can help you with:

• Do I have room for an island?
  
• Can I place a sink under the window?
  
• Measurements.
  
• Will the structure of my home need to be reinforced?
  
• Potential obstacles
  
• How to deal with the things you didn't budget for.

Design considerations:

Magnificent mouldings. Bring out architectural features by topping cabinetry with mouldings to vary heights and create a more refined look.

Decorative glass. Break up the monotony of solid wood with glass-front doors. It adds a touch of translucency, and puts beautiful stemware and valuable china in the spotlight.

Ceiling-high cabinets. For a look of floor-to-ceiling grandeur, forgo 30-inch or 36-inch cabinets and choose ceiling-high cabinets to draw eyes upward, while creating additional storage.

“Invisible” appliances. A growing trend in cabinetry is to hide appliances behind fitted wood panels. To achieve this look without having to purchase custom appliances, install pre-cut appliance panels on the refrigerator, dishwasher and other appliance doors.

Custom-look stove hoods. Install a beautiful wooden stove hood to match the kitchen cabinetry and create a focal point for the room.

Handsome hardware. It’s the little details that can give a kitchen a custom feel. Upgrade cabinet hardware from basic wood or brass knobs to a more intricate bronze, nickel or pewter style.

Accent the positive. Save expensive surfacing like granite for the center island, where durability is critical, and use more affordable options like laminate on the rest of the kitchen countertops. It’s okay to mix finishes and materials as long as the colors coordinate.

Furniture-like looks. A hot new look in kitchen cabinetry is furniture-like design. Create this look by embellishing cabinets with tapered legs, a rich finish or decorative split turnings to blend with furnishings.

Transition beyond the kitchen. Extend the furniture look with pieces that look like custom furniture but are actually optional built-in upgrades to the home. Consider modular entertainment centers, hutches, wet bars and desks to extend the look of the kitchen into other areas of the home, such as the family room.

Personalize with paint. Don’t be afraid of color. A trendy paint color is an inexpensive way to add spice and warmth to kitchens or family rooms. Complete the look with coordinating accessories.