Kitchen design is usually complimentary, so why hire a designer?
It’s common knowledge that every kitchen retailer offers a complimentary design service. A kitchen is a big purchase: once in a lifetime for many. So, the design process entices and engages as it’s essentially the sales process.
Whether you book in with a high-end retailer, walk down the high street or go to a builders merchant, you will be offered a ‘free’ kitchen design. So why on earth would you hire a kitchen designer? This article outlines the pros and cons of choosing to go design-only.
Why choose to go design-only with your kitchen?
Dreamy design
There is a big difference between a kitchen designed with a cookie-cutter product sale in mind from a provider versus a bespoke designed kitchen. The former will likely have as many furniture items possible as these increase the price and commission, while the latter is solely designed around you, your requirements and your vision. That means its suitability to you will be second to none and you have peace of mind that there’s no brand bias involved.
Bang on the budget
Ultimately it’s the specification that controls the price of a kitchen: the higher the spec, the higher the price. But when working with an experienced kitchen designer, they can design with your budget in mind and won’t try to upsell at every opportunity: they’re there to help you achieve your dream space at your price point. They can also specify efficiently, which often leads to savings in the long run.
A world of choice
Once you’re all set with your perfect design (and a suitable dose of the wow-factor!), you can then shop for your new kitchen. By shopping around for products with your specification list, you’ll be better prepared than if you didn’t already have your design completed so that you can drown out a lot of the sales noise. As long as you invest in a great kitchen fitter, the end result will be exactly as you envisaged.
Super sustainable
Sometimes a brand-new kitchen is unnecessary. At PAD, we often help clients design their new kitchen around what they already have and less is definitely more in this case. Redesigning an existing kitchen helps to reduce waste and curve the unnecessary cost of an all-new space. We work with existing kitchen items, often starting with cabinetry, and then design the layout and any new additions to accentuate the vision for the space. This helps your wallet and the planet!
Are there any negatives to going design-only?
Upfront cost
Although overall it won’t cost you any more, you will need to invest upfront when choosing to design your kitchen. This is the trade-off for having your interests at the forefront and choosing to follow the path towards your ideal space.
Provider research
Design-only is not the established or traditional way to go about getting a kitchen, so understandably it can feel overwhelming to sift through providers to find those who have your spec. Once you’ve established what you want as your deliverables, you will have a complete picture of your spec, which helps you shop around. Plus, a specialist designer worth their salt will have recommended provider insights too.
Time-consuming
Design-only is not an end-to-end service, which means that you will spend some of your own time coordinating your kitchen choice and fit elements once the design is complete. You’ll need to decide whether your ideal kitchen is worth investing your time into.
Is design-only for everyone?
Absolutely not. There is no reason this approach couldn’t apply to all scenarios, timelines and budgets. But the reality is, in an industry full of ‘free’, the standard kitchen process works better for a sizeable proportion of those in the market for a new kitchen.
Is design-only for you?
Design-only does genuinely work for a significant number of people. Although it sounds fancy, the reality is it’s just another service built around a budget. That means it suits everyone, from luxury homeowners looking for a bespoke and beautiful kitchen to intelligent people on a budget wanting to make the most of their space and money.
To give you an idea of who design only is suited to (but not limited to), PAD’s typical clients include:
● People who like to be in control of their home’s aesthetic
● Mid-high end projects where clients don’t want to be sold to
● Those on a budget who are already ordering their own appliances and the builder is fitting
● Clients looking to redesign an existing kitchen on a budget
● Planet-conscious individuals who want to reduce waste by reusing an existing kitchen
So, is a design-only kitchen for you? Only you can decide, but we hope this article has helped you in your research and you’re one step closer to achieving your dream kitchen.
Do you have questions about design-only kitchens? Do drop us a line; we’d be glad to help you navigate these uncharted waters.