What Makes a Great Kitchen Designer?
The process of designing, building and installing a bespoke kitchen is no easy feat and that is why homeowners implore the services of professionals like kitchen designers. The million-dollar question is how do you choose the right kitchen designer to work with? This boils down to your little research and gut feelings. Before settling on a kitchen designer, it is important to connect with others to know who is a good fit because design mistakes are not cheaper either. We recommend Space Fitting Furniture in Cardiff. They are an interior design company who specialise in bespoke kitchens.
Choosing the Right Kitchen Designer
Product knowledge
For a kitchen designer to do an excellent job and create the best design for your kitchen, they need to understand the products they are working with. The right products and appliances go a long way in ensuring that a designer will create a great space. Knowledge and skill are very important when choosing the right appliances and products that will be used in your client’s kitchen. Great kitchen designers know where they will source the products from trusted manufacturers who even provide a warranty.
Communication skills
Kitchen designers need to communicate for the following reasons. Firstly, they need to communicate with the client and explain their vision. Secondly, they need to explain their vision to contractors in a different terminology so that the project can be perfectly executed. Communication skills come in handy in case of when adjustments are made or when information needs to be passed to the client or those working on the project. It is only through communication that your job will be done on time and within budget.
Experience
You don’t need to have a degree to become a kitchen designer and people start from somewhere. Experience beats skill and before making a huge financial investment in your home you need to make sure that the designer you choose is well experienced in the field. This includes having several projects under their belt or examples of their works in their portfolio or websites. Having a big company name to their title is a bonus. And this will avoid mistakes in your kitchen.
Testimonials
Ask your friends and family to recommend to you some of the best kitchen designers in the market. However, this should not only be the only factor that will make you inform your decision. Go to the designer’s website and go through the reviews. These will give you an honest opinion of what their previous clients think about their services. Check whether the designer has kept deadlines. How they respond to concerns and if they did a satisfactory job.
Design ability and creativity
Design ability is what differentiates great designers from good designers. A designer’s ability is what separates them from the rest of the competition. Creativity for a kitchen designer is key. Because it enables them to adjust to inconveniences and make necessary adjustments to complete the project. A designer’s ability and creativity are shown in their examples and portfolio. Let them show you their 3-D visuals of designs. You want a designer with a keen eye for detail and practical realities of kitchen life too.
The ability to understand client needs
As the saying goes a client or a customer is never wrong. Therefore as a designer, you should understand what they need and deliver it. A client should be clear of all the aspects of kitchen design they want. A good kitchen designer advises, offers support and guides the client on how they can combine their ideas to come up with a bespoke kitchen that everybody will be happy with. To understand a client’s need you need to ask them the right questions such as their lifestyle, kitchen needs and their cooking style.
Qualifications and credentials
Ensure your kitchen designer is qualified and credible. A qualified and credited kitchen designer will understand plumbing, construction and electrical technologies. Which come in handy in their daily operation. Qualifications give a designer an eye for great design. Which amounts to a great kitchen design for the client. Also, qualifications and credentials make sure that the kitchen designer will adhere to a professional code of conduct.
Final thoughts
A great kitchen designer understands their client’s needs, will be a common face in the project, knows what products they recommend and sell as well as they are experienced. These skills will help you choose the right kitchen designer for your bespoke kitchen.