October 25, 2021

Starting a new kitchen or bath project for your clients can be daunting – where do you even begin the design process? Purchasing cabinetry for your project can seem like a challenging task, but with the proper guidance, this whole experience can be more enjoyable.

Follow these three steps for a simple and streamlined design process:

1. Let’s start by identifying your clients’ design style. Do they like casual/transitional? Think relaxation and refinement, clean lines and flat panels. Mix and match, no rules. Or are your clients more into contemporary and modern finishes? Sleek, smooth, polished? Think slab door styles. Maybe a rustic look is more their style. Think ease, weathered, worn, knots. Or maybe traditional orange, decorative, resplendent is more their thing. Then you’ll be reaching for raised center panels.
2. Once a style is established, explore material options. Remember, no two pieces of wood are identical – all are unique, and that is the beauty of working with wood materials.
3. Color and finish options are the last design elements to consider. Does your client want light, medium or dark stains – or a glaze? Maybe a paint or an acrylic, a pure style or a thermofoil? Maybe a distressed or an heirloom finish.

There is so much to consider when designing your clients’ next project, but remember to spend time with them so they can effectively communicate their vision. Having a strong rapport with your clients is imperative to a successful design process and creating the project of their dreams.

By Shaun Kehler of KCC Toronto Ltd.

Photo credit: LESTOCK3D/Adobe Stock