A new kitchen starts with a picture in your head. The family gathered around the island, friends at the bench on a Saturday night, a pantry where everything has its place. A showroom appointment is where that picture starts to take shape. You can see colours and materials up close, run your hand along a benchtop and open the drawers you will use every day.
A little preparation makes that appointment far more useful. Kitchen Craftsmen welcomes thousands of Perth homeowners to our showrooms. The people who arrive prepared leave with clearer ideas and a faster path to their design. These five tips will help you get the most from your time with our designers.
Measure your kitchen
Kitchens come down to millimetres, so start with the practical details. Measure each wall and note where your windows, doors, power points and plumbing sit. Include the height of each window from the floor, because it affects benchtop and splashback heights. Note where the water supply runs for your sink and dishwasher.
Photos help too. Take a few shots of the whole room from each corner, plus close ups of anything you are unsure about. If you are building, bring your new home plans instead.
Our home measure guide walks you through it step by step. Once you are ready to go ahead, a Kitchen Craftsmen designer will measure your home for free to confirm every detail.
Set a Budget
A quality kitchen adds real value to your home, so set a budget early. Spend too much and you risk overcapitalising. Spend too little and the kitchen can hold back the value of the rest of the house.
Our Perth kitchen renovation pricing guide covers layouts, cabinetry finishes and stone options priced by kitchen size. It gives you a realistic starting point before your appointment. Bring your number with you and our designers will show you where to spend and where to save. Up to 12 months interest free is also available.
Collect inspiration to bring along
This is the fun part. Save photos of kitchens you love from Instagram, Pinterest, Houzz and interior magazines. Pull them into a mood board or a folder on your phone. Note the colours, door styles and benchtops that keep catching your eye, along with anything you dislike. Ask friends and family which features they could never give up in their own kitchens.
You do not need a finished vision. A handful of images tells a designer more about your style than a long description. Our kitchen gallery and our guide to finding kitchen design inspiration are a good place to start.
Ask the right questions
A showroom appointment is your chance to learn how a company works, not just what its kitchens look like. Ask about the materials behind each finish and how they compare on durability, care and price. Benchtops are a good place to start, since stone and laminate perform very differently. Ask to see samples side by side.
Look closely at the kitchen cabinets and ask what warranties cover the cabinetry, hardware and benchtops. Ask how the design process works and how long it takes from final design to installation. A reputable company will give you a clear timeline and stick to it. Our what to expect page sets out each stage of a Kitchen Craftsmen renovation.
Get hands-on in the showroom
Display kitchens let you test the things you will use every day. Run your hand across different benchtops to compare smooth and textured finishes. Think about how each one will clean. Open the doors and drawers to check that the runners glide and the hinges close quietly. Pull out the corner storage and pantry systems to see how they work.
The more you use each display, the more confident your choices will be when it comes time to finalise your design.
Find your nearest showroom
Each of our five showrooms has its own range of display kitchens, so the finishes on show vary from one location to the next. If you have a particular material or colour in mind, mention it when you book and our team will tell you where to see it.
Book your free design and quote
There is a lot to think about when you plan a new kitchen. The right team makes it simple. Book a free design and quote at your nearest Kitchen Craftsmen showroom and our designers will help you turn your ideas into a kitchen built for your home.