So many options....how do you choose?

[grey56]

We are doing a full kitchen remodel this summer.  First "interview" with a contractor was last night.  He was asking all sorts of questions...that I didn't know the answer to!  There are so many things to consider, I am getting overwhelmed. 

How do you organize your thoughts and figure out what you want?  What is your process?  I don't want to second guess any decisions, but I also don't want to feel forced to make a quick decision that I might end up hating.  I'm a planner (can you tell?). 

Like, do you just KNOW if you want a kitchen island or not?  Cabinet color?  Cabinet door style?  Etc. 

He asked about window size.  I said, "um......"

Thanks!

[demandypants]

I think I would expect to tell them the things I was set on wanting or needing and then asking them how they would lay it out. I am not sure if our kitchen is wide enough for an island. But I am open to having one. I need enough cabinet space, enough counter space because I will use it all. medium wood cabinets, modern/flat doors. and see what they come up with. (I can't wait until we have the funds to do the big kitchen remodel!)

[kitty]

Maybe you should be looking for a design/build kind of person vs a regular contractor? Then an architect or designer would be helping to make these decisions and making drawings for you to envision how the space will work.

Honestly, when we had to rebuild part of our house after Hurricane Irene, we used some of the insurance money to hire an architect and it was some of the best money I ever spent. He had so many good ideas on how to lay out and utilize the space that I would have never come up with. That part of our house is a million times better than it was before!

[pitterwoo]

yeah it sounds like you could use a designer to help you. No one just knows, even if they have strong opinions and style. You either spend a lot of time looking and pictures and measuring and visualizing and playing with floorplans or you hire someone to work that stuff out and you will still have to do quite a bit to narrow down what you want even then. There are a lot of really big decisions to make and it is overwhelming sometimes!

Since we're gutting the kitchen and not saving anything, I've got measurements and marks all over the walls right now. It looks like how they draw on people before plastic surgery.