Kitchens Require Compromise, Even for Kitchen Designers!

Dining Kitchen

Designing a kitchen requires making tradeoffs between costs, style, layout and function. Each choice will have an effect on the kitchen’s look and how easy it is to work in. For example, a large 48″ range should be on a long wall to look proportional, and to function effectively. This could require the kitchen designer moving a doorway or even closing a window. Customers review 3D CAD drawings with kitchen designers to evaluate how any choice they make effects their design. After seeing all of their options it is unusual for everyone in a family to agree, and so compromise becomes necessary.

white kitchen with dark island. The compromise in this kitchen was the placement of the refrigerator.

When customers have trouble making the compromises needed to create a kitchen that everyone can be happy with, I often tell them a story about my own kitchen.

Below is a photo of my simple but well-designed kitchen.

Natural wood with light granite counter top kitchen design

Here is the story:

After my wife Julie and I renovated our kitchen in 2015 we had a holiday party. One of our friends who has known Julie since college and who’s kitchen I designed was there. She complimented me on our kitchen saying “I love your kitchen. Is maple your favorite kind of wood?” I replied that I liked maple, but alder, cherry, or a painted finish might have been my first choice.

She smiled and prodded a little “Julie liked maple?”… and I know you don’t like microwaves over the range, Julie wanted that too?”

I answered that I wanted a microwave drawer. But that Julie preferred extra pots and pans drawers instead. I explained that as long as a kitchen is well designed, I am happy. Everyone has to make compromises when designing a kitchen.

Just then Julie entered the room. Her good friend said to her “If I was married to a famous kitchen designer I would do exactly what he recommended!”

My wife who is privy to a great deal of what goes on in my business thought for a moment “Well…” she said pointedly, “my husband was YOUR kitchen designer and I KNOW you didn’t do half of what he recommended!”

Trying to mediate I reminded both women that kitchens are all about compromise and that no customer chooses to follow all my recommendations.

Thankfully this diffused the situation. The three of us moved on and discussed our new kitchen’s artwork. In particular a print by artist Mike Geno. Mike specializes in drawing cheeses.