Before You Begin
When utilizing a used kitchen cabinet system, flexibility is the name of the game.
Is your space flexible?
First, ask yourself “how flexible is my space?” If you have a wide open room you can play around with, finding a set and placing that set and island are going to be much easier. If you are updating an old kitchen and using the same footprint, it can definitely be done, it’s just going to take some creativity, and you guessed it, flexibility.
Are you flexible?
Another type of flexibility is personal flexibility. When working with a used kitchen set, you have to be flexible. Often times creative solutions, like open shelving or contrasting cabinetry, will need to come into play to solve a space issue. When you are flexible and open, working with your kitchen set can be much easier.
Sketch out your kitchen on graph paper.
To plan out your kitchen, graph paper can be a helpful and easy tool. To start, make sure you have measured your kitchen’s footprint. Don’t forget to measure twice! Next, find the kitchen set’s measurements located on the product page. Lastly, get your graph paper and pencil ready!
You will be designing your kitchen from a bird’s eye view. Each box will represent 3”. Most cabinets come in 3” increments, so this is an easy way to translate the cabinet measurements to paper. Once you’ve drawn out your kitchen’s footprint, you can start drawing in the cabinets and/or island. A quick example of how to do this is, if you have a base cabinet that is 21” wide, you will draw 8 boxes down by 7 boxes wide for the depth (or whatever the depth of your cabinet set is). As you’re designing, always keep in mind where your water hookup is located, as well as any windows or doorways that may effect the placement.
See your kitchen in 3D! Design programs can also be useful tools when planning your kitchen.
See your kitchen in 3D! Design programs can also be useful tools when planning your kitchen. A design program will allow you to input your kitchen dimensions and place your new kitchen set into that space. This can help you visualize in more realistic quality how the finished product will look. There are links below to free design programs you can utilize. You can also consider using CAD Drawing software or purchasing a design program. Please keep in mind, while they can be a great asset to designing your kitchen, they sometimes can be clunky and difficult to use.
Note: The interior designers listed here are not affiliated with Ben’s Repurposed Cabinetry. We are simply providing information for professionals that have shown an interest in working with our customers.
Interior Architect AAS
Architectural Drafter / Kitchen & Bath Designer
Contact: Pandi Spence
Longmont, CO
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