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The height of the backsplash, the space between the countertop and the bottom of the wall cabinets, is often left as an afterthought by many kitchen designers and homeowners. It’s rare in my experience that the client expresses an opinion about the backsplash height. However, If the height of the backsplash is not considered carefully, comfort and function could very well be at risk and affect one’s lifestyle in the kitchen – for a very long time.
Below, a backsplash height calculated for a variety of issues: a concealed microwave, height of the client, function and display.
Just this morning, I received a question from a fellow kitchen designer. I wrote back an answer and realized that the answer was good information for a blog post.
Hi Susan,
In discussions with my design team I am questioning the distance between the counter top and the bottom of the wall cabinets. Two of my designers, who have over 75 + years of experience feel strongly that “custom design” should be a distance of 15” to maybe 16.5”
I, on the other hand , being 6’3” tall feel that anything less than 18” (or with a [...]
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 I’ve been offering kitchen design consulting services informally and have not devoted a special page on my blog to this service until now.
I am very pleased to formally introduce the One Hour Phone Consultation!
Call me about…well, anything related to your kitchen design project that is just not sitting right with you and for which you need a first OR a second opinion.
I am happy to provide this kitchen design consulting service which can be invaluable to those who otherwise are at a loss as to what decision to make, be it in regard to products, design issues, style issues, or so many other issues that come up in the lengthy course of the kitchen remodeling process.
I’m here for you!
When you do a kitchen once, maybe twice, I feel it is, in fact, a smart and responsible decision to seek advice from a professional…advice which can enhance your lifestyle in the kitchen, your enjoyment of your kitchen in an aesthetic or functional way, and provide “access” to a high end kitchen designer for a reasonable cost in the context of an overall kitchen budget.
Please call on me to work through [...]
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Tip of the Day: When ordering appliances, carefully check the specs
 Carpenters live by the adage, Measure twice. Cut once. The same advice can apply to ordering appliances and equipment for a kitchen remodel, says one New Jersey homeowner who recently undertook a top-to-bottom makeover of the 300-square-foot kitchen at her 1960s Cape Cod house.
Because Helaine W.’s new kitchen includes a bank of windows on the exterior wall, the plans called for an island vent hood—a wall-mounted hood with through-the-wall venting wouldn’t fit the design. What’s more, the hood had to be 24 inches deep or less so it wouldn’t overhang the counter.
To find the right-size hood, Helaine, her kitchen designer, and a salesperson from a local appliance store searched the Web sites of several major manufacturers and found the Franke FDF 367 1XS 36-inch-wide island hood. The Franke site indicated a depth of a little more than 19 inches, ideal for the application. An order was placed for the unit.
When the hood arrived four weeks later, the contractor notified Helaine that the Franke [...]
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Your budget will normally dictate your choice of products but there are other considerations you need to take into account when working out how much your new kitchen is going to cost.
Prices vary quite a lot, so the figures given below are just a guideline and, as always, shopping around is the best bet.
But work out roughly how much money you want to spend and use this figure when talking to designers and contractors.
Below are some guidelines for establishing a realistic budget.
Budget Guidelines
First of all, if you limit your spending to 15% of your home’s value you should recoup 90% of the costs when you sell. Try to keep your investment relative to your homes worth, but at the same time make it worth your while by spending on the items that you really want.
Second, figure your product costs to be 1/2 to 2/3 of the total remodel. Choose your appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring and all other fixtures first. The remaining money will go towards installation and design.
Third, if you become overwhelmed with selection choices hire a design consultant to help you. A designer can save you money [...]
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