Perhaps your kitchen needs a refreshing facelift to finally bring it into the 21st century after all these years. Or maybe you’re building a new home and you need to let your contractor know your floor plan decisions. However you arrived at your decision, there are several things you can do prepare to choose new cabinets. Taking the time to gather measurements, find examples of rooms you like, and collect samples of materials you’re using can greatly improve your shopping experience.

Getting Ready to Choose New Cabinets

Some of our clients know exactly what they want before they even step foot in our showroom. They have looked into manufacturers, laid out various floor plans, selected their appliances and simply want to place an order. And that’s great, we can take your requests and get your order started right away.

More often though, people walk in to our showroom looking like the proverbial deer in headlights: fear in their eyes, unsure of which way to turn, ready to bolt at any second. To avoid this uncomfortable situation, here are some pointers that will leave you confident and well informed:

Take Your Measurements

One of the most helpful things you can do is bring in measurements when you are ready to choose new cabinets. Sketch out the overall layout of your room, noting the locations of plumbing and electrical fixtures, the sizes of appliances, and the arrangement of your current cabinets. Your measurements should also include the size and placement of windows and doorways and the direction that they open.

Don’t worry about getting super-accurate measurements down to the tiniest fraction of an inch. Get the basics and snap a few pictures from different angles to capture all of the features. When the time is right, we will come out to your home to take final measurements for ordering to ensure the cabinets will fit and function as intended.

If you’re building a new home, the best course of action is to bring in your floor plans or other documents that show the layout of your room. Even if you don’t yet have these documents, we can still help. We have worked in many of the neighborhoods in the Pensacola area, and are familiar enough with many of the floor plans and builders that we can get a reasonably accurate quote together.

Cabinet Depot Pro Tip: Come to Us First!

By discussing the particulars of what you want and how you will use your room we can help to identify any issues in your floor plan selections before construction starts. Our experienced designers can point out traffic and usability issues that can help you make the right choices with your builder. Making those changes before construction begins will save a substantial amount of time and money.

Check Out Houzz

Many websites claim to be the ultimate one-stop shop for home decorating information; Houzz is the real deal. Filled with smart articles and comprehensive case studies, Houzz allows you to create a free account and gather links to websites, photos of products, and advice from professional interior designers. Unlike other project planning websites, Houzz is focused exclusively on home design. No more getting distracted with vintage cupcake recipes and cute pet costumes!

Houzz allows users to get as involved as they want. You can research and organize every aspect of your project, or simply browse a few articles and see what others have posted. But be warned: Houzz is such a great resource, you may find your self unable to look away. We know people who started by looking up choices for new cabinet pulls and walked away hours later with a complete plan for a retirement bungalow in the Bahamas. Just saying.

Gather Samples

While we can work from photographs and verbal descriptions of colors, there is nothing like having your actual flooring, fabrics and paint samples when you choose new cabinets. If you are working with a contractor to lay new floors or paint your walls, ask them to provide you with a scrap of your flooring or a piece of drywall painted with your chosen color.

If you are buying new appliances, let us know the make and model of all the pieces. We can make sure everything will fit and that finishes blend to provide exactly the look you want.

Speak to a Professional

Now that you are sufficiently armed with the details, you are ready to start talking specifics. Our cabinet specialists can take your information and design a solution that will serve you for years to come. Know that at Cabinet Depot, we stand behind our people and our products. Come by our showroom at 4109 N Davis Highway in Pensacola and speak to a member of our talented team. We never charge for measurements or designs, and we always have good coffee.