The Search for Kitchen Ideas and Inspiration
Translating a homeowner’s vision into reality is the ultimate goal of every kitchen designer, whether they’re located on the coasts or right here in Central PA! The more data points (photos, drawings, articles, examples) that you share with the designer, the deeper their understanding of the kitchen you’ve been dreaming of.
Finding and Saving Great Ideas for Your Kitchen
Not so long ago it was common to have a new client carry in a folder brimming with tear sheets from Architectural Digest, Metropolitan Home and Harrisburg Magazine. These and other go-to publications were bubbling fountains of new ideas. Today, as often as not, new clients will open up their iPad and show me Houzz, Pinterest or Susquehanna Style! While the tools may have changed, the importance of sharing samples of what you like and don’t like is still an important part of the design process. Here are some online venues where I’ve found great ideas:
- Pinterest (A lot of DIY, but still my favorite place)
- Houzz (Eye candy from design professionals, architects, builders)
- HGTV (Some great style boards)
- This Old House (More diversity than you might guess)
- Apartment Therapy (Small space must-see)
- Consumer Reports (Their home improvement buying guide)
Kitchen Cabinetry and Fixture Showrooms
While images online are the most convenient source of inspiration, there’s nothing like feeling the tile, opening the cabinet, or handling the faucet. Items can look and feel very different when they’re in your hands and not on a monitor. Visiting showrooms and appliance stores can take time, but there’s no better way to gather ideas and information.
When it comes to evaluating cabinetry, I strongly recommend visiting a number of different showrooms early on in your discovery process to compare first-hand the construction and finish quality of the cabinets. Visiting a kitchen design showroom can sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable. Most are not setup for browsing and you’ll sometimes be the recipient of a great deal of attention, wanted or not.
But, don’t let that dissuade you! Cabinetry will consume between 25% and 40% of your remodeling budget and it pays to do your research. Here are a few photos of the Mother Hubbard’s showroom.
At Mother Hubbard’s, we do our best to be Central Pennsylvania-friendly, and not too pushy. Remember, the coffee available at Cook’s Corner makes a great excuse to come in and just browse without being pestered. Here are some other kitchen and bath showrooms that we think are worth a visit:
Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry
5309 E Trindle Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA
A large, 5,000+ square foot showroom that features over twenty kitchen, bath and storage vignettes that provide context to both the design and the various functional and aesthetic choices that go into a spectacular kitchen. Quality Custom Cabinetry, Mother Hubbard’s Signature cabinetry line and Bishop cabinetry are featured.
Excel Interior Concepts
570 S 3rd St, Lemoyne, PA
Several diverse vignettes and lots of samples in a large showroom. Bertch and Candlelight cabinetry
Manor House Studios
313 Market St. – Lemoyne, PA
Located in the former Ed Lank kitchen showroom space, Manor House is the newcomer on the block.
Harrisburg Kitchen & Bath
3146 Fulling Mill Rd, Middletown, PA
A relative newcomer, (i.e. less than 30 years old,) this is a very nice showroom with lots of sample displays. Yorktowne cabinetry is featured.
R.F. Fager
2058 State Rd , Camp Hill, PA
The area’s largest Kohler showroom with a variety of fixtures, sinks and other plumbing products on display. Aristokraft and Omega cabinetry
Organizing Your Kitchen Scrap Book
Don’t worry too much about organizing your images, brochures and photos. As long as you can find your pins and clippings to share with the designer, you’ll be good to go. In fact, most designers would prefer that you don’t do too much editing before sharing your thoughts. It’s a kitchen designer’s job to find patterns in your piles and to help you organize, edit and make sense of what makes you smile.