Kitchen Design Partners’ Guide to a Seamless Kitchen Remodel

Transcription

Ashley White: Welcome to the Kitchen Design Partners podcast. I’m Ashley, and today we have a very special guest, Nancy Jacobson. Nancy is the president of Kitchen Design Partners, a highly regarded kitchen and bath design firm based in Northbrook, Illinois. With nearly two decades of experience, she has helped homeowners design kitchens that are not only beautiful but also functional and personalized to their lifestyles.

Kitchen remodeling can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming sometimes. There are so many decisions to make, from the initial planning stages to choosing the right materials and finishes. Today, Nancy is here to walk us through the process, share expert advice, and help homeowners gain confidence in their remodeling journey.

Nancy, welcome to the show. It’s great to have you here.

Nancy Jacobson: Hi, Ashley. Thank you.

Ashley White: So, let’s start at the very beginning. Kitchen remodeling is a big project, and for many homeowners, it’s hard to know where to even start. There are countless decisions to make, and without a clear plan, it’s easy to feel lost in the process. Before jumping into picking out cabinets or appliances, what’s the very first step homeowners should take when planning a kitchen remodel?

Nancy Jacobson: That’s a good question, Ashley. I think the first place homeowners should start is with their goals. What are they trying to achieve? What is the vision they are trying to accomplish?

We always ask homeowners who come to meet with us to start with their pain points. What about their current space? What about their current kitchen isn’t working for them, and why? For homeowners, that’s really a very good place to start. In terms of how they get started, there are a number of ways to begin.

We always suggest that homeowners interview kitchen designers and select the kitchen designer that they feel resonates with what they’re trying to accomplish. In our case at Kitchen Design Partners, we take a lot of time to get to know the homeowners, their lifestyle, their families, their cooking habits, their baking, their meals together, or whether they are carrying in catering and entertaining.

There are so many activities that take place in today’s kitchens. We always call it the heart of the home, but it really is the hub of the home. Kitchens are multifunctional now. So we get into a lot of detail with potential homeowners on all of their needs and requirements. We have found that, for homeowners we work with, starting with a kitchen designer and starting with a kitchen design is the best way to begin the project, as opposed to some homeowners who might think they should start with a contractor and think about the construction side of the project first. We really feel that a good amount of time should be devoted to the design itself.

Ashley White: And once homeowners start planning, they often struggle with one big challenge: making sure their kitchen is both visually appealing and highly functional. Some people fall in love with a certain look, only to realize later that it might not suit their everyday needs. Others focus heavily on functionality but worry their kitchen won’t have the wow factor they’re looking for. So how do you help homeowners achieve that perfect balance between beauty and practicality?

Nancy Jacobson: We do that on every project. As I mentioned, we get to know our homeowners very well. The design process is very detailed.

As I mentioned earlier, we really want homeowners, during the design phase, to think about and share with us what is not working for them in their current kitchen. And I mean really focusing on function. When we start working on a kitchen design, our first draft is all about function. Where are we placing different functions in the kitchen? How are we spreading out the different functions in the kitchen so that the kitchen serves the needs of that family?

For every kitchen we design, we also ask homeowners to bring images or share online photos with us so that we can get a sense of their style. Of course, we always look into the style of the home, and we talk to them about the style of the home, the architecture, as well as their personal style.

In the first draft of the kitchen that we create for them, we’re really focusing all on function. Then, as we continue to work through the process, we bring in all the decorative elements that personalize the kitchen to their specific vision.

Ashley White: I really love that you’re focusing on functionality first because, at the end of the day, the kitchen isn’t just a showpiece. It’s the heart of the home, as you said, where people gather, cook, and create memories. Speaking of practicality, one of the biggest frustrations homeowners have is storage. No matter how big or small the space is, it always seems like people wish they had more storage—whether it’s a better pantry setup, more efficient cabinet organization, or hidden solutions to keep countertops clutter-free. So what are some creative ways homeowners can maximize storage without compromising on the overall look and feel of their kitchen?

Nancy Jacobson: Well, there are so many options available with cabinetry today that we utilize for all different kinds of functions, storage, and organization in the kitchen. In the kitchen you see behind me, one of the unique things about this kitchen was that the homeowner had a very extensive coffee habit. She drank coffee all day long. She made special coffees like lattes and used flavored syrups in her coffees. She really had such a passion and love for coffee.

In her old kitchen, all of her coffee items were out on the countertop—not in a mess, but they were taking up a lot of room on the countertop. We created a customized cabinet for her to house all of her coffee items, her coffee makers, all of the syrups, and all of her other items. We tucked it into a cabinet so that when she’s done making coffee, she can close the doors and hide it all away.

And that’s just one example of the almost limitless options we have today with cabinetry for organization, storage, and function by utilizing different accessories and creative solutions that we create for our clients.

Ashley White: Now, once homeowners have figured out their kitchen layout and storage needs, the next big decision is choosing materials. And this can be overwhelming. There are endless options for cabinetry, countertops, and flooring, all with different price points, durability levels, and design styles. It’s easy to fall in love with a certain look, but homeowners also need to think about longevity, maintenance, and how everything ties together. So how do you guide homeowners in selecting the right materials that not only look beautiful but also fit their lifestyle and budget?

Nancy Jacobson: We have a lot of displays in our showroom that we use to educate our clients on the various types of cabinetry, countertop materials, and all of those details. These are really best shown through education, so we take the time to do that. There’s so much available in every industry today. There’s so much technology, and there are so many options, so we really utilize our showroom to educate our clients on all of those various materials. In most kitchens, we really start with the cabinets. A lot of homeowners in our area have wood floors. It’s just a really popular thing here, partially because in Chicago, it gets very cold, and tile can be cold if it is not heated. If you have a tile floor that doesn’t have heating below, it can be very cold. So a lot of homeowners in our area come to us in the beginning and say, “We have wood floors in other areas of our first floor, and we were thinking of extending that flooring into the kitchen. What do you think?” And so, a lot of times, we are starting from that premise that we’re using wood floors in the kitchen because they work so well in our climate. But we spend a majority of our time on different cabinet construction and educating our clients on the benefits of different types of cabinets.

As we get to know them and have discussions with them, they, over time, with our guidance, know what direction to go in. Every kitchen that we do involves clients who have goals not only for the vision and function but also for the investment they’re going to make in the project. So, of course, that’s also a big determining factor in terms of what we’re going to recommend for a client to meet their goals. When we’re talking about countertops, in our area, our clients pretty much do two types of countertops: quartzite, which is natural stone, or quartz, which has quartz particles mixed with man-made materials. That’s usually what clients in our area are doing. Both materials have different benefits, different aesthetic values, and also different investments. That is also part of the education we do with our clients on every kitchen.

Ashley White: I think a lot of people underestimate how much thought goes into selecting materials, especially when it comes to durability and how a kitchen is actually used day to day. Yes. And this brings me to another topic: misconceptions. Many homeowners come into the remodeling process with certain assumptions, whether it’s about cost, timeline, or what’s possible in their space. Sometimes these assumptions can lead to unrealistic expectations or even costly mistakes. So what are some of the biggest misconceptions you’ve come across when working with homeowners on kitchen remodels?

Nancy Jacobson: That’s a good question. I guess the first thing is that a lot of people enjoy watching HGTV, and HGTV tends to simplify the process because it’s a television show. They have to get the whole story into 20 minutes or what have you. So we find that clients have a misconception, number one, about the investment necessary to do a kitchen these days, and also about the time it takes and the complexities involved. I think some of the shows on TV or online do try to represent when there are challenges on the job that perhaps take more time than what was planned. So you do tend to see that on some of the shows, but overall, it’s difficult for clients and homeowners to really understand how much time it takes.

One of the things I tell clients right at the beginning is, don’t put a deadline on the planning part of this project because your opportunity to make this kitchen as perfect as possible—not only for today but for the long run, because it is a long-term investment—is really dependent on our design process and thinking through every step of the design. I kind of like when homeowners obsess about it a little bit. As you’re working in your current kitchen, keep thinking about what you don’t like and try to envision what we’re designing for you. As you’re working in your current kitchen, try to understand how it’s going to function for you. The planning process, the planning phase, is really so important. I do think that sometimes online, some of the TV shows, or even some of the searches on Google tend to simplify the process.

Ashley White: Yeah, you’re absolutely right. And I would also like to ask you about families with young kids, multi-generational households, and homeowners who love to host. You know, I’m a big fan of dinner parties. How do you approach designing kitchens that truly fit the lifestyle and unique needs of each homeowner?

Nancy Jacobson: That’s so important. We do that on every project. Every kitchen we work on is unique. It’s unique in that we’re dealing with a certain amount of space, and we are really trying to design a very personalized kitchen for every client we work with. Multi-generational families or families who have multiple cooks or multiple people working in the kitchen at the same time have different requirements than kitchens that generally have one cook or one person doing the prepping. Walkways in kitchens—if it’s a kitchen with an island, which a lot of our kitchens are—the walkways are really critical to whether this kitchen is going to function for one person, two people, or multiple people. So walkways are very critical.

The other thing is spreading out different functions. So in the past, people used to think or hear about the kitchen triangle, which was between the refrigerator, the cooktop, and the sink. While that is still a very important functional area in the kitchen, as kitchens have grown in size, what we really focus on now is different stations that have different functions. So if you have a multi-family household or just, let’s say, two people cooking together, you can have different workstations so that everyone can work in the kitchen at the same time and be functional. We find in some cases that on a day-to-day basis, it might be one or two people using the kitchen, but when they entertain, they may have several people helping them with preparation, or they may have catering bringing in certain food items. The needs are completely different on a day-to-day basis and when they entertain, and we always bring that into part of the planning process.

Ashley White: It’s great to see that you take such a personalized approach because a kitchen should work for the people living in it and not just look good in pictures. And speaking of unique designs, I’m sure you’ve worked on some incredible transformations. Can you share a real-life project that stands out to you, maybe one where you overcame a big design challenge or helped a homeowner completely reimagine their space?

Nancy Jacobson: Yes. I would say the biggest transformations often come from homeowners with older homes that feature a kitchen with a peninsula. That was a very popular style back in the 1960s and 70s. Many people come to us and say, “We want an island. Can you give us an island?” Of course, if we’re expanding the space, it’s a lot easier, but sometimes expanding the space is not an option.

I can think of a few kitchens we’ve done where the peninsula became a huge bottleneck in the kitchen. We recently finished a project where the dishwasher was located in the peninsula, next to the sink, which completely closed off the entire peninsula and the cabinet storage near the dishwasher. This meant that when the homeowners were unloading their dishwasher, they had to take everything out, put it on the counter, close the dishwasher, and then put things away in the cabinets in that area. They simply didn’t believe that they had room for an island in their kitchen.

We proved to them that they did. By giving them the island, we not only provided them with an efficient workspace, but we also improved the flow of their kitchen. Instead of always having to walk around the peninsula, they now had a wonderful walkway, improving both functionality and aesthetics.

But by doing so, we were able to center their kitchen sink under their window. In their old kitchen, the sink was off to the side because we needed room for both the sink and the dishwasher. By eliminating the peninsula, we were able to move the dishwasher over, and that little change made such a difference.

Now, we were able to give them a cabinet for waste and recycling, followed by the dishwasher, and then the sink, perfectly centered under the window. This also meant that when unloading the dishwasher, they no longer had to place everything on the countertop; instead, they could put dishes directly into the cabinets on the island and nearby.

Little changes like that make a huge difference in people’s everyday lives. This client was absolutely thrilled that they were able to correct some of the functional deficiencies in their old kitchen and end up with a beautiful kitchen with an island.

Ashley White: That sounds like an amazing project.

Beyond just the “wow” factor of a new kitchen, remodeling is also a significant financial investment. Many homeowners want to know: Will this remodel really add value to my home? Beyond aesthetics, a well-thought-out kitchen design can make daily life easier and also increase resale value down the line. So, what are some key ways a good kitchen design benefits both the current homeowner and future buyers?

Nancy Jacobson: Well, that’s a great question. For current homeowners, there is a lot of satisfaction in, as you mentioned earlier, having enough storage. What we have found is that many of our clients experience a lot of stress in their current kitchens. Many of them are storing kitchen items in their basement and going up and down the stairs constantly, which is frustrating. Not having enough storage space really creates unnecessary stress.

When we redo their kitchens, it’s just the best feeling to run into clients—maybe at the grocery store or the library—and hear how much they love their new kitchen and how much better it functions for them. That kind of feedback is incredibly rewarding, and we achieve it quite often.

In terms of investment, I speak with a lot of realtors, and one thing is very clear: buyers often struggle to see the potential of a home. Having an old, dated kitchen makes it much harder to sell the home. Or, even in a strong market, it makes it harder to get top dollar for the home.

What I have found is that updated kitchens make homes far more marketable, easier for realtors to sell, and more appealing to buyers who want a move-in-ready home. Many buyers don’t want to purchase a home and then immediately invest more money into remodeling the kitchen. So, remodeling is really a benefit—even for homeowners who plan to move in five or ten years. They can enjoy the kitchen now, and when they go to sell, the updated space makes their home much more attractive to buyers.

Ashley White: Investing in a kitchen isn’t just about today; it’s about creating a space that holds its value for years to come. Not everyone has a huge open-concept kitchen to work with, and some homeowners worry that a remodel won’t make a big difference in a smaller space.

Nancy Jacobson: One of my favorite things to use in cabinets is drawers. Back in the day, a lot of base cabinets were made with a top drawer and doors below, and those doors below either had shelves or rollouts, which are essentially hidden drawers. When you’re in a small kitchen, you always have to think about space. You need to open a door—how much space do you have? It’s much simpler to have a cabinet with drawers, where the drawer just pulls out straight from the cabinet, as opposed to having to open a door—or possibly two doors—and then pull out a rollout when you’re in a tight space.

So, we really love drawers for function. We also think drawers provide more of a furniture look and a more custom appearance that our homeowners really enjoy. That’s one of our key strategies. Every small kitchen is different, so aside from drawers, there aren’t a lot of universal strategies we can use. However, there is one other strategy: almost every kitchen we design includes a microwave. Every so often, we have a homeowner who doesn’t use a microwave at all, but 98% of our homeowners do. They want the microwave to be functional, but in a small kitchen, it can sometimes be problematic.

We encourage homeowners to look at some of the new technologies available, such as speed ovens and multifunction ovens, where you can have an oven and a microwave in one appliance. This eliminates the need for a separate microwave, freeing up space for storage or other functionality. That can sometimes be a really nice solution.

Ashley White: Yeah, that is a clever way to approach this. Another element that can dramatically impact the kitchen’s look and functionality is lighting. It’s often overlooked, but the right lighting can completely transform a space. From task lighting to ambient lighting, homeowners have a lot to consider. What role does lighting play in kitchen design, and what should homeowners keep in mind when planning their lighting?

Nancy Jacobson: Lighting is obviously very important because you perform so many functions in your kitchen. You need to be able to see what you’re doing. Generally, there are three levels of lighting in kitchens.

The first is ambient lighting, which is the general lighting that illuminates the entire space.

The second is task lighting, which we often install under wall cabinets. Most lighting today is LED, which stays cool to the touch, doesn’t generate heat, and lasts for many years—typically around 50,000 hours. In every kitchen we design, we install under-cabinet lighting so that when people are standing at the countertop and working, their workspace is well-lit.

The third type is decorative lighting. When we can incorporate it into a kitchen, we often include decorative light fixtures over an island. If there’s no island, we may place a decorative fixture over the kitchen sink or in other areas. I always tell people that if everything in your kitchen looks exactly the same, your eye has nowhere to focus. Adding decorative lighting brings personality and interest to the space.

Nancy Jacobson: It’s good within your kitchen to have things that are different that your eye can focus on. Decorative lighting is one of the things we use to achieve that.

Ashley White: Nancy, this has been such an insightful conversation. You shared so many great tips on how to plan a kitchen remodel, balance aesthetics with functionality, choose the right materials, and make the most of the space.

I know our listeners will take away a lot of valuable insights from this episode. For anyone interested in learning more or working with Nancy and Kitchen Design Partners, you can reach out through their website, and we’ll be sure to link it in the show notes for easy access.

And to our listeners, thank you for tuning in to the Kitchen Design Partners Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an update. And until next time—happy remodeling! Thanks for having me.