Click here for highly rated firms offering lighting and floors. These firms specialize in kitchens, and many do baths as well. Most will draw up a space plan, although if your project involves major structural changes, you also might want to consult an architect or builder. Most kitchen and bath designers can supervise the entire project, either installing a kitchen with their own employees or arranging for contractors to handle carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and other work. They generally have showrooms where they display cabinets, countertops, sinks, hardware, and appliances.
Cabinetry is the biggest part of the business at many firms.
Although the professionals on this list are recommended by their peers, their inclusion here is no guarantee that you'll be happy with their work. With kitchen planners, as well as architects and contractors, check references and visit projects they have completed. The designer should spend time in your home, not just measuring the existing space but also discussing what works best for you and your family. Many of the designers listed here have Web sites where they display photographs of their work and information about cabinet and appliance lines they carry. Owners Laurie Geise and Gary Hare are well regarded for their luxury designs.