Speaking about the different elements of the kitchen, you may love it, like it, get used to it, change it, or realize that you can not afford to change it and accept it. Then there is always dreaming of changing it!!! For me, I am not completely finished and I'm still debating some of my choices in my head!!!! When does it all end????
Seriously though, I have seen some beautiful finished kitchens here and it seems that when they are finished or even almost finished and all of the many elements come together, is when you begin to relax and realize you have made the right choices.

And that's the million dollar question....well, more accurately, somewhere between the $20K and $100K question usually :-).

From what I've seen here, it's normal to feel uncertain in this process. I think that's why people hire designers and decorators - the idea is that they will be sure of their work and be able to guarentee a beautiful end result.

I am hoping that by staying true to what I like and going for it regardless - even if it bucks the trend, even if others maybe won't like it - but by staying true to what I enjoy, hopefully that's a formula for success. We shall see.

One thing I found to be helpful advice is to get all sorts of books in the planning stages and flag kitchens that appeal to you on first glance. Then go back and try to identify elements that are the same in those photos.

That worked well for me because there were very specific elements in every single one of my inspiration photos. What isn't working so well is that I don't place one ounce of faith in my decorating ability!

Good luck :-)

It's hard to know if you've made the "perfect" decision. There will always be a post with a picture of something you'll wish you'd thought to do, or have an element you covet.

But I think the important thing is to trust your instinct when something doesn't feel right. When you know you are compromising on something that you really wanted, particularly when it affects how your kitchen will function.

If your choices are pleasing to you, you'll enjoy your kitchen when the process is over. Be prepared to second-guess yourself part-way through, though, before everything comes together the way you saw it in your mind.

I too, think it is normal to have trepidation, worry,
anxiety,... I call it the 2nd guess syndrome.

If you knew 100% on every aspect of your kitchen you might
be a KD or an true kitchen expert. I think or believe if
you do your best, go with what feels right and accept that
things are not always going to be perfect, keep your
spirits up, stay within your budget unless you have
unlimited funds, be open to opinions and be honest with
yourself... you will discover
that you have made some wonderful choices.

The best part of GW is to ask, ask, ask again and get
opinions from others. People are bold, blunt, honest
and most importantly understanding. They understand and
know your fears, doubts, 2nd guessing syndrome.

Friends on GW are happy to help others asking
about an outlet placement, light bulb color, granite
choice, floor color, appliance, tile, Backsplash, even
spice drawers, hoods, wall color, pendants, ....

It's okay your not alone.
~boxerpups

"How did you handle it if the final result wasn't what you expected? Did you eventually grow to like it?"

Our kitchen was done in bit and pieces, not all at once, so it was easier to tweak things over time. That said, I'm responding because I did NOT like the initial result. It wasn't quite what I was expecting. The cabinets were not as I expected them to look and it really bothered me for awhile.

I had the cabinet maker add trim, change drawer fronts and do other things to get it closer to what I had been expecting. It took months. We apparently had a miscommunication somewhere up front (like he had false advertising!). It didn't cost me anything but I had to be persistant.

Over time I finally got the kitchen to where I am happy with it but it took about a year. It happens sometimes. You see people on here buying one light fixture after another, or ripping out a backsplash, or repainting an island. I changed the floor!

So how did I handle it? I kept working at it until I DID like the result.

Good Luck and Keep Your Chin Up.

For what's it worth, individually, we do like the look of the materials we've chosen. We're just terrified that once it's all put together, it won't look good.

re biochem - wow I don't think I have that kind of persistence in me. All I want right now is to get this over with so that I can go back to relaxing on weekends.