Start with a wish list. Everything you think you want. Now that's fun! Do you have a budget? Now that's a downer. Remember this kitchen, you will have for the next....20, 25 years. It will pay for itself, so do not cut the corners short. Buy lots of magazines and start a scrapbook with all cuttings that you like and write down on the picture what you like about (molding, wall color, light fixture etc) Visit some model homes and bring a camera and visit some web on the net. Most of all visit this forum! Have fun and be patient because it usually takes at least 3 to 4 months to prepare the perfect kitchen

I know it's missing just now while the forum meisters work to restore the missing pages, but there will soon be once again the access to a fabulous post compiled by our beloved buehl with many, many, many ideas and suggestions for getting started. If you haven't read through that, I can't recommend it highly enough! (Look for the note "help keep on Page one". The post refers to an exercise called the Sweeby test that helps you clarify the overall feel and result you'd like to achieve for YOUR family in YOUR house.

Hope the threads will be back soon! In the meantime, you can be thinking about how you want your kitchen to function for your specific household. Do you do a lot of baking, or canning, stir-frying, veggie-processing from your garden? I have one friend who only uses her kitchen to make reservations (really!), so she needs a beautiful, comfy, elegant sitting area more than anything else.

How many people and activities will be in the space at usual times? Well, buehl's thread is fantastic, and worth waiting for!

Ok, I wasn't super clear on what I meant. :o)

Here is an example and I thought we could have this for people just starting out so they would be aware of what decisions need to be made and have a way to organize their thoughts:

Cabinets
*Material(s):
*Finish type:
*Finish color:
*Lower cabinet depth:
*Lower cabinet height:
*Upper cabinet depth:
*Upper cabinet height:
*Height for mounting upper cabinets:
*ETC:

Floors:
*Type of flooring:
*Color/finish of flooring:

Countertops
*Yada yada:

Backsplash
*So on and so forth:

Has anyone put together something like this? If not, and I worked on it would others be interested in joining in or in having something like this available?

I am putting in a link to Buehl's wonderful thread! Soooo much wonderful info.

Here is a link that might be useful: Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!

blessed;

I don't know if this is really what you are talking about, but this has helped me greatly in the past few months. #1, I reread Buehl's "read me" frequently.
#2: I have made an Excel spread sheet that lists all the items need to make decisions on. As I've decided on the pulls, the cabinet details, the lights, I fill in what the product is, how much it costs, and where I am getting it (i.e. bricks and mortar, or website). If I have communicated with a specific sales rep, I place their name on the sheet. I have also started a column with a "order date" on it, so that I know when I need to order that product (i.e., I'll order the recessed cans and undercab when the cab install starts, having talked to the lighting sales rep and knowing what the lead time is)
3. As I enter in the products, I have a "running total" cell at the bottom. This has helped keep me very aware of costs. Sure, I'd love the Dornbracht pre-rinse, but I don't like what it does to that "running total" cell number. The Blanco Meridian will give me what I want!

We (uh, me, as my DH travels) am going to be GC'ing this project. This has helped me communicate with my DH as decisions are made. Someone a few threads back (gizmonike?) gave wonderful advice: they made a decision and moved on and didn't look back. With this Excel spread sheet, I've been able to put the decisions down on paper and not let myself look back.

Hope this helps,
Rita

Thanks everyone!

I guess I am just running across frustration myself from coming up with new decisions to be made practically every day and it would be nice if there was a "from scratch" list of every possible decision we could think of for a complete kitchen creation.

Then, anyone could use the list as they want and cross off the things they won't be changing, etc. No "surprise" decisions and a nice way to keep track of what decisions have been made and what research still needs to be done.

Rita, I really like your idea of keeping track of costs at the same time decisions are made. That is a great idea. :o)

I also have an Excel sheet for decision-making, which includes some of the things on Blessed's list and faucets, pendants, etc. I have a column to check off things I've decided on, and I can see what I still need to track down with due dates. I put down model numbers, colors, sources, etc. I also print out copies of all installation diagrams for appliances, faucets, etc, so the GC and subs can see what they have to work around.

Then I have another "To-Do" list, with things like "Purge corner cabinet" and "Research induction-compatible cookware."

And when you are saving ideas from magazines/other sources try to write down any details: manufacturer, model, colors, price, etc. if available.