I didn't pay the Menard's design people anything. I suppose you could get your design for free and then just not go back after the cabinets. I did buy my cabinets there. They were More than I planned when I started thinking kitchen but they were Sooooo perfect. ( My original plan was to replace my existing but my carpenter said if I was going to do it I should have it the way I wanted it.) If I wouldn't have started flipping through the door samples I would have gone oak "just like I've always had". I looked there for everything, though. I had a zipper notebook with everything about the kitchen in it. Measurements, inspiration pictures, printed pictures of the exact thing I was looking for, everything. Then while we were discussing the cabinets I had measurements and everything right there with me for the answer. I did buy a lot on eBay and on line but I looked at things in the store. The thing about the Menard's designers was they were familiar with every cabinet size and function of every style. If I wanted 18 inch base they could pull it up on the design software picture we were making and it only took a few seconds. They could turn it, 3-D, top; everything. Quick and painless and I could change my mind 4 times without feeling real guilty. They had some good ideas, too, and I did listen to them. I got a heads up a couple of weeks before they went on sale. I was just waiting for it to be in my time frame. I also got a free sink base and soft close drawers. My cabinets were about 25 feet, top and bottom for under $5,000. The photobucket link will take you to my page. There are three albums there. You probably want "finished kitchen". Here is a link that might be useful: my photobucket albums

These are my pics of my countertops placed Friday June 22, 2018. I cried looking at these seams. It looks so cheap. Fabricator explains that's the way it comes. I explained that I shouldn't be able to see the seams so clearly. It looks so unprofessional. They ended up taking them back to their warehouse. In hopes they say if it is quality control will try and fix it just to make it look better. Otherwise I will have to pay an additional fee for them to come out again to install. I just don't know what to do and if still looks the same. This is the first time I've replaced my counters in 24 years. I don't and can't live with it. looking at this for another 24 years. It looks so cheap and it really was not it's a lot of money to me. I hope fingers crossed that they will fix this problem. They never told me that there would be such seams. I thought the edges were done by a machine and it would be all one piece. I have read up on this and now understand there are seams. But now I do know that they should not look like this. If they are good fabricator you shouldn't be able to see them so clearly. I will find out next week what happens.

commenting b/c I just found this thread and I really want to know too! Would love to see pics of the hickory cabinets as well, if they're done. Hickory is one of my husband's choices for the kitchen.

I have a question for you guys. Is it too outdated to have a cointibayoon do the quartz for the badksplash(only the 4inches) without having to add any other back splash? I worry about making my kitchen Look too busy and having a hard time matching colors , so i was hoping to just install a quartz counter top with that extra 4 inch lip without doing any other backsplash . That is assuming my counter top isn’t too bland . Also, can I get away with a gray? What about the Silestone calacatta gold ? Are the speckled quartz outdated ? Thanks! My floor has to be changed because it’s got a lot of holes and pkaces that are showing the underneath black rubber. it also has stains . My dream is to have white cabinets , a Taupe counter top(warmer gray like), and wood floors . If calacatta gold form Silestone , Bianco drift from Caesarstone , cambria Torquay , or viatera “sol” would work with white or warm cabinets , I’d pick one of those maybe. It’s a small kitchen, and I don’t have a huge budget .. but I do want to make a big enough change beginning with the counter tops that were never sealed properly, flooring, (and our back wall behind the sink that needs to be replaced ) . Thanks, again. I like honesty .