ILoveCookie: You need to speak to a very reputable General Contractor immediately and be honest about your budget and expectations. Good luck.

We have done 2 DIY kitchen remodels. The first was on a lower scale, but it involved removing a wall, new floors, new cabinets, new counters, new drywall, new recessed lighting, etc...I think it cost us probably $35k. The only thing we hired someone for was to install Cambria Quartz counters. It took about 4-5 months to complete from start to finish. That was while DH and I both worked full-time and we had 2 dogs and 2 cats but NO KIDS. The 2nd remodel only involved recessing a fridge into an existing wall. But DH basically had to remove that wall and rebuild it. We added 2 new windows, new cabinets, new gas stove, new counters, new prep sink, new recessed lighting (old lighting was there but we moved cans and added some new ones). This remodel cost us more like $40k. We splurged on a nice Bluestar range and hood. We kept our old dishwasher and fridge. This remodel started April 2013 with a demo. We had a professional come in to sand and refinish the hardwood flooring. We didnt start installing new cabinets until late July 2013. So from May-June was just working in the kitchen that was down to the studs. We had 2 kids at this point too. I was cooking on a hot plate, microwave and toaster oven from mid April - late August. Awful! We didnt get counters installed until late September. So that makes it about 6 months and there are still tiny little details that need completing. I think your budget is tight for the big items (appliances, cabinets, counters) but you have to remember all of the little things that you will need to run out and buy at the local hardware store or home depot. Those will add hundreds or thousands to your bill. Plus items like faucets, drains, sinks, lighting. Those really add up. And there is no way you will get that all done in 1 week? That is just crazy. I would say you need more like 2 months and thats if you work like crazy. For this latest remodel we hired people to resand and refinish the floors, paid $700 for a guy to come do some drywalling for us, and then paid for the Quartz Countertop installation - Cambria that cost us close to $7k. My kitchen measures something like 16" x 11". Good luck though! I look forward to seeing your progress. I bought alot of things off of ebay (Blanco sinks, Grohe faucets) and that saved me at least $1000.

You 100% should be asking your designer these questions. If you don’t trust her, then you need to find another designer you do. In the meanwhile: 1. Is the style in a master bath now to have a door that swings in and out, rather than a sliding glass door? This would be for a shower only. No bath. Sliding glass doors on showers are more old style. People got tired of goop and black stuff on the track no matter how hard and often they cleaned. 2. Is a curved soaking tub out of fashion? Mine is sort of an hourglass figure, fit for one person at each end. Designer tells me this is out of style. Is it? Anyone have experience reglazing a tub from off white to bright white? Does it last? Yes it’s out of fashion. I also don’t like a standalone soaking tub. While an art statement, they are not easy to get in or out of, and not easy to clean around. People end up not using them, and that’s a lot of money for an unused art statement in your bathroom. I prefer a tub with a surround. Easy to get in and out, and you can set your candles and wine down, and really enjoy your hot soak. 3. Do black faucets show water spots as much as chrome? Thinking I should go with brushed nickel to avoid water spots. Yes black faucets do. They also don’t have the bright gleam of polished chrome. 4. Stacked tile - does it collect dust? I am not sure what I think of as stacked tile is the same as you. Stacked tile is a way of laying out tile in straight grids rather than offsetting them. Don’t know why dust would play a part. Anyway, stacked tile as a style came in hot and fast. I might be concerned it’ll go out as quick. Though I love how it looks in the 3rd pic I posted above in #2. But those are not too grid-lined nor narrow, so that helps. This pic show the stacked tile look that is very of-the-moment now, along with its rain shower head which I also don’t recommend despite how stylish it is:

MSI Sparkling White quartz top I like this countertop. It's white but not plain stark white. You're bringing a lot of "bright white" into this room. It'll be softened with some color through your linens. Be sure you bring in something organic -- a basket on the toilet top? and some greenery. Armstrong Alterna veiled intrigue engineered tile Admittedly, I don't like marble (or marble-look), but I agree with another poster that this one is pretty "heavy" or "busy". I think something "softer" would suit you long-term. And Sherwin Williams Unique grey walls with chrome hardware. Gray is a trend, but paint is so easy to replace that it doesn't matter if you grow tired of this. Chrome hardware is standard and will stand the test of time. Choose one-hole fixtures or wide-set fixtures for ease of cleaning. The shower will be white. Choose large-scale tile for the walls (again, ease of cleaning) and put in more niches (or other in-shower storage) than you think you need. Are you going with a standard glass door or a shower curtain? Other thoughts: - I'd keep the large mirror -- but put a frame on it. Large mirrors are so much more practical than the small trendy mirrors that people are putting in today. They give you a larger view of yourself while you're dressing -- rather than a broken-up view. - You need some artwork on the wall on the left of the bathroom. - Put your new lighting on a dimmer switch.