Welcome! If you are new to the Kitchens Forum, you may find the following information and links helpful. The FAQs will help you navigate the world of kitchen remodeling and, in the process, introduce you to ideas that you may not have thought of or seriously considered. We will begin by helping you come up with a "Mission Statement" or "Goal" for your future kitchen and continue through the planning, implementation, and, finally, the unveiling of your final kitchen and the enjoyment of working in a kitchen that you helped come to pass! The FAQ articles on Kitchens contain helpful information about how to navigate this site as well as the world of kitchen renovations. The Finished Kitchens Blog has pictures and information about many GW members' finished kitchens. Not only can you see them alphabetically, but there is also a category list if you're looking for specific things like a kitchen w/a Beverage Center or a kitchen w/a mix of dark and light cabinets. Access the FKB Categories Page via a link in the navigation panel on the right of any FKB page. Additionally, there is also a link to "In-Progress Kitchens" for those members' kitchens that are not quite ready for the FKB. There is also a link to "Coming Soon Kitchens" for those kitchens that are ready for the FKB but have not yet been added. To access the "In-Progress Kitchens", the "Coming Soon Kitchens", and the "FKB Categories", see the links in the navigation panel that is on the right side of each main FKB page. The Appliances Forum is very useful when you have questions specific to appliances. The FAQs include, but are not limited to, such topics as how to ask for help with a layout, how to plan for storage, etc. Even more information can be found by doing a search on the forum. To start off the kitchen remodel process itself, take the Sweeby Test. Then, move on to Beginning a Kitchen Plan. (These two link are located on the Finished Kitchens Blog.) . . . But first, let's start with the basics for navigating the Kitchens Forum. . . Tips: Before posting a question, please search the forum. There's a very good chance someone has already asked the question. When using the "search" function, be sure to use the search box on the bottom of the page, not the top! Note, however, that you will probably have better luck searching if you use Google (or a similar search engine) than if you use the Forum search function. When using Google, to limit your results to Garden Web, include the following in your search criteria: "site:ths.gardenweb.com" In the Subject, the site changes the double quote used as the inches indicator (") to a single quote ('). We don't know why. To compensate, use two single quotes and it will appear as a double quote in the Subject. Luckily, the double quote works in the message box. When composing a new thread, you have several options: Insert an image: upload an image in the "Image file to upload" box by browsing to the file on your computer and selecting it [Note: You may only upload/post one picture per message/post with this option, see the FAQ on Posting Pictures for posting multiple pictures in a single post as well as additional details about this option] Have replies emailed to you: check the box offering this option. However, you must have "Allow other users to send you email via forms at our site." box checked in your profile for this to work (see the "Your Profile" link at the very top of the page) [See the FAQ titled "Getting Emails Sent To You...3-step Process"] Insert a link: When you "preview" your message, you will be provided with two boxes for a link...one is for the link itself and the second is for the name or description of the link. When using the "Clip this post" option (far upper right corner of each post, small print), remember that only the current post is clipped, not the entire thread. Also, you are allowed a maximum of 50 clippings. Once you reach this max, you will no longer be able to clip or email posts. . How are the home page and the Forum organized? The Kitchens Forum home page lists 30 thread titles, starting with those that don't yet have a response. After the unanswered threads, threads are listed in order of most recent response. That first page displays the last 2 hours or so of activity. (If there is no response to a thread in an hour or two, the unanswered thread usually starts to drop.) Below the thread list are page numbers 1-67 for the total 67 pages of threads available -- capturing maybe 2 months or so of threads, less when the Forum is busy. Below that (and at the top of the thread list as well) is a space for you to switch to the Conversations or Gallery "sides" - these are set up similarly but are not nearly as active. Next down is a Search box -- very important! This is also the Search box you should use (not the one at the top of the page.) Always refresh the page two or three times before assuming a thread has disappeared right after starting it. As to searching...a thread may not be found doing a GW search for up to 24 hours after it has been started. This may seem too technical, but...GW searches are done against what are known as "indexes". Indexes use key fields/words to find things. iVillage only indexes threads once a day. So, that means that until your thread is "indexed", it won't show up in a search. If you start a thread just before the index is taken, you will be able to retrieve your thread by searching soon after creation. If, however, you start your thread right after the daily index, then you will have to wait almost 24 hours for the next index. The results are color-coded Results in a brown box are results found in the FAQs. Results in a green box are results found in the Discussions, Conversations, or Gallery of the Kitchens Forum. Results in a white box are results that for some reason are incomplete - but you can still navigate to them Next is a place for you to start a new thread. And finally there are some instructions and links at the bottom. . Kitchen Forum "Sides" Discussions: This is the "side" you are on. It is for on-topic discussions concerning kitchens...renovations, use of, etc. Conversations: This is the "side" where you can post off topic threads such as regional get-togethers and non-kitchen subjects. Gallery: This is the "side" where members often post pictures...especially if they're posting a lot or a finished kitchen. . Again, welcome and good luck! The journey is wild, sometimes bumpy, but fun and very rewarding in the end!

==================================================================== This thread is "officially" ended. Please refer to the newest thread: New to Kitchens? Read Me First! http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3638784/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first?n=11 Begun 01/24/2016 Please keep the newest thread on page one and let this one go quietly into the night! :-) ====================================================================

+++++ Kitchen Forum Basics +++++ How are the home page and the Forum organized? At the top of the page, is the Search box - see the "Searching" post below for more information. Below the Search box are a series of links to Houzz sites (Photos, Find Pros, Shop, etc.) - these are not GardenWeb Forums. Next, is the name of the forum "Kitchens" Following the name of the forum is a list of related GardenWeb forums (Plumbing, Appliances, Bathrooms, etc.). Note that this is not an exhaustive list of GardenWeb forums. To see the complete list go to the following pages: -- Home Forums: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums -- Gardening Forums: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums Next, are the boxes to use when starting a new thread. -- The first (smaller) box is the box for the subject or title of your thread. The subject is limited to 70 characters, so make it brief - but, make it informative. Give a very brief description of what you need help with. Do not say something like "Help!" or "Need input!" without telling us what you need help or input on. If it's urgent - as in you need help within the next couple of hours - end it with "Urgent!" Don't overuse it, though, as people will start ignoring it. (The "calling wolf syndrome"!) -- The larger box below the subject/title box is for the detailed description of what you need help/input for. There is a character limit, but I don't know offhand what it is - but it is significant, so don't skimp in your description. Please format it so it's readable - that includes breaking into paragraphs and using lists, as appropriate. Run-on paragraphs make it difficult to decipher what you are asking and, often, people will give up and move on to another thread. There is also a limit to the number of pictures you can include in each post - I think it's ten for Kitchens (I seem to recall it was 3 or 4 right after the Houzz takeover, but b/c we post so many, it was increased.) Beneath the Message Box are icons for limited formatting (bold & italics and bulleted &, numbered list - but the lists are now limited to one level since the Houzz takeover), adding photos, adding videos, and adding links. The Thread List The Kitchens Forum home page lists 30 thread titles, in order of the last time someone posted to the thread (well, mostly, sometimes the list is out of order, but not often.) The first page displays the last 2 hours or so of activity - depending on how busy the Forum is. Below the thread list are page numbers 1-167 for the 167 pages of threads available -- capturing eight or nine months or so of threads, again, depending on how busy the Forum is. .

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 11/27/2016: THIS THREAD IS NOW RETIRED. PLEASE DO NOT BUMP! CURRENT "READ ME" THREAD: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4306041/m=3/new-to-kitchens-read-me-first ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++