Kitchen Design 101

A kitchen remodel is one of the most complex and costly home improvement projects you can take on. The decisions you make in the design phase—before a single cabinet is ordered or a wall comes down—determine whether the project goes smoothly or not. This 4-hour interactive seminar gives you the foundation to plan well and move forward with confidence.

What We’ll Cover

We’ll move through the full design process in four parts:

Budgeting & Timeline: Understand what a kitchen remodel realistically costs in the Greater Boston area, how to break a budget down by category (cabinets, labor, appliances, countertops, and more), and what the project sequence looks like from design through final walkthrough—typically 11 to 16 weeks.

Planning Your Space: Learn how to accurately measure your kitchen and document everything a designer or contractor needs to know—utilities, windows, ceiling height, appliances. We’ll cover code requirements, clearance standards, and how to evaluate whether your layout ideas are actually feasible.

Materials: A practical survey of cabinet construction (framed vs. frameless, stock vs. custom, door and drawer quality), countertop options from laminate to stone to quartz, flooring, plumbing fixtures, and lighting—all at the level of detail you need to make informed choices.

Common Mistakes: The problems that most often trip up homeowners—corner cabinet headaches, clearance oversights, ordering materials at the wrong time, not re-measuring after demo—and how to get ahead of them.

Come Prepared

You’ll get the most out of this seminar if you bring:

• Measurements or photos of your existing kitchen

• Any layout ideas, inspiration images, or a wish list

• Questions—there will be plenty of time for open discussion

About the Instructor

Jimmy Douglass brings more than 30 years of experience as a home improvement contractor to his work as a kitchen designer at BBR. He helps members navigate the full design process, from layout and materials to the real-world challenges of renovating older Boston-area homes.

Also check out other Workshops in Boston, Arts events in Boston.