DEAR TIM: I need some help with the kitchen design for my home. I am pretty sure I know what I want, but kitchen designs are as varied as faces in a crowd. How will I know what is the best design for this kitchen remodel job? What is the best way to approach a fresh kitchen design project? Sheila B., Hardeeville, SC

DEAR SHEILA: Kitchen design is very important, but it is sometimes confused with kitchen planning. Both planning and design are critical, and ignoring one while concentrating on the other can lead to a disaster and heartbreak. Let's make sure we are on the same page with respect to what you need.

Kitchen design, in my opinion, speaks to the overall look of the kitchen once it is completed. A designer can use different materials, cabinets, finishes, lighting, etc. to achieve a sleek, modern look and feel or a kitchen that was transported in a time machine from a quaint Irish cottage. There are an infinite amount of kitchen designs you can have.

This kitchen design was a collaborative effort. My wife had significant input from beginning to end throughout the entire design process. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Kitchen planning, in my opinion, tends to pay more attention to the functionality of the space. When you plan a kitchen, you are thinking about the placement of the sink, appliances, types of cabinets and the layout of the cabinets and countertops. The best analogy I can think of is kitchen planning is like the structural steel of a skyscraper and kitchen design is the outside appearance of that same skyscraper.

There is no simple answer to your main question. I feel you can ask 100 top kitchen designers what they would do with your new kitchen, and you will likely end up with 100 different designs some of them being similar, but no way identical. My suggestion is for you to start to immerse yourself in research where you look at hundreds of different designs and see which few really put your head on a swivel.

Your research will undoubtedly take you across the vast tundra of the Internet, into numerous kitchen cabinet showrooms and possibly design centers built by large remodeling contractors who specialize in kitchen remodeling. I also suggest you start looking at any number of excellent kitchen design books and magazines that have hundreds of gorgeous color photos of kitchens large and small, expensive and affordable. If you really want to be on the cutting edge, look at kitchen designs done in European countries. European kitchen designers often produce stunning results in small spaces.

Be sure to look beyond just cabinets and countertops. Every surface in the kitchen is a design element. The backsplash space between the countertops and underside of the wall cabinets, floor, ceiling, doors, wall spaces above and around cabinets, etc. all should contribute to the overall design theme.

For example, if you are on a tight budget, you may decide to paint your existing floor and incorporate a design of some type into the paint. Painted floors hold up very well when they are coated with high-quality clear urethane. Don't forget lighting as it is a very important design element. Unfortunately, lighting is often overlooked in many kitchen designs that I see.

I urge you to consider interviewing several professional kitchen designers. They may be able to offer you great advice about how to maximize your design dollars. The fee you spend for a kitchen designer may be paid for from dollars you might otherwise waste on rookie design mistakes.

Not all professional kitchen designers are made equal. Some have years of professional and industry training mixed with years of field experience. Others may have little or no training in the field. Before you sign any contract for design fees, make sure you investigate the qualifications of the person you are going to hire.

At a bare minimum ask to see the last 20 kitchen design projects they have worked on. Try to determine if the designer has experience working with the look and feel you have decided you like. Ask the designer what kind of training and classes they have taken. Probe to see if they have any type of certification from industry associations. Some certifications require many hours of training.