You haven't been to any kitchen design or cabinet shops at all? Mid grade semi custom is the market king, and available anywhere and every where except the cheap RTA hawkers. Kraftmaid/Merillat, Shiloh, Kemper/Diamond/Schrock, Medallion/Yorktown, Showplace, Durasupreme, Kitchencraft, Decora, Ultracraft, Omega Full Access, Innovae, Eclipse. Decide if you want framed, or frameless. An average 12x14 kitchen with a 6' plain island, in a mid grade line averages about 30K without a huge number of upgrades. Or about $600-$1000 a foot, depending on your upgrade choices. It can go way higher when you start stacking cabinets, adding glass, and adding a bunch of fancy corbels or moldings. Double sized spaces will be double the average 30K cost.

We’ve been to a bunch of design shops, but I’m looking for owner input to gauge satisfaction with the final installed cabinets. We don’t have a final design, and no one wants to talk prices in linear feet- thanks for your input there.

" We don’t have a final design, and no one wants to talk prices in linear feet "

Then you need a KD to help with the layout, find an independent designer and then shop the design. No one wants to talk LF pricing as that is not the correct metric to gauge pricing as there are too many variables.

Hire an actual kitchen designer. No one will talk specifics with a tire kicker. You have to invest something on your side for people to take you seriously.

There are a lot of great quality cabinet options. There are a lot fewer good kitchen designers. The kitchen designer is more important than the cabinet line.

No tire kicking here. Our architect is encouraging us to provide as many specific preferences for products/finish specs so contractors can give accurate estimates. Just trying to figure out those preferences with the input of homeowners 👍

Where in central NJ are you? we have a great cabinet maker in Freehold. My son and daighter in law just completed their kitchen this past fall.

Architect is not designing the kitchen per se, they are designing the major renovation that includes the kitchen. They will provide the schematic that goes to GC and cabinet company.

I am specifically asking for recommendations on high quality semi custom cabinets. Please feel free to comment if you have opinions and recommendations on that topic.

A kitchen designer will 💯 design the cabinet layout. Every cabinet reseller/company I have spoken with provides kitchen design service. But there are SO many manufacturers and every reseller offers different lines so this is why we are looking for input on cabinet quality. Things like durability of finishes can be very difficult to gauge in a showroom.

If you can’t find something you like out of Dewayne’s 17 brands above, then the issue isn’t the cabinets.

This is a hysterical thread 👆🏼. No one is saying we’re not happy with brands we’ve seen in the showroom. And yes there are dozens of choices- that’s the problem- narrowing it down. Is asking for real life homeowner feedback on durability and satisfaction a problem?

Go to Kitchen Wholesale Warehouse in Perth Amboy. They will help you with design. They make custom cabinets, countertops and can hook you up with installers. Perth Amboy has reduced sales tax, I believe. Their prices are reasonable. I bought my kitchen from them 15 years ago. Excellent quality cabinets.