Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:07:54 +0000

A little bit of shop talk here, but I'm happy to share news of this new kitchen design software and technology that I am using.

I'm excited to debut and share information on my new kitchen software with you. It's called AutoKitchen and it's truly state of the art! The AutoKitchen representative, knowing that I am a working designer, offered to provide me with a copy of AutoKitchen software to review and to use in my practice, gratis. I already was using design software, but having recently upgraded my software and being disappointed in the quality of the renderings at the highest level of detail, I thought it a good time to take a look at all the competitors in this narrow field of kitchen design software for professional designers.

As with any product I review (in 3 years, this is my 3rd review) and as is a typical policy for many bloggers, it has to meet my own personal standards as a useful product with qualities that I feel have merit. Otherwise, I decline to review the product, which I have done once after using a particular product and twice in the case of books.

In this case, the graphics (crazy photo realism) were noticeably better than my existing program. I didn't "need" a new program. I was not looking for another program. In fact, I had just recently upgraded my existing program for a nice sum of $$. But, when I looked at this program in more detail, first, in comparison to what I was using, another very reputable program designed for the kitchen/bath industry, there is no question that I was immediately "wowed" by the super sharp graphics that AutoKitchen produces.

This program, from my perspective, IS state of the art! It's a significant enhancement to my business, an upgrade for my clients who will see their kitchen in better detail, and so, I'm extremely happy to share my thoughts on this program with those who appreciate beautifully designed graphics.

As I become more proficient with AutoKitchen (these images are from AutoKitchen's files) I'll be sharing the very cool drawings that it produces. If you are a designer and looking to make a change, I encourage you to take a look at AutoKitchen. If my existing program had been comparable, I would have had no need to a) learn a new program b) learn a new program c) learn a new program, all of which is extremely time consuming and quite honestly, always slow going at first, then takes more time to get fully up to speed, which designers understand. But, as a designer, beautiful graphics are extremely important, which trumps time spent learning a new program, for sure.

Having used my program (with regular updates) for 18 years, I did not make this change lightly; the software had to produce compelling solutions for my business. After my careful analysis of AutoKitchen and its competition over the course of two months, it does. I did not go for test drives with other software companies, but I very closely analyzed finished renderings on the companies' websites (the ultimate issue for me), talked to industry colleagues, and took a hard look at my existing software as well, which involved several sessions with the manufacturer to make completely sure that I was familiar with its top quality renderings options.

Had I not believed that AutoKitchen produces THE finest graphics in the kitchen design software industry, I would not have been interested. Why change a program I was comfortable with after 18 years to something that is second or third best? That would be a bad decision on several levels.

I can report that AutoKitchen's customer service is superb, otherwise, that would surely be a dealbreaker for me. CAD compatability is a big plus too. There is no question in my mind that the time invested is, and will be, worth it. I'm happy to share my perspective on this program. Miguel, from AutoKitchen, is a delight to work with and endlessly patient. 

For further information, call Miguel Merida. Phone: 201-568-3555 or miguel.merida@microcadsoftware.com.

 

Ikea kitchen remodeling project

As the old saying goes… If you are planning to fail, you must have failed to plan. That statement couldn’t be more true than when you’re undertaking an Ikea kitchen remodeling project.

You will definitely fail if you do not pay great attention to detail on the planning of your project from the very beginning. There’s no way around it. The key to getting your project started out on the correct foot is to make sure that you put a lot of time and effort into your kitchen design so that you know it is right!

The starting point when you are prepared to start your planning should weigh heavy on the overall kitchen design, the Ikea Kitchen Planner Software is that starting point.

If you haven’t done so already, go to Ikea and download the Ikea Kitchen Planner Software here:

Ikea Kitchen Planner Software

When you get the Ikea Kitchen Planner, install it on your computer and play around with it for a couple of days and do some rough schematic designs.

Once you get to a point where you are fairly comfortable with the software and you have a tape measure, it is time to go to the kitchen and get some fairly accurate measurements. Measuring the kitchen yourself, if you do not feel good about taking the measurements what you can do is hire a professional to come out and do it for you, or go get one of your family members or a neighbor that might be available.

Once you have your measurements complete, it is now a great time to try your hand at your first design using the planner software.

Start off by creating a new project in the Ikea Kitchen Planner Software and input your kitchen dimensions and finalize your room layout.

When you have the room layout right, the next step is to use the software and place your cabinets into the room you created.

***When you’re putting the cabinets in using the software, be sure that you specify the finish, door style, plinth and each of the cabinet parts exactly how you want them so your estimate and
parts list is correct when you’re done and ready to print***

When you finish your initial design, take a couple of days off and then revisit your design to see if it will work.

If you are just not quite happy with your initial design, save it and try doing it one more time. You may also want to try a layout that’s completely different from your first effort just for the fun of it. I did the same thing when i did my kitchen design. I ended up doing 3-4 designs and picked the best one of the group for my final plan.

Ok now that you have your initial Ikea Kitchen Plan complete, it is time to get down to some research, you will have to do a lot of research on things such as appliances, flooring materials, cabinets and counter tops.