Kitchens.com offers a guide describing the characteristics of different architectural styles and recommending complementary kitchen cabinets, countertops, flooring, and architectural details.

1.Draw an outline of the kitchen, noting openings for doors and windows (including which way the door swings).
2.Draw in any obstructions (heating, plumbing, etc.), that you cannot or do not want to move.
3.Beginning at the top left corner of your drawing measure to the first window, door or wall. Continue clockwise around the room. Include trim when measuring doors and windows. Measure the ceiling height and write it in the center of your drawing. Measure from the floor to the bottom of each window and also measure the overall window height. Write these numbers down.
4.Beginning at the top left of your drawing and moving clockwise, label the windows and doors "Window #1," "Door #1," etc. Next to each wall, write the name of the adjacent room or "exterior wall."
5.Measure any obstructions (heating, plumbing, etc.), that you cannot or do not want to move. Measure from the two closest walls to the edges of the obstruction. Measure the height of the obstruction.
6.Check your numbers by adding the measurements of the parallel walls to be sure they match.

The products and materials you choose will have the greatest impact on your new kitchen’s price tag. Cabinets typically account for half the cost. Installation and labor costs (which vary most by geography) take up the next biggest chunk—about 16 percent—followed by the costs of other major design elements.

So what then affects the cost of the products and materials?

(Design Elements)

With Cabinets Price Depends On:
Manufacturer choice; construction quality; materials; interior storage accessories; door style and finish; quantity; difficulty of installation.

With Appliances Price Depends On:
Features; style.

With Countertops Price Depends On:
Quality and type of material; difficulty of installation; edge treatment material and design; backsplash material and design.

With Flooring Price Depends On:
Quality and type of material; difficulty of installation.

With Sinks & Faucets Price Depends On:
Sinks-material; size and number of basins; special colors

With Faucets-interior materials Price Depends On:
finish; spout style; accessories

With Architectural details Price Depends On:
Uniqueness of items; level of craftsmanship

Good designers can envision (and prepare for) possibilities that won't occur to you—for instance, that the walls, floors and ceilings in older homes are typically out of plumb—and manage technical details such as measuring, ordering and install.