Frequently Asked Questions
Transforming your kitchen or bathroom should be an exciting journey, but we know it comes with plenty of design decisions along the way. To help guide you, we’ve answered the most common questions about partnering with French Quarter Facades—from custom cabinetry selection and stone countertop materials to 3D design, project timelines, and professional installation. Serving Greater New Orleans, Metairie, and Jefferson Parish, our goal is simple: to make your home renovation seamless, transparent, and beautifully tailored to your lifestyle.
French Quarter Facades Kitchen & Bath is a full-service kitchen and bath design studio specializing in:
- Builders Grade, Semi-custom and Custom cabinetry
- Stone countertops (man-made quartz, natural stone such as quartzite, granite, marble, and more)
- Kitchen and bathroom design
- Space planning and layout optimization
- Material and finish coordination
- Professional installation
We guide each project from early planning through final installation to ensure your space is functional, cohesive, and built to last.
Our hands-on approach sets us apart. We don’t simply supply cabinets and countertops — we coordinate every detail of your project, including:
- Layout planning
- Finish selections
- Storage solutions
- Contractor collaboration
- Color and texture coordination
Our goal is to make the process smooth and clear so you can move forward with confidence.
Realistic Kitchen Budgeting Made Simple
NOTE: This is very general as all kitchens and the people who own them are unique – To get a real-time cost of your kitchen, please visit our showroom at 1418 Edwards Avenue Harahan, LA 70123.
Planning a kitchen remodel in the Greater New Orleans area starts with setting a clear, realistic budget. As a general rule of thumb (but not a complete “hard and fast” rule), a complete kitchen renovation typically ranges between 10% and 20% of your home’s market value, with cabinetry usually representing roughly 25% to 40% of your total project spend, countertops generally representing 15% to 30% of your total project spend, and appliances usually representing 25% to 35% of total project spend.
To help you explore your options, French Quarter Facades offers three distinct cabinetry tiers tailored to your home’s style, functional goals, and timeline:
1. Express / Builder’s Grade
Typical Cabinet Investment: Starting around $6,000 – $10,000
Best For: Quick home updates, rental properties, or straightforward kitchen layouts where speed and budget control are top priorities.
Featured Brands: J & K Cabinetry, Northpoint Cabinetry, and Capital Cabinetry (by Wellborn Forest).
What You Get: All-plywood box construction, durable factory finishes, standard box sizes, and quick-ship availability for fast-turnaround projects.
2. Semi-Custom (Our Most Popular Tier)
Typical Cabinet Investment: Starting around $18,000 – $28,000
Best For: Homeowners wanting a tailored look without full-custom lead times. Ideal for creating custom island layouts, modified cabinet depths, and smart storage pull-outs.
Featured Brands: Wellborn Forest Cabinetry, 1951 Cabinetry, and Nova South Cabinetry.
What You Get: Expanded catalogs featuring hundreds of door styles and finish combinations, soft-close dovetail drawers, frameless full-access storage options, and modified box dimensions to fit your space precisely.
3. Full Custom
Typical Cabinet Investment: Starting around $35,000 – $50,000+
Best For: Luxury kitchen renovations, historic architectural homes, and high-end estate builds demanding complete design freedom and zero filler strips.
Featured Brands: Bishop Cabinetry and Woodharbor Custom Cabinetry.
What You Get: True furniture-grade craftsmanship built down to the fraction of an inch. Features include inset door styles, custom paint and stain matching, exotic wood species, and integrated appliance panels.
What Drives Your Cabinetry Investment?
Two kitchens with the exact same square footage can carry noticeably different investment totals. That’s because overall cabinet pricing isn’t determined by wall length alone—it depends on your room’s layout, vertical ceiling height, and what goes inside the box.
1. Layout Complexity & Architectural Features
Even in homes with similar floor plans, specific design choices shape your total spend:
Kitchen Islands: Designing a central island requires finished back panels, decorative end caps, and deep storage drawers, which use more detailed trim and material than a standard run of wall cabinets.
Angles & Footprint: L-shaped layouts, U-shapes, or historic homes with structural posts and off-center windows require custom adjustments to fit seamlessly without wide filler strips.
Appliance Housings: Swapping a standard slide-in range for a built-in cooktop, wall oven tower, or panel-ready refrigerator requires specialized cabinet surrounds that add to the fabrication scope.
2. Cabinet Height & Vertical Reach (8-Foot vs. 9-Foot+ Ceilings)
The taller your walls, the more material, precision construction, and trim molding are required to finish the space:
Standard Wall Height (8-Foot Ceilings / 30″ or 36″ Uppers): Uses standard upper cabinets with a single crown molding stack to meet the ceiling. (Baseline Cost)
Full-Height Vertical Reach (9-Foot Ceilings / 42″ Uppers): Uses single tall upper cabinets requiring reinforced box construction and larger doors. (Typically +15% to 25% on upper cabinetry)
Stacked Two-Tier Cabinets (9-Foot to 10-Foot Ceilings): Features a secondary row of upper cabinets—often with glass fronts and interior accent lighting—stacked above main uppers. This doubles the door, hardware, and trim detailing. (Typically +40% to 60%+ on upper cabinetry)
3. Specialty Internal Accessories
Two cabinet doors can look identical on the outside, but their internal engineering changes how your kitchen functions every day:
Standard Open Shelving: Baseline cost, but requires reaching deep into dark lower cabinets.
Deep Roll-Out Trays: Eliminates bending down by bringing heavy pots and pans directly to you. (+$150 – $300 per cabinet)
Trash & Recycling Pull-Outs: Keeps waste hidden out of sight while preserving floor space. (+$250 – $500 per unit)
Corner Storage Solutions: Blind pull-out organizers or heavy-duty Lazy Susans transform hard-to-reach corner “dead space” into accessible storage. (+$350 – $900+ per corner)
Pantry Towers & Heavy-Duty Lifts: Floor-to-ceiling organization featuring specialty soft-close glides. (+$800 – $2,500+ per unit)
Visit Our Elmwood Showroom
Whether you are planning a complete kitchen remodel in Metairie, updating a historic home in New Orleans, or building in St. Tammany Parish, our team is here to guide you through every detail.
Bring your wall measurements or architectural plans into our Elmwood showroom, and we’ll help you compare cabinet construction, stone slab countertops, and hardware options to create a realistic estimate tailored to your home.
While timelines vary, most projects follow this general schedule:
- Design and selections: 1-3 weeks
- Cabinet production: 3-6 weeks
- Installation: 1–2 weeks
Planning ahead ensures smoother scheduling, especially if you are coordinating with other elements of your overall build.
We offer high-quality all-wood Builders grade, semi-custom and custom cabinetry with flexible sizing and finish options. Our cabinetry lines provide:
- A variety of door styles
- Multiple paint and stain finishes
- Functional storage upgrades
- Durable construction built for everyday use
We help you select cabinetry that balances design, durability, and budget.
We offer a wide range of cabinet styles to suit different aesthetics, including:
- Shaker, modified shaker, and slab/flat-panel
- Framed, Frameless, and Inset doors
- Transitional designs
- Traditional styles
- Contemporary and modern profiles
Whether you prefer clean, minimal lines or detailed craftsmanship, we help you choose a style that complements your home.
Cabinet finishes play a major role in the overall look of your kitchen or bath. Available options typically include:
- Painted finishes in a variety of colors, even custom colors.
- Wood stains ranging from light to dark tones
- Glazed finishes for added dimension
We coordinate cabinetry finishes with countertops, hardware, and backsplash selections to create a cohesive design.
Choosing cabinet color depends on:
- Natural light in the space
- Size of the room
- Desired mood and style
- Countertop and flooring selections
Lighter colors can make smaller spaces feel larger, while darker finishes add depth and contrast. We guide you through these decisions to ensure balance and longevity in your design.
We offer a curated selection of premium stone surfaces, including:
- Quartz
- Granite
- Marble
- Other natural and engineered stone options
We help you evaluate durability, maintenance requirements, and visual impact before making your selection.
Each material offers distinct advantages:
- Quartz is low-maintenance, non-porous, and highly durable.
- Granite offers natural variation and strong heat resistance.
- Marble delivers timeless elegance but requires more care.
Your lifestyle, cooking habits, and aesthetic preferences will help determine the best fit.
Well-constructed cabinetry can last 20–30 years or more with proper care. Longevity depends on construction quality, materials, installation precision, and everyday use.
Yes. Cabinetry is one of the most used elements in your home. Investing in quality improves:
- Durability
- Storage functionality
- Overall aesthetic value
- Long-term return on investment
- Quality cabinetry contributes significantly to both daily comfort and resale appeal.
Yes. Many homeowners refresh their space by replacing cabinetry, countertops, and finishes while keeping plumbing and appliance locations the same. This approach can reduce costs while still achieving a dramatic transformation.
Key design decisions include:
- Cabinet style and finish
- Countertop material
- Storage configuration
- Hardware selection
- Lighting coordination
We guide you through these selections to ensure your final space feels cohesive and thoughtfully designed.
Yes. We collaborate closely with contractors, builders, and other trades to ensure smooth communication and efficient project coordination.
It’s best to begin planning several months before you’d like installation to begin. Early planning allows time for design development, material selection, and cabinet lead times.
You’ll be involved during:
- Initial design consultation
- Material and finish selections
- Final design approval
- Scheduling of installation
We manage the technical details and coordination while keeping you informed and confident throughout the process.
High-impact investments often include:
- Quality cabinetry
- Durable stone countertops
- Smart storage solutions
- Timeless, cohesive design choices
A well-designed kitchen or bath consistently adds both lifestyle value and resale appeal.
Getting started is simple:
- Schedule a consultation to go over style and look preferences in our showroom
- Schedule an in home measurement to start the design process
We guide you every step of the way to help you create a kitchen or bath you’ll love for years to come.
Proper care ensures long-term performance and beauty.
Cabinet Care:
- Clean with a soft cloth and mild soap solution
- Avoid abrasive cleaners or harsh chemicals
- Wipe spills promptly
Countertop Care:
- Quartz is low maintenance and requires only mild soap and water
- Natural stone such as granite or marble may require periodic sealing
- Avoid acidic or abrasive cleaners
- Wipe spills promptly
- Avoid direct heat, use a trivet
We can provide care guidance specific to the materials you select.
Preferred payment methods include:
- Check
- Wire transfer
- We also accept credit cards; however, a 3.5%-5% processing fee applies to credit card transactions.
A deposit is required before cabinetry and materials are ordered, with remaining payments scheduled according to your project timeline. We clearly outline all payment terms before your project begins.
Yes. Accurate measurements are essential for a successful installation.
Our process includes:
- An initial in-home measurement prior to design finalization
- A second measurement (verification) after the design is approved and before cabinets are ordered
This two-step verification process ensures accuracy and reduces the risk of ordering errors.
Ready to Start Designing Your New Kitchen or Bath?
Your kitchen and bathrooms are some of the most important spaces in your home, they should be beautiful, functional, and built to last.
At French Quarter Facades Kitchen & Bath, we guide you through every step. From layout planning and cabinet selection to stone countertops and professional installation. Your project will feel clear, organized, and exciting from day one.