Go to a proper high end shop: Boffi, Poggenpohl, Gaggenau. Next level down: Porcelanosa. Design will be free.

Interior designers in DMV are with very few exceptions really kind of a Home Depot level of interior design.

There’s also a woman on Instagram who’s very good. Out of Australia. Much cheaper and much better than your suburban “designer”

You have options

Anonymous wrote:All helpful perspectives, but once again no one provides concrete recommendations for designers and contractors so limited value.

That wasn’t the OPs question, they asked:

“ How much more was it working with an interior designer and their contractors vs. one of those design + build firms like Dulles Kitchen & Bath?”

I think if you want concrete recommendations, you should look at review sites like checkbook or yelp, etc.

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor and I did ours at the same time. Same house.

She spent 90k

I spent 45k.

Mine has real quartz, including all backspashes and a waterfall counter.

She removed a small wall and added an island, but faux quartz and hexagon tile backsplash.

What is faux quartz? Quartz isn’t a real stone.

All helpful perspectives, but once again no one provides concrete recommendations for designers and contractors so limited value.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok I’ll bite. What’s the difference between “real quartz” and “faux quartz”?

I was curious about that too. I guess the real quartz comes with a side of smugness?

No.

It's actual rock.

NP

I think that’s called quartzite