Kitchen Cabinets

Starting your Kitchen Cabinets Search

When you start looking for kitchen cabinets, think about what aspects of your kitchen style and materials you would like to introduce to your kitchen. Think about if you prefer to have solid cabinet doors, glass doors, or even no cabinet doors at all. Maybe the combination of open kitchen cabinets and cabinets with doors are the most appropriate for your kitchen.

The cabinets of most kitchens are best hidden behind solid doors because much of the storage is unattractive and not fit for display. The cabinet doors are able to hide any sort of messiness that could be going on in the cabinets – such as things that are not dish-related but tend to be very convenient to keep in that particular cabinet.

If you feel as if you can keep the order of the cabinets and you happen to have attractive dishes to display, then you might like to opt for no doors. You can also display it in a decorative manner – inserting a few objects that are there purely to match the decor of the room.

You can also be efficient with your decisions. Open kitchen shelves may help you go through your business much faster and gives you a way to display all of your china tastefully. It would be a good option for some who are living with a smaller group of people or in a smaller family since you do not have to wash and use a large number of dishes daily. This option will also give your kitchen an original touch.

It seems that for many, the oven has become just another way of storing pots, pans, and even certain dishes. There is no way that you would be able to fit it into a cabinet. It makes the kitchen look too cluttered if it is left out and the countertop is already occupied with all the other things that you need daily.

A good cabinet will suit your needs and make the kitchen look neat and tailored effortlessly. When you are choosing your cabinets, make sure that they are taking care of all the needs that you have for this kitchen. Remember though – the cabinets take up almost half of the remodeling budget, so you should be on your toes and realize that this is the perfect time to be picky. There is very little room for mistakes.

Kitchen Cabinets Basics

There are two ways kitchen cabinets can be constructed – either in a framed fashion or a frameless fashion. The framed look is the more commonly seen construction in the United States. It is here the frame is definite – the cabinets are reinforced with a center rail which shows through after the doors close.

The cabinet’s doors usually tend to be lightly decorated, unless you go for a more elaborate design.

The frameless cabinets are referred to as European-style cabinets in the United States. They are built without a face frame and they fit a contemporary style. This type of kitchen cabinets have no trim or molding or, if they do, it is very simple and minimal. The doors fit very close to the actual frame of the cabinet; no ornamentation is seen on the front because the contemporary belief was that the object is made to do its function. Close-fitting doors cover the entire front of the box, no ornamentation appears on the face of the doors, and hinges are typically hidden inside the cabinet box.

Choosing the type of kitchen cabinets for your specific needs and the taste is usually based on appearance preferences. Some of the cabinets, though, have a bit less space inside than others. Do not forget to look for kitchen cabinets that are well constructed. The excellent material to go for is, of course, solid wood, but it is quite expensive and is not used by most companies today – they may on occasion use the solid wood for door construction. Most of the cabinet frames are made of plywood, which offers excellent support. Also, medium-density fiberboard could be used for the box construction or just for the construction of the drawers. High-quality particle board is yet another great alternative – it is usually finished off with a laminate finish. It won’t warp, which is an essential element in the kitchen due to the fact of being put through many different elements each day. Don’t forget to look at the interior of the cabinets to make sure that they are well finished inside as well – you wouldn’t have to be embarrassed to open your cabinet doors in front of your guests.

Kitchen Cabinets Types

You have a great variety of cabinets you can choose from – you can get a ready-to-assemble cabinet, a semi-custom cabinet, or a custom cabinet.

Custom kitchen

Custom kitchen cabinets have the most freedom to be as close to your specifications as they possibly can be. You may have them made from scratch, which will mean that the construction will take a few months.

The cabinets resemble collection furniture pieces when completed – each detail the way you like it and the color perfectly to your specifications. You can embellish your custom kitchen cabinets with carved wood onlays, rosettes, and corbels. You can also add decorative door panels, kitchen island legs or beautiful wood brackets for kitchen countertops support. The upper part of the cabinets can be crowned with elegant wood molding.

Even the bottom of the cabinets can be adorned with decorative baseboard. So, if you do have a clear vision and desire to create one of a kind kitchen by infusing your personality into the kitchen design – the custom kitchen cabinets are the way to go. Of course, you can imagine that they would not come cheap – you may find individual cabinet makers who would accommodate your needs for a moderate price, but it may range to something costly.

Semi-custom kitchen cabinets

Semi-custom kitchen cabinets are made to your specifications as well-except there are already pre-determined standards for them. They have a list of the sizes available, the different finishes, how the interior shelves are organized, and any details which they may wish to add. It usually does not take much more than eight weeks. The price varies very much with the semi-custom cabinets because it all depends on what kind of finishes and features you would end up choosing. This is an excellent option for being able to get a specified cabinet without spending too much money if you do not have an incredibly outrageous and radical design for the cabinetry. By using the architectural details found at InvitingHome.com such as rosettes, onlays, carvings and corbels you can achieve a custom kitchen cabinet look but save much money. Just select your accents and have them incorporated by your cabinet maker.

stock kitchen cabinets

Stock kitchen cabinets could usually be gotten on the spot or delivered within a week. They are available in many different designs, styles, and finishes – but relative to the custom and the semi-custom cabinets they are quite limited. The variety is great enough that you would be able to mix and match with the rest of your kitchen decor reasonably easy.

The quality ranges quite a bit. The cabinets could be anywhere from barely satisfactory to exceptional. It would be best if you inquired about the materials that were used, the grade of those materials, and the way they were put together. Do not get anything that is just glued together with no reinforcements; it is asking for a disaster.

If you happen to be on a tight budget, you should consider knockdown cabinets. Mostly, they are stock cabinets that are shipped/sold flat in boxes. The reason why they are so much cheaper is that you will be the ones to put them together and install them. There is more limitation with the styles of knockdown cabinetry than any of the other choices discussed, but it is not hard to add your personal flair to it. Much of the time, the cabinets are shipped unfinished which means that you can think of your way of finishing the cabinets with stains and paint. You can also consider changing out the hardware to something more appealing to you and your design.

Accessories for Kitchen Cabinets

No matter what type of kitchen cabinets you are going to get – a common complaint is that there is just not enough space. What it translates to is that there seem to be no ways to have everything you need within reach at all times. Lucky for you, there are plenty of accessories available to solve that issue painlessly.

Appliance Garages

Appliance garages are incredibly versatile – you can install in any unused “dead” space. That space could be below your countertops, in the corner, or between the wall and the cabinets. It makes a mini cabinet that could accommodate not only your appliances, but your cookbooks, spices, or some small items that you find to be crucial enough to have to be within reach.

Lazy Susans and Carousel Shelves

They let you maximize your storage space because it can accommodate enough things for it to be incredibly convenient – everything on them is easy to get because you spin it around to find what you need so you do not even have to reach. A Lazy Suzan has 360 degrees of space that you may use, but the Carousel Shelves have 270 degrees of space due to having to accommodate two doors.

Fold-Down Mixer Shelf

It is a shelf that moves with the help of spring – when you need the mixer, pull it out and tuck it back in once you are done using it.

Slide-Outs and Tilt-Outs

A Slide-Out feature is installed in the base of the cabinets. They could be used for anything from appliances and linens to pet food and grains. A Tilt-Out feature can be put almost anywhere – a space between cabinets and the wall could be convenient. It is excellent storage for smaller items like cookies sheets and sponges.

Dressing up Your Kitchen Cabinets

Whatever design you are creating in the kitchen, the cabinets are a great part of it – it takes up a lot of wall space and is very definite. The way you choose to finish the cabinets will set the tone for the whole kitchen.

You should pay attention to all your choices when it comes to architectural details – wood corbels, molding, rope motif panels, fretwork or pierced wood molding, kitchen island legs, wood carvings, or even footed cabinets. If you like more straightforward designs and lean to the contemporary side of the design spectrum, then you can still go for some of these architectural details for your cabinets, but you can go for simpler ones.

To match the applied carved details to the actual cabinets – stain them with the matching stain. You may also laminate your kitchen cabinets, but it is not as popular as they used to be, mostly because staining is easier and lasts and withstands longer. (see also kitchen cabinets update)

Glazes and accent colors paired with natural wood tones will add an interesting spin without having to go outside of your comfort zone. You can also paint the kitchen cabinets white or light green, and maybe even add a crackle finish for an antique feel to the place. If that is too much, you can go with a very traditional stain and add a little bit of accent color on the crown molding and any other architectural details added to the cabinets.