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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 are able to 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 very practical 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 in a tasteful manner. It would be a good option for some who are living
with a smaller group of people or in a smaller family due to the fact that you
do not have to wash and use a large amount of dishes daily. This option will
also gives 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 own 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
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 the kitchen cabinets for your specific needs and 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 optimum 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 great 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 important 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.
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 cabinets 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 absolutely perfect
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 the kind kitchen by infusing your own personality into the
kitchen design - the custom kitchen cabinets
is the way to go. Of course, you can imagine that they would not come cheap - you may find
certain cabinet makers who would accommodate your needs for a moderate price, but it may range
to something that is extremely expensive.
continue >>
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 a great 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 a lot of money. Just select your accents and have them incorporated by your cabinet maker.
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 fairly easy.
The quality ranges quite a bit. The cabinets could be anywhere from barely
satisfactory to exceptional. You should enquire 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.
Essentially, they are stock cabinets that are shipped/sold flat in boxes. The
reason why they are so much cheaper is due to the fact 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 own 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.
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 seems to be no ways
to have everything you need within reach at all times. Lucky for you, there are
plenty 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 just 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 a spring - when you need the mixer, just
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 a great storage
for smaller items like cookies sheets and sponges
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, fluted
pilasters,
rope motif panels, fretwork or
pierced wood molding,
fluted kitchen island legs,
wood carvings, or even footed cabinets. If you like simpler 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 just go with a very traditional stain and
add a little bit of an accent color on the
crown molding and any other
architectural details added to the cabinets.