Choosing kitchen cabinets is an exciting time in the remodeling process because it is one step closer to completing the project. You will be living with the choices made for many years and need to select the materials, styles, and finishes that represent your taste and lifestyle. Here are the guidelines you need to choose the ideal kitchen cabinetry.
Stock vs Custom Kitchen Cabinetry
Do you want your kitchen to look unique? Then you need to choose custom kitchen cabinetry. Stock cabinetry is mass-produced, with limited choices, and ideal for DIY projects. Custom cabinetry, however, is an investment. The design is individual to your home, allowing you to select cabinetry that compliments its architecture and your lifestyle, supported by a professional team.
Choosing the Best Material for the Kitchen Cabinets
There are three standard types of material you can use for kitchen cabinets, solid wood, MDF, and plywood. Solid wood looks beautiful but requires some maintenance and can be heavy, so use it for cabinet doors only. Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is ideal for custom work and best for painted cabinetry. Plywood can be used for shelves and organizers within the cabinetry.
Kitchen Cabinet Door Styles
Kitchen cabinet doors are the focal points of the cabinetry, and the style you select defines the theme of the kitchen. The standard door styles are shaker, cathedral arch, arched and solid slab.
Framed vs Frameless
What are framed cabinet doors? They are more traditional doors with a visible frame, offer a variety of styles, and are budget-friendly. Frameless doors, as the name states, do not have a frame and are more difficult to install, making them more costly.
Inset vs Overlay
Inset and overlay refer to the positioning of the door in framed cabinetry. Overlay cabinets protrude from the frame offering a three-dimensional, traditional look. Inset cabinets are flush with the frame and a more modern, sleek style.
Kitchen Cabinet Door Finish
What type of cabinet door finish do you like? Is your preference highlighting the look of natural wood grain or the color choices painted doors offer?
Solid Wood Cabinetry
The type of wood generally used for cabinetry are maple, cherry, hickory and oak. Do you want to finish the solid wood with a stain? Cherry and maple wood stains well, and oak looks especially good with darker stains. The natural two-tone coloration of hickory stands out with a clear finish.
High-Gloss / Semi-Gloss
High-gloss paint looks sleek and shiny and is designed to reflect light around a room, but shows dirt, imperfections, and scratches more easily. Semi-gloss is a half-shiny, half-flat paint that reflects light but doesn’t make bright colors look tacky and is a safe choice.
Matte
Matte finishes are flat, do not reflect light, and are often used for traditional, country-style, and transitional kitchen designs. Dirt, marks and scratches are less visible with this finish, but it can be more difficult to clean.
Satin
Satin paint, also called eggshell, has a slight pearl-like sheen offering a silky smooth appearance. It is a great finish for homes with children and animals but must be applied by professionals for the perfect look.
Pulls and Knobs
The color, design, finish and materials you choose for this cabinetry hardware should support the kitchen’s overall design theme. Knobs are smaller than handles and budget-friendly, while pulls are easy to grip statement pieces available in many sizes.
Shelves and Drawers
Shelves and drawers are part of the functionality of a kitchen and deserve equal attention to the rest of the cabinetry design. Plywood is often used as it is hardy, efficient, does not warp easily, and is available in various thicknesses.
Schrapper’s Fine Cabinetry, Inc. produces custom-made cabinetry of the highest quality for interior designers, builders and homeowners. We have more than thirty years of experience and work closely with clients to fulfill their expectations. Are you stressed about choosing kitchen cabinets? Schrapper’s Fine Cabinetry, Inc can guide you, contact us today.