Designing the Right Kitchen Cabinets for Your Home
So you're finally doing it. You’re getting that big kitchen remodel you’ve always dreamed of. Amid all the excitement, remember what the backbone of a truly good-looking kitchen is: the cabinetry. Without a doubt, cabinets have the power to make or break the appearance of your kitchen.
There are many aspects to consider when choosing the proper kitchen cabinet design; the design, material, and price are all important. Every home and every lifestyle is different. These influence how we model the appearance of our kitchen.
In this post, we'll discuss the different types of kitchen cabinets on the market and how to pick the ideal one for your lifestyle. Continue reading to learn everything there is to know about cabinets.
Basic Types of Kitchen Cabinets
There are four basic types of kitchen cabinets. These are:
- Wall Cabinets
The most basic type of cabinet, wall cabinets, are both efficient and attractive. These are primarily used in the kitchen to maximize the use of space. Aside from that, wall cabinets are sometimes used to hide electrical wiring or power switches and water or gas piping that runs along the tops of the walls. Wall cabinets can also be used to seamlessly integrate kitchen appliances like a vent or exhaust fan.
- Base Cabinets
Base cabinets, also known as bottom cabinets, are a solid and sturdy foundation for heavy counters. Base cabinets may sit at the top of a raised concrete finish with tiles, defining the footprint of your kitchen. Base cabinets can conceal your sink, stove, dishwasher, gas tank, and other appliances. Solid surfaces, natural wood, or actual stone, such as marble or granite, can all be used to finish the base cabinets.
- Tall Cabinets
Tall cabinets, often known as closet or utility cabinets, provide plenty of extra storage in your kitchen. They're usually used to house a built-in oven, a built-in or standalone microwave, a built-in or freestanding wine fridge, and other appliances. A tall cabinet can hold bulk food and supplies, cleaning products, and other goods.
- Specialty Cabinets
Specialty cabinets are used for specific reasons, such as a corner cabinet containing a lazy Susan. There are two important factors to consider when it comes to specialty cabinets. The first is the closing mechanism, and the second is the amount of weight this kitchen cabinet design will have to support all of its contents.
Common Cabinet Materials
There are three main types of wood kitchen cabinets available based on materials and finish. These are:
- Hardwood Cabinets
Many homeowners prefer the timeless characteristics of hardwood—not to mention its durability. Cherry wood is among the most popular because it offers a distinctive wood grain with natural variations. In addition, the wood darkens over time as it matures. However, there are many other options for solid wood, including rustic alder, oak, maple, birch, and hickory. Birch is a common choice for modern kitchens that can brighten the space with its lighter color. Alternatively, alder offers a unique appeal with the natural beauty of knots and mineral streaks. Any hardwood can also be enhanced with different stains to either downplay or highlight natural grain patterns.
- Engineered Wood Cabinets
If you want solid white or colorful cabinets, engineered wood options will be a great choice. EverCore© and Thermofoil finishes offer exceptional durability and humidity resistance. With EverCore©, no wood grain is seen, so paint coats the surface evenly with no color variations. Thermofoil offers a tighter grain pattern that adds a subtle texture to white or gray cabinet faces.
- Laminate Finish Cabinets
Laminate cabinets feature a medium-density fiberboard core that’s covered with a thermoplastic polymer wrap for a smooth finish that’s easy to clean. You’ll also have a huge range of color choices with laminate cabinets.
Cabinet Construction Methods
There are two main types of kitchen cabinets available based on how they are constructed. These are:
- Ready-to-install cabinets
Ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets are a good option if you want an inexpensive and easily available cabinet. Even though they are ready to pick up, they have certain drawbacks, the most significant of which is the lack of standard designs. You can't personalize things, and you could eventually end up with the same item in your friend's kitchen! In addition, the long-term endurance of ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets could become an issue over time. You must be smart enough to build and install cabinetry.
- Custom cabinets
Custom cabinets, as the name implies, are made-to-order to your specifications. They are tailored to the needs of the homeowners and their way of life. Cabinet door styles, wood types, finishes, accessories, and colors are all options. They are somewhat more expensive than ready-to-install cabinets, but the extra cost is well worth it because you end up with a kitchen that is precisely what you envisioned!
Tips For Choosing The Right Kitchen Cabinet
Choosing the proper cabinet type for your new kitchen can be difficult. There are numerous styles, colors, and materials to choose from. Do you go with modern cabinets for an up-to-date look or with classic cabinets for something timeless?
There's a lot to consider when selecting kitchen cabinets for a remodel, but here are eight recommendations to assist you.
- Decide Whether You're Going Custom or Prefabricated
Custom cabinets are a terrific way to go if you have the money to spend. A professional kitchen design firm like Abatiello Design Center will analyze the space's floor plan and determine the best way to optimize the new kitchen cabinets' space, style, and efficiency.
Don't settle with generic kitchen cabinets; they should be appealing to you!
In the end, it all comes down to you, your budget, and your requirements. If you're not sure, try semi-custom cabinets, which are in the middle of the price range. Generic integrated door types and colors are used in these semi-custom designs, but they can be tailored to fit your kitchen more precisely.
- Maximize Your Storage (Especially In a Small Kitchen)
If you're the type of person who cooks a lot (if you're seeing this, you likely are), you've got a lot of tools, cookware, kitchen appliances, and food to store away. If you live in a small residence, you probably have trouble finding enough storage space in your kitchen. It's a good idea to consider how to make the most of the space in your kitchen cabinetry.
Wall cabinets are a terrific way to get more storage without taking up valuable counter space. Base and wall cabinets can both be built to take up less space.
- Think About How You Want Your Kitchen to be Organized
Nobody likes struggling to find kitchen tools in the middle of cooking a meal. If you're a bit of an organizer, kitchen remodeling might likely please your inner control freak. There are numerous innovative ways to organize your kitchen and adapt it to your preferences for appliances, cookware, and food.
Do you like to cook with a lot of spices? Invest in a specialized spice rack to keep all of your seasonings in one place. Do you have a pressing need to get rid of trash? Consider a garbage can that pulls out and stays covered to keep odors at bay. You can truly customize your kitchen to fit your culinary skills while keeping everything organized.
One of the most popular modern kitchen organization items is the appliance garage. It's a great way to encourage order and simplicity in your kitchen, especially when you're not cooking. Ideal for a more upscale kitchen makeover!
- Do You Want Drawers or Cabinets?
Choosing kitchen cabinet designs is one thing, but what about kitchen drawers? Old-school kitchens are likely to include a lot of dark oak cabinets, and we're already seeing a lot of glossy drawers in more recent ones. Many people utilize a combination of drawers and cabinets, depending on their preferences and needs.
- Modern, Traditional, Or Transitional?
When it comes to cabinet styles, it's all about personal preference. Kitchen cabinets make up a major part of your kitchen aesthetic, so they may make the room stand out if done correctly. Nonetheless, the cabinets' design must complement the rest of the room's decor.
Modern cabinets are the way to go for many people, especially if they want to obtain a decent return on their investment to sell their home in the following few years. Shaker-style cabinets are an example of a modern-traditional combination. There's no way to know for sure, but it'll almost certainly happen!
On the other hand, traditional designs have stood the test of time and will always appeal to a large portion of the population, making them an excellent choice if you expect to sell your home within the next ten years.
- Take Child-Proofing Measures into Consideration
If you have children, consider childproofing your kitchen. Children have a habit of getting into places they shouldn't, and there are numerous items in the kitchen that you don't want them to touch. If this is the case, you must make childproofing a priority in your design.
Soft-close drawers can be a good option for your kitchen. These drawers are designed to shut normally until they are about 1 inch away from closing, at which point they will close gently and safely. This protects your kids' fingers from getting stuck in the drawers when they close them.
- Look into the cabinet lighting effects.
Using under cabinet lighting in your kitchen has grown increasingly popular in the last ten years or so. LED light strips are frequently covered beneath wall-mounted cabinets and cannot be seen. When turned on, they generate a nice warm glow, which illuminates your counters and gives the space a warm, welcoming feel.
Under-cabinet lighting is stylish and practical; it gives your kitchen a warm glow while also making it easier to see your counters at night. You can choose built-in lighting with traditional tungsten lamps if you want a warm, inviting environment. On the other hand, LED light strips have a cooler feel in terms of color temperature.
- Do you have a favorite style of cabinet door?
Quick link: Do you need a design consultant for your new facility? Abatiello Design Center got you covered!
Is It Cheaper to Reface or to Replace Cabinets?
In general, refinishing cabinets is less expensive than replacing them. Replacing cabinets entails purchasing new cabinet framing, shelves, connectors, as well as wall mounts – it's a big job that can quickly add up if you go for low-cost particle board or Plywood cabinetry.
Warning: don't waste your time with these low-quality cabinets!
When you refinish or reface cabinets, you're still working with the original cabinet framework but merely changing or refinishing the doors, offering the kitchen cabinets the appearance of entirely new cabinets despite only the front changing.
If you're a homeowner seeking to save money on a kitchen remodel, refinishing your existing cabinets is usually the best option, assuming you like them and are in excellent shape.
If your kitchen cabinets are rotten, decaying, old, or you simply don't like them, refacing cabinet fronts with new doors will give the entire space a fresh vibe without putting in a lot of effort.
Quick link: It's not just kitchen cabinets! Abatiello also offers professional residential flooring services.
So, how do you decide which kitchen cabinet to buy?
There are tons of ways to use kitchen cabinets in your house, whether for practical, storage, aesthetic purposes, or a mix of all three. Finally, your cabinets should complement the overall style of your kitchen while optimizing the efficiency and comfort you experience when preparing meals for yourself and your family.
Quick link: We hope you found these kitchen cabinet buying suggestions helpful! Contact Abatiello Design Center consultants to assist you with your kitchen and bathroom remodeling.
Plywood and furniture boards both have advantages and disadvantages. Plywood is made up of multiple thin sheets of wood that have been bonded together and is more resistant to water than furniture boards. Plywood, on the other hand, is a termite's favorite food, whereas furniture board is not.
Drawers that are rabbeted together and then glued and pinned are typical in entry-level cabinets, although they are prone to warping and sticking.
f installation might be a cost-effective option for minor tasks. Larger projects, on the other hand, necessitate a significant initial investment. The installation's complexity should be examined.
Generally, cabinets should last around 25 years. A high-quality materials cabinet should last up to 50 years.
Cabinet refinishing makes old cabinets look new by removing the doors and renovating them.
