Whether your priority is style or organization, the right kitchen cabinets make daily life easier. A kitchen without enough well-planned storage gets cluttered quickly, which is why cabinets deserve careful thought.
Most homes come with kitchen cabinets already installed, chosen by the builder to suit as many buyers as possible. If the cabinets in your kitchen do not suit the way you cook or the look you want, it may be time for new ones.
There are many types of kitchen cabinets to choose from. What you choose should depend on the size of your kitchen, the overall design of your house, and the style you prefer. You are not limited to what is on a showroom floor, either, because cabinets can also be made to order.
Custom kitchen cabinets cost more than standard ones, but they are tailor-made for your home and can be built to fit any kitchen layout. If you are considering new kitchen cabinets, here are seven types to know.
Distressed Style
If your kitchen has an antique feel, the distressed style fits it well. Distressed finishes are available from many manufacturers. The aged look is applied on purpose, by hand or by machine, on top of an otherwise new cabinet.
Few cabinet styles look as rustic as distressed cabinets. The distressing technique is their defining feature: corners and edges are rubbed through, and the finish may be glazed, dented, or worn in places to make the cabinet look as though it has been in use for generations.
Distressed cabinets also hide everyday wear well, because a new scuff simply blends in with the finish. That makes them a practical choice for busy family kitchens as well as an attractive one.
Inset Style
The name describes the construction. On an inset cabinet, the doors and drawer fronts sit inside the cabinet frame, flush with it, instead of resting on top of the frame as overlay doors do. That flush fit is what sets the style apart.
Each door has to be made and hung with precise measurements so that it fits inside the frame with an even gap all around and opens and closes properly. If you want inset cabinets, make sure your cabinet maker and installer are experienced with them.
Because of the precision required, inset cabinets are among the more expensive styles. Their clean, classic design does not date quickly, though, and a well-built set will serve a kitchen for many years.
Louvered Style
Louvered cabinet doors are distinguished by their horizontal wooden slats, much like window shutters. They add texture and suit coastal, cottage, and relaxed traditional kitchens. They are less common than other cabinet styles, which is part of their appeal.
If you need cabinets with ventilation, louvered doors are the style to choose. When the slats are open, the gaps between them let air circulate. That makes them useful for a pantry, a laundry area, or a cabinet that houses electronics.
The main drawback of louvered cabinets is cost. The doors have many parts and take more work to build and finish, and the slats take more effort to dust. Use them where they make sense, and make sure they fit your budget.
Shaker Style
Shaker is the cabinet style you will find in a great many homes. It suits modern, transitional, and traditional kitchens alike. A Shaker door is made of five pieces: a four-piece frame and a single flat center panel.
One reason it is so popular is that it is simple and classic. It fits almost any kitchen, works with nearly any hardware, and is easy to clean. Shaker is one of the most common styles in newly built homes.
Shaker cabinets are made in many materials. Common woods include cherry, maple, quarter-sawn oak, and hickory, and painted Shaker doors are widely available as well.
Beadboard Style
Beadboard is another simple, familiar cabinet style. The center panel of the door is made of rows of vertical planks, or is milled to look like them, with narrow ridges between the planks called beads. It is often described as a cottage or farmhouse style.
Beadboard adds texture and a relaxed character to a kitchen without being fussy. It works well in smaller kitchens and on an island or a single run of cabinets used as an accent. The grooves do collect dust and grease, so they need a little more attention when you clean.
Beadboard cabinets are available at a range of price points, including affordable ones. You can lower the cost further by choosing a less expensive wood or a painted finish.
Thermofoil Style
Thermofoil cabinet doors are made of medium-density fiberboard. The fiberboard is wrapped in a thin vinyl film, which is bonded to it with heat and pressure. The result is a smooth, uniform door that is cost-effective and available in many colors.
Thermofoil cabinets are easy to care for and low maintenance. Their weakness is heat. The film can peel or discolor near an oven, a toaster, or another heat source, so plan the layout accordingly or ask about heat shields.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets
Custom kitchen cabinets are the choice if you want your kitchen to be one of a kind. You choose the style, the color, the material, and the exact sizes, so the cabinets fit both the room and the way you use it.
Besides giving your home a distinctive look, well-made custom cabinets make the most of awkward spaces that standard sizes cannot fill. Choose an experienced cabinet maker so the finished cabinets match what you had in mind.
Cabinets do a great deal for a kitchen and for the home as a whole. These seven types are only some of the options.
Custom work means almost any combination is possible, so think about how each style would fit your own kitchen before you decide.