Cabinets are the heart and soul of a kitchen. They give homeowners precious storage and organizational space that keeps clutter at bay. Cabinets are also responsible for cultivating the wow factor that arises when you step into a beautifully-designed kitchen, thanks to the abundance of personal touches you can choose—whether it be a bold paint shade or a sleek handle style.
If you’re starting the process of renovating your kitchen and need guidance on cabinet styles and selections, you’ve come to the right place. The following considerations will help guide you in finding a design that feels right at home in your kitchen remodel.
Cabinet Considerations for Your Kitchen
There are many components that go into designing kitchen cabinets to your aesthetics. There’s no doubt that the most exciting elements are selecting the colors, hardware, and finishes. But before you break out the paint chips, there are positioning and structural features to settle on first, starting with how you’d like your drawers and cabinets to sit within their frames.
Construction: Overlay vs. Inset
Overlay and inset are the ways in which a door or drawer will sit within a cabinet’s frame. With an overlay design, the door protrudes out and covers the frame. In an inset design, the door will sit within the frame and when closed, the surface will be completely flush.
Inset cabinets are often found in spaces with a minimalist, Scandinavian, or modern lean, and overlay cabinets are popular in traditional and farmhouse kitchens. However, both can look modern and contractors can work either format into a kitchen remodel in any design style.
Floating Cabinets, Open Shelving, and Crown Molding
Outside of the standard layouts, there are also options, such as “floating” cabinets and open shelving. Floating is a type of visual illusion in which an island or set of cabinets look as if they’re hovering and either don’t touch the floor or are made to look that way with the help of lighting, positioning, and tucked away toe kicks. This styling is usually chosen for aesthetic purposes, especially in modern kitchens.
Open shelving is another alternative that has spiked in popularity over the last decade. These consist of a shelf but no enclosure, frame, or door to cover it. This option, too, comes with its own list of perks and downsides. Choosing these shelves over upper cabinets can open up a kitchen and increase how spacious it feels. However, despite the airy aesthetic, these require careful curation to avoid potential clutter. If you have a lot of items to store or aren’t a fan of dusting, these might be more work than they’re worth.
Taking Kitchen Cabinetry to the Ceiling
Kitchen cabinets can look fantastic touching the ceiling or when a gap is left. Crown molding is often used in many instances for reasons such as creating a nice finish, closing the gap between them and the ceiling, or a mixture of both.
You may like how cabinets look either sitting flush against the ceiling or with a strip of crown molding that allows them to reach that surface. You also may prefer to have cabinets that sit lower. In addition to style preferences, consider your needs for storage, kitchen size and ceiling height, along with costs, im making your decision.
A design firm can offer advice on pros and cons of both choices in the context of your own kitchen.
Cabinet Door Styles
Choosing cabinet door styles may be one of the funnest parts of designing kitchen cabinets. There are numerous looks out there, but we’ve selected some of the most beloved and common that are worth knowing about.
Shaker Cabinets
Sure, Shaker-style cabinets may have been around since the 1800s, but their popularity has truly taken off in the last decade. They usually have a flat front surface with a recessed panel in the center. They’re popular for traditional as well as contemporary kitchens and look just as good in a mid-century modern inspired cooking space as they do in a modern farmhouse-style kitchen. It’s no wonder why homeowners love them.
Slab Cabinets
This one is for the minimalists and modernists. Slab-style cabinets feature doors that don’t have any recessed panels, design work, or molding, but instead an entirely flat surface. Although they don’t have ornate touches, they’re the perfect foundation for cool hardware and, in reality, can make a statement all on their own.
Glass Cabinets
These cabinets either have a full glass door or several panels of transparent panes. It’s a stunning option for cabinets that hold special glassware or plates that you’d like to display.
You can choose from fully transparent glass or frosted panes, which hide home goods a little better. Additionally, this style can easily be implemented in a kitchen with other cabinet door styles, like Shaker or slab cabinets, to provide a point of interest and accent.
Cabinet Finishes & Materials
The most popular cabinet materials are wood (including fully hardwood and wood veneer options), plywood, laminate, and MDF. However, you can also find steel and glass options, too. There are also a variety of finishes to choose from on top of the color you select, such as the following: Matte, Gloss, Semi-Gloss, Natural, Distress.
Cabinet Color Options
You have nearly the same limitless list of paint shades for cabinets as you do for the walls. It’s just as possible to opt for a bright, modern white as it is to select a trendy olive green shade. Remember to think about the surrounding appliances, countertops, backsplashes, and wall colors so you can choose a shade that fits in well.
Although monochromatic is the most requested color choice, two-toned cabinets have also stepped into the spotlight. This is usually done by selecting one color for your upper cabinets and another for the lowers. Oftentimes homeowners will pick white for the upper portion to create an illusion of extra space and ground the kitchen with a darker or neutral-toned lower cabinet shade. That being said, there are no rules surrounding kitchen cabinet colors and you're free to get as creative as you like.
Cabinet Hardware & Fixtures
Two important considerations for selecting hardware and other fixtures (such as silent-close mechanisms), you’ll want to think about the intended functionality of the cabinet and your personal design preferences.
Depending how a cabinet or drawer opens out can help point you in the direction of a handle that’s most beneficial. There are also more than the classic brushed steel knobs nowadays. Everything from black powder-coated handles to wavy pulls to antique glass ball knobs is on the market, making hardware another fun way to infuse your personality into the kitchen.
Pulls vs. Knobs
Two of the most popular handles that exist for kitchen cabinets and drawers are pulls and knobs. Although the former is more commonly found on drawers, there are plenty of styles available for cabinets, too.
Pull styles tend to be longer or have more surface area to grab onto, whereas knobs are more compact in design. Both are easy to use, but if you’re working with a heavy load (like a silverware drawer) or want hardware that’s suitable for a wide range of mobility levels, pulls tend to come out on top. For lightweight doors on upper and lower cabinets, knobs are well-suited.
Choosing the Right Cabinets for Your Kitchen
Now that you’re aware of the designs, fixtures, materials, and door styles that exist for kitchen cabinets, you can start exploring what options will look best in your home. Naturally, this article only grazes the surface. You'll also want to consider your budget, existing kitchen layout, size, and how you typically utilize the space and move around, not to mention what lives within the cabinets. Cabinetry organization can make moving around your kitchen a breeze.
The kitchen work triangle is a helpful point of reference when you’re installing cabinets around foundational features like the stove, fridge, and sink. And of course, working with an expert will ensure that you get the most out of your space and receive a kitchen that exceeds your expectations for design and function.
If you’re interested in a kitchen redesign or renovation, you can contact our team and learn more about how we can make your dream kitchen come to life.