Kitchen Cabinet Possibilities

A Starting Point For Good Cabinet Choices

Kitchen cabinets are intended to be functional, but few design professionals or homeowners leave the choice simply at that. Otherwise, cardboard or plywood boxes might suffice.

Instead, cabinet choices have become hotly debated, as the options in how you can outfit them have grown. This is true whether for a kitchen, bathroom, library, family room, bedroom, basement, wine cellar, closet or any space in a home.

Styles range from the simpler looks of slab doors to the ultra-ornate with detailed crown moldings, exotic woods and lustrous finishes.

A major impetus has been the realization that kitchen cabinets can add an important aesthetic cache to the kitchen, thanks to the wider variety of styles, materials, trims, hardware and pulls available.

The Furniture Of The Kitchen

Cabinets have become part of the jewelry of a house--what makes a house a home. We are putting in an inordinate number of cabinets in all rooms these days, even in window seats because they increase storage space. But how much you pay for all your cabinets can vary greatly.

A higher-priced custom cabinet can easily consume 50 to 60 percent of the cost of a kitchen budget for example. While custom kitchen cabinets may last longer, come with a longer warranty and better fit into all those nooks and crannies, you don't always need to break the bank to get good cabinets.

Many stock and ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets will look and work as well. Or, you can opt for mostly stock ready-made kitchen cabinets and add in some custom pieces for hard-to-fit areas or unusual demands.

How do you decide which route is best? Your decision should be based in part on how much you put into the building or remodeling of your entire home and the room in question, so that costs are proportionate. You also should weigh how long you think you'll stay put in that home.

If you're going to be there for a while you don't want to have to replace kitchen cabinet doors in a few years. In that case you'll want to go with good quality construction. If, however, you intend to remain only a few years, you can cut costs by opting for lower-priced construction, finishes and hardware.

Our article on choosing kitchen cabinets might help you sort out what the best option is for you.

Kitchen Cabinet Possibilities

The range of possible styles, functionality and looks for kitchen cabinets is virtually endless. Some of the more prominent choices and decisions you'll need to consider are listed below.

Refinish or Replace - One option is cabinet refacing which involves refurbishing your existing cabinets, though the cost effectiveness will depend on the condition and look desired.

Size - Custom cabinets can be made in all sizes and shapes; stock comes in 3-inch increments. Among an owner's bigger decisions is whether to build them all the way to the ceiling for extra storage and a clean, crisp look or to leave a soffit above for displaying baskets and other decorative objects. High cabinets are also harder to reach.

How high or low you want your base cabinets that support the countertop to be reflects a different decision. Many homeowners today opt for 36-inch high base cabinets. In fact that's the standard but they can range from 30" to 38" high. The lower the base cabinet height the more you'll have to stoop when performing tasks on the countertop and that gets uncomfortable quickly.

Finish - Along with the detailing on the front of the cabinet, finish choice will determine as much as three-quarters of the cost of the cabinet. At the low end, you should consider laminates, certain woods such as maple and oak and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) or melamine-wrapped particle board materials. Higher-end cabinets are made with solid woods, plywood and a wider variety of wood species.

Detailing - Raised panels and molding will add to the cost of the cabinet front but will also add some visual detail too. However if you have several rooms that are open to each other and both have cabinetry, you probably want to be consistent in your design choices.

Interior Hardware - This is the place where homeowners may think it's fine to scrimp since it may not be visible, yet the pros know otherwise. The best hinges keep doors aligned and allow for adjustment in the future after the effects of some wear and tear. Cabinet hinges can be concealed or partly concealed, made of chrome, nickel or brass, and adjust in multiple directions.

Exterior Hardware - When it comes to cabinet knobs and pulls, endless choices abound, and you may decide to buy these separately rather than from your cabinet company.

Interior Fittings - These days, you can outfit the interior of your cabinet with everything from rollout shelves to fancy spice racks, appliances and carousels. Again, every extra adds an expense, so decide where you feel the costs are most worthwhile.

How Many Cabinets - How much cabinetry should you include in your space? The best way to decide is to measure in linear feet your existing cabinets and give yourself at least one-third more storage for future needs.

Be sure you also make enough accommodation in your cabinet layout for appliances. Having some idea about which brands and types of large appliances you want is necessary in order to properly size the cabinetry.

Having too much cabinet storage is rarely a negative. You can always find something to put in them.

You can also check out the article on kitchen cabinet construction for additional information about the two primary types of cabinetry and how they're constructed.

Robert Levesque
Publisher/Editor

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