Tips for Choosing Kitchen Cabinets
A major decision in your kitchen remodel is deciding on your cabinets. This is because your cabinets can be a major focal point of your kitchen. Below we highlight what makes a cabinet good, how to choose cabinets and current trends in kitchen cabinets.
Tip #1: What determines a good kitchen cabinet?
When looking for cabinets, look for quality construction. We recommend a semi-custom line of cabinets that can offer standard features such as:
• Dove-tailed drawers
• Full extension drawers
• Soft close on doors and drawers
• Large selection of quality finishes
Tip #2: Decide on your needs in the kitchen
Do you need more storage in your kitchen? Can you move easily in the layout of the room? Decide what you like and don’t like in your kitchen and this can be a major influence in deciding what you need in a kitchen remodel.
Most semi-custom kitchen cabinet lines can give you more range in your kitchen with options for additional storage and a functional layout by placing storage for baking items near the oven for easy access and room for a waste basket near the sink.
Tip #3: Know how to choose the wood of your kitchen cabinets
Choosing a wood for your cabinets is determined by the space of your kitchen. This is due to lighting and square footage. For example, dark cabinets in a small space will only make the space feel smaller.
We recommend a combination of maple with MDF (medium-density fiberboard) center panels for painted cabinets to minimize cracking in the finish. For stained cabinets, the most common are maple and cherry, but that has been a current rise in unique, veneer uses of walnut and hickory.
Tip #4: Be aware of current trends in kitchen cabinets
White and shades of white continue to be popular for cabinetry with a rising trend in gray stains and paints. A new trend is creating a major focal point in your kitchen. This includes using unique color options and making your island, for example, the focal point of your kitchen.
Also, there has been a rise in paneling appliances and hiding them rather than showing them off, which was the former trend.
Hardware for the cabinets continues to play with polished and gold tones, although the newer trend of pewter and brushed finishes continues and appears to give a timeless look. In looking to future trends, more hidden hardware will play a role and styles will get more streamlined in contemporary kitchen design.
Generally, cabinets are dependent on region and the architecture of the house as a whole to achieve a look in the kitchen that harmonizes with the home. Since different regions have different “common” architectural styles, it can vary from state to state, but major cities tend to stick closer to the rising trends coming in from Europe.
Cabinets are an important part of your kitchen, not only because of their visibility, but also because of the functionality you, the homeowner, require of them. In the long run, you want cabinets that will grow with you in terms of their use but also their durability.