Cabinets
Choosing Cabinets for Your Kitchen Design
When choosing kitchen cabinets for your kitchen design, there are lots of elements to keep in mind:
- Cabinet type (stock, semi-custom, custom)
- Framed or frameless
- Colors
- Doors
- Materials
- Timeframe
Stock, Semi-Custom, or Custom?
What type of cabinet are you looking for? Stock, semi-custom, or custom? Whether you add personal flair to stock cabinetry with unique or custom hardware, we’re pretty sure that you’ll be able to add custom touches to all three options:
Stock cabinets offer the fewest options at the lowest prices in the shortest amount of time and are perfect if you’re looking to save money and get the job going quickly.
Semi-custom cabinets are a great middle if you have budget and time, and if you have a very small New York- or European-sized kitchen, you’ll want to invest in semi-custom where there will be a greater range of sizes and storage accessories. Here’s what you’ll find included with your investment in semi-custom cabinets:
- Varying depths
- Reduced widths
- Flush toespace available
- Matching interior finishes available
- Offer many custom features at less-than-custom prices
Custom cabinets are very expensive and take the longest to deliver, but if the cabinet finish or doors have to match a piece of heirloom furniture, you’ll want custom cabinetry
There tend to be two kinds of custom cabinets: those made by a custom manufacturer and those made by a local “custom” woodworking shop.
When designing and then again when ordering make sure to inquire about the finish process, you’ll need: a moisture resistant sealant, catalytic conversion varnish, and baked on coats.
Framed of Framless Cabinets?
- Framed or face-frame cabinetry is more traditional than frameless
- Frameless cabinets have provide more interior storage space, but are very expensive to install
In frameless cabinetry, thicker side panels keep the ballast to the cabinet. Special hardware fittings secure the door directly to the side or end panels of the cabinet. As a result of the lack of face frame, the cabinet doors lie flush with each other, forming a tight reveal of 1/8” or less. This minimalist style emphasizes the door and is often referred to as European style or full-access cabinetry.
In framed (or face-frame) cabinetry, wood joinery holds the parts together. This American-style cabinet attaches a 1 ½” wide x ¾” thick frame to the front of the cabinet box. Horizontal rails and vertical stiles secure the door to the box. Hinges attach the door to the face frame.
Frames allow for additional design options by varying the amount of space between doors and drawers while also providing more support.
