Your cabinets are the foundation of your kitchen design. They must be durable, functional, and withstand years of use.
Choose a quality cabinet manufacturer that offers a lifetime warranty. This will show their confidence in the product and allow you to rest easy knowing your kitchen will be in good hands.
Material
Your kitchen’s base is made up of cabinets. It’s crucial to pick a material that can withstand normal wear and tear and endure for many years.
Solid wood is a popular choice because of its natural beauty and durability. Many types of wood include maple, hickory, oak, and birch. Some woods have a dark, rich grain, while others have lighter lines.
Medium-density fiberboard is another popular option, and it can be stained to match any wood color. It’s denser than plywood and resists water better, making it ideal for a high-moisture area like your kitchen.
Another non-wood option is thermofoil, which is made from vinyl film that’s pressed onto MDF. It resembles laminate but has more durability.
Style
Cabinets are an essential kitchen feature that significantly impacts the overall look of your room. Your style should be consistent with the overall style of your home and your personal preference. Identifying the cabinet style you want helps narrow options and will guide the kitchen designers or cabinet dealers/makers like in RUPP Family Builders you work with.
Many cabinet door styles include framed and frameless doors with panel or raised designs. Slab or flat door options also feature a smooth surface without recessed or raised features. You can enrich your door style with edge work, such as beaded edges or decorative inlay.
The hardware you use on your cabinets adds to the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. You can opt for knobs or pulls, which are available in various styles and finishes. You can also opt for glass or mirrored hardware to add a pop of color.
Finish
The next thing to consider is the finish after deciding on the cabinet material from the best kitchen cabinet installers near you. The type of finish used determines how durable the cabinets will be. It also influences how they look and will impact the overall appearance of your kitchen.
A few different finishes are available for cabinets, including solid wood, particleboard, melamine, and thermofoil. Particleboard is a budget-friendly option that offers easy cleaning, but it’s easily damaged by moisture and does not hold hardware well. Moreover, it is known to expand and contract with temperature changes.
The engineered wood product, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), is good at holding hardware and painting. It costs less than solid wood and offers the same appearance without compromising toughness. Thermofoil is a hybrid with polyvinyl chloride foil pressed into MDF for added durability. You can also choose between pulls or knobs for your cabinets. Rounded and edgy pulls are popular for modern frameless cabinets, while highly detailed knobs add personality to traditional framed cabinets.
Hardware
The cabinets are the foundation of your kitchen and a vital component of the overall design. There are numerous options, from door styles and materials to tinier hardware alternatives.
Choosing the style you desire is a great place to start. A professional can help you determine this during the design process, or you can consult online resources.
Another essential consideration is function. Do you want open shelving to showcase your collections or prefer drawers for more organized storage?
There are several types of cabinets, including framed and frameless. Framed cabinets include a frame around the doors that provides a more traditional look and are available in various styles. Frameless cabinets are more modern and minimalistic and feature a flat front surface with no recessed or raised features. Some cabinets also offer glass doors, useful for wall cabinets where you want to display items, such as fine plates.
