How to Choose Cabinetry

Which Cabinetry Door Style is Best?

The doors in your hanging wall cabinetry must feature the right door style. Otherwise, it will throw off the design of the entire kitchen. Should you choose flat, inset, Shaker? Picking out the right doorstyle doesn't have to be stressful.

• Shaker doors are a popular choice because it features a five-piece flat panel design whereby there are a four-piece frame and a flat center. It's a budget-friendly option depending on the wood that you select.

• Inset door styles feature a classic look that tendsto be the most expensive on the market today. These cabinets are long-lasting and get their name because the doorsetsinside the frame of the cabinet. These doors require precise measurements to ensure they nest properly inside the cabinet's frame.

• If you're dreaming of having an antique-style kitchen, choosing distressed cabinetry doors is an excellent option. Any door style will work with this finish. Choose one that has distress features to give it that "aged" look.

• Beadboard doors are an optimal choice for those who have a cottage-style look throughout their home. The center of each door features a beadboard that's reminiscent of that style of paneling. One downside of this style of door is it is challenging to keep clean due to all the cracks and crevices.

• Thermofoil doors are constructed out of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and wrapped with a plastic coating. You'll find that these doors are durable, the most cost-effective, and are available in wood grain or solid color options.

How to Select Cabinetry Hardware?

After you select the best cabinetry doors, it's time to think about hardware styles. There are no specific guidelines regarding selecting a pull, knob or using both. One way to keep the aesthetic consistent in your kitchen is by using all pulls for drawers and all knobs for cabinets. If you have larger doors, then selecting a pull is optimal.

One thing you'll notice is it's much more comfortable to use a pull on a drawer than a knob. The main reason is that you're gripping with your hand for a pull and only using a few fingers for a knob. Because drawers tend to be heavy from storage items, pulls become extremely helpful.

No matter which style door you choose, the knobs and pulls you add make a difference for the kitchen's overall look. For example, if you select a flat panel door design, select hardware that matches. Options include contemporary, as well as other clean and simple looks.

If you opted to go for a raised panel set of cabinetry, then that style works best with old-world hardware. And, if you decide on Shaker cabinet doors, you'll find that vintage glass or ceramic knobs or pulls with exposed screws are excellent options.

Have You Considered the Cabinetry Finish?

An excellent way of personalizing your kitchen is with the finish or color on the cabinetry. An experienced kitchen designer can help you pick out the best wood if you're unsure.

Home improvement specialist, Wanda Edwards Lee, indicates that "For wood cabinetry, most manufacturers offer painted, stained, glazed, antiqued and distressed finishes." When choosing a stain, you'll find they're available in a broad range of pigments that allow the natural wood grain to show.

If you're leaning toward choosing a color, rather than stained wood, you must select a timeless one. While the temptation might be to choose a color or finish different than your original kitchen's style, you might grow tired of it if it's too bold.

The addition of glaze on cabinetry helps add interest and depth to stained or painted finishes. Using a glaze means there's a pigment that isn't opaque going on to your cabinet's finish. During the glaze application, it stays in the corners, crevices, and cracks of the cabinetry. That technique adds a shadow effect. These glaze finishes also help increase the durability and longevity of your cabinetry.

What are the Different Types of Cabinet Storage?

When it comes to keeping things organized in your cabinetry, there is a huge range of options to choose from depending on your needs. Some of the types of cabinet storage include:

Roll-out Drawers

Roll-out drawers are essentially like standard kitchen drawers, but they are built on the interior of the cabinet. They are ideal for storing large items such as pots, pans, and small appliances and give you an overview of what is in your cabinet without having to dig through every item.

Cutlery Dividers

For the home cook with a hundred different cooking utensils, a cutlery divider is a fantastic kitchen accessory. The smooth gliding draw sits halfway up cutlery draw and is perfect for keeping larger cooking utensils organized underneath with your silverware stored neatly above.

Vertical Dividers

Horizontal isn't the only way to store your kitchen items. Chopping boards and cookery books are hard to store and tend to take up a lot of counter space. Vertical dividers enable you to stack your boards and cookbooks neatly under the counter to give you more counter space for food prep.

Roll-out Waste

Drawers Keep unsightly trash cans out of sight with a roll-out waste draw. Typically installed under the sink or your main food prep area, roll-out drawers can house one or more bins for easy waste disposal, recycling, and composting.

Spice Racks

Spice jars clutter drawers and becoming grimy when left on the counter. A spice rack installed inside your cabinet keeps you spices organized, so you don't need to rummage around trying to find the right spice for your recipes.

Lazy Susan

A lazy Susan is a perfect solution for accessing items at the back of corner cabinets. The spinning tray allows you to use every item in your cabinet, which ensures that nothing expires or is wasted.

Pull-out Mini Base Pantry

A pull-out mini pantry slides in and out of your base cabinet and is often located close to the cooktop to keep ingredients within easy reach. Use it to store baking supplies, canned goods, spices, and cooking oils.

Wine Cubes

If you want to store your wine correctly to help it age well, you need a wine cube. A wine cube fits neatly inside your cabinetry to keep your wine bottles in a horizontal position, while also keeping the wine close-by and ready to be opened for dinner.

Utility Cabinets

Keep all your cleaning supplies and appliances organized in one place with a utility cabinet. Ideal for laundry rooms and kitchens, a utility cabinet will often feature shelving and roll-out drawers for cleaning products and behind the door hooks for storing brooms, mops, and vacuum hoses.