Kitchen & Bathroom Design Blog

Here is a new blog post from a guest author contributing to
Lang’s Kitchen & Bath’s website.  We hope you find this topic helpful!

Creating a kitchen design is crucial to the style and functionality of your home. After all, it’s in the kitchen where we store ingredients and prepare our meals, thus making this room one of the most significant in the house. For that reason, we need to make sure that our kitchen design is exemplary. In other words, our kitchen should appear aesthetically pleasing without compromising its function and purpose.

You might feel intimidated in getting started on designing your kitchen. To deal with this, you can approach this task by focusing on one aspect at a time. The first priority in a kitchen remodel must be to focus on kitchen cabinet selection and design. 

How do you select the perfect cabinets for your kitchen? Here are some design tips that you can use as guidelines. 

Know the Different Kinds of Kitchen Cabinets

Before you even come to a decision to purchase cabinets for your kitchen design, you first have to know about the different kinds of kitchen cabinets. That way, you can have an informed opinion on which cabinet would work best with your plan for the kitchen design and your preferred style aesthetic. 

In order to do this, you need to put some effort into researching. Our guide to  the most common kinds of kitchen cabinets will help you get started. 

Shaker-Style

First on this list is the shaker-style cabinet. This particular type, especially the white shaker kitchen cabinets, is arguably the popular choice for most people. This is because the shaker-style cabinet, with its five flat-panel pieces, evokes a simple and classic look, making it perfect for any kind of design — be it traditional or contemporary. 

High-quality American wood, especially ones found in the northeastern part of the United States, is the material of choice for this kind of cabinet. To be more specific, cherry, hickory, quartersawn, and maple are some of the wood types commonly used for shaker-style cabinets. 

Louvered

The Louvered cabinet is another beloved choice for kitchens. This type of cabinet is characterized by horizontal wooden slats — a design style that is most commonly seen on windows, interior doors, and furniture pieces. 

Because of this, louvered cabinets can give a unique look to your kitchen, which is why they typically come with a costly price tag. 

Flat-Panel

Flat-panel cabinets, also known as “slab” cabinets, are known for their hard lines and the lack of expensive detail on their appearance. As a result, they give off a minimalist feel, and they are perfect for kitchen designs that aim to look simple yet stylish. This type of kitchen cabinet therefore works well with both contemporary and modern kitchens. 

Inset-Style 

From the name itself, inset-style cabinets are made up of an inset door placed inside the cabinet frame instead of outside like most cabinets. Because of that, inset doors are designed and built using precise measurements. That way, the wood sits perfectly inside the frame, and the cabinet opens and closes correctly. 

Inset-style cabinets exhibit a classic look, thus making them last longer. For that reason, they are some of the most expensive kitchen cabinets right now. 

Distressed

Distressed-looking cabinets are those that have unique “distressed” features, such as the corners being rubbed off. Distressed cabinets are designed that way so as to create an old-fashioned, worn feel. That is why this type of kitchen cabinet is the primary choice for those people who want a rustic or antique-style kitchen. 

Beadboard

As the name suggests, beadboard cabinets are made up of rows of vertical planks with indentations or ridges that are called “beads.” These beads give texture to the cabinet door, thus making the cabinet look dynamic. 

For that reason, beadboards are popular in kitchens that have a country farmhouse or cottage-style theme. Despite their aesthetic look, the upkeep of beadboard cabinets is a lot of work. You have to clean the cracks and crevasses on beadboard cabinets, and that can take a lot of time and effort. 

Thermofoil

Thermofoil kitchen cabinets are made up of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and then they are covered in a plastic coating before they are baked under high heat to be sealed. This process makes thermofoil kitchen cabinets durable — these cabinets are resistant to moisture and easy to care for. Aside from that, they are also affordable. 

However, even though thermofoil cabinets have all these positive characteristics, they have one downside: their heat resistance is subpar. Because of this, if you plan to install thermofoil cabinets, you need to make sure they aren’t near a heat source (e.g., an oven).

Custom Cabinets

Finally, the last kind of cabinets that you can get for your kitchen is the custom variety. As the name suggests, custom cabinets are designed based on your preferred characteristics and measurements. This is a perfect choice if you can’t find standard cabinets that you like. 

To have custom cabinets, you need to hire a local designer or craftsperson. Inform them of the specific details you want for your cabinets, and they will create them for you. 

Consider How You Want to Organize Your Kitchen

Once you have done your research on the different kinds of kitchen cabinets, the next thing you have to think about is how you want to organize the kitchen. To do this, you have to consider all the appliances, utensils, and ingredients you’re most likely going to use. Doing this will help you see what cabinets work for you and where you want to place them. 

Case in point: you’re going to want to have the utensils and spices within easy reach. So, dedicating a cabinet or kitchen drawer for them near the counter is a great idea. You might also want a separate cabinet space for a pull-out trash can and recycling or a space to store your appliances. 

How you prefer to organize your things is a crucial factor in designing your kitchen and selecting the best cabinets. Carefully consider your requirements first, then plan the kitchen cabinets that meet your needs. 

Choose What Color Scheme You Want for Your Kitchen

The kitchen’s main purpose is a functional one — this is where you cook and clean your dishes — but that doesn’t mean your kitchen has to look boring and plain. You have to plan the aesthetic look for your kitchen, and you should base the color of your kitchen cabinets on the color scheme that you’ve chosen. 

Ideally, your cabinet color should contrast the color on the floor and walls. That way, the cabinets stand out more and add dimension to the room. 

Consider What Finish You Want the Cabinets to Have

In addition to the color scheme of your cabinets, the finish is also another deciding factor. Believe it or not — the finish on the cabinet doors makes or breaks your aesthetic. This is because the finish can make the color pop or make them look faded, depending on the style you’ve chosen. 

Typically, a glossy finish is what people choose if they prefer sleek and modern designs. Meanwhile, people who like the traditional aesthetic select the solid wood finish. Lacquer and matte paint are two other popular options, especially for those who like to combine the aesthetics of classic and modern. 

When deciding the finish, you need to make sure that you don’t overdo it. Otherwise, you risk making your kitchen look tacky or unpleasant. In order to avoid this scenario, you should ask the advice of a kitchen designer. They can give you insight that will help you decide what kind of finish would fit well with the aesthetic you have in mind. 

Conclusion

A house consists of many rooms and areas, and out of all these rooms, one of the most essential to daily family life is the kitchen. Because of this, designing the kitchen should be taken seriously — you want this room to look beautiful and inviting while still retaining its functionality. 

One of the first kitchen design elements you must consider is the cabinets. After all, kitchen cabinets are where you store your utensils, appliances, spices, and more, and they take up a massive chunk of the kitchen space. Be careful when choosing the perfect cabinets for your kitchen to be sure you make a selection that enhances your home.

Our article provides advice that you can use as a starting point when shopping for new kitchen cabinets. Make sure when you start a kitchen remodel to research the different styles of cabinets, how they look, how much storage there is, and what they are most commonly used for. You can also talk to professionals who can guide you through this selection process. Once you’ve done all this, you will be much better equipped in choosing kitchen cabinets. Plan carefully for your kitchen remodel including stylish and functional kitchen cabinets, and before you know it, your dream kitchen will finally become a reality.