8 Tips for Choosing the Right Kitchen Cabinets

(1) Decide Whether You’re Going Custom or Prefabricated

If you have a budget to spend, custom cabinets are a great way to go. Our professional design team will create a personal layout showing the best ways to maximize the storage, style, and efficiency of your new kitchen cabinets.

Of course, the downside to custom cabinetry is the cost. Prefabricated cabinets have their upside when it comes to cost and availability. You can easily get a lot more bang for your buck!

Ultimately, it all depends on you, your budget, and needs. If you are unsure, or would like to fall somewhere in-between the two, you could try semi-custom cabinetry. They are typically available in a shorter amount of time than complete customizable units but can still be taylor-made to fit your kitchen more specifically.

(2) Maximize Your Storage (Especially in a Small Kitchen)

If you’re the type of person who enjoys cooking, you probably have appliances, utensils, and kitchen gadgets galore! 

As such, it’s a good idea to think about ways of maximizing the space for your kitchen cabinetry. For instance, multiple drawers, trash can pull out, a spice rack, or even a lazy Susan. 

Wall cabinets are also a great way to take advantage of additional storage without limiting your countertop area. They can be designed in such a way to take up less space. Also, adding natural wood shelving in any space can provide a solution for storage and add a statement to your kitchen. Win, win!

(3) Decide Whether You Want Kitchen Drawers or Cabinets

Choosing kitchen cabinet designs is one thing, but have you considered drawers? In many traditional kitchens, you could expect to see an array of dark wooden cabinets, but in more modern times we’re seeing a lot of drawers instead. A lot of people have chosen to go with a combination of both drawers and doors depending on their aesthetic and needs. 

As mentioned earlier, kitchen drawers are great for maximizing space! However, the downside to a multitude of drawers is the increase your budget. So while drawers are better on the whole, cost and mechanical issues tend to make them a bit more of a hassle to deal with. Choose what fits best for you and your cabinetry needs. 

(4) Modern vs. Traditional vs. Transitional – Which One Are You?

Cabinet styles are all about personal taste and preference. Your kitchen cabinets take up a lot of your kitchen’s aesthetic and can make the room pop if done correctly. Keep in mind, the style of your cabinets needs to marry with the overall décor. 

Modern cabinets are the way to go for many people and appeal to many first-time buyers. A popular modern cabinet is a slab panel, sometimes glossy cabinet. Shaker style cabinets are also an example of a modern and traditional hybrid and would appeal to a multitude of buyers.

On the other hand, traditional designs have stood the test of time and there will always be a large portion of the population who enjoy them. This can include raised or recessed panel. If this is not your forever home, it’s wise to keep reselling in your mind when picking out cabinetry. 

(5) Decide Upon a Cohesive Color Story

Your kitchen’s color story must be cohesive, even if a simple one. Choosing the right color story can make your space feel warm, comfortable, spacious, and stylish. If you have lightly colored walls, you may want to break that up with matte black or espresso cabinetry. White cabinetry, no matter the style, can always add that clean and bright look you may need. This is your opportunity to make your cabinetry a feature of the room!

If you’re working with a designer, make sure to talk with them about your color palette and preferences. While cabinets are practical for storage, they hit the eye sooner than your walls, countertops, and flooring so it’s important to get that balance of colors just right.

(6) Think About the Finish you Want for your Kitchen Cabinets

 Speaking of color stories, another important element of your kitchen’s aesthetic is the finish of your kitchen cabinet doors. The finish can make them pop as an accent or fade away into the background of a room, depending on the style you’re going for.

A glossy cabinet door is a staple of a sleek and modern design. However, if you prefer a more transitional aesthetic, a lacquer and matte finish uses well for that classic-meets-modern vibe.

(7) Choose Fittings That are Practical and Stylish 

You may think a door handle is just a door handle, but these small pieces of hardware can add a unique feel to your cabinets and support the kitchens’ overall theme. The color, design, finish, and even material can say a lot about the feel you’re going for. 

A modern cabinet with an old-school iron handle could help pull your aesthetic into the transitional zone, while classic wooden drawers with touch-to-open hardware make your traditional kitchen feel newer. 

(8) What Cabinet Door Styles Do You Like?

There are hundreds of door styles to choose from and your kitchen cabinet door style is essentially the way that the actual cabinet door locks itself. Traditional designs like a raised arch cabinet door evokes the feeling of an old wholesome, cottage kitchen, while modern designs like slab doors are very minimal and place the eye’s focus elsewhere in the room.

If the kitchen is more old-meets-new transitional style, you’ll often see recessed square cabinet doors which are painted in matte colors. 

Some homeowners even choose glass door cabinets for their kitchen, making dishes easy to see. While it’s great for convenience and practicality, it can make your kitchen look very busy so be careful how you choose to present your cabinets. 

So Which Kitchen Cabinets Should You Buy?

There are hundreds of ways to use kitchen cabinets in your home, whether they’re serving practical purposes, storage purposes, aesthetic purposes, or a combination of them all. Ultimately, your cabinets should speak to the larger design of your kitchen while maximizing the efficiency and comfort. Happy choosing!