When it comes to investing in goods for your kitchen it’s always to look for options that are both long-lasting and well-worth it. While appliances and cookware are good choices to consider, some people would prefer investing in a decent kitchen cabinet instead. Not only are these stylish, but they can also make your kitchen more functional than ever before.
A kitchen cabinet is basically a means for you to organize all of your ingredients and equipment inside the kitchen. Have you considered how bothersome it would be to have all of your goods just scattered all around the counter? As they are very useful inside the kitchen, more and more people are considering investing in these items for their home.
Most homes have kitchen cabinets already installed. However, there are some homes that don’t have these yet. If your home does have one, there’s a chance that you might not be satisfied with what you have. It’s worth noting that you can have your kitchen cabinets replaced whenever you want to so long as you have the budget and the contractor to help you out.
Before you pick a kitchen cabinet that fits your needs, you need to know that there are actually a few kitchen cabinet types to choose from. The more you know your options, the better it will be as you’ll be able to customize your kitchen to your liking further. Here are the common types of kitchen cabinets you might want to consider.
Shaker
This is quite possibly the most common style of a kitchen cabinet. You’ll find it often pre-installed in homes and apartments. As such, it’s very likely that your home comes with a shaker-style cabinet. How can you determine if this is the kitchen cabinet in your home you ask? Well, it’s actually very easy.
The shaker-style is made using five pieces of a flat-panel – the four pieces are used to create a frame and the one remaining panel is used as the centerpiece of the cabinet. One of the reasons why it’s so popular nowadays is that it’s actually very simple. If you are looking for a more traditional or contemporary look for your kitchen, you pick this.
The trademark characteristic of the shaker cabinet is its flat paneled doors and rail frames. These cabinets are also known for their good construction that’s usually made with high-quality wood and utilitarian designs. If you are residing in the north-eastern part of the US, getting this style of kitchen cabinet might come cheaper as that is where the materials are sourced from.
Some of the wood used when making shaker cabinets include cherry, maple, hickory, quarter sawn oak, just to name a few. The shaker-style is a classic that never goes out of style. It’s a safe choice regardless of what type of kitchen you own so consider it great if you aren’t sure about what to get.
Slab/Flat Panel
They were previously called flat panel cabinets but now they’re often called slab cabinet doors. As the name implies, these are very simple kitchen cabinets that you’d often find pre-installed in modern apartments and condo units. Design-wise, it is often considered a safe choice due to its minimalist aesthetic.
A benefit to such kitchen cabinets is the fact that they are constructed solely with durability in mind. A common trait that is shared amongst all slab cabinets is that the doors feature no names. The reason they are called slabs is simply that the doors are made from solid slabs. Not only are they simple and beautiful, but they are also sturdier as compared to other cabinets.
Another benefit to slab cabinets is that since they are made mostly for function, the insides remain very spacious as well. When having a slab cabinet done on your kitchen, make sure to have it installed a bit lower because it can be hard to reach the doors of the cabinets or its insides if it’s too high.
Louvered
The most distinct feature of louvered kitchen cabinets is their horizontal wooden slats. The problem with this kind of kitchen cabinet is that it can come off as expensive for some. This is because louvered cabinets are mostly for luxury homes and a part of their pride is their regal style and durable material.
Louvered cabinets are often seen on windows, furniture pieces, and interior doors. When in the kitchen, they are favored not only for their regal-look but also for their simple design. Because of their overall appearance, they are mostly favored by those living in minimalistic modern homes
Another problem with louvered cabinets is that it can be tough to match the panels with interior decor. Beyond looking quaint and simple, the louvered cabinet features a more complex design as compared to other styles of cabinets. If you aren’t sure about getting one, it’s best to ask your contractor about whether or not this fits your home first.
Inset
One of the most expensive types of kitchen cabinets you can have installed on your house is the inset. As the name suggests, inset cabinets are basically made from an insight door set inside the cabinet frame. Now typically, the outside of the frame is structured like typical cabinet doors.
A reason why insects are so expensive is that they are built with a lot of masterwork and precision. To create the perfect inset, contractors need to provide pinpoint accuracy when it comes to measuring the wood that’s inside the frame to ensure that the doors close and open as properly as possible. In terms of material used, most insects are made with premium softwood to make it easier for the contractor to work with the cabinet.
These cabinets are beloved for their classic and regal look. Even if the inset kitchen cabinet in your home is already decades or several years old, it wouldn’t matter as they’ll still look pretty great in the eyes of visitors and in your eyes too of course. However, since the design aesthetic of the inset is more on the fancy side, it does pic the type of decor you partner it with.
What’s great about insects is that they are often best customized. Most homeowners that want a custom kitchen cabinet pick the inset because it’s hard to find sources of pre-made inset cabinets. If you are looking for custom cabinets, it’s best to focus on getting insets too as it will be well-worth the purchase.
Distressed
We’ve talked a lot about kitchen cabinets that are perfect for modern homes but what about those that are fit for more traditional aesthetics? Not everyone has a modern designed home after all. If this is the same case as yours, then you might want to consider getting the distressed-style kitchen cabinet.
These are classical kitchen cabinets that seem to never go out of style. They are also common among various manufacturers so they are easy to source, meaning they are cheaper than most kitchen cabinets too. If you have a kitchen that has a robust and traditional aesthetic, then we suggest getting the distressed kitchen cabinet instead.
It’s easy to spot distressed kitchen cabinets from the others. As the name suggests, these cabinets come in various door styles and other distressing techniques to ensure that there’s a “classic” and “traditional” feel to the cabinet door. If you have a modern home, it can be a bit harder to fit the distressed cabinet in terms of aesthetic though.
If you are thinking about getting customized cabinets, then the distressed cabinet might be the best choice. Again, like the inset, it’s more expensive to get distressed work done on your kitchen cabinet. As per the numbers, you are looking at a 15 to 20% increase if you get distressed cabinets customized.
Thermofoil
If you are looking for function above all else, we highly suggest a thermofoil kitchen cabinet. These cabinets are mostly molded out of medium-density fiberboard so they are light but durable. The doors of thermofoil cabinets are heated to be sealed and it results in a durable and cost-effective kitchen cabinet.
Since thermofoil cabinets aren’t made out of real wood, they are usually cheaper than what you’d find in wooden furniture stores. They are low maintenance cabinets which are also moisture resistant. The only problem we have with thermofoil is that they have poor heat resistance so you might want to keep it away from direct heat.
Getting a new kitchen cabinet is an exciting part of customizing your home. If you want to ensure that your cabinets are the best, then it’s imperative that you know the types of kitchen cabinets that you can buy. It’s always better to be more knowledgeable about heavy and long-lasting expenses like these so keep these types in mind.
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