Top Tips for Selecting Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen Remodeling Jul 10

Ask home improvement professionals, realtors and others about the savviest investments to make in a home, and most say that new cabinets are among the top. This is because they add so much beauty and value, but only if chosen correctly. For those considering some kitchen remodeling in Clarkston, or who are already planning kitchen remodeling in a Livonia home, here are a few helpful tips for choosing the right options.

Begin with Door Profiles

Before digging too deeply into the kitchen remodeling for a Clarkston home, take a few minutes to examine any existing cabinet doors or think about the impact of them in the space. Why would this matter? It is astonishing just how often someone doing a bit of kitchen remodeling in Livonia ends up shocked by the cluttered or sparse feeling their new kitchen has because of the look of the cabinet doors.

The style of home you have and the style of your kitchen will play a factor in what types of door profiles or panels you choose. Recessed or flat door panels are popular and work in contemporary homes, while slab doors are more European in design. Mullion frame and open frame doors often use decorative glass, providing an entirely different look.

Talk with an expert about things like miters, arches, recessed lines, slab styles and more. These all have a major impact on the outcome and can even make keeping a kitchen clean easier or far more difficult!

Door Types

The door type you choose will also have an effect on the style and design of your kitchen .Full-overlay cabinets are popular today. This means that the doors and drawer fronts cover the cabinet face with a small amount of frame between the doors. This creates a solid look and contemporary style across your kitchen.

The other option is partial overlay. This was the standard in the cabinet industry. The doors and drawers only cover the frame, leaving one to two inches of the cabinet face exposed. Today this style is popular in lower end construction and apartments. The full-overlay look gives a much more modern and upper-level design.

Consider Colors

For anyone feeling overwhelmed by the number of cabinet door profiles and styles, the number of colors is likely to be even more so. Before committing to the other elements for kitchen remodeling in Clarkston, be very cautious about the cabinet colors. Most homeowners will have something in mind, but it is best to work with experts to discuss it.

After all, if cherry stained cabinets are the goal, will they have a very visible grain in the wood? Will they need a flat finish or something glossy? What level of stain is desired? Will it coordinate with existing elements or are those being updated while doing some kitchen remodeling in Livonia?

Will you paint your cabinets or do you want the look of natural wood? Calming colors, such as white or ivory, are popular for kitchens and keep the room bright and airy. Light colored woods, such as hickory or natural oak can have the same effect.

Bright colors are popular as well, but it’s important to be careful. Red can be fun and is said to stimulate the appetite, but if the kitchen is small, it can make the room dark. The same is true of dark stained wood.

Green is a popular color in farmhouse designs and navy is popular in contemporary kitchens. If you want color, but also like the idea of a neutral color, gray pairs nicely with a variety of colors, both subtle and bold.

Don’t feel like you have to choose one or the other either. It’s totally possible to utilize woods with colors. Or use bright colors or wood tones s accent pieces. The options are endless.

Ask for samples of the wood and/or materials and always in the exact colors intended for the space. There are often huge differences in subtle changes, so it is best to have diverse options and observe them in the kitchen to get an accurate idea of their looks.

Go for Function

Isn’t it surprising to discover the amazing range of drawer and cabinet options apart from the standard “empty box” styles? Shoppers can find almost any solution and shouldn’t limit themselves to stock sizes and standard functions. For example, a vertical drawer for cookie sheets, or a warming drawer because large crowds are invited, often are reasons to look beyond basic function.

If you use a lot of spices, consider spice cabinets on each side of your stove. Slide outs for cans are popular as well and make it easy to find what you’re looking for instead of rummaging through a crowded pantry. Bins and see through storage containers or jars are also helpful. It’s much easier to see what you need, than to read labels, bags and boxes.

Speaking of pantries, large pantries are convenient, but shelving, baskets and other features can be added to improve organization and keep you productive.

If you’re working with a small space, consider additional features such as rolling shelves, pan dividers, risers and hooks. The more you can organize, hang and store, the more efficient and less-cluttered a small kitchen will look.

Ask about the many ways that new kitchen cabinets can enhance the function of the space and make any kitchen remodeling in Clarkston even more effective. And always consider if the function can also mean organizational help, too. One of the benefits of doing some kitchen remodeling in Livonia is that it can certainly make the space more functional, but also far more organized. Vertical shelves that work like pantries are just one way owners can get more organized through new cabinets.

There are many other tips to put to use when planning some kitchen remodeling in Livonia, or a bit of kitchen remodeling in Clarkston, and it is best to work with experts to be sure the job is done right.