4 Tips for Choosing the Right Cabinet Style
Cabinets are not as simple as they may seem. They aren’t just wooden boxes with plain doors and drawer fronts. You can significantly change the look of your kitchen by changing minor elements of your cabinets, such as the size, the color, the type of molding, the bevel, the hardware color or style, and much more. Put together all these elements, and one set of cabinets will look significantly different from another set, which create a whole new look for your kitchen.
Make sure that you get the look you want. Consider these four tips for choosing the right cabinet style for your kitchen:
Decide on a Wood Species
Some people want a natural wood look for their cabinets, and some people want colored cabinets. The look you want will influence the type of wood you should choose for your cabinets. For example, if you want your cabinets to be colored, they will likely need to be painted, and most cabinet makers will only paint maple cabinets. When you narrow down your choices to maple, that will also limit the designs available to you somewhat.
If you want a more traditional wood look for your cabinets, you’ll need to determine the natural color of the wood types. Some will be darker, and some will be lighter. And some of the woods will be harder or softer, which will put limits on the types of styles you can enjoy. Make sure you know the stains available by wood type so that you have an idea of what styles will typically go with what shades.
Look at Styles in Black and White
A lot of people start their cabinet search by looking at samples. But if they know that they want grey cabinets, they might only look at the styles that are presented with a grey example. They might not be able to look at the yellow sample and imagine what it looks like in grey. Even if they think they are doing that, something in their minds may not see those samples the same.
One way to get around this is to ask to see all the samples in black and white. That will allow you to project the color onto them more easily. You may see some cabinet styles completely differently when they are stripped of the sample colors. If possible, you might even ask to see line drawings of the cabinet styles.
Ask for a Digital Projection
Things can look a lot different on paper than they do in your kitchen. You might think that cabinets look gorgeous when you see them on paper or on the screen, but when they are installed in your kitchen, you might feel much differently about them. You can’t get cabinets put in your kitchen on trial, but you can get a better idea of what a style will look like in your kitchen by asking for a digital projection.
Most cabinet makers should have access to Photoshop or another photo editing program that will let them show what a cabinet style will look like in your current kitchen. Most have more advanced software that let them create 3D renderings, so you get a good idea of how the cabinets will look in person.
Factor in Your Budget
You may dream of a certain cabinet style for your kitchen, but when you price it out, you realize you can’t afford it. So, before you dive into the options for your cabinet styles, you should decide on a general price range that you can afford. Then you can narrow your search by what fits into that budget.
Make sure you leave a little wiggle room in the budget for extras. You’ll have to pay for installation, of course, but you may also decide you want to spring for some fancier hardware or for a protective finish, for example. Give yourself some room in your budget when you are selecting your cabinet style.
Shopping for new kitchen cabinets can be a lot of fun! Use these tips to help you find the right cabinets so that you are just as happy when the cabinets are installed as you were when you picked them out.
AZ Cabinet Maker can help you create the kitchen of your dreams! We specialize in custom and semi-custom cabinets, helping you to get the look you want. You don’t have to worry about seeing your kitchen replicated in the home of a neighbor who picked the same cabinets out of a catalogue. We’ll walk you through the options and help you pick out the perfect stylistic elements for your new kitchen and the look you’d like to achieve. Call us today to schedule a consultation and to start working with a five-star cabinet maker.
AZ Cabinet Maker
640 N Alder Dr
Chandler, AZ 85226
Phone: 480.800.3512
Email: [email protected]
