Your cabinet door style can be one of the most important factors in your kitchen’s new design. Cabinet doors are the “face” of your kitchen and can influence the style of other elements, such as countertops or backsplashes.
Not only are cabinet doors one of the most visible design elements in a kitchen, they can also be one of the most expensive. From the elaborate to the simple, there’s a door style for every design taste. For today’s post, we’re going to look at some of the most popular styles of cabinetry on the market today.
Hopefully, this will help you to decide which will work for your home’s style and your taste and allow you to start to budget appropriately to make your project happen.
Shaker
The Shaker-style cabinet door is the most common door style in kitchens today. This five-piece flat-panel style has a frame made from four pieces and a single flat center panel for the fifth piece. Shaker cabinetry gets its name from the distinctive Shaker furniture style, which uses simple, clean lines and emphasizes utility. Shaker-style doors became popular because their simple style lends itself to just about any decor, and allows for variations in woods, stains, paints, and hardware. Shaker-style can work with a variety of budgets, depending on the wood used. Some manufacturers can even replace the center door panel with a more cost-effective material.
Louvered
Horizontal wood slats are typically used on windows, furniture pieces and interior doors, but they add a distinct architectural style to kitchen cabinetry. It’s important to note, however, that these beauties come with a heavy price tag. Since many louvered doors have spaces between each slat, this make them great for areas that require ventilation.
Flat
Simple and stylish, flat-panel cabinet doors are devoid of any expensive details. Their hard lines and minimalist form make them a great fit for contemporary and modern interiors. Many flat doors come in decorative laminate or wood. Laminate tends to be more budget friendly and offers a greater variety of colors and sheens.
Inset
Although this style tends to be one of the most expensive on the market, it’s a classic look that’ll last for generations. The inset door gets its name because it is set inside of the cabinet frame — typical cabinet doors rest on the outside of the frame. The door is designed and constructed with extremely precise measurements so that it nests inside the frame and opens and closes properly, even when the wood expands and contracts.
This door style usually requires exposed hinges rather than the typical concealed hinges of other door styles that are included in the cost of the cabinet box. In addition, this style of cabinet is very difficult to give a simple face life, due to the doors being a part of the cabinet frame.
Distressed
If you’ve always dreamed of having an antique-style kitchen, then you’ll love the distressed-looking cabinets available from most manufacturers. Choose any door style and opt to have the corners rubbed off or have other distressing techniques done for that age-old feeling. All this extra work will cost you between 15% and 20% more for the added look.
Beadboard
Have a deep love for country style? Well, it doesn’t get more country than using beadboard. In this style, the center panels of these cabinet doors are made to look like traditional beadboard paneling. Beadboard was used in the past as a decorative wall treatment before plaster, drywall and paint became common. While all-white beadboard cabinetry can give your kitchen a bright and clean feel, all the little cracks and crevasses on this door style can make it harder to keep clean.
Thermofoil
These doors are molded out of medium-density fiberboard, wrapped in a plastic-type coating and then baked under intense heat to create an impervious seal. Durable and cost effective, they come only in solid colors and imitation wood grain. Often mass-produced, thermofoil cabinetry comes at very competitive price points. Although durable, they are extremely difficult to repair if any damage befalls them and some lighter colors can also yellow from sunlight and heat over time.
In addition to these styles, there is always the option to have custom cabinets made for your kitchen. If you’re thinking about a facelift for your current kitchen or are planning a kitchen remodel, be sure to contact the experts at MDV Remodeling for a fast, free estimate!
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