Hi. My kitchen is not formal - I live near the beach, so I wanted something that would go with our house (Calif. ranch) and life-style (casual - 3 kids under 8). That is not the only reason I chose rectangular cabs though. I also just like them more. They are more simple and clean imo. In any event, this is what my island cabs look like (my perimeter cabs are same style in a different color called wheat sheaf):

I'm with socalthreems...I just prefer the clean, simple lines of the squarer shape. But if you want a 1920s California style, I'd think the rectangular would be more in keeping with that than an arch. Of course, I'm thinking Bungalow and Mission...and maybe you have a whole other style in mind...

I am not a fan of arched doors in general because I've seen them in so many ugly kitchens. But when I look at whole kitchens, the arches don't make or break it--they either work or they don't. They work better in larger kitchens that are formal or country (and I don't usually like country...)

Really, in the right kitchen with the right door style, cathedral arches can be fabulous. In a dark stain with lots of frilly molding, it would almost be wrong NOT to have arches.

Just don't do it in 80s oak please. :) Too many of us have that look embossed in our brains making us choose square doors without realizing why.

I went with Shaker style square doors for our kitchen renovation - our house is a 1925 2.5 story squarish box - very common here in the Hudson Valley. I wanted something simple and no too formal.

I've seen some really fabulous kitchens with arched doors, think it looks great in a large kitchen with all the bells and whistles and architectural details...kitchens I dream about and drool over.

Had bargain basement 80's oak in an apartment for 10 years...I'm done!!!

I think arched is kinda '80's --at best '90's.

well, i don't think an arch is 80s or 90s. for anyone who does, check out susan4664's kitchen. it may change your mind.

xoxosmom, i'm getting a slight arch on top and square on bottom cabs, purely because i think they are really pretty. i do understand your question....i was worried that the arches (combined with the fact that i want really dark cabs) might be too formal. formal doesn't fit our lifestyle, personality, or our house for that matter. I'm getting a couple of glass doors on top which i think will make it less formal and may try for a higher contrast look, which i think might also help.

there was a thread recently where the poster asked if dark cabs were too formal and there were some good suggestions in there. here's the thread...and you can see susan's kitchen in there too:

Here is a link that might be useful: thread

When we ordered our cabinets we did specify a slight arch on the wall cabs. Cabinets are dark cherry and kitchen is very open and airy to the rest of the house. When they installed they were not arched so we got a chance to see how they would look that way. I really did not think they looked too bad but my lovely wife was not happy. They did order the correct doors and installed them. Of course she was right. They honestly do look much better with the arches. I don't think it is a matter of being dated as some have said but more of the style of the house. In our case there is an arched entrance into the kitchen that the cabinet arches closely mimic. Honestly it just looks right for the house.

One of the only things I was sure I did NOT want early on in this project was arched cabinets. I, like Fori described, have a gut reaction against them after seeing too many ugly ones- I knew I did not like them even if I did not know why.

I can see why in some applications/styles they'd fit, but I dont tend to like those styles: country/formal/frilly.

My new maple raised panel doors do have a slight arch on the top very much like Susan4664's cabinets. The bottoms are square. Believe me, they look NOTHING like the oak cabinets they are replacing.

I think they look nice, not country at all. Perhaps slightly more formal then some cabinets but my kitchen doesn't look formal.

I really do like the Shaker look but I see it so much now that I am afraid that in 10 years people will be changing their Shaker cabinets because they are so early 21st century!

yeah, i couldn't decide if i wanted country, frilly, or formal so THAT's why i'm getting the arch!! yeesh.

I think you're talking about the panel inside the cabinet door frame? If you have a strong preference of your own, go with that. It's just a matter of personal taste, of course, but I really dislike arched panels. They look overly fancy to me and don't fit in with the architectural style of the typical american house -- they seem more old european to me. (I say typical because your house might have a particular architectural style that would call for it.) But regardless, if you like it and will get pleasure every time you look at it, you should do it.

Hi. I went with square panels on the botton and a slight arch on top. The top arch (IMO) gives it a slightly finished look, kind of like eyebrows. I never thought of it as a dated style at all. It was my suggestion and my cabinet maker loved it. Here is the picture. Good luck.

Very nice, Susan! That strikes me as a slightly formal kitchen and it is perfect with the arches. There are no bad arches--just bad designs. This is a gorgeous design. I would have no complaints about THOSE arches!

We went with the slight arch just like Susan on our stained maple doors. I love the look and, IMO, the curve adds a nice touch. Our kitchen is not formal and everytime I look at the cabinets, I'm happy with my decision. I don't think the arch dates the cabinets whatsoever.

Thanks everyone, Dh decided for me. He wants arches. Our house has a very predominate arched front door that leads right into the great room and kitchen. The doors to all the rooms have a arch design in it to match so he thinks we should continue the theme on the top back cabinets. The bottom and island will be rectangular like Susan's because the cabinet maker makes them that way. I have waffled back and forth on everything about the cabinet doors lately. I am driving myself batty so it was nice that he jumped in with a concise opinion.

I have been waffling between which woods, colors, tones, styles, etc. I just met with our poor KA and we have finished the layout and design of the kitchen and baths. Which I am very pleased with, thanks to all the posts and ideas on here. Now if I could just commit to a door style and color in the kitchen we are set and I can peruse faucets, granites, etc.

I considered arches, but decided against them for two reasons. Most importantly I felt the arches would cause me visual problems. Looking at the drawings with the arches I felt that the arch accentuated the differences in the widths of the doors. Since the layout was asymmetrical and I had very few doors of similar width, I felt the simple lines of the square raised panel helped create a better overall design unity. Secondly, I began to feel, as many have mentioned, that the arch was somewhat trendy in the past and would make the kitchen seem more dated. I have arched cabinets elsewhere in the house and they work fine where they are, but they are in places (bathrooms and basement) where I don't have a lot of cabinetry so they don't dominate the area like they would in the kitchen. Here's how our kitchen is laid out:

{{!gwi}}

Groschuni- can I see a close-up of your backsplash? Is it slate?

muscat:

Sure. This is the best picture I have online. It's Bologna Green quartzite slate. I got it from Expo.

{{gwi:1407451}}

groschuni - love your kitchen!

Hi! I have yellowish-pinkish maple arched wall cabinet doors from 2006. I want to change the arch doors out for squared like the base cabinets. Can this be done inexpensively or can you even GET replacement cabinet doors? Mine are Schrock cabinetry. Or do i get new doors made bc i want the top cabinets to be painted white once i am rid of the arched doors. Note: my pinkish maple cabinets are whitish glazed maple. I also want to put all modern hardware (squared pulls) on them in oil rubbed bronze on wall and base cabinets. I also want the top cabinets to ultimately be painted a white that will work with my all white appliances. The back splash (most likely) and blackish granite counter (definitely need to stay). Base cabinets can stay as is as far as I am concerned or should I be bold and paint base cabinets all a charcoal gray?!! Obviously, I need your comments!! I will post pic of my now kitchen. Also, my ceramic tile floors need to stay. They are a pinkish mexican tile.

Also...i want the walls - above the tile to be a light also. The yellow is a no-go for any longer.