When I was designing our last three kitchens I took my design to both Home Depot and Lowe's. They had basically the exact same choices to choose from just with different names as craft made makes one line specifically for Lowe's and one line specifically for Home Depot. They are the same product but they give them different names so they appear exclusive to that company. Both estimates from both companies within just a few dollars of each other. We ended up going with Lowe's all three times because Lowes allowed us to open a new credit line and receive a percentage discount on top of the discounts they were running at the current time. Our first two houses were hickory. Our current house is birch. Very beautiful wood and perfectly fine for our needs and our budget. We customize some of the cabinets and our designer was always able to work with us. Very pleased with our Kraftmaid cabinets from Lowe's.

faralibrizzi- Could you kindly update me as to how you like your Omega cabs? I am looking to see what line I should choose and as I am going for a simple stick shaker in white I am mostly concerned with long term quality.

Does anyone have updated feedback on the quality of Omega or Medallion cabis?

Update. It's been 2 years that we've installed our Decora cabinets and I am still loving them ! They are so easy to maintain, no issues what so ever.
I get so many complements on the kitchen and the design.

I work with Kraftmaid a lot and I love them

We have had our Decor cabinets for 10 years! They are still beautiful and I still love them. I have had some finish rub off but only one one cabinet I use all the time (and don't use the pull) but it touched up nicely with the manufacturer's touch-up marker. I love how easily they clean up with Murphy's oil soap. We have friends with other cabinets that look shabby in just a few years but ours are still fresh and gorgeous.

Just getting started with this. I'm looking at Decora, Kemper and Kraftmaid. The finish will be opaque paint. has anyone had issues with the paint separating at the corners/seams? all of the sales professionals tell me there is a possibility of that with the natural contraction and expansion of wood. However I have central air, so humidity should not be a problem. Also, for those that have these caninets, are you still happy with them? Thanks in advance.

Wood behaves like wood. It expands and contracts and when two pieces of wood with different grain directions join, that seam will always be visible. You don't want wood if you don't want that.

Wow, thanks Sophie. How old are those cabinets in the pictures?

1-2 years.

Hmmm, that's not good. Thank you.

Wow Olga, that's beautiful! !! I would love the dark cabinets, but my kitchen is very small ( 10x11 or so) and lighter would be better. Glad that you are happy with the Decora. It's still a front runner for me.

From what I understand Decora is 100% Maple Wood Cabinet with full plywood construction EXACTLY what you want! I went to a few cabinet places I was priced 30,000 in Cabinets I went to Home Depot same cabinets, Same Style, 16,000 in price!!!!! It's a no brainer.

Thanks Ms Dancentre! Did you get the Decora painted? if so, how do you like them?

Faralibrizzi, lovely kitchen. Hope you are enjoying it. We are having our laundry room/pantry in Decorá. What's a slab drawer?

HI Olga, I just chose what you did, I wasnt sure . Thank you and thanks to other comments

Do not use Decora. I am still waiting for defective cabinet replacements after 6 months ! The quality is very poor. Shipping and packaging is a joke. The paint finish is poor. Wish I could rip it out and start again.

Do not use Decora. I am still waiting for defective cabinet replacements after 6 months ! The quality is very poor. Shipping and packaging is a joke. The paint finish is poor. Wish I could rip it out and start again.

Do not use Decora. I am still waiting for defective cabinet replacements after 6 months ! The quality is very poor. Shipping and packaging is a joke. The paint finish is poor. Wish I could rip it out and start again.

Do not use Decora. I am still waiting for defective cabinet replacements after 6 months ! The quality is very poor. Shipping and packaging is a joke. The paint finish is poor. Wish I could rip it out and start again.

We just started installing our Decora cabinets and so far so good. Previously we had Kraftmaid in cherry and were happy with how they held up, but I liked the painted options better in the Decora line. I'm now in a farmhouse and white shaker was our choice with a cherry island. So here's a BIG tip if you want Decora: Lowes offers the Diamond line of cabinets in three levels. The Intrigue series (the higher end line) is made at the Decora plant. How do I know this? When I got samples they were labeled with the Decora version of the door design and the decora color. They are the SAME cabinet at a much lower price. We took advantage of the 30% off sale at Lowes. Upside: Lots of money saved. Downside: If you're designing from scratch, you will probably have less hassles going to a Decora dealer with more experienced designers. This time around, I did my own kitchen design so simply needed someone to lay it out according to my plans. There were quite a few mistakes as far as placing the order on the part of Lowes so it was a bit of a time suck, but in the end, worth the hassle. We got Decora Harmony overlay in white maple, island in Flax cherry (Lowes calls it Helena). And we saved several thousand dollars! Will post picts once they're in!

I was at Home Depot yesterday laying out my kitchen with Woodmark. The very experienced salesman suggested Kraft Maid because he said the finishes were the most durable, especially the painted finishes, and the construction was good. He thought they would hold up the best. I was ready to go with Kraft Maid, but then saw a cabinet in Decora that was my favorite, Rustic Alder in Fog. But alder is not a hard wood, it's considered semi hard. Does anyone know anything about alder? It's relatively recent to cabinet industry.

@Bartapau I considered alder in Decora as well but ultimately went with cherry as cherry accepts stain really well. Alder is a softer wood. If you’re going with a painted cabinet, then definitely go with maple. I just installed decora in my kitchen. I also tested sample doors in advance to see if the painted finish holds up. Went with white for cabs and cherry in pheasant for the island. I had Kraftmaid previously and I think the Decora is a slightly better made cabinet.

I purchased Decora 3 years ago, I love them. Solid wood. I think they are worth the price. We have a cabinet store in this area selling the same cabinets twice the price. I have all white cabinets with all the extras, pull out drawers, spice cabinets etc.

I had spent 4 weeks working on a Decora Kitchen at my local Home Depot because I thought I was getting a deal.. in the end I did not order them through Home Depot because after all the time and energy spent designing and working with one of their kitchen designers who had worked there for 16 years I discovered there was flaws in the order like he forgot to add some of the glass doors to the order and the refrigerator panels- huge oversights.. I kept wondering what else could be wrong and read online that these salespeople at big box stores are not trained in kitchen design. I just kept finding more and more horror stories about the Decora kitchens arriving damaged or with the paint not matching and some items ordered incorrectly so I got spooked. I'm going to order with a reputable certified kitchen designer.

I don't want any problems that I read about online.

morider27 I had similar issues with Lowes, only they call their Decora cabinets "Intrigue" by Diamond (Diamond and Decora are both made by MasterBrand). I did my own design and then went with plans, and yes, the designer made quite a few mistakes on the order. But I will say this: Masterbrands ended up correcting every single issue for free, sending me proper moldings and 2 replacement cabinets within days at no extra charge. The cabinets are great, and I saved over 35% on them plus got $2k back in rebates which we used to buy our refrigerator. So, in the end, I'm happy and focus on the big savings versus the big hassle. It is definitely hit and miss with the big box store "designers". Our last kitchen we did in Kraftmaid, and I had my architect with me when finalizing the order which was a great help. Overall I'm happier with the quality of Decora. And, you can always go to a Decora showroom for a higher level of designer--but price will definitely be higher.

Kraftmaid is a very solid product, but I only have a 42 inch vanity of theirs. I honestly was on a terrible medication when I did my kitchen and would have to look up the brand. But they are ivory painted finish and very nice. They gave me a wax stick because of expected seam lines in paint.

Hi! Starting a big kitchen remodel and after looking at Lowes, ProSource and Paneling Factory, wound up purchasing a Kemper natural cherry shaker door style, all plywood construction, from ProSource. I'm having my own contractor install them. My question is - having read all kinds of reviews on Kemper and Kraftmaid (my other choice) it seems all these reviews are so negative! I don't know if I'm just getting cold feet (dropped $20K on them)...I'm not one to really trust reviews too much. Can anyone offer their experience with Kemper and/or ProSource? I've already purchased and it's too late to cancel the order (which at this point, why would I do that?!), just looking for other's experiences in case I need to prepare myself! Thanks in advance for your time!

Love my Decora white kitchen

siedlecki1976 Kemper and Decora are both made by Masterbrand. From what I read Kemper is a lower quality line than Decora, but if you're getting a cherry shaker style and the doors are solid cherry, with plywood construction, then chances are it will be of a decent quality, especially with a natural finish. Masterbrand customer service was excellent when we had a few issues with our cabinets, so hopefully if there are any on your end, they will stand behind the product. I will also add that my previous kitchen was done in Kraftmaid in a cherry cabinet and we were extremely happy with the quality (did the plywood upgrade). So, many of the reviews often depend on the finish chosen. Cherry should hold up well.

Thanks for your help, liberty corner girl!

Decora from Home Depot is awful. I ordered vanities for two baths and couldn't believe how cheap and lightweight they are compared to Kraftmaid. The finish is thin and nothing special. I had a Kraftmaid cherry kitchen and when I sold the house 10 years later they still looked brand new. You couldn't give me Decora for free.

mrswydra I wonder if Decora is making a lower level cabinet for HD specifically because in our case, our cabinets were thicker than our Kraftmaid in our previous home. Our drawers are very heavy as well, and thicker all around. Buying cabinets can be so frustrating as many of the brands have several different quality levels.

Liberty Girl - You are likely correct. All Cabinet manufacturers make different tiers for the various resellers - Home Depot, Lowes, Independent shop. I ordered the Decora vanities from the same Home Depot, same designer who sold me the Kraftmaid cherry cabinets. The Decora vanity I received was overpriced crap, pardon the expression and I was extremely dissapointed. Home Depot probably wasn't making their margin so they downgraded the line they were getting from Decora at the expense of the consumer. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. I'll never buy cabinets from Home Depot again.

mrswydra it’s such a shame. So disappointing, especially when you spend time to envision what you want, and good money for something that will last. Any way you can return? I would call Masterbrands customer service and complain. We had one of our vanities swapped because the first one had two poorly aligned drawers. They shipped a new one, no questions asked and picked up the old. If you can get the rep’s contact for Home Depot, I would deal directly with Masterbrand.

We bought Decora kitchen cabinets in solid cherry wood 10 years ago thru Direct Buy. They have deeply carved raised panels in a rich cherry stain. Even though they have darkened over the years (a natural occurrence with cherry wood), the gorgeous wood grain is still visible. We upgraded to heavy duty plywood boxes, hardware etc. Our cabinets still look and function like new. We have had zero problems with them and would buy Decora again without hesitation.

We purchased a full
kitchen of Decora cabinets costing $13,000 in 2001. (A contractor
did the job. We later realized his actual cost was much less, but the
invoice from the retailer was for the full retail price.) The cabinets
were beautiful, but fatally flawed. I will NEVER buy a Decora
product again. Particularly at the top of sink cabinet doors, but
also to a lesser degree on other cabinets, the finish essentially "dissolved" where it
was exposed to an occasional splash of water. We wiped spills up
immediately (as we had done on the builder grade cabinets that were replaced
after 16 years of use with no similar wear). The Decora cabinets began to
deteriorate within 2 1/2 years. Unfortunately, I did not complain to the
retailer immediately. When I sought assistance, I was told that what I
believed was a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects actually expired
after three years. The retailer also mentioned that due to air quality regulations, Decora used a "water based polyurethane" on their cabinets. He also advised me that the "warranty" never covered "water damage" (show me a SINK cabinet never exposed to water). When I asked for a can of matching stain to refinish the cabinets myself, I was
advised that the color was no longer used, and Decora could not help me.
Decora provided no information, and offered no suggestions. They do
not stand behind their products. Their
finishes look good only initially, but are not durable. Don't buy
these products. If you already have them, don't even think of using a
damp sponge to wipe them clean. They are great for a show kitchen if you
never intend to use it.

chiplois we've had our Decora for just shy of a year, and we chose it because a few friends had them in their kitchens. While it's not been long, I will say that a) any issues we had on install the company sent replacements right away and b) I had Kraftmaid in my other kitchen for 10 years and the Decora were thicker plywood and the paint finish was the color I preferred. We cook a lot, and there are no issues with getting them wet or cleaning them. We have both white and a light cherry island and are very happy.

There is a lot of misinformation and limited info. in this thread. Some posters are knowledgeable and some are not! I've been a kitchen designer at Home Depot and I've worked at a small independent store. Some designers at the big box stores are very well trained, talented and capable. Others will design a kitchen that can't be installed as drawn. Ask questions, get the facts. Do you're homework. Happy renovating!

Grace - you are 100% correct on the designer aspect. What I am speaking to is the lack of quality in Decora cabinets offered by Home Depot as of 2016. I love Kraftmaid but I've heard similar things about the line being downgraded and a poor value. As you are in the trade, you are aware that Masterbrand is a huge company offering many different lines within the brand depending on price point and what the retailer needs for gross profit. BTW: back in the early 80's I was a manufacturer's rep out of Chicago's Merchandise Mart so I know how this stuff works.

@libertycornergirl Are you kind enough to share a picture of your kitchen? How thick was the plywood for the bottom drawer and side drawer?

@olgarotsenmar Looks stunning. Can the drawer hold heavy pots?

Azuka, here are photos. Decora Cherry cabs on the island. Decors white maple cabs elsewhere.

Thanks Liberty Corner Girl, they look great. I understand that you can cannot post the entire kitchen.

Azuka I finally got around to snapping some better picts of the new kitchen. Decora White and Cherry on the island.

Continued...

Decora Cherry (in Pheasant) for the 10' island.

@liberty corner girl, your kitchen and the space around your kitchen looks beautiful. I love the wood beams. You did a great job! Whoever did the construction did nice work.

Are the beams on the ceiling for support?

Was the molding at the top of your cabinet custom (made locally) or did you order one from the cabinet manufacturer?

How sturdy is the pull out drawers? Can they carry cast iron pots?

What kind of stone did you use for your island countertop?

What is that grate on the side of the island for?

What brand of cooktop is that? What about the double wall ovens?

What type of hardwood is on the kitchen floor?

Is that subway tile for backsplash?

Do you have something separating the fridge and the ovens?

Azuka Here are my responses below:

@liberty corner girl, your kitchen and the space around your kitchen looks beautiful. I love the wood beams. You did a great job! Whoever did the construction did nice work.

Thank you! I designed the whole renovation. The house was built in 1835, and we did a small addition on the first floor and squared off the second floor, adding a 4th bedroom and new baths plus laundry on the second floor. I'm in love with the kitchen as it's so much easier to cook and keep clean. First time having white cabinets and no issues with keeping them clean.

Are the beams on the ceiling for support?

Yes, they are actually steel beams wrapped with the old sheathing that I sanded and treated with tung oil.

Was the molding at the top of your cabinet custom (made locally) or did you order one from the cabinet manufacturer? The cabinet molding was from Decora.

How sturdy is the pull out drawers? Can they carry cast iron pots?

Yes, we use the drawers for pots and pans as well as all of our dishes (island drawers). Since I didn't have much room for upper cabinets, the 10' island added a lot more storage. The pots and pans are stored beneath the cooktop.

What kind of stone did you use for your island countertop? We used Aurea stone in Epitome. This quartz looked the most like marble that I've seen to date and has held up beautifully so far (kitchen is a year old). While I would have loved marble, I had it in my former home and it was just too much maintenance, and I love these Aurea countertops. Here is a picture of the surface.

What is that grate on the side of the island for? That is the heating and air-conditioning vent. We elected not to do a kick plate type or put on floor (since it's in the kitchen and could end up with crumbs falling in, etc). This kicks more heat and cooling than a kick plate type.

What brand of cooktop is that? What about the double wall ovens?

All appliances are Bosch with the exception of the refrigerator which is LG. The double oven is actually a combo microwave/convention on top and standard full convection oven on the bottom.

What type of hardwood is on the kitchen floor? Floors are red oak to match existing on the first floor.

Is that subway tile for backsplash? Backsplash is a subway tile from Ann Sacks' MIchael Smith Collection in Ghost Gloss--they are a very pale greenish/beige.

Do you have something separating the fridge and the ovens? We do not, and this was my oversight. When I did the design, I should have added a 3-4" separator there, but by the time we caught it, the outer wall had already been framed. It's fine, just need to be careful to not open the refrigerator when the oven door is open!

@liberty corner girl, Thanks for responding. It looks great. I hope you are enjoying the fruit of your labor. Kudos!