This style has almost the maximum possible face area that will show every bit of the grain. Only plain slabs will show more. It'd be a good idea to talk to your cabinetmaker sooner rather than later about costs of options for lining up the grain, bookmatching and so on.

If you are going to do a door like the one posted above you will have styles and rails on those doors so the grain will go horizontal and vertical

You can only get book matched in slab door veneers and only certain companies do those.

Always try to see a sample of the door style you like in the wood specie that you like so you know what you are getting. Pay for a sample if you need to!

Good luck!

Is this your kitchen or inspiration photo? So you are correct, grain matching does cost more, but should not be significant. If this is your door style (which I love by the way) you'd most likely have vertical grain, which doesn't have to match the door next to it. The stile and rails will alter how you see the grain across a run of door/drawers. It's the contemporary flat doors that you will want to have grain matching and it's the horizontal grain that show's it the most if not matched.

The reason it is a HUGE upcharge is if there’s one mistake in production or shipping damage, you’re not replacing just one door. Not when the whole run is done out of one section of book matched veneers! You’ll be replacing every thing.

So true!! The contractor accidentally drilled the cabinet hardware incorrectly on just one of the pantry doors. These cabinets are not only vertically grain matched, but also a very consistent grain from cabinet to cabinet. We had to replace all four doors on one pantry and the manufacturer had only one sheet of veneer left from the lot...and it was JUST big enough for the pantry doors. I was sick to my stomach until the new pantry doors arrived and I saw it was a perfect match. #thingsthatkeepkitchendesignersupatnight

Mid-Century Modern Redo · More Info

Ditto Kristin & The Cook's. This also means that during the time you own this kitchen, if you damage a door....you see where that goes. We have done both. Sometimes with Rift oak they can make the door/drawer front with smaller pieces, thereby giving it more of a planked look which means you do not need to go grain-matched. The choice often is determined by design. A rustic slanted design does not need grain matching whereas a high-end crisp modern would be better suited for matching.

Grain matched walnut on a high end modern we did a couple years ago (due to width it is actually split in the middle):

Modern on the Prairie · More Info

This is a softer look - with oak - without matching:

Comforts of Home · More Info

Here's a 5 part door - frameless - using knotty oak without matching grains (note we did inset on the white):

Knotty Oak Perfection · More Info

Edmond Kitchen and Bath
Don’t mean to hijack the post, but what color is the softer look oak cabinets (2nd photo). These are very nice.

Our son utilized a custom cabinet place. I called them to see what they can do. These middle man, generic cabinet companies aren’t cutting it for me. Perhaps we can save a few $ by using the non-custom in our guest bath and laundry room. But I know what I want for the kitchen.

The matched grain will be for slab doors. The picture you posted shows a shaker door which will not have a matched grain. So if you are doing the shaker then there is not need to jump into more custom lines.

Find what you really want and get a sample and go from there!

Good luck!

I love all of these. These inspire me. Just don’t think the ‘generic’ cabinet guy can do these. I haven’t given up on him yet though.

And here is as close as the generic cabinet guy can get to the picture I posted at the beginning of this thread - the dark purple. Not good! Definitely leaning towards the slab look.

Omega makes a superior custom cabinet. Their cerused oak finishes would be exactly what you are looking for. That’s a great door too! One of the other designers in one of my groups just used it, and it’s stunning.

Thanks Cooks Kitchen. Could you post a picture of what you’re talking about? I’d love to see it.
Thank you

Mouser makes some beautiful matched wood grain cabinets.