Your Guide to Choosing Kitchen Cabinets
Updating your kitchen? See designers' top choices for kitchen cabinet styles, hardware choices, colors, finishes and more
Vanessa Brunner
June 2, 2013
Houzz Contributor
The right kitchen cabinetry can make or break your kitchen's functionality and style — not to mention your budget. No pressure, right? Don't stress yet — Houzz's kitchen cabinet guides can walk you through the process, from start to finish. Resource guides covering everything from Shaker to flat panel, from corbels to aprons, from glass knobs to recessed pulls, are all listed here in easy-to-access fashion.
Door Styles
Shaker, flat or inset? Your cabinet door style is important — it may be your biggest kitchen expense, after all — but choosing it doesn't have to be stressful. See which of these popular cabinet doors fit with your home's style.
Get the guide: Popular Cabinet Door Styles for Kitchens of All Kinds
Shaker, flat or inset? Your cabinet door style is important — it may be your biggest kitchen expense, after all — but choosing it doesn't have to be stressful. See which of these popular cabinet doors fit with your home's style.
Get the guide: Popular Cabinet Door Styles for Kitchens of All Kinds
Who says cabinets have to be wood? Put your best dishes on display and open up your kitchen to light and space with glass cabinets.
Get the guide: 8 Beautiful Ways to Work Glass Into Your Kitchen Cabinets
Get the guide: 8 Beautiful Ways to Work Glass Into Your Kitchen Cabinets
Go beyond the standard swinging door in your new kitchen. Flip-up doors, pocket doors and corner drawers can make your cabinets more functional and your life easier.
Get the guide: 8 Cabinet Door and Drawer Types for an Exceptional Kitchen
Get the guide: 8 Cabinet Door and Drawer Types for an Exceptional Kitchen
If you'd rather stick with something more traditional for your cabinets, then the timeless Shaker style is a sure bet. Learn how to make this look work with different counter, hardware and backsplash materials.
Get the guide: Shaker Style Still a Cabinetry Classic
Get the guide: Shaker Style Still a Cabinetry Classic
Add a more traditional furniture style to your kitchen storage with a countertop hutch. Glass fronts make these the perfect place to put pretty dishes on display.
Get the guide: Need More Kitchen Storage? Consider Hutch-Style Cabinets
Get the guide: Need More Kitchen Storage? Consider Hutch-Style Cabinets
Open shelving feels as much at home in modern kitchens as it does in traditional ones. See how to make this simple, clean storage style work in your home.
Get the guide: 8 Ideas for Immaculate Open Shelving
Get the guide: 8 Ideas for Immaculate Open Shelving
Using ecofriendly materials isn't rare anymore — it's easy to choose kitchen cabinetry that contributes to a healthy home and family, as long as you know what to look for.
Get the guide: Ecofriendly Kitchen: Healthier Kitchen Cabinets
Get the guide: Ecofriendly Kitchen: Healthier Kitchen Cabinets
Can't decide between two different styles? Mix and match — two different cabinet styles can make an even bigger impact.
Get the guide: Mix and Match Your Kitchen Cabinet Styles
Get the guide: Mix and Match Your Kitchen Cabinet Styles
Hardware Styles
Of course, once you have your cabinets chosen, you have a whole other task ahead of you: choosing hardware. Even if you've got simple Shaker cabinets like these, your choice of drawer pulls and knobs makes a big difference in your finished look.
Get the guide: 8 Top Hardware Styles for Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
Of course, once you have your cabinets chosen, you have a whole other task ahead of you: choosing hardware. Even if you've got simple Shaker cabinets like these, your choice of drawer pulls and knobs makes a big difference in your finished look.
Get the guide: 8 Top Hardware Styles for Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
Flat-panel cabinets tend to work best in modern kitchens; make sure you choose hardware to match. Clean, simple and contemporary pulls work well with this cabinetry style.
Get the guide:Top 9 Hardware Styles for Flat-Panel Kitchen Cabinets
Get the guide:Top 9 Hardware Styles for Flat-Panel Kitchen Cabinets
Raised-panel cabinetry tends to suit traditional kitchens. Look for classic, old-world fixtures to fit this beautiful style.
Get the guide: Top 6 Hardware Styles for Raised-Panel Kitchen Cabinets
Get the guide: Top 6 Hardware Styles for Raised-Panel Kitchen Cabinets
Colors and Finishes
Colorful kitchen cabinetry has made a big comeback. Try pretty palettes to give your kitchen flair.
Get the guide: 8 Great Kitchen Cabinet Color Palettes
Colorful kitchen cabinetry has made a big comeback. Try pretty palettes to give your kitchen flair.
Get the guide: 8 Great Kitchen Cabinet Color Palettes
Try playing with two different colors on your kitchen cabinetry. Scared to go too bold? Contrast a single bright color with neutral finishes.
Get the guide: Two-Tone Cabinet Finishes Double Kitchen Style
Get the guide: Two-Tone Cabinet Finishes Double Kitchen Style
If you want to get color the DIY way, read our related ideabook first. Painting your kitchen cabinets can be difficult, but these pro tips will help.
Get the guide: From the Pros: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Get the guide: From the Pros: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Stains are a great way to get color on your kitchen cabinetry without covering up the wood's beauty. From greens to blues to browns, stain colors can really enhance your new kitchen.
Get the guide: 8 Stunning Stain Colors for Kitchen Cabinets
Get the guide: 8 Stunning Stain Colors for Kitchen Cabinets
Curious about color but worried about the maintenance? A distressed finish can cover all the bases, offering a warm, bright look that can actually embrace wear and tear.
Get the guide: Stress Less With Distressed Cabinets
Get the guide: Stress Less With Distressed Cabinets
Sometimes a kitchen remodel doesn't require a new fridge or oven — but how do you pick a cabinet color to go with your existing appliances? Check out our cabinet color guide for cabinets with dark appliances.
Get the guide: Cabinet Colors for Dark Appliances
Get the guide: Cabinet Colors for Dark Appliances
Molding and Details
Adding molding is an easy way to make any type of cabinetry look custom. Whether you want to add crown molding to your existing kitchen or edge molding to new cabinets, this guide can help you envision the final result.
Get the guide: 9 Molding Types to Raise the Bar on Your Kitchen Cabinetry
Adding molding is an easy way to make any type of cabinetry look custom. Whether you want to add crown molding to your existing kitchen or edge molding to new cabinets, this guide can help you envision the final result.
Get the guide: 9 Molding Types to Raise the Bar on Your Kitchen Cabinetry
Decorative supports, aprons, corbels and toe kicks — these features might not come standard on most cabinetry, but they can make a huge visual impact.
Get the guide: 8 Cabinetry Details to Create Custom Kitchen Style
Get the guide: 8 Cabinetry Details to Create Custom Kitchen Style
Learn how frosted, textured and seeded glass is made, and whether or not it can work with your kitchen cabinets.
Get the guide: Choose Your Kitchen Cabinet Glass
Get the guide: Choose Your Kitchen Cabinet Glass
Whether you're building a new kitchen or retrofitting an existing one, it's important to keep universal design in mind. Clever accessories will make your kitchen comfortable and accessible for everyone who uses it.
Get the guide: 9 Kitchen Cabinet Accessories for Universal Design
More kitchen guides | Kitchen counters | Kitchen of the Week | Kitchen styles
Get the guide: 9 Kitchen Cabinet Accessories for Universal Design
More kitchen guides | Kitchen counters | Kitchen of the Week | Kitchen styles
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This article had some great information about how to choose cabinetry for any project. As a Pacific Northwest fully custom cabinet shop, I think this article highlights some very important choices to create the desired look and style for cabinets. I would also add, however, the importance of cabinet overlay construction. Whether it is a face frame construction (traditional, full overlay, or flush inset) or a European frameless construction; the construction method goes a long way in setting the tone for your cabinets.
This is some really helpful information for anyone looking to renovate their kitchen. I never thought about how many different aspects there are to think about when it came to kitchen cabinets. Between styles, colors, finishes, pulls and handles, and molding, there is an awful lot that should go into the decision. But organizing your thoughts into simple categories like this is one of the best ways to make sure the final product is one you love. Thanks so much for writing!
http://www.customcabinets.ca/
As I sit and watch yet another cooking show, I look behind the cook and see yet another kitchen in shaker style.
Its the go-to choice for homeowners these day. A classic that will never go out of style and lasts forever. A safe bet, if you will.
Once you jump off the fence and take that leap, you really don't want to choose a style that is trendy -- stick with what you like too.
Shaker style is synonymous with classic goes with most colors and materials. cherry, white, maple, gray, black, distressed, you name it. It always works! We've designed this kitchen to it's area--New England. Over 100 years old, the home already has a rich and classic style, it was a the kitchen they always envisioned and now it's a reality.
The island is ideal and the space handles many cooks. It also has the 'work triangle' that makes it super functional. The lighting placed strategically for prep areas by the 2 'cooks of the house'. Ideal for dinner parties and holiday gatherings too. Guests can simply walk up and socialize with the cook or join in the prep work and have a glass of wine while nibbling on appetizers.
Make your kitchen that 'classic beauty' that you've always dreamed of and the decision to remodel your kitchen will be less daunting. Come on, you've been dreaming all these years, you know you love Shaker! Go for it!