Chances are good that like most people, when it comes to kitchen cabinets you think, “A cabinet is a cabinet.” While the concept of cabinets has not changed over the years, design elements, workmanship, technology, and materials have. In fact, kitchen cabinets you find in today’s market are quite impressive with many being highly innovative yet with simple functionality.
Before you can fully appreciate the designs and styles currently available, it helps to have a good understanding of kitchen cabinets in general. Of all elements in the kitchen, the cabinets play the most important role. For this reason, if you were to look at the majority of kitchens around the country, regardless of size or design, you would notice a specific configuration in the way cabinets are installed.
Most kitchens have a triangle configuration, meaning if you were to draw an imaginary line connecting each group of kitchen cabinets you would see a triangle. For instance, unless a homeowner chooses a custom kitchen layout, the cabinets would be located around the sink area, the oven area, and then against one wall, forming a triangle. This configuration is not by happenstance. Instead, with the kitchen cabinets laid out this way moving from one group to the next is easy so working in the kitchen is more efficient.
Now, as mentioned you could have a custom configuration created specifically for your kitchen and a unique way you like to work in this room of the home but otherwise, whether buying an existing home or having one built, the contractor would install the cabinets in the traditional triangle formation. As far as the style of cabinets, these are broken down into three categories to include stock, semi-custom, and custom, which include:
• Stock – These kitchen cabinets are those already made and stored in a warehouse waiting to be purchased. Of the three primary options, stock cabinets are the least expensive. However, these cabinets are also made with standard materials and they are sold in limited sizes that start at 9 inches, increasing by 3 inches to a maximum size of 48 inches.
• Semi-Custom Cabinets – Kitchen cabinets in this category offer a little more flexibility. While the basic cabinet may be made, designs, styles, materials, and finishes are more versatile. Because of this, homeowners have the opportunity to design or remodel the kitchen according to personal preference. Semi-custom cabinets are a little higher priced than stock but still considered affordable. These cabinets come in the same standard sizes although some modification is possible.
• Custom Cabinets – While custom kitchen cabinets are the most expensive, they are also the most diverse. In this case, cabinets could be ordered in virtually any size or style. In addition, cabinetmakers could enhance the cabinets with beautiful detailing, and add various features such as pull-outs, lazy Susan’s, partitions, etc and homeowners would have a choice of incredible materials, colors, and finishes, to include exotic wood species. In addition to the higher price, the only negative aspect of custom kitchen cabinets is that it typically takes up to 12 weeks for them to be made and read for installation.
Another basic feature of kitchen cabinets is the design. Today, you have far more choices than years ago but the basic design types from which you would choose include country, rustic, Old World, Arts and Crafts, traditional, transition, and contemporary. If wanted, you could choose a design as is or for today’s kitchen cabinets, have different elements and features added to make them unique. Remember, from basic kitchen cabinets, you have a multitude of options so ultimately, you can create an amazing kitchen that functions for the way you work and looks incredible rather than a cookie-cutter design.
