The Most Preferred Kitchen Cabinets of Recent Years
The cabinet door style is the single largest decision for the overall style of your kitchen.Unfortunately, choosing a kitchen cabinet style can quickly become overwhelming when you don’t know your Shaker from your slab. To save you some of that stress, we’ve zeroed in on what you need to know about kitchen cabinet styles so you can find the perfect fit for your home.
Framed vs. Frameless Cabinets:
There are two options for cabinet construction: framed and frameless. Framed cabinets have an added face frame at the front of the cabinet box where hinges and doors attach. Framed cabinets give you the choice of full overlay, partial overlay, or inset doors. With overlay styles, the doors rest on top of the cabinet frame. With inset cabinets (like the ones shown here), the doors are set into the cabinet frame so they sit flush with it when closed. Inset offers a classic look but can be more costly (and provide a little less storage) because they require more work to ensure a perfect door/frame fit.
Frameless cabinets, which started in Europe, but have gained popularity in the U.S., consist of full overlay doors that attach directly to the cabinet box via hinges on the interior of the cabinet. Frameless cabinets can look more contemporary and have a bit more space inside.
Within those two cabinet construction categories, there are several common door styles to choose from.
Shaker Style Cabinets:
With clean, classic lines, Shaker is the most popular cabinet door style. Because it can work beautifully whether your aesthetic is modern, transitional, or traditional. Also called a “five-piece,” a Shaker door is essentially a flat panel… With a frame consisting of rails (horizontal pieces) and stiles (vertical pieces).
Its simplicity means that it can complement a wide variety of kitchen designs… depending on how you customize the cabinet and what other kitchen design elements you pair with it. “Shaker-style cabinets can be made a little more modern or more traditional… With the addition of different types of edge detailing inside the frame.
While Shaker-style cabinets are loved for their versatility and timeless appeal, they can be a pain to keep clean since dust and grime can collect on the inside of the frame. Still, if you’re OK with the upkeep, this kitchen chameleon will enhance almost any style and look chic for a long time.
Slab Cabinet Doors: | Most Preferred Kitchen Cabinets
Think of a kitchen with a sleek, modern aesthetic and chances are you picture slab cabinet doors. Also known as flat panel cabinets, this style consists of a single, smooth piece of wood, plywood, or MDF. Flat panels are available in a variety of finishes and veneers from glossy white, gray, or colored lacquer to natural wood tones. The unadorned cabinet front makes a clean backdrop for statement hardware or looks sophisticated with no visible hardware.
Flat panel cabinets are often associated with a stark, minimalist vibe, but that’s not their only look. This minimalist-style cabinet can be warmed with different colors or wood finishes. For example, a wood like black walnut has light and dark characteristics that add warmth and interest. And despite their high-end look, flat panel cabinets don’t have to bust your budget. A modern flat-front cabinet door can be very cost-effective. Wood can be expensive, but there are excellent laminates—at a fraction of the cost—that look as good on flat panel cabinets as the real thing.