Kitchen Cabinet Ideas

When planning a new home or remodeling an older one, your kitchen cabinet ideas will make one of the most important aspects of your final layout. A well designed kitchen layout can make food preparation and clean-up much more efficient. Furthermore, the cabinetry is the first thing a person sees when entering the room, so their appearance plays a big part of overall home decor.

There are other pages on this website that explain the differences between stock, semi-custom and custom cabinets. Another page will explain the difference between various woods and other finishes you can choose from. Still another discusses the option of refacing your cabinets.

The price of the cabinets will be affected by quality, degree of customization, and whether they are made domestically or overseas. If they come from Europe, you can believe that shipping costs and exchange rates are included in the costs.

In my opinion, it makes no sense to spend the extra money when American manufacturers make products that have very good quality, and offer more styles which are representative of the history of this country, making it easier for you to achieve whatever kitchen cabinet ideas you have.

You might have an "L" shape in a corner (with or without an island); a "U" shape; or a "J" with a peninsula; a railroad (two parallel rows); or a straight line (again, with or without an island). The island (if there is one) can have seating, or not.

When creating this layout, the critical element is the triangle between your storage area (refrigerator and pantry), preparation (cooking is included here), and clean-up.

Check out the diagrams below to get a sense of what these kitchen cabinet ideas look like. This is what makes your kitchen efficient, and avoids problems with traffic flow.

Find Local Kitchen Remodeling Services. Get Up to 4 Quotes Now. It's Quick, Free, and Easy!

Trends in kitchen cabinet ideas constantly change. I guess a trend is changing by definition. Anyway, I remember the 1970s when everybody was buying cabinets with dark finishes. Then in the 1990s it seemed that everybody wanted light and airy rooms with light-colored cabinets.

In my opinion, one finish you should not consider for your kitchen is a high-gloss finish. The glossy finish will reflect light. This is actually uncomfortable for your eyes.

I believe that a kitchen is where you want to relax with family and friends and feel comfortable. High-gloss finishes drive people into the den.

Another "constant" (if there is such a thing) is to have glass doors on a few of the upper cabinets. This I like. You can add interest by using stained, cut, or etched glass. Or you can use smoked, tinted, or frosted glass so that the images behind the glass appear blurry.

Or you can display your pretty things behind clear glass. All options with glass add interest and give the room a lighter feel.

These cabinets look great, but you'd better keep the contents neatly arranged or they will look like there's a mess in your cabinets. Use your other cabinets for the things you want to cram and hide.

A less common way to add interest to old cabinets is by stenciling them. This is one of those kitchen cabinet ideas which are gaining in popularity because lifestyles have become less formal.

Try to visualize what your cabinets would look like if you accented a few of them with stencils on the doors which project a particular theme. A visit to your local crafts store will give you an idea about the various themes you can create.

I haven't been to one lately, but last time I looked, I saw stencils for birds, flowers, various people (farmers, soldiers, etc.), and repeat patterns that could be added around the perimeter of a door panel.

You don't want to overdo this as it would make the room too "busy", but done correctly, it could be a pleasure to look at and a great source of conversation with visitors.

Generally speaking, your kitchen cabinets will make up about half the cost of a new kitchen. That makes them a major investment, so it pays to get educated about your options (which is what you're doing).

Any questions or comments about this page, contact me about kitchen cabinet ideas here. OR Feel free to ask about any remodeling issue that might be troubling you.

If you're planning a large renovation, or building a new home, think about getting your hands on CONTROLLING YOUR REMODELING PROJECT. You can learn more about it by clicking here.

If your project is smaller, or if you have several small jobs on your to-do list, think about signing up for the newsletter. It's free, and there's lots of useful information in it.

Find many unbiased ratings on services for your home Install New Kitchen Cabinets