Cabinets are an essential part of a kitchen. They help provide storage for all kinds of kitchen items from pots and pans to non-perishable foods. If you’re thinking of installing new cabinets, there are a few important things to consider. Below are 5 factors that will help you to choose the right cabinets.
Material
First, you should consider the material. Cabinets are typically made from wood, but there are many different types of wood you can choose from. Solid natural woods like oak and maple are some of the most durable options, but also come with a higher price tag. Composite woods like plywood and MDF are cheaper, but less durable. Each wood can come in different tones including light tones, reddish tones and darker tones. Non-wood materials can also be considered such as acrylic or steel (check out this Lussario guide to steel cabinets).
Finish
The same material can come in many different finishes. This can greatly impact how your cabinets look and how easy they are to clean and maintain. You can keep your cabinets unfinished for a natural rustic appearance, but this can leave them vulnerable to moisture damage and staining. Stains, varnishes and glazes can allow the grain to still show through, while improving moisture resistance. Alternatively, you can look for painted options in a variety of different colours. Lacquer and laminate finishes can provide a shiny modern look while being easier to clean.
Style
Cabinets come in a variety of different styles. Popular wooden styles include shaker, slab, beadboard and louvred. Some cabinets come with glass panels allowing you to see inside them. The style of handle can also vary from a bar handle to a knob. You can choose from a range of premade cabinets, or you can look into custom cabinets from the likes of J.S. Geddes Luxury Kitchen Designer services for a truly personalised solution.
Dimensions
A very important consideration is the dimensions of your cabinets. This requires carefully measuring your kitchen to work out exactly how much space you have. Cabinets can be placed under the countertop or hang from the wall above. Shallower cabinets will help to provide more floor space to walk around, making your kitchen feel bigger. Deep cabinets will meanwhile provide more space for storing contents. Some people like to extend cabinets up to the ceiling to use the full height of the room, while others prefer to maintain a gap between the top of the cabinet and ceiling.
Shelving
How much shelving do you want in each cabinet? And how much space will there be between shelves? Adding more shelves to taller cabinets will give you more storage room, but if there isn’t enough space between each shelf, you may not be able to store taller items such as large glasses or cereal boxes. On top of shelves, it’s possible to also consider other options like drawers – these are typically placed below the countertop, and can be as wide and deep as you desire. You can also look into shelves that swing out (useful in corners).
