A kitchen cabinet offers more than storage for pots and dinnerware. It aligns with the house’s style and enhances the kitchen’s features. There are many factors to consider before choosing a design that will complement your client’s home. You must account for the cabinet door’s style, use, color and construction to offer the best product.
Use our helpful tips to guide you in choosing the right kitchen cabinet door styles so you can turn your client’s ideas and visions into beautiful kitchen features.
How to Choose Your Ideal Style of Cabinet Doors
Your clients have a vast amount of options for cabinet door styles and cupboards, but a few things can affect the finished product’s overall look and functionality. From paint colors to stains and frames, explore how to choose the ideal kitchen cabinet door style below:
Kitchen Style
Ensure the kitchen cabinets match the kitchen’s style and layout to create a cohesive look. For traditional and farmhouse kitchens, cabinets with panels and molding will create a sophisticated and elegant style. Flat-front cabinet doors can create a clean and minimalistic look for modern and industrial-style kitchens. You should also consider other existing design elements, like the flooring style, appliances, any trim or molding and the rest of the home’s overall aesthetic.
Functionality
Consider how your customer will use the cabinet doors. Consider whether your client prioritizes practicality or style and visual design. If they want to display vintage and high-quality dinnerware, a glass-door style will showcase their valued items perfectly. For high-use cabinets, they need durable materials and finishes that will sustain minimal wear after many years.
Price
Door design costs and your customers’ budgets greatly affect the doors they install in their homes. Materials vary in price. White oak is more expensive, while Pine is typically a more cost-effective option. Kitchen cabinet doors that are in stock can become more cost-effective than custom products. However, a custom option may fit your client’s style and limit any further adjustments that could cost them more.
CABINET STYLES’ ROLE IN INTERIOR DESIGN
Material
Kitchen cabinet doors can be made from various materials. The material used affects the durability, style, cost and ability to customize the products. For custom doors, white oak, hard maple, alder and cherry wood are great choices. Red oak and birch are durable, while pine and poplar are cost-effective options. Medium-density fiberboard (MDF), plywood, laminate and veneers are also commonly used in kitchen cabinet doors.
Maintenance and Cleaning
Most cabinet door designs can be kept clean with a soft cloth and all-purpose cleaner or a combination of water and dish soap. Clients should avoid applying too much moisture that can warp or affect the cabinet doors, as not all materials are water-resistant. Real wood cabinets may require sealing.
Some cabinet doors, such as flat-front, are easier to clean than others, like a beaded panel board. Over time a door’s finish may need to have scratches repaired due to normal wear and tear, touch up kits are available and make a great gift to your customer upon job completion. Scratches on stained doors aren’t as visible as on solid color painted doors.
Color
The color of the kitchen doors can alter the kitchen’s theme and aesthetic. There are many options, approximately 1,600, to choose from when painting cabinet doors. For traditional and farmhouse styles, warm and neutral hues such as white, taupe and tan are great choices. For modern and Scandinavian kitchen styles, white, charcoal and black will create a seamless look. Homes with a more eclectic feel might look best with bright or jewel-toned door styles.
Wood cabinet doors can also be stained to let the original grain shine through. Stained cabinet doors are versatile, as lighter shades can look rustic while darker wood can look modern and contemporary.
Types of Kitchen Cabinet Doors
The types of kitchen cabinet doors and styles available depend on the cabinet’s construction. There are three main kitchen cabinet door constructions to choose from:
- Full overlay: This type of kitchen door overlaps and covers the frame. There is very little open space between the two doors, with minimal space to allow the door to open properly. With no vertical cabinet stiles, clients can store bigger items easily. This type of door looks great in modern and contemporary kitchens.
- Standard overlay: This is also known as partial or traditional overlay. In this design, the kitchen door partially covers the frame. This is one of the most common cabinet designs. The style looks great in traditional and transitional kitchens.
- Inset: Inset cabinet doors are seamlessly centered within the frame. This lets the doors blend in with the frame. It’s generally a costlier option than a full or partial overlay cabinet door. This type of cabinet door looks great in Mediterranean and farmhouse kitchen designs.
Popular Cabinet Door Styles
Now that you know how to choose the ideal kitchen cabinet for your client’s home, it’s time to select the kitchen cabinet door styles that will become a star feature in their kitchen. Here are a few popular door styles for cabinets that could look great in your customer’s kitchen:
- Shaker: Shaker kitchen cabinet styles are one of the most popular kitchen cabinet designs. They look great in traditional and transitional kitchen designs.
- Raised panel: Raised panel kitchen cabinet designs add personality and elegance to traditional and rustic kitchens.
- Recessed panel: With a recessed panel kitchen cabinet door, you can elevate the features of a contemporary and farmhouse kitchen.
- Slab: Flat-front or slab panel kitchen cabinets create a seamless look in modern and industrial kitchens.
- Beaded panel: Add a classic touch to your client’s coastal or farmhouse kitchen with beaded panel cabinet doors.
- Glass doors: Create an open and bright space in your client’s contemporary and traditional kitchen with glass insert panels captured within the doors.
- Arched panel doors: Arched panel cabinet doors are the perfect fit for a rustic look in a Mediterranean and country-style kitchen.
Choose Conestoga Wood Specialties for Custom Cabinet Doors
Transform your client’s kitchen with custom kitchen cabinet doors and designs from Conestoga Wood Specialties. With skilled crafters and high-quality machinery, we create durable custom cabinets doors and finishes that will fit your client’s unique style. You can depend on us to provide quality materials that will impress your customers.
Shop our wide range of door styles, or complete our online contact form to get in touch with our experts today.