Which Kitchen Cabinets are best for your space?
So its time to freshen up your kitchen or invest in a full renovation! How far will you go? Is it new paint and quartz countertops, or is it all the way back to the frame?
If you are going all the way with your renovation, then kitchen cabinetry becomes the starting point for your design plan. You may already know the type of countertop you want or the types of appliances you need however, you need to choose your cabinetry first to make sure you have enough space to make it all come together. Photo by Aaron Huber on Unsplash
How much do kitchen cabinets cost?
If starting from scratch, you’re going to need a healthy budget! Kitchen cabinetry requires a heavy portion of your kitchen renovation budget. Your budget will determine what cabinetry you choose in the end. Custom cabinetry can be quite expensive but the best quality whereas Ikea cabinetry offers great value for less quality. Your overall budget will help determine whether you can afford those dream kitchen cabinets or not.
Kraftmaid Cabinets has a fantastic and free kitchen renovation budgeting tool available online! I highly recommend checking it out to get an idea of what you can expect to pay for every element of your kitchen design. It is incredibly useful!
The images below is an example of their calculator in action. Simply enter your desired budget, the value of your home and the percentage that budget is in relation to your homes value and the calculator will give you an excellent estimate of what to expect for your kitchen renovation budget!
Kraftmaid Kitchen Renovation Budget Calculator
Kraftmaid Renovation Budget Results
The Best Wood For Kitchen Cabinets
Their are several species of wood that are excellent for kitchen cabinets. The challenge is that you may not get a choice! Depending on the manufacture you choose and whether you are going custom or not will factor into whether you have a choice of wood species to use as your cabinet.
Typically the most common woods for kitchen cabinets are:
- Maple
- Hickory
- Oak
- Cherry.
As mentioned above, Kraftmaid provides significant information on their website about the best wood for kitchen cabinets. The species you choose will expose certain features of the wood like knots and veins and will also impact whether you should use stain or paint.
Choosing Custom, Semi-Custom, Stock or Ikea Kitchen Cabinets
If you are running a tight budget, not to worry, there are solutions for you. So before you tear the old cupboards off the walls, let’s consider your options first.
Custom & Semi-Custom Kitchen Cabinets
With a big budget you can build your dream kitchen cabinets by going custom! Custom kitchen cabinets allow you to dream up the best, most functional design for your space, the options are truly endless.
Getting the most out of your custom cabinets
When going custom, you need to take some time to examine your typical working patterns in the kitchen. Really think about what is missing, what is frustrating and what would be great to have in terms of storage and placement of cupboards and drawers.
Choosing custom cabinetry allows you to have complete flexibility in design. This is a golden opportunity for the homeowner to truly maximize their space and create a uniquely tailored kitchen that suits every need. Don’t miss out on taking advantage of this step!
Hire a Cabinetry Designer
Seriously consider hiring a cabinetry designer. If you have the budget for custom then you likely have room in your budget for a designer as well. They will work with you to come up with a formal design plan that meets all of your requirements and present it to your chosen cabinetmaker.
Many cabinetry designers already have a working relationship with certain custom cabinetmakers, they understand what can and cannot be done, the common pitfalls and how to maximize your budget, helping you to achieve your dream kitchen cabinetry effectively.
Choosing your Custom Cabinetmaker
Here’s where preference or networking comes in. If you are working with a cabinetry designer than perhaps they have their preferred choice, but if you are on your own, you’ll have some research to do as there are many cabinetry manufacturers out there.
Get references and talk to them directly. Make sure they are reputable and guarantee their work. Going custom is a huge investment so it is worth taking the time to properly assess their product.
Visit our article on our top 3 favorite custom cabinetmakers and see why we think they are more than capable of creating your sexy kitchen🙂
Semi-Custom Kitchen Cabinets
Semi-custom kitchen cabinetry allows homeowners to receive a quality and well constructed product for a more affordable price. Most custom cabinetmakers also create a semi-custom line to meet smaller budgets. These semi-custom lines are usually still made with solid wood however, the difference is that they are already pre-made.
Custom vs. Semi Custom Kitchen Cabinets
Why should you choose semi-custom cabinets over custom?
- Budget Friendly
- Great quality
- Less Stressful
Choosing semi-custom over custom cabinetry does not assume a lack in quality. In fact quality is almost identical however, your cabinetry selection will be limited.
Most cabinet manufacturers will create a custom line and mass produce it which helps to reduce the price of the line, making it more accessible for smaller budgets. Homeowners are given a choice of already pre-made door fronts, colors, patterns, and finishes, making the selection and design process slightly easier and potentially faster as well helping to reduce the overall stress of the renovation process.
Stock-Kitchen Cabinets
Stock-kitchen cabinets are a cabinetry option that is readily available at your favorite home building centers. They are generally your most budget friendly cabinetry option.
These cabinets are designed to keep costs down by manufacturing only certain shapes and sizes in limited styles, colors and materials. This can be a great option for homeowners that have a standard sized kitchen with reasonable requirements.
The down side to stock cabinetry is its lack in versatility. Your kitchen will have to accommodate the manufacturers specifications, resulting in a lack of flexibility and design options.
Ikea Kitchen Cabinets
Ikea kitchens have taken off this last decade. While cabinetmakers will certainly make a case for not going with an Ikea kitchen, Ikea accepted the challenge to create an affordable, out of the box kitchen option for homeowners. Today, Ikea has plethora of design options for homeowners and provide Ikea planners to assist with the challenging process of designing, purchasing and installing an Ikea kitchen.
Ikea Cabinet Design
While Ikea can make any kitchen size and shape functional with their generous supply of cabinetry options, it can be an overwhelming task to take on yourself.
They provide a wide variety of cabinetry styles to choose from but again this is Ikea. It can be tricky to buy and difficult to install and may not last as long as you may want it too.
