Kitchen Cabinet Options in Woodstock

Kitchen Cabinet Options in Woodstock

When choosing the cabinetry that's right for you, balancing cost with style, function and the hankering for that perfect pantry can prove as difficult as a complicated mathematical equation. Save the calculations for tablespoons and cups of flour. Choose what you like.When it comes to what's fashionable, personalization still reigns supreme in the kitchen. More specifically, homeowners continue to choose items that are more "me" than "me, too," meaning that you can start your decision making process by scrapping the concept of must-haves. Butter-yellow French country cabinetry may be on the cover of your favorite home magazine, but if you don't love it, forget it.
The brief overviewMaple has eclipsed oak as the most popular wood for cabinet doors. Cherry comes in third, followed by hickory and pine. But your wood options don't end there. Alder is creeping onto the scene in a big way, thanks to its natural, knotted look, while exotic woods like mahogany are becoming a tad bit more everyday.Don't agonize over framed or frameless construction—the decision has become much less significant than it used to be. Save your energy for selecting your door style. Choices range from flat to raised to curved, and may be plain and simple or intricately carved. In more traditional kitchens, you’ll find inset and lipped doors; partial overlay and full overlay provide the clean lines associated with more contemporary designs. If wood isn't for you, there's no need to worry. Take your pick of shiny polyester and plastic laminate options, opt for stainless steel, or go for glass in clear, frosted, ribbed, etched and leaded versions. You're not at the finish line until you've selected a finish for your cabinets. Light stains will let the natural beauty of the wood show through. The popularity of painted and glazed finishes has broadened their offering among stock and semi-custom manufacturers. For a truly unique look, go the specialty route with a distressed or crackled finish.Use pulls and knobs to further personalize your kitchen. A Shaker style door in cherry can go from traditional with a brass knob to contemporary with a nickel pole.

First you should understand what lies behind the cabinet door—the cabinet box. All cabinetry falls into two basic categories:
Framed construction (aka "American")
Frameless construction (aka "European" or "full access")
In framed cabinetry, wood joinery holds the parts together. This American-style cabinet attaches a 1 ½” wide x ¾” thick frame to the front of the cabinet box. Horizontal rails and vertical stiles secure the door to the box. Hinges attach the door to the face frame.In frameless cabinetry, thicker side panels keep the cabinet rigid without the use of a front frame. Special hardware fittings secure the door directly to the side or end panels of the cabinet. Due to the lack of face frame, the cabinet doors lie flush with each other, forming a tight reveal of 1/8” or less. This clean style emphasizes the door and is often referred to as European style.Because no rails or stiles block the way, frameless cabinets offer slightly easier access to their interiors. Expect up to 10 percent more interior space. Also, many manufacturers eliminate the center stile in double doors, which provides easier accessibility to platters and oversize bowls and dishes.
Options for Cabinet Box Material
You might be surprised to learn that solid wood rarely forms the cabinet box. It’s more often used in face frames and doors than in the larger side panel parts. That’s because it tends to warp—a special concern in the kitchen where the moisture level changes frequently. But in the doors, using multiple strips of lumber in a variety of sizes can reduce the warp factor. A “floating” panel might also be used. The panel floats because instead of being glued to the doorframe, its edges sit between wooden grooves, allowing the wood to move more freely with changes in the kitchen’s humidity.Box materials typically contain wood chips, other wood by-products, and synthetic additives to make them especially strong and warp resistant. Your options include:
Plywood
Particleboard or furniture-grade flakeboard
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF)
All have solid reputations for durability and screw-holding power, particularly plywood. Medium-density fiberboard has gained a following for its ability to be formed into door and drawer heads and other decorative features. Furniture-grade flakeboard offers a stronger alternative than particleboard, which you’ll pay the least for. Often the door and box will be constructed of different materials. A cabinet door might be solid maple and the cabinet box plywood covered with a maple veneer. The same finish would be applied to both, unifying the look. Or you may decide you want different tones on the door and the sides to add contrast.You’ll want to make sure you know if the finish you like requires a certain base material, and you’ll want to check out examples of your manufacturer’s work. Beware of staples! Staples will pull apart. You want cabinets with thick panels that have been corner blocked and glued or fastened with screws.
Standard Cabinetry Box Dimensions
According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, standard cabinet dimensions are as follows:Base cabinets, which are set on the floor, are 24” deep and 34 ½” high, including a 4” toekick.Wall cabinets, which are affixed to the wall with screws, are 12” deep. Standard height is 30”, but other common heights include 24”, 33” and 42”.Tall pantry or utility cabinets are generally 84” or 96” high.Specialty cabinets include 18” to fit over the range and 12”-15” to fit over the refrigerator.Note: Be sure to check the size of your dinnerware in a standard cabinet. If you’ve chosen modern, oversized plates that measure more than 12” across, you may find yourself unable to close your wall cabinets’ doors. Specialty or custom cabinets may be needed.
Doors
How the cabinet door fits over the cabinet box determines its basic type. Your options for cabinet door type include:
Inset
Lipped
Partial overlay
Full overlay
Inset doors sit within the rails and stiles and lay flush with the front edges of the cabinet box. Truly inset doors are only available with framed construction, but designers can achieve the same look using vertical pilasters on frameless cabinets. Note: wood may expand and contract because of humidity, causing rubbing between the door and stiles.Lipped doors are routed with a slight wooden groove to fit over the face frame. Partial overlay doors conceal just some of the face frame - there is usually a ½” to 1” space between closed doors, allowing you to see much of the face frame. Because partial overlay doors are smaller than full overlay doors, they require less material, so this choice could slightly reduce your cabinetry’s total cost.
Full overlay doors have less than one-eighth of an inch between them—in effect, they fully lay over the cabinet. By definition, all frameless cabinets have full overlay doors. Manufacturers can attach full overlay doors to framed cabinets as well, however, creating a similar look. You can tell for sure whether a cabinet is framed or frameless by opening a door and checking for rails and stiles.
Besides door type, you’ll want to consider different door shapes. One cabinet manufacturer may offer hundreds of door styles in an endless array of finishes.Your options for cabinet door style include:

Slab: If you like clean lines, a slab door may be the choice for you. A flat door that essentially looks like a “slab” of wood, these doors eschew decorative raised or recessed panels. However, you can add a little pizzazz by routing a detailed edge profile if your door is made of MDF.

Raised Panel: A raised panel, generally formed by joining several pieces of solid stock lumber with adhesive, is secured to the door's frame. The panel generally measures between 1/2" and 3/4" in height, giving it a flush or protruding quality, respectively. A routed edge profile tends to give the door a more elegant appearance.

Recessed Panel: The recessed panel door is a flat panel affixed inside a frame constructed with miter or mortise and tenon joints. The resulting appearance has a picture frame-type look and a simpler, more country or transitional appearance.

Curved Panel: The top portion of this door’s decorative panel curves upward in a gentle arch. The panel itself is generally raised.

Cathedral Panel: A cathedral-type arch is incorporated into the upper rail of this raised or recessed panel.

Beadboard Panel: Typically found in a recessed panel, beadboard uses routed beaded details to create a causal country style.

Routed: A single piece of engineered wood material (such as MDF) is shaped to take on the appearance of a recessed or raised panel within the door, then painted or covered in laminate.


Drawers
Cabinet Drawer Construction
The drawers will likely be made of solid wood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF); have framed or flat slab fronts; and be held together with either dovetail, mortise-and-tenon, or butt joints.
Glue holds the parts together, though staples or brads are typically used to hold the joints together until the glue has cured. Dovetail joints provide the most strength.
Cabinet Drawer Construction
Your options for drawer slides include:
Full extension
Ball bearing
Track and roller
Wood
Self closing
Full-extension slides attach to the bottom or the sides of the drawer and provide full access to the drawer interior. Their ball-bearing system adds stability and strength. Stronger versions can be used to store heavier items, such as files or cookware.
Ball-bearing slides attach to the bottom of the drawer sides. Usually standard on high-end cabinets, they offer smooth, quiet operation. Their concealed runners mounted to the bottom of the drawer don’t get as dirty as those mounted on the side. They allow for a wider drawer box with a more usable interior space.
Track-and-roller slides attach to the drawer sides. Their epoxy-coated steel tracks and nylon rollers offer quiet operation but are less stable than ball-bearing ones.
Wooden slides work as slots in the drawer sides or bottoms and move the drawer along a wood runner. This option has fallen out of favor because the drawers tend to stick as the wood expands and contracts.
Construction

Cabinets come in three basic types of construction: stock, semi-custom and custom. These categories speak not to the quality of the cabinets but to the number of options available.
STOCK CABINETRYFormerly known as “bare bones” cabinetry, stock cabinets no longer offer only the bare minimum. While prices largely remain tailored for the budget-conscious, stock manufacturers now provide luxurious options previously exclusive to custom cabinets.
From the designer: “Stock manufacturers have recognized that kitchens make a fashion statement and that cabinets are no longer a commodity. The number of decorative accessories such as furniture feet, onlays and moldings keeps increasing, but there have also been big changes in stock cabinet construction as well. "Dovetail drawers and full-access undermount glides are almost a given in the better stock offerings. Some modifications are even available, including matching interiors for open or glass door cabinets, reduced and increased cabinet depths and a plywood side option. Specialty finishes like glazes used to be considered custom or semi-custom, but they too have entered the stock arena.”
-- Connie Edwards, CKD, CBDDirector of Design for American Woodmark Corp.
The BasicsStock cabinets are constructed prior to purchase. The manufacturer does not build them to your unique specifications, so all sizes meet industry standards. Stock cabinetry widths begin at 9 inches and increase in 3” increments to 48”, the largest standard stock size available. Some stock companies also offer half-sized cabinets (13½”, 19½”, etc.). Your kitchen's dimensions may not correspond exactly to the available increments. To accommodate sizes outside of the 3-inch increments, you'll need to use filler strips to close any gaps between the cabinet and walls or appliances. Expect limited wood species, door styles, accessories and finish selections. However, to counteract the lack of available modifications, the woods, door styles, and finishes that manufacturers choose tend to be the most popular. Purchasing stock doesn't mean settling for an outdated look.Check out what you’re getting beyond the cabinet. The manufacturer should offer a good warranty that can be extended or transferred to the next homeowner if you plan to sell. Also, make sure that touch-up and repair materials accompany your shipment or can be easily ordered.Stored in the manufacturer’s warehouse, stock cabinets are usually available within one week of being ordered.
Designer tip:“Sometimes when a customer wants a great deal of customization and ornamentation on stock cabinets, the price difference between stock, semi custom, and custom is minimal, because the cost of installation is driven up for all the custom pieces to be installed on the job site.”-- Jean Buchen, CKDK T Highland, Inc., Lancaster, PA
Pros:
Usually available within one week
Lower cost
Cons:
Limited number of cabinet sizes to choose from
Generally, no modifications are permitted
Wasted space because of fillers
SEMI-CUSTOM CABINETRY
Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to semi-custom cabinets. Partly stock, partly custom, you may not be able to let your imagination run wild, but you can certainly take it out for a spin. Expect all of the offerings of stock cabinetry and fewer limitations.
The BasicsA step up from stock, semi-custom cabinets also typically come in 3” increments but have the ability to incorporate certain custom features, such as increased and reduced depths.
Semi-custom cabinets have a wider range of door, finish, and wood selections than stock.
Construction begins when order is finalized, so modifications can be made as the cabinets are somewhat built to suit. Expect to wait at least one month for delivery.
Pros:
Varying depths
Reduced widths
Flush toespace available
Matching interior finishes available
Offer many custom features at less-than-custom prices
Cons:
Wasted space due to fillers
Certain limitations apply
CUSTOM CABINETRY
Custom cabinets are restricted by only one thing—your wallet!
The BasicsWithin the limits of sound construction, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the design and style possibilities of custom cabinetry.
There tend to be two kinds of custom cabinets: those made by a custom manufacturer (such as William Ohs) and those made by a local “custom” woodworking shop. Local cabinetmakers produce the box, frame, and drawers in their shop. They will either fabricate the doors or order them from a company. You may want to ask your local cabinetmaker how much of it is done in-house. Don’t assume that ordering doors indicates a lack of skill; specialty door companies produce high-quality doors and can help speed up the process.
Another point to consider when going with a local producer is the finish. Make sure to inquire about the finish process. To properly protect the doors, your cabinet’s finish should include a moisture resistant sealant, catalytic conversion varnish, and baked on coats.
Custom manufacturers can make unfitted pieces, provide almost any finish color or door style, and fashion nearly any size cabinet you want. If you have a color you want to match, a custom cabinet shop can produce an exact equivalent.
Custom is the most flexible and typically the most expensive type of cabinetry and usually takes at least 6-10 weeks to deliver.
Pros:
Can match any color
Almost no limitations
Cons:
Often the most expensive type of cabinetry
Expect a minimum 6-10 week delivery time.
Wood
If wood is your cabinet material of choice, there’s no right or wrong answer it when comes to selecting the species. Rely on taste and cost as your main determinants.
Your choice of wood will have the most impact on the cabinet’s ultimate look. If you want a light look, for example, you might start with a light wood like ash, beech, birch, elm, oak, maple, or chestnut. In the mid-range, consider cherry with a natural finish. Or you can stain maple to be darker than its natural color.
For a dark kitchen, you’ll want to start with a wood that has a little color to it. But don’t start with a dark wood like walnut and try to lighten it. You can always darken the color of lighter woods, but it’s hard to go the other way.
You can also consider clear finishes rather than stains on cherry, walnut, and other woods rich in color, such as butternut, mahogany, rosewood, and teak.
Be sure to consider your environment and cooking style; solid wood cabinets tend to be more affected by humidity and temperature than wood veneer cabinets. Weather extremes can cause warping.
Take note: Just because you’re selecting a wood look doesn’t mean your cabinetry is necessarily solid wood. Clarify whether your box and door are genuine wood throughout or if additives are present. “All wood” construction refers to these hardwood veneer and laminate alternatives.
In veneers, thin slices of solid hardwood bond with plywood or composite boards. While laminate surfaces appear to be wood, these cabinets adhere plastic foil or paper photographs of wood grain patterns to particleboard or medium density fiberboard. Know what you’re paying for; a maple finish could refer to the photograph, not the wood.
Wood
Your wood options include:

Maple: Generally a straight grain, but expect occasional wavy flows and bird’s eye patterning. Maple’s soft grain pattern allows it to easily adapt to both traditional and contemporary designs, making it easy to see why maple has outshined oak as the most popular wood. A very durable wood, maple finishes well, making it an excellent choice for stains and glazes.

Cherry: A very refined, straight and close grain gives cherry its smooth and elegant look. This smoothness makes it well suited for mixing with other woods. Its sophistication is belied by its rough and tough characteristics: Cherry is extremely durable and finishes well.

Oak: Oak’s coarser natural texture results in a relatively defined straight grain that’s more casual than elegant. Oak’s porous nature makes it extremely absorbent: The darker the stain, the more apparent the grain pattern; light stains reduce its visibility. Among the most common cabinetry woods, oak’s durability and finishing characteristics make it a sound choice.

Pine: Pine’s straight grain is relatively long and continuous, giving your cabinets a more rugged look. Southern yellow pine is much more durable than white pine; be sure to ask what you’re getting.

Alder: Once dismissed because of its weed-like growing habits, the Pacific Northwest’s most abundant hardwood is one of the most in-demand options. Consistent in color, alder tends to range from a pale pinkish-brown to almost white. Because it has a close grain and readily accepts stain, red alder can imitate cherry, mahogany, and even walnut.

Birch: Though white paper birch may be the most familiar, the prevalent yellow birch species is the most valued commercial lumber birch. Commonly found in stock cabinetry, this cream-colored wood may stain unevenly.

Hickory: A relative of the walnut family, hickory is one of the strongest and heaviest used American woods. With colors ranging from white to a ruddy brown, this relatively straight and fine grain accepts medium to dark finishes and bleaches well.

Mahogany: Valued for a look that’s as rich as its name, this durable hardwood’s straight grain often incorporates esteemed and unique figures such as mottle, curly and roe. Reddish in color, mahogany stains well to reveal either light or deep hues.

Walnut: Dark brown to purplish black, this open grained wood’s luster grows over time to increasingly reflect light.

Ebony: A dark wood with both black and brown grains, this rare species is best suited for decorative inlays and turnings.

Wood Veneer
Wood veneer is made from peeling strips of wood off a tree like you pull paper towels off a roll. As a result, it’s much thinner than solid wood and is typically applied to plywood or particleboard to give it strength. It has two main advantages over solid wood: It can cost less and its grain can be more consistent. It also is less affected by humidity and temperature than solid wood.You can stain wood veneer to match a solid wood door and use it on the side panels. Make sure both the veneer and the door are made from the same wood species.Wood veneer also makes an attractive option for cabinet interiors visible through glass doors.
Plastic Laminate
Plastic laminate cabinets come in all kinds of colors, patterns, and textures. It’s durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean. But it can be hard to repair if it chips because it’s made of layers—sheets of kraft paper (like that used in grocery bags), a decorative paper, and a plastic coating. The layers are all pressed together under high heat. The kraft paper leaves a brown edge that can be covered and dressed up with a stainless steel, brass, or wood trim. Solid-color laminate offers a slightly more expensive alternative that uses plastic sheets of the same color throughout so that no dark edges show.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel can be found on just about every design element in the kitchen these days. On cabinets, it’s typically formed around an inner core material to give it substance and keep it from sounding tinny. While you can get a very sleek look from stainless steel, it does show fingerprints and scratches.A durable and sanitary material, stainless steel cabinets qualify as a "green product," as they are non-toxic, recyclable and easy to clean without the use of harsh chemicals. Stainless steel is also a top pick for people with chemical sensitivities. As an added bonus, all-stainless cabinets are a great pick for outdoor kitchens, as they withstand the elements (humidity included) quite well.Don't write off the stylish material as purely the stuff of modern spaces. Consider combining it with a Transitional cabinet, like a cherry Arts & Crafts-style door, for a tempered contemporary look.Once you settle on stainless, you'll find there are a few other considerations to keep in mind: Many cabinets are made of the same material as professional-grade appliances; for a stainless look at a lower cost, investigate stainless cabinets with MDF/wood parts. A good number of companies can accommodate custom requests; if that's a particular need of yours, be sure to inquire about the manufacturer's custom capabilities from the get go.To add a unique touch, consider alternatives to stainless steel. Copper moulding or brushed nickel finishes prevent a clinical feel, as does the occasional frosted glass insert.
Glass
An all-wood kitchen can seem dark and heavy; glass presents yet another option for the look of the cabinet door. Mixing glass in with other door fronts in the kitchen can add interest to any design, particularly to stock cabinets that might otherwise lack unique touches. Glass cabinets will also bounce back sunlight streaming in from the windows, brightening your kitchen and making it appear larger.
Choose clear glass to highlight fine china or collectibles. Clear glass is certainly not for homeowners who worry about fingerprints—nor for those who don’t worry about clutter! Luckily, the variety of textures and patterns makes glass a smart choice for anyone.
For more diffusion, opt for ribbed glass so that the colors—not the messy details—of the dishes or cereal boxes sitting behind them show through. The ribbing may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. The options don’t end there. Other glass doors may be:
Beveled—polished angle-ground glass with prismatic characteristics
Bubbled—air bubbles sprinkled in the glass to enhance the illusion of age
Camed—strips (or “cames”) of lead, brass, or copper lie between the glass
Colored—tinted glass
Etched—a design is carved into glass using hydrofluoric acid
Frosted—glass blown with fine sand under high pressure for an opaque look
Icicle
Leaded—a popular type of camed glass
Mullion—thin strips of wood separate the panes of glass, either as individual panes sandwiches between front and back mullions, or as one sheet of glass inserted behind the mullions, which makes the glass easier to clean—and break
Pebbled
Textured
Wire grid—chicken wire (fronted by glass for protection) adds farmhouse appeal
Consider unique sandwiching inserts, like rice paper, matted black and white photos or fabric, between the layers of glass. Custom-made stained glass inserts are also a unique alternative.Install a small halogen light in your frosted or clear cabinets for an additional glow or to highlight the contents. Use glass shelves to allow the light to shine all the way through.Stylish juxtaposed finishes don’t just have to be on the exterior of your cabinetry. When using glass doors, consider a colored interior. Because the color will be layered under glass doors and contents, choose a fairly bold shade. A hunter green interior against a white cabinet can emphasize a country motif. You can also decorate the interior with stenciled patterns, faux finishes or wallpaper; just make sure it can be safely and easily wiped down.
Finishes
You’re not at the finish line until you’ve selected a finish option for your cabinets.Once upon a time, cabinets required regular waxing for protection—because they were unfinished. Today’s hi-tech polyurethane and conversion varnish finishes keep your cabinetry protected and beautiful for years to come.Like the finest furniture, the highest quality cabinets are finished in multiple steps, which might include hand sanding, rubbing with steel wool, and hand buffing. Compare it to painting: You want to apply several thin layers so that if it chips it won’t all peel off. The multiple steps also help create a smoother texture and a deeper color. Check for the following indicators of a high quality finish:
UV inhibitors to prevent damage from light
A baked-on catalytic-conversion varnish for strength and durability
Hand finishing: hand-rubbed stains with equalizers/toners and sanding keep the wood surface smooth and even and indicate careful attention in the manufacturer’s part
High solid sealers to protect the wood
Wood Finishes
Natural Wood
Natural wood doesn’t mean you’re purchasing cabinets that are entirely in the nude. To protect the wood from dirt and grease and maintain the look of unfinished wood, a transparent topcoat must be added.Stain
A stain adds color to the wood without masking the beauty of the wood grain. Manufacturers use all different names for stain colors. One company’s “amber” may not look anything like another’s with the same name. Think in terms of tone. Choose the wood you prefer and then decide whether a stain with a light, medium, or dark tone will best achieve the effect you’re after. A stain isn’t technically a “finish”—there are more steps to come once it has been applied. A finishing coat is applied over the stain to protect it. Typically, a stain will be coated with a catalytic-conversion varnish to give it durability and sheen—whether matte or high-gloss or anything in-between. When it’s baked on, the varnish catalyzes into a hard, protective finish. You don’t want to top the stain with oil, lacquer, or wax because those substances won’t hold up and will yellow over time. Glazes can be used as an overcoat to achieve certain effects, such as an antique look. Glaze
Glaze can be used by itself or applied over a base stain or paint and then wiped off by hand. The glaze settles in the cabinet door’s corners, edges, and open grain areas, defining its details and lending an overall patina. Glazes can be tinted any color. A hand-rubbed white glaze against light woods is a quick way to impart an aged feel.Paint
With paint you certainly have an endless palette of colors to choose from. You can also achieve a range of special effects. Paint can look smooth and glossy or it can be sanded, rubbed off, or dented with rocks to look distressed. But you should be aware up front that hairline cracks will appear at the joints of solid wood doors as the wood expands and contracts. You can avoid cracking if you apply paint to MDF, a solid material that doesn’t move with humidity changes.Polyester
It isn’t that big of a leap to cabinets from cars, the surface on which this finish has been commonly applied. The same durability and quality needed on the road is also appreciated in the kitchen. There, polyester can be found on appliances as well as modern-style cabinets, in a glossy or matte finish. It fills the pores of the door more fully than paint, giving it a solid look and feel. The technique might involve more than 20 steps of sanding and finishing. There’s even a step where a special topcoat is applied in a dust-free room. The finish goes through numerous oven curings and hand sandings with extremely fine abrasives. Special glazes and polishes applied at the end help achieve the final, mirror-like sheen.Perhaps not surprisingly, all that elbow grease makes this one of the more expensive finish choices.
Specialty Finishes
There are countless ways to give even more character to your cabinets. Options include:

Crackle—cracks in paint simulate the aging of a painted surface

Splatter—dark paint tops light or light tops dark to give a spattered look

Wormholing—random small holes throughout the wood mimic holes left by boring worms or larvae

Distressing—cracks, dents and nicks give the appearance of aged wood

Rounded corners—corners and edges are sanded before finishing for an antiquated look

Rub through—edges, crested areas and corners are sanded to reveal base color

Cow tails—splatter marks are applied that resemble the comma shape of the flick of a cow’s tail

Chaining—indentations are made that simulate wear and tear over time

Rasping—done with a rasp, the edges have filed scarring
Hardware

Even the most beautiful, most expensive kitchen cabinets won’t be worth much if you can’t get into them. That’s where the hardware comes in. But it doesn’t have just a practical value. Regarded as the jewelry of the cabinets, it’s a detail that can make a strong statement.
You’ll find cabinet hardware in all different kinds of materials and finishes, from brushed chrome to plastic to ceramic to glass to forged iron, and in all shapes and sizes. You’ll want to decide if you want your pulls to blend in with the cabinets or become a decorative accent. Or you can make them virtually disappear: You can select a touch-and-release style or doors that hang slightly below the cabinet so that all you do is pull on the lower edge to open them. Practically speaking, make sure your choice:
Doesn’t pinch your fingers
Attaches firmly to the cabinet
Is in proportion with the size of the cabinet doors
Is easy to grasp, especially if located above the refrigerator or vent hood
Storage
With properly planned cabinet space and the right accessories, your kitchen can increase its storage capacity even without increasing square footage.
The standard dimensions for cabinets are becoming less so. Maybe you can add 6 inches of storage to your base cabinets, making them 30 inches instead of the standard 24 inches deep. Or you could make your upper cabinets a foot taller and add 3 to 4 inches to their standard 12- to 13-inch depth.
Double up on drawers to give you more storage space. They’re being used now to store plates, pots and pans, and snacks—and replacing base cabinet shelving in many instances.
And check out the growing number of options that can help you take advantage of every last inch of available cabinet space.
Cabinetry Storage Solutions
Shelves
Look to these interior shelving options for easy access in hard-to-reach places:
Mixer shelves
Vertical pullout units
Rollout shelves
Foldout banks of shelves
Swingout shelves

Gain storage space with narrow, 4-inch-to-10-inch wide base pull-outs that look like posts or pilasters when they’re pushed in. They make awkward spaces usable and are great for holding spices, soups, and other canned goods.
Put away plates with ease with open shelving—a great way to add color and personality to your kitchen. Also, since upper cabinet open shelving tends to be more recessed than low-hanging boxes, you’ll end up with a more open workspace.
Turn an awkward corner into a valuable storage spot with a lazy Susan. Many shelving manufacturers offer accessories to make access even easier, like pie-shaped bins and slideouts.
Baskets
Add visual depth and interest with pullout wicker baskets and under-the-sink pullout wire baskets—ideal ways to store linens, cleaners, or vegetables, depending on their location.
Bins
Make cleanup a breeze with pullout trash and recycling bins.
Add style and practicality with pasta and grain grain storage bins.
Drawers
Consider using drawers instead of shelving for your base cabinets - they hold more.
Toekick drawers hold bulky items or supplies for the little folks - children or pets - in your life.
Use dividers for simplified retrieval:
Cutlery compartments
Spice drawers
Utensil dividers
Adjustable pegs separate stacked dishes and hold them in place
Pantries
Buy in bulk and store with ease with a pantry unit, complete with your choice of shelving:
Fixed shelf pantry
Pullout pantry
Foldout pantry
Rollout pantry
Other
Long cabinet pulls double as dishtowel hangers.
A tiltout panel in front of the sink to store sponges and small cleaning items
Spice racks
Vertical dividers for storing trays and baking sheets
Open wine racks for base or upper cabinets
From the designer:“In a small kitchen, when we can’t find space for a pantry, we create one by placing the refrigerator on the kitchen’s far side so that one side is exposed. Instead of a side panel, we put a tall pantry against the exposed side, giving the homeowner a full range of eight feet of adjustable shelves that are a foot to 18 inches deep. It’s important to put a toetick on both the front and side. A pair of doors tends to be awkward, so we hinge one door on the wall side, so that the pantry opens wide toward a nearby counter.”
-- Duval Acker, CKD, CBDKitchens By DesignMt. Pleasant, South Carolinawww.kitchensbydesign-sc.com
Recommended Amount of StorageThe National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) Kitchen Planning Guidelines recommend that your kitchen contain the following amounts of storage to ensure comfortable use. The complete set of guidelines can be found on the NKBA’s Web site, www.nkba.org.
The total shelf and drawer frontage (determined by multiplying the cabinet width in inches by the cabinet depth in feet by the number of shelves or drawers) is:
1400” for a small kitchen (less than 150 square feet)
1700” for a medium kitchen (151 to 350 square feet)
2000” for a large kitchen (greater than 350 square feet)
The guidelines suggest minimum amounts of total frontage to be located within 6' of the centerline of your main clean-up and prep sink:
at least 400" for a small kitchen
at least 480" for a medium kitchen
at least 560" for a large kitchen
The recommended breakdown is:

Small
Medium
Large
Wall
300”
360”
360”
Base
520”
615”
660”
Drawer
360”
400”
525”
Pantry
180”
230””
310”
Misc.
40”
95”
145"
Note: According to the NKBA, wall, base, drawer and pantry frontage can be adjusted upward or downward, as long as the recommended total remains the same. Do not apply more than the recommended amount of storage in the miscellaneous category to meet the total frontage recommendation. Storage areas that are more than 84” above the floor must be counted in the miscellaneous category.
Molding
Decorative AccessoriesMoldings and trim serve as decoration and ornamentation for your cabinetry. They also can conceal joints or smooth the transition between the cabinets and the ceiling and floor.
In minimalist contemporary kitchens, you’ll find little, if any, molding. Yet a French Country kitchen would not be complete without stacked crown molding and corbels. More traditional and formal styles typically call for more elaborate detailing, while transitional or eclectic looks might use just a few standouts, such as rope molding on cabinet doors and bun feet on an island. Molding doesn’t need to blend seamlessly into your cabinetry. Add interest by juxtaposing finishes and staggering cabinet depth. For example, consider having your crown molding stained a deep green to accent knotty alder cabinets. Or “bump out” your cooktop area with split spindles.MaterialsMost often, molding and trim are made from hardwoods such as oak, maple, and cherry or painted softwoods like pine. Your cabinetmaker may offer a wide selection, or you may want to choose from an independent manufacturer or shop for a wider range of materials, shapes, sizes and pricing.Metal can bring a modern kitchen to life. Metal onlays in stainless steel, bronze, copper and nickel are a great and subtle way to emphasize your hardware. Even better, metal feet are a great addition to generally unornamented laminate cabinetry.Polystyrene and polyurethane molding, made from plastic or resin, offer an affordable alternative. These products are much more resistant to warping, rotting or insects than wood is, and they can be painted any color.
Here is an overview of some popular molding options:
Appliqué: A detailed carved or etched decorative piece installed on the face of cabinets
Bun feet: Round decorative pieces on the bottom corners of base cabinets used to raise the cabinetry and create a furniture look.
Corbels: An ornamental bracket that may or may not also serve a structural purpose. These large, decorative, carved pieces often support (or appear to support) island countertops, shelving or hood mantels.
Cornice: The uppermost section of molding along the top of cabinetry; usually refers to molding that meets the ceiling.
Crown molding: A long ornamental strip with a modeled profile, crown molding is used to accent the tops of your cabinets, adding height and elegance.
Dentil molding: Molding with tooth-like, closely spaced rectangular blocks.
Egg and dart molding: Molding decorated with alternating oval (egg) and arrow (dart) shapes.
Flat trim: Molding without a carved or rounded profile; commonly used in Arts and Crafts kitchens.
Flute: An ornamental vertical groove routed into a pilaster.
Galley rail: A front "retaining wall" made from small spindles.
Insert: A decorative strip inset between other moldings.
Legs: Both structural and decorative, these pieces support base cabinets and provide a furniture look. They may also be used to support a countertop overhanging an island.
Onlay: Literally "laying on" the cabinet, an onlay is a carved decorative element installed on the cabinet’s face.
Pediment: A low-pitched triangular gable that sits atop cabinetry. It may have scrolls, scallops, arches or other detailing along the edges.
Pilaster: A vertical column that is decorative, not structural. It projects slightly from the cabinet's surface and is typically rectangular.
Plate rail: A decorative shelf with a groove for plates.
Plinth: A square block at the base of a pilaster or turned post.
Rope molding: Molding carved or milled to look twisted like rope.
Rosette: A carved circular ornament with a floral look; can also be a square with a circle design in the center.
Spindle: A slender turned piece of wood, typically decorative. Large spindles generally are called turned posts or legs.
Split molding or split spindle: In essence, half a molding or spindle. The flat back and half-round shape makes it easy to apply to a cabinet surface.
Toe kick: The recessed area at the bottom of a base cabinet; also refers to the molding used to cover the area.
Turned posts: Large vertical pieces with a circular outline; may also be referred to as legs, columns or spindles. These may be structural or decorative.
Valance: A decorative panel installed across an open area, often above a sink, over a window, at the bottom of a base cabinet or at the top of open shelving.

Wainscot: A facing or paneling, often wooden, applied to the lower part of an interior wall or large end panel of a cabinet.
Where to buy cabinets in Woodstock