Kitchen Cabinet Design

We all know just how useful a kitchen cabinet can be. Personally, I have never seen a kitchen that did not feature this kind of furniture. I'm sure we all know understand the importance of this simple kitchen appliance, but what do we do when we want a new, or a better one and we have so many to choose from? How do we know which one to choose? Let me tell you a thing, choosing a fitting kitchen cabinet really makes a difference. It is very important that you consider your kitchen space, the style that you are going for and consult the top designs before purchasing this important kitchen appliance. I will describe some of these kitchen cabinet designs bellow, so that you can make up your mind a little bit easier.

The Antique Style Kitchen Cabinet

The antique style cabinet is a great looking appliance, fitting for the person that strives for that antiquated feel and look in their kitchen. Although it is not really antique, this appliance gives the impression of "old" thanks to the amazingly skillful brushing techniques that were used in its making. These brushing techniques simply create the impression of a glazed or distressed look, but they can also vary depending on the brushing method that was used. Not all the antique style cabinets have the same feel to them; some offer a more refined or polished feel than others.

Kitchen Cabinet Design

Kitchen Cabinet Design offers abundant options for every re-modeler to find the perfect cabinets for their new kitchen. Understanding the basic elements of design will help you narrow the array of options and simplify the decision. Some of these basics relate to the quality of construction and others are a matter of kitchen style and personal taste.

Let's consider each in turn. Two of the basics of Kitchen Cabinet Design are quality issues. The other two are about style and taste.

1. Material. What material will be used to build your cabinets? Material is one of the most important decisions you will make because the design and style of your cabinets are the major factor determining style and design of the entire kitchen. You have several choices:

Metal (stainless steel, aluminum). Metal can be both expensive and heavy to hang. Some metals - especially those used in the past - were subject to rust. Metal can be available in colors or it can be painted. These cabinets also show any dings or dents if they are accidentally hit with a pan, and they will show scratches. For these reasons it is not a popular choice in Kitchen Cabinet Design.

Wood combinations. Some cabinet makers use less expensive wood, such as plywood or pine, to build the cabinet case and then use doors and exterior panels of better or more expensive wood. Some also use particle board or other composite materials. Any wood cabinets can be painted in the color of your choice. You can use a glossy finish or a matte finish.

Solid wood. These cabinets are built entirely of finished, high-quality wood, such as hickory, oak, maple or more expensive woods like cherry or walnut. Traditional kitchens and some country-style kitchens might use a dark wood, such as cherry, mahogany, walnut or ebony. Contemporary kitchens tend to use lighter color woods such as birch or maple. You will want to consider the color, the grain of the wood and the finish applied to the wood. Better cabinets are finished with several coats of polyurethane to protect the wood. Solid wood is currently the most popular Kitchen Cabinet Design choice.

2. Construction. Low quality cabinets are often put together with glue or with nails or staples. This is not a good idea (if you have the choice) because under the heavy use of kitchen cabinets and drawers, they will not last. High quality cabinets will be joined with dove tail construction. This is one of the most important aspect of Kitchen Cabinet Design.

3. Door Style. There are many types and designs in cabinet doors. The door style is the primary determiner of Kitchen Cabinet Design. For example, a contemporary kitchen would almost demand a flat panel door design. Raised panel design, on the other hand, is the preferred door style for a traditional style kitchen. Other cabinet designs include these door styles: reveal-overlay panel, frame and panel, beaded frame and panel, square raised panel, curved raised panel, bead board panel and cathedral panel.

4. Accessories are the final basic element of Kitchen Cabinet Design. Accessories include knobs and handles, organization customizations, accessibility options and specialty modifications. Knobs and handles should match both the style of the kitchen (rustic, worn, sleek) and the other metals used in visible places in the kitchen. For example, brushed metals work very nicely with stainless steel appliances. There are many devices and gadgets that can be installed in drawers and cabinets to organize the contents. Many custom or customized units have these items built in. Accessibility items include things like sliding trays or spinning units (lazy Susan, for example) to make things in the cabinets easier to reach. Specialty modifications are changes made to any cabinets to make them function over refrigerated drawers or bar refrigerators.

Kitchen Cabinet Design

Kitchen Cabinet Designs

Cabinets are an integral part of the kitchen. Just as, the sofa or the TV is an integral part of the living room, the kitchen just can't function without cabinets. Therefore, the design of the cabinets should also match with the grander scheme of the entire kitchen design. Many of the kitchen cabinet designs are traditional in their look while others are more contemporary. Choosing the right designs for your kitchen space requires evaluating your space, your requirements and then finally your aesthetic quotient.

Small kitchens generally do not do so good with a lot of cabinets since these things make the room smaller and, therefore, more claustrophobic. For small spaces, going for innovative designs such as racked cabinets or two way doors etcetera, would free up space while maintaining the storage capacity. In case of taller kitchens, having upper cabinets along with the lower ones is a terrific idea since you never know when the extra space can come handy. Basing your kitchen cabinet designs on the space available is of utmost importance.

The next thing to consider is your requirements. What are the items that you shall be storing in the cabinets shall dictate the percentage of various types of racks and holders that the cabinets shall bear. If you plan on keeping more plates and glass wear then racks would be needed, if you are interested, you can even get the sliding type of cabinets that will not only keep the dishes safe but also save space. Similarly, if you are looking for more storage space, then plain old cabinet designs would work best. Whatever your needs, you can accommodate it in many of the available kitchen cabinet designs.

The last consideration to include is the aesthetic value of the cabinets. After all, the cabinets will also contribute to the overall look of the kitchen, in fact, more than any other component. As such, the outer design must mix well with the background design and colour scheme. Sticking to traditional kitchen cabinet designs and colour schemes is always a wise decision since, such designs would help in selling the house in the future if required. People often get turned down looking at the kitchen of the house, if the cabinets are mismatched, if the walls are not of the right colour, if the cabinets are rusty or weak. Taking these considerations into mind staying with neutral colour choices for the kitchen area is a safe choice.

Kitchen Cabinet Designer: A Valuable Key to the Success of Your Remodeling Project

When you are about to undertake a kitchen remodeling project, you may want to consider teaming up with a professional kitchen cabinet designer. He can be the valuable key to the success of your remodeling task. The experience and knowhow of an interior designer is very essential particularly if the renovation is a complex one. For a perfect and flawless design layout, designers use a special kitchen cabinet designing software to do the job. With the software, you can view how the cabinets would be like after the renovation. If your resources can warrant getting a designer consultant, it is a wise action.

A professional kitchen cabinet designer together with his team will get all the necessary information from you with regards to your kitchen needs, objectives and preferences. A complex cabinet design project will entail a lot of attention to detail, design creativity in combining functionality with elegance and beauty in style. The cabinet design team's expertise in programming will cover maximum use of the salient features of the software package to come out with a perfect kitchen cabinet design layout.

In working on the design, you have to understand that it is not easy. It is an intricate and systematic procedure. All the measurements, dimensions and specifications must be accurate. Any calculation mistake will be costly. This is where the value of the software is really appreciated. Without a cabinet design software, the job of designing will take a lot longer and will be more vulnerable to mistakes and alterations as the work progresses.

Using the software package, your kitchen design consultant team can come up with alternative conceptual layouts of the cabinets. All they need to do is to click on the software menus for cabinet design, positioning of shelves, drawers and doors at specified points. The software also has features to provide openings for the plumbing, drainage and electrical systems. It is easier to select the ideal position for placing the cabinets in your kitchen. The software also allows any last minute changes to the design for instant viewing. In effect, all the intricate details can be finalized and customized based on your coordinated ideas, taste and preference with your kitchen cabinet designer in a jiffy.

In preparation, your designer consultant will confer with you and give you a guided kitchen tour via a full photo and video collections of cabinets in various styles, finishes, and designs. They will orient you on the different cabinet styles. Supposing you prefer your kitchen cabinets to be traditional, your designer will brief you about the different kinds of styles like the Victorian, Georgian, Early American, Edwardian, Neoclassical, Federal, Regency, and Italianate styles.

You will be exposed to the type of moldings and trimmings these elegant looking traditional cabinets would have. You will also pick the type of solid woods to be used such as cherry, walnut, mahogany, etc. Whatever preference or taste you may desire, whether traditional or modern, all you need to do is to open up with them during the designing process and not when construction of the custom built cabinets is about to begin or has already begun. When you do it after the layout is finalized, it means additional cost on your part.

Your designer consultant will coordinate and monitor the implementation of the final kitchen cabinet design plan with the cabinet contractor. For your chosen customized layout design project, all the bolts and nuts rest on the shoulder of your cabinet designer. To protect his integrity, reputation and industry standing, the kitchen cabinet designer cannot afford to commit any blunder. His professionalism is reflected in the dedication and commitment of his team towards the success of the remodeling endeavor. Ultimately, if your finished custom built kitchen cabinets turn out to possess an international show room "star" quality, your designer may request the courtesy of your consent to have its photo or video featured in their website's kitchen cabinet galleries and display rooms.