Kitchen cabinet design ideas

The design of your kitchen cabinets dictates both how much and what kind of storage space you will have as well as how your kitchen will look. There are a huge variety of kitchen cabinet designs to choose from and the things you need to keep in mind when making your selection are:

* Efficient utilization of space, both in the layout of the cabinets as well as in regard to their storage capacity.
* Durability.
* The type of wood, the color and the appearance of the cabinets.
* Does the hardware – the handles and pulls etc. match the rest of your kitchen?

You will be spending a lot of time in the kitchen and the right kind of cabinets can make it a warm attractive place that invites you in.

Before you start remodeling, have a budget in mind.
Kitchen Cabinet Types

There are three basic types of cabinets to choose from.
Stock Cabinets

* These are built in standardized sizes and shapes. Since no changes or modifications are possible, take measurements carefully to ensure that what you buy fits in your kitchen.
* Only a limited number of style and color option are available.
* Since the choices are limited, inspecting and comparing what is available is easy.
* You can save money by buying unfinished cabinets and finishing them yourself.

Semi Custom Cabinets

* This type provides a greater range of designs and finishes.
* Cabinets using the standard designs can made to order in the sizes you want.
* Build quality is normally better than with stock cabinets.
* These are the most popular type of kitchen cabinets, although they are more expensive than the stock ones.

Custom Cabinets

* These are designed and built specifically for your kitchen.
* You have an unlimited choice of designs, colors and finishes.
* The interior can be made specifically for your requirements to store exactly what you want.
* The type and quality of the wood and materials used depends on the buyer’s preferences.
* This is the best option when matching new cabinets to preexisting ones or when unusual spaces make stock or semi custom cabinets unviable.
* These are the most expensive types of kitchen cabinets.

Kitchen Cabinet Construction and Materials

Kitchen cabinets are made in 2 ways:

* What is called face frame construction involved using a front facing frame. This allows for flexibility in the design but the frame reduces interior space.
* Frameless construction requires no frame and so greater interior space is available. This type of kitchen cabinet is more suitable for contemporary looking kitchens.

Wood is the material of choice for kitchen cabinets and various types of wood including pine, hickory, cherry, birch, oak and maple, to name a few, are often used. The type of wood is important not just for appearance but also for durability. Woods like hickory and oak are hard and heavy, while pine is lighter and softer and so more prone to scratches and dents. Most cabinets are made from a combination of woods and also often use plywood and particle board.
Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Hardware is a small component of the cabinets but the type and finish of the handles and pulls used will affect the final appearance of the cabinets. The hardware you choose should not only enhance the appeal of the cabinets, but also fit in with the rest of the kitchen décor.
Kitchen Cabinet Design Ideas

Define the style you want. For example:

* Do you want raised panel doors for a traditional look?
* Or would using knotty pine and less detail for a rustic look be better?
* Would slab panel doors for a contemporary look be the best?

Other things to keep in mind while choosing kitchen cabinets are:

* Look through design magazines and visit furniture stores to get ideas. You could even try using kitchen cabinet design software.
* Measure the cabinet areas carefully. A sketch of the whole kitchen showing where all the plumbing, appliances, doors and windows are will give you a good perspective what the final appearance will be.
* Generally, cabinets should match the floor or wall color.
* Lighter colors create a more open impression.
* Glass doors will create a feeling of depth.
* Open shelves can be used to store attractive crockery or cookbooks.
* For difficult to reach cabinets, think of Lazy Susans, roll out drawers, pull down shelves, removable wire baskets etc.

Source: http://www.helpful-kitchen-tips.com/

Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Ideas

Remodeling your kitchen can be an expensive process and a major component of the cost is replacing your kitchen cabinets. One way to cut costs and still get a new kitchen is by refacing kitchen cabinets instead of replacing them. Refaced cabinets not only look as good as new ones, these also have a renewed life span.

You kitchen is an important component in the overall value of your home. If you are thinking of selling your house, a great looking kitchen will add to its value and kitchen cabinet refacing is a great way to achieve this at economical rates.

Kitchen cabinet refacing is not a complex procedure. It consists of replacing the doors, front panels of the drawers and the hardware – the hinges and handles. The external surfaces can be re-finished with veneer, laminate, thermo-foil or just painted to match the style of the doors. The interiors of the cabinets can be either re-laminated or painted. Refacing cabinets in a normal sized kitchen can be done in one week.

But refacing kitchen cabinets is not a universal solution for every remodeled kitchen. It can only be done in cases where the cabinets are in a good condition. If the structure of the cabinets is not sound and there are problems of warped wood, damaged fiberboard or rusted metal, refacing will not work – the result will look shabby and the new appearance will not last. Also, if you are changing the layout of your kitchen, refacing kitchen cabinets will not work. You will need a new design to suit your kitchen and refacing what you already have will leave you with cabinets that may look good but appear to be out of place.

There are a huge variety of refacing options to choose from. To achieve the best results you need to first plan the complete remodeling of the kitchen and finalize your new color schemes and the finishes that will be used in other parts of the room. The look of the countertops, floors, windows, doors and appliances will influence the look of the cabinets. Consider refacing with maple or oak finishes to give a traditional look while using white pine will add a country feel to the kitchen.



Besides just renewing the existing look, refacing kitchen cabinets can also include some minor modifications that can change the total look of the cabinets. Adding molding and attractive drawer pulls can add a lot to the appearance. Removing some doors and leaving a few cabinets open, will create a more open effect. This effect can also be achieved by using glass doors to allow the display of glassware, silver and pottery and so on. Using glass doors also gives an expensive look to the cabinets.

Since you are saving money by refacing, you can look at using the money saved to improve the looks and functionality of the kitchen as a whole. More cabinets can be added, new or additional features like a Lazy Susan to access hard to reach areas, a new island or pantry, pull down shelves, roll out drawers and trays are just some of the things you can think of. Wire basket storage compartments are becoming increasingly popular.


Kitchen cabinet refacing may be simple but it does require skill and attention to the small details that affect functionality and the appearance. If you want to get the work done by professionals, make sure that the contractor you hire for the work has the skill to do a good job and the taste to ensure that the final effect is pleasing. The best way to do this is to go beyond interviewing contractors and checking reference and to look at work they have already done. Besides the overall appearance, look for the finer things. Are the seams and joins smooth, gap free and straight? Are the doors fitted straight and close properly? Is the finish smooth all over and is the grain aligned properly on the doors, drawer panels and the frame? If the work done satisfies you and the prices quoted are acceptable, go ahead with the contractor.

You can also do the work yourself. Kitchen remodeling companies and home improvement stores will sell you the doors, laminates, paint, hinges, drawer pulls and all the other items you will need. These outlets will also be able to provide advice you may need on the best type of paints and laminates for your requirements.

Source : http://www.helpful-kitchen-tips.com/

Dining room wall decor

I found this dining room image at Architectural Digest. The wall behind the table has a high impact but look closer, it is a very simple design.

An iron curtain rod hung high on the wall with a tab top curtain(s) in a basic fabric is used as the back drop. The images are hung using a series of hooks or chain to suspend them from the rod.

The main piece of art is the painting in the middle. You could use a featured piece of art or even an art poster if it was well framed. The surrounding frames appear to have photos or ink drawings. All of this could be done on a theme such as one main work of art by an artist and then use smaller prints from the same artist in the other frames.

This would also be easy to do with a group of frames from a thrift store painted black and filled with small prints, art images scavenged from a calendar or cards with art fronts.
Image: Architectural Digest

Desire To Inspire - Inspirational Kitchens

I'm excited to present to you this first kitchen, in a series of wonderful kitchens culled from the Desire To Inspire blog! Jo and Kim, the ladies who are the force behind this award winning blog, (recently named one of the ten most influential design blogs in the blogosphere) have an "eye," a vision for finding stunning interiors. It is the place I go to when I just want to look at interiors to get, well, inspired. In fact, it can be very addicting, looking at these beautiful spaces!

It is not quick and easy to do what Kim and Jo do. The time spent on research behind the scenes is impressive. To create a collection of spaces, which all flow from one to the next, is itself, a creative work. Whether the context is color one day, style the next, a showcase of a particular design firm, or any other theme, we understand what it is we are viewing. It all makes sense.

Let's look at this elegant kitchen. It just speaks to me. I think, because, it reflects my personal style. Maybe that's why I'm choosing this one first. Here's what I love:

- combination of cool and warm colors/shades and the larger proportion of warm shades
- contrast of woods
- contrast of colors
- the simplicity
- the artwork
- the personal, lived in, look (it's not sterile!)
- the natural, branch-like, touches

Source: http://www.thekitchendesigner.org

Kitchen Design and Style

I received my copy of Better Homes & Gardens, which is sent to me automatically since I'm subscribed to Decorating Inspiration, a good resource by the way, and I saw a major featured kitchen in this issue that was also on display at KBIS. I had taken photos of this kitchen, which are the top three, below. This issue is out now with lots of other images and information on this kitchen. It is the August issue.
The real point I want to make about this kitchen is to encourage my readers to consider its style. My sense, which I hope I can communite effectively, is that this is one of a "type" of kitchen style, that, is just that, about (kitchen) style alone. It's not about history, architecture, or about one's unique personality being reflected in the kitchen design.


It's simply all about how to style a kitchen, end of story. It's the kind of look that I know it when I see it! I've seen it many times before, and to me, it is a distinctive look, this all encompassing theme of "kitchen style," for style's sake. It's a really beautiful kitchen in many ways. It's not for me, personally, but then, I have the luxury to sit here and go into the nuances of all things kitchens and dissect it all! There are a good number of clever and interesting elements in this kitchen. It's beautiful in many ways, and certainly highly functional, but I cannot find the soul. It is subjective, don't forget that. AND, after all, it's a "set" kitchen, made to showcase products' versatilities, which it does quite well.

Source: http://www.thekitchendesigner.org/