Cabinet Doors – Simplifying A Major Kitchen Renovation Decision
When you design your new kitchen, one of the major decisions that you need to make is concerning the cabinet doors for your new kitchen. Since the cabinet doors are one of the largest surface areas that you see in any kitchen, you should make sure that the doors you pick are the ones that best fit the look you want for your kitchen.
To get some ideas on the types of kitchen cabinet doors available to you, the best place to start is a kitchen design center or cabinet maker’s show room. They can show you the styles, colors, and wood selections available for your kitchen. Your choices include glass panels or open front cabinets which allow you to display your china; raised panels for a classic, sophisticated look; or sleek, smooth doors for a modern look. Full overlay doors, combined with hidden hinges, give you a clean, smooth front on your cabinets. American style cabinet doors, which leave some of the cabinet box exposed, allow for exposed hinges, and provide contrast and visual interest to your cabinets, especially when matched with raised panel doors.
You can get a lot of information about the different quality of doors and why there is a substantial difference in price when there appears to be very little difference in appearance from the cabinet maker’s sales staff. It’s important to get the best value for your kitchen dollar, and that means understanding the different quality of cabinet doors, and a kitchen design expert will be happy to educate you, so that you can make the best decision possible. Solid wood doors are more expensive but will be sturdier and handle more abuse, while MDF (medium-density fiberboard) doors are cheaper, but may sag or can swell if they get wet for long periods of time. Both doors may look identical, but vary in cost; you need to know why.
When you are remodeling an existing kitchen, and your cabinets are still in good shape, you can often save money by having your kitchen cabinets refaced. In this process, the entire front surface of your existing cabinet boxes are covered with new plywood veneers, giving them a completely new look. Then you can have the cabinet doors of your choice installed to give your kitchen the new look that you want. Resurfacing your cabinets and adding new doors is less expensive, much quicker, and less disruptive than completely replacing your kitchen cabinets. Add new countertops and you have the look of a new kitchen at a fraction of the cost of a complete kitchen remodel.
For a completely original look for your new kitchen, you can have your cabinets and doors custom built. You can design your own cabinet doors, take your ideas to a custom cabinet maker, and he will make your ideas come to life. While this option is not cheap, it will provide you with a unique kitchen that you can take pride in, because you designed it yourself.
Price, value, and style should all be considered when you choose your kitchen cabinet doors. Take the time to explore all the possibilities available to you before you choose the cabinet doors for your new kitchen. This will ensure that you will be happy be your new kitchen.