What Are The Basic Kitchen Cabinet Styles?

When you begin shopping around for new kitchen cabinets, you will notice that a lot of companies categorize them based on basic style types. You'll see shaker-style, louvered, inset, beadboard, and other styles listed. Chances are, you don't know what a lot of these names mean! Here's a look:

Beadboard

Beadboard cabinets look like they are made from thin strips of paneling laid side-by-side. They go well with a cottage-style or rustic home, and when painted white, they have a very calm, soothing feel. Beadboard cabinets can, however, be tough to clean as dirt tends to get caught in the cracks between the panels.

Louvered

Louvered cabinets consist of thin slats of wood stacked one on top of another. Since they have so much texture, they are a nice contrast in a kitchen with smooth walls and smooth counter tops. The look tends to be an eye-catcher, so many homeowners opt to have a few cabinets made in this style and other made in a simpler style like shaker or inset.

Shaker

Shaker cabinets consist of a door frame and a single panel of wood mounted on that frame. They have a very classic look and blend in as well in a modern kitchen as they do in a more traditional, old-fashioned space. You can find shaker doors with both exposed and hidden hinges, but since it is easier to design the doors with exposed hinges, these tend to be less expensive. You can choose doors with a different color "frame" and "inset" for a more colorful look.

Inset

Inset cabinet doors consist of one single panel of wood. An "inset" is burrowed into the wood about two or three inches from the edge, going all the way around the border. Inset doors have a very subtle appearance and are a good choice if you don't want your cabinet doors to completely overwhelm your kitchen space.

Flat

Flat cabinet doors are exactly what they sound like -- a plain, flat piece of wood. They are usually made with exposed hinges because the hinges add a little character to the cabinets. Flat doors are not as popular as they once were and are mostly seen in country-style kitchens. However, they could be a creative addition to an eclectic kitchen.

If you have any questions about these or other cabinet styles, reach out to your cabinet maker. They can recommend the style that's best for you. Contact a company like Plastic Line Mfg Inc for more information and assistance.