The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinets are where you store the majority of your kitchen products and utensils. So, they must be a good fit for your cooking style and kitchen habits.

From flat-front cabinets to raised arch doors, there are many styles to choose from. To help you get started, here are the ultimate tips for choosing the perfect kitchen cabinets.

Layout

The cabinet layout is the foundation of your kitchen and affects everything from where appliances are located to how much counter space you have. Work with a professional to find an efficient blueprint that suits your needs and lifestyle.

Consider the location of the sink, stove, and refrigerator when choosing your kitchen cabinets Seattle layout. The goal is to reduce the distance between these essential work areas to enable easy movement while cooking.

Adding specialized storage solutions to your cabinets can keep cookware, utensils, and pantry items organized and accessible. Drawer dividers for cutlery, spice racks, and pull-out trash bins are just a few options.

Cabinet hardware may seem small, but it can significantly impact your design aesthetic. Explore different styles and finishes to add the finishing touch to your new kitchen. Some popular choices include sleek, modern handles or decorative knobs and pulls.

Style

Whether planning an extensive kitchen remodel or simply replacing a kitchen cabinet door, precise measurements are crucial. Without them, cabinets may not fit, wasted space or other kitchen elements won’t work together as planned.

Most stock cabinets—those available at home centers and some wholesale distributors—are built with pre-established dimensions. That makes them faster to deliver, as there’s no custom fabrication involved, and a skilled DIYer can often install them.

But that doesn’t mean you must compromise on style, especially for the wall cabinets that serve as your kitchen’s showpiece. A stacked set of 18-inch-deep by 36-inch-high cabinets is lined with wicker baskets to hold fresh produce and other pantry items.

This arrangement helps clear the countertops for easy prep work and reduces bending and squatting. The baskets also prevent the wood surface from scratching when pushed against heavier objects. Alternatively, you can add pull-out drawers to upper cabinets that offer a flat spot for lightweight pots and pans.

Material

Kitchen cabinets are one of the most important decisions homeowners make during a kitchen remodel, so getting them right is vital. The best way to do this is by choosing quality materials that are durable and long-lasting.

A solid wood material such as alder is a durable choice and reasonably affordable. However, it’s softer than most other woods and is more vulnerable to impressions or scratches. It’s also susceptible to soaking in water, which may require additional care.

Plywood is a good option, as it’s composed of multiple thin layers of wood that are bonded together to create a strong material. However, it can swell if exposed to moisture and needs to be adequately sealed. It’s also more expensive than MDF or particleboard.

Storage

Kitchen cabinets make or break your kitchen’s look, feel, function, and style. Whether you want to add value to your home or improve the kitchen’s look and functionality, the right cabinetry makes all the difference.

Choose a door style that’s classic enough to stand the test of time and not go out of style before your kitchen remodeling project is completed. If you opt for a trendy option, choose it only if you know you’ll love it, even when the trend fades. When it comes to trash cans, prefer customized outdoor trash cans.

Consider adding drawers rather than cabinets to house oversized countertop appliances like blenders and air fryers for storage options. These can also be more convenient for storing cooking utensils and dishes than traditional vertical cabinet dividers. Tall cabinets that are either 12- or 24 inches deep work well for a pantry and create space to store brooms, mops, pails, and vacuums. You can also increase standard cabinet depth with sliding or pull-out fittings.