If you are choosing new cabinets for your kitchen, one of the most important decisions you will face is what type of cabinet doors you want to feature in your new kitchen. There are many cabinet door options available for the overlay, style, and finishing of your cabinet doors. An experienced cabinet maker can help you sort through all the options and analyze your needs against your budget to ensure you find the perfect cabinet doors for your new kitchen cabinets. Several design options are available to customize your cabinet doors, including the overlay, styling, and finish.
Overlay and inset options for cabinet doors
- Partial Overlay Cabinet Doors: In the past, partial overlay cabinet doors were the standard in the United States. This overlay is typically found in older kitchens, distinctly characterized by one to two inches of the cabinet frame showing around cabinet doors and drawer fronts.
- Modern Full Overlay Cabinet Doors: Today, most upscale kitchens feature a modern or European look with the modern full overlay. The full overlay of cabinet doors covers more of the cabinet face frame, minimizing the gap between cabinet doors to accentuate your cabinet doors and drawer fronts.
- Inset Cabinet Doors: A final option is inset doors, which give a distinct look. These inset cabinet doors require precise craftsmanship and are generally more expensive as a result.
Style options for cabinet doors
Generally, more common styles available for cabinet doors include raised panel doors, recessed panel or flat doors, and slab doors. For added charm and uniqueness, glass cabinet doors, the mullion frame (like a window with multiple panes) and open frame options are popular styles for cabinet doors. For each style above, there are many detail options to customize your cabinet doors.
Finishing options for cabinet doors
The finishing of cabinet doors is the last step in preparing your new cabinets. For the finishing of your cabinet doors, you can choose the wiping stain, colortone, glaze, and antiquing for the final finish to adorn your new cabinet doors.
Your cabinet doors are the face of your new cabinets, so make sure you spend some time thinking about what you want them to look like and discuss your options with your cabinet designer.