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.

A Video about Kitchen cabinet design

You can also check out the article "Kitchen Cabinet Construction" for additional information about kitchen cabinets.

Birch kitchen cabinets in combination with countertops, backsplashes and floor of natural stone. Photo courtesy of Ronald K. Gay

Get your requirements right

When buying kitchen cabinets, you should accurately take the measurements of your kitchen space that will be occupied by cabinets. Decide on how much budget you will keep aside for the same. Once you finalize the budget, you can easily make a choice between the following:

• Stock, semi-customized or fully customized cabinets.
• Cabinet accessories like dividers, handles, knobs etc.
• Styles and colors of the cabinets.

Where to buy the kitchen cabinets from?

Once you finalize your requirements, you need to know where to buy kitchen cabinets from. Either you can buy them from kitchen appliance stores, showrooms, kitchen cabinet dealers or purchase them online from a well-known kitchen appliance retailer. The advantage of buying it from a store is that you can check the measurements, look, feel and style of the cabinets. While this may not be possible online, you may get to browse through a wide variety of sites offering competitive products. Apart from that you may also get some interesting discounts or deals.

Buying kitchen cabinets online is an easy and comfortable process as you can browse through various sites and options sitting in the comfort of your home. Select the cabinet dimensions according to your kitchen space measurements. Select the styles and colors available. Once you have selected all the features of the cabinets, you can proceed for payment and shipping address details. Payment can be done with either credit card or cash. Payment terms can vary from one seller to another.

Once the cabinets are shipped, you need to check for the complete order, manufacturing damage if any and overall product quality. In case of damage, they can be returned and re-shipped. The disadvantage is that unlike a store you cannot check the cabinets in actual and there are shipping and restocking fees to pay if the product is returned due to damage. And if they are custom built, they may not be returnable - which can be an extra cost to you.

Buying used kitchen cabinets

Another option is to buy used kitchen cabinets which are easily available online. You can browse through a variety of sites like eBay where cabinets may be on sale. It is a great option as you may bag a great deal as compared to the ones available in kitchen appliance stores or showrooms. You may also come across local classified advertisements and may find a great deal. The local kitchen hardware shops can also be contacted for any second hand cabinets that they come across; as such dealers often come across people who wish to dismantle their old kitchen cabinets and replace them with new ones. There may be some minor defects with such cabinets but they can be easily fixed and is a great trade off if you have a tight budget.

Unfinished kitchen cabinets

Unfinished kitchen cabinets are also a good option to consider in case you want to save some money and do the finishing yourself. With unfinished kitchen cabinets you can select from a wide variety of colors, materials, glass doors, cabinet accessories like knobs and handles etc. For reference you can check various cabinet styles online or check the home décor magazines.

Whether you opt for purchasing from local kitchen hardware store or online, it is important that the dimensions are accurate and the cost fits your budget. For online orders, do check on their payment options and also go through their shipping terms and conditions. If you are buying used cabinets, do check a few local hardware shops. However, cabinet installation is a difficult task and cannot be changed easily. So consider your options wisely before making the final decision.

Kitchen cabinet ideas like painting, designing, refacing or refinishing are a great way to renovate your kitchen without having to go through a tedious task of replacing them with a new set of cabinets. This of course does not apply to kitchen cabinets that are in completely damaged state… they do need replacement.

Light green antique kitchen cabinets in combination with natural stone countertops. Photo courtesy of Vicky Harleman, L.L.C.

You have a variety of kitchen cabinet painting ideas that can be carried out inexpensively. The following tips and ideas can spark your creativity:

1. Painting entire kitchen - you can either use a single light shade like white, off-white, cream, light yellow or go for contrast like white walls and dark chocolate brown for cabinets. Make sure the kitchen does not look too dark or it will rob the lighting scheme and make it look small too. An interesting variation for large kitchens would be to paint only the island cabinet in a contrast color, while keeping rest of the kitchen in a single shade.

2. Painting only cabinets - You can choose to paint the frame and cabinet sides in one color and doors in other or just paint the entire cabinet in one color. Again, you can add a touch of style by designing motifs on the door. You can also add an effect to the cabinets by wiping slightly dried paint with a sponge. Oil or latex colors can be selected as per your ease; but note that latex colors dry off easily and oil color takes a week. You can creatively color the cabinets according to your desired style like French, Italian etc.

Kitchen color ideas

Once you have decided on what all you will paint, you need to decide on your kitchen color ideas. That is, whether you will use color combinations or single color. Colors can add a positive vibe to the kitchen. Shades of white are popular and give a clean look. Do remember that cabinet colors will always highlight your wall colors, so choose light shades for walls. A variety of color schemes are available according to kitchen styles or themes.

Kitchen cabinet design ideas

Apart from color, it is the kitchen cabinet designs that will also be a striking feature of your kitchen. You could come up with new kitchen cabinet design ideas like incorporating Lazy Susans, pull-out shelves, under-the-cabinet racks, etc. to perk up their functionality as well as their inner style and look. Chrome shelves, spice racks etc. give a stylish edge to otherwise boring box like cabinets. You could consider replacing the cabinet front with tinted, painted or just crystal clear plain glass for that classy look. Even the cabinet accessories like knobs and handles can give a whole new appearance to your existing cabinets.

For small kitchens, there is less work to do but certainly no dearth of ideas. If your kitchen is small, keep the walls in light shades. Cabinets should not be too dark or they will make it appear smaller. You can add effects like sponge, brush or feather wipe to the cabinets which can give them a rustic yet elegant appearance. Stylish handles or knobs can highlight your cabinets.

Corner kitchen cabinet ideas

For those inaccessible and difficult corner cabinets, corner kitchen cabinet ideas like sliding out units or Lazy Susans can be used to make them more accessible and functional. It can also be utilized to stack sparingly used appliances.

Kitchen cabinet refacing and refinishing ideas

Apart from painting and adding glam accessories, you can also consider kitchen cabinet refacing ideas like applying wood veneer, wallpaper, adding a frame (with your favorite snaps) to the cabinet door, magnetic paint (to stick colorful magnetic images on the outside), fabric frames, tinted glass etc.

You could also try kitchen cabinet refinishing ideas like using stencil designs, carving, adding fancy stuff like small white curtains, wired mesh, faux painting techniques like sponge, rag or crinkle painting on the cabinet front or just color coordinating the accessories with some theme, like covering them with fabric to match the style of your kitchen or walls.

Give your creativity a kick start by using a combination of above kitchen cabinet ideas to bring about a whole new look for your dream kitchen.

L-shaped kitchen cabinet layout. Photo courtesy of Kitchen Design Center

Just as with the kitchen layouts, cabinets are arranged in the same order, i.e., Single Line, U-shaped and L-shaped. The basic kitchen cabinet layout would be a single line arrangement wherein the cabinets are arranged in a single straight order. This arrangement is ideal for small kitchens wherein space is a constraint and this arrangement provides ease of access and work in the kitchen. However, with this arrangement, the storage may be constrained in a small kitchen. For a large kitchen however, this arrangement is good enough as storage and ease of work both are possible. The wall cabinets too are in a single line up to the sink area. This layout works well with open kitchens, ones that extend into the living room.

U-shaped kitchen cabinet layout has cabinets arranged in U shape along the kitchen area. This arrangement works well for medium and large sized kitchens. The base and wall cabinets are placed in the same way. Larger storage and a triangular work area are the key advantages of this layout. The corner cabinet is a little difficult to arrange, access and maintain, but can be used for sparingly used items. An island top in the midst of the U-shape can also be designed to have two or three cabinets. This layout provides largest storage amongst all the layouts.

L-shaped kitchen cabinet layout is good for medium and large kitchens. The wall and base cabinets are arranged along the two legs of the L shape. This layout too provides good amount of storage and ease of work. The section parallel to the longer leg of L shape can be utilized by keeping a tall cabinet. This way you can maximize your storage. If you plan to introduce an island in between, you can install one or two cabinets to get that extra storage space. Interestingly, in L-shaped layout, you would have only one corner cabinet to deal with. The other corner cabinet is relatively free to access.

While all three layouts work well for medium and large sized kitchens, it is the small kitchens that really need to be planned well. Small kitchen cabinet layouts can be thoughtfully selected depending on the level of congestion you can comfortably work in. While single line layout works best for a small kitchen, in case you wish to go for U or L shaped kitchen cabinet layouts, consider the following:

1. With a U-shaped kitchen cabinet layout, you will get two to three base cabinets apart from those in a single line arrangement. Apart from that you can arrange wall cabinets too in the same layout if that does not totally make your kitchen congested and uncomfortable.

2. Do not try to introduce more than one or two cabinets on the parallel sides of U shape, as in a small kitchen your movement may get restricted.

3. Since one of the parallel legs of the U-shape will be the sink area, you can keep a single cabinet that will be used sparingly as compared to other cabinets because such cabinets are generally used for stocking kitchen cleaning liquids, scrubs and detergents.

4. In case of L-shaped kitchen cabinet layout, although one side of your kitchen will be free of cabinets, but that can be utilized for keeping fridge or other miscellaneous items like a vegetable organizer etc.

5. Keep the short leg of L-shape small to accommodate only one or two cabinets. This leg can be comfortably made as the sink area cabinet so that it will be sparingly opened through the day and more so it will not have any wall cabinet. Thus you can have a linear wall cabinet arrangement and avoid your kitchen from looking congested.

It is important that you have a comfortable space for movement and work in your kitchen. Storage can always be extended in form of a tall cupboard, wall mounted shelf or an organizer. However, once you decide on the layout of your kitchen, your cabinets will follow the same and cannot be replaced or re-arranged so easily. Hence plan out your kitchen cabinet layout well considering your space constraint and your comfort.

Also, be sure to check out this kitchen design software. It is a new generation of 3D software that gives you a real-time cinematic kitchen design.

Kitchen cabinet organizers - solid-wood Lazy Susan easily makes the most use of corner storage space and keeps things organized and accessible. Photo courtesy of Masco Cabinetry

There are numerous things in our kitchen that need to be organized — like cutlery, dishes, cookware, glassware, tea cup sets, kitchen tools, spices, napkins, plastic bags, serving trays, big and small appliances. And therefore we need various kinds of kitchen cabinet organizers, so that we don’t end up having too many things in one cabinet or drawer.

Kitchen cabinet drawer organizers

Kitchen cabinet drawer organizers can be used to stack small items like cutlery, spice jars etc. in top drawers or cookware, dishes etc. that are stacked in big lower drawers. For cutlery, four to five sections separated by long dividers are good enough to keep them sorted. Same is the case for spice jars and other small kitchen tools. Kitchen cabinet drawer organizers for cookware need to have broad sections separated by one or two dividers. Roll-out steel drawer organizers are also a good option for stacking cookware.

Corner kitchen cabinet organizers

The corner kitchen cabinets are the hardest to reach and keeping stuff sorted in them is of prime importance. Corner kitchen cabinet organizers are readily available and can really make the task of accessing items very easy. Multi-layered semi-circular turntables, also known as Lazy Susans, are good corner cabinet organizers. The top shelves can have smaller Lazy Susans while the bottom shelves can have larger Lazy Susans to accommodate big pots, pans and other cookware items. Also useful are V-shaped drawers that slide in and out easily without getting stuck. However, they need to be considered while you are installing your kitchen cabinets.

Kitchen cabinet shelf organizers

Kitchen cabinet shelf organizers are really important as most of the times we stack food items in shelves and forget their arrangement leading the entire stuff in mess. To avoid this, you can opt for a sliding out steel rack that has a single partition. This is ideal for stacking snacks or even tea cup set etc.

A staircase rack that can be inserted into the shelf is ideal for storage of sauces, food cans and jars etc. There are different kinds of under-the-shelf organizers also that can be ideal for storing coffee mugs, foil paper roll, kitchen napkins etc. Under-the-cabinet organizers are available even for wall cabinets, which are great for storage of frequently-used spice jars or other ingredients like herbs etc.

Kitchen cabinet dish organizers

Kitchen cabinet dish organizers come in varied designs depending upon various storage needs. It can either be exclusively used to stack plates or for stacking plates, bowls, cups and saucers. They come in peg style and rack style. Peg style dish organizer can be incorporated into the drawer itself. By using these kitchen cabinet accessories you can keep your dishes safe and scratch free. Both the peg style and rack style are available in roll-out rack design for easy access.

A cabinet or drawer becomes highly functional and easy to use once few or all the above kitchen cabinet organizers are installed. Before finalizing them however, you should enlist all the items that currently occupy your cabinets. Some people may require wine organizer while others may need more of snack organizer. Depending on your need select the ones that not only fit your budget but also are highly functional and very easy to use.

Neat storage is a pre-requisite to great cooking and it also helps keep the kitchen looking tidy and organized. So if you haven’t yet organized that noisy and clumsy clutter from your cabinets, select a few today. You can easily browse your options and designs online or check them at a local kitchen hardware store.

How-To Videos

How can I make the best use of space in a small kitchen?

Despite the standard base and wall kitchen cabinets hiding most of the kitchen stuff, there is always that extra stuff that needs good storage space. A free standing kitchen cabinet is the ideal way to fix your need for extra storage and at the same time not worry of space constraints. Free standing kitchen cabinets come in a variety of size, shape and colors. Even if you have a circular space where you require a storage cabinet to fit in, it is easily available. Along with that they come in a variety of materials like wood, stainless steel etc.

Free standing kitchen pantry cabinet with 4 sliding wicker baskets, 2 solid oak bread drawers and herb racks. Photo courtesy of The Bespoke Furniture Company

Free standing kitchen cabinets are very useful

Free standing kitchen cabinets are versatile in their use and can be easily cleaned. If you opt for such cabinets with wheels, cleaning becomes much easier as the cabinet can be moved out of the kitchen. If you have a small kitchen and have one or two free standing kitchen cabinets, you can always rearrange them to suit your space and the look of your kitchen. You could also arrange such cabinets in the lobby connecting your kitchen to the living room. That way not only does the kitchen look spacious but also creates an extension space to it. Large and medium sized kitchens have the liberty to keep such cabinets in the kitchen itself. Vertical free standing cabinets are great for small kitchens as they provide storage without taking much floor space.

What to look for?

Free standing kitchen cabinets are easily available in local kitchen hardware shops, online and specialty kitchen furniture shops. While selecting cabinets for yourself, you should focus on functionality, number of spaces provided, types of spaces provided and its ease of installation in your kitchen. Free standing kitchen cabinets are available with several shelves, drawers, wine racks, roll out trays and glass door display shelf for your expensive china. With a wide variety of choice, it is easy to find a cabinet that suits your requirement and yet fits into your budget. Most of them are easy to install or assemble.

Interestingly, if the free standing kitchen cabinet has a tiled top, it can be used as an island for dining. All you need are some high chairs and you are set to dine right in or near your kitchen. In case you have a large kitchen, these cabinets can add stylish look to your kitchen as you can get extra space to arrange flowers or just some fancy show pieces. This obviously may not be possible in a small kitchen where the cabinet would be completely utilized for storage, but creativity can be applied to small and big spaces alike.

Free standing kitchen cabinet styles

Free standing kitchen cabinets come in various styles to suit your style of kitchen — like country, contemporary, French, Italian etc. You can afford to experiment the look of your kitchen if you have such free standing base cabinets and wire shelf units, as they can easily be replaced unlike the fixed cabinets, where the task of replacing fixed cabinets is not only tedious but also expensive.

This is a great option if you are planning a new kitchen or giving a completely new look to your kitchen as you can plan more functionality in your kitchen with free standing kitchen cupboards. And your next change in future will also be easier as all you need is to replace them instead of having to go through a tedious uninstalling process. Key aspect is getting good storage and at the same time keeping kitchen a spacious and pleasant place to work in. So select free standing cabinets carefully to avoid cluttering too many of them. Apart from the base cabinets (in case you keep the base cabinets as free standing too or if you have fixed base cabinets) only one or two more such cabinets should solve all your storage needs.

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Different uses of kitchen cabinet drawers. Photo courtesy of In Stock Kitchens

Kitchen cabinet drawer hardware

Kitchen cabinet drawer hardware would include the following: Cabinet drawer slides, cabinet knobs, cabinet handles or pulls and cabinet bolts. Depending on the slides you want, you could select from undermount slides, ball bearing slides, roller bearing slides, file drawer slides, pencil drawer slides etc. For example, if you have a large drawer for stacking dishes etc., then you should go for file drawer slides. It is easy to select the right slides for your drawer with little guidance from your local hardware shop.

Knobs can be fancy or simple bar pulls depending on your kitchen styling. Drilling machine, table saw, chop saw, radial arm saw, orbital sander, router, clamps, nuts and bolts etc. are the necessary hardware items you need for such work, so keep them handy.

Working on your kitchen cabinet drawers

Now you can begin working on your kitchen cabinet drawers. In order to get a new kitchen cabinet drawer front, you can follow the steps below:

1. The size of drawer front needs to be measured. Once you have the exact measurements, cut the wood length using radial arm saw and width using table saw.

2. Once you have routed each edge with a router, use a sander to smoothen imperfect finish.

3. Varnish it.

4. Paint it according to your style.

5. Now fix the drawer front to your four-sided box drawer. You will have to drill pilot holes from the inside of the drawers keeping the backside of the new front stuck. Be careful not to drill right up to outside. Attach the drawer fronts now using wood screws.

6. To attach the drawer pull, drill holes in the center of the drawer front through to the inside of the drawer. Firmly attach the drawer pull to the center of the drawer front.

Replacement of kitchen cabinet drawers

In case you just want replacement of kitchen cabinet drawers, you can consider two options. If you drawer is still in good condition, you may consider replacing only the drawer front instead of the entire thing. Not only will it save your extra effort and time, but also money spent on hardware etc. All you need to do is:

1. Pull open the drawers. Check the screws that hold up the front to the drawer.

2. Firmly loosen and remove the screws taking care not to damage the inside of the drawer.

3. Gently and slowly pull the front off the drawer when the screws are loose enough.

4. Measure the new drawer front against the old one to match the dimensions. Now place the new drawer front and firmly screw it onto the drawer.

If your drawer needs complete replacement, you need to:

1. Pull out the existing drawers from their position. The new drawers should be measured against the old ones to get the dimensions right.

2. Once sure, fix the slides on the outside and check if they easily move against the existing tracks.

3. If the drawer does not fit in properly, remove the tracks and reposition them to get the right slip of the slides on the drawers.

In case you do not have time or skill to make new drawers or front, replacement kitchen cabinet drawers are available to easily replace your old drawers and avoid the hassle of dismantling any existing kitchen units. Check with your local hardware shop or just browse online.

Kitchen cabinet drawer organizers

Once your drawers are in place, you may want to quickly dump in the stuff that has been lying around the kitchen for long. But think before you do so, for it will only add to clutter. So, get your drawers organized first with kitchen cabinet drawer organizers.

There are drawer dividers, cubes, knife sleeves, drop-in drawer pegs and flatware organizers available to keep your kitchen stuff placed neatly. Flatware organizers are great for your silverware and other cutlery. You can choose to have few or many compartments. Knife sleeves are great for safety and may be modular to accommodate more than one knife. Utensil dividers and plate holders are excellent way of keeping the utensils neatly stacked in one drawer.

Related Video

Kitchen Cabinet Drawers – The Options

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Kitchen cabinet doors: Panel door, Glazed door, Curved Panel door, Glazed Curved door, Pan drawer and Slab drawer. Photo courtesy of Otesha Ltd

Glass kitchen cabinet doors

Glass kitchen cabinet doors are very stylish and classy when it comes to showing off your expensive or antique cookware, china and dishes. Decorative lighting can immensely highlight it from within and create a very rich look.

However, there are a few considerations to make when selecting glass for your kitchen cabinet doors. You may want to go for transparent, textured, opaque, colored or a designed glass depending on how much you wish to display or hide.

• Transparent glass is suited for cabinets used for dishes or china on display.
• Textured glass is rough to touch and comes in different varieties.
• Opaque gives a frosted look and can be used for glass look with items hidden comfortably.
• Colored or designed glass can add a touch of art to your kitchen and keep the items inside the cabinet hidden.

Unfinished kitchen cabinet doors

When choosing doors, it is best to go for unfinished kitchen cabinet doors. You can get high quality oak and maple doors well within your budget. That is because you don’t have to pay for the final design and finish.

You can comfortably bring home doors that will fit in place of earlier doors and give them a look and finish you want. Keep in mind the exact measurements that you need. You can install glass or metal wire front to the door to enhance its look. However, all this must be done before you finally install the doors.

Kitchen cabinet door styles

Kitchen cabinet door styles are the most striking feature and should be in sync with the overall style of your kitchen. There are various styles to pick from: Shaker, Mission, Recessed, Arched, Slab, Raised cabinet and Panel inserts.

• Shaker style is a simple square with recessed glass or wood panel.
• Mission style comes with pegs at the joints.
• Recessed style shows depth through the distance between inner panel and frame.
• Arched style has a roman arch at the top of frame.
• Single piece of wood is used in Slab style.

Kitchen cabinet door refacing

Kitchen cabinet door refacing is another great way to give your kitchen a whole new look. Not only is it cost effective, you can give it the exact look that you wish to.

In order to begin with door refacing: you need to remove them from cabinets; remove any handles, knobs etc.; clean them and sand them off to remove rough layers. After cleaning them properly, you need to laminate them in style that you have selected or you can even paint them to create an artwork. Remember to drill back holes to match the previous holes for handles or knobs. Reinstall the doors back onto the cabinets. You are ready with a whole new look for your kitchen.

Refinishing kitchen cabinet doors

Refinishing kitchen cabinet doors is yet another affordable way to give a new feel to your kitchen cabinet doors. Refinishing process involves a good amount of work, so be ready to spend good amount of your time in doing so.

In order to refinish your cabinet doors, you need to uninstall the doors from the cabinets and clean those thoroughly using spirits. Once dry, sand the old finish completely. For complete new stain to adhere, it must be completely cleared off the old finish. Remove the dust and apply the new stain. Two to three coats of the stain are required to give a finished look. Once dry you can reinstall the doors back onto the cabinets.

Either of the above options can give your kitchen a complete makeover. How you go about it will ultimately depend on your style, budget and time available.

The kitchen cabinet sizes for base and wall cabinets can vary as per your space requirements but these are standard across and generally have increments in 3 inches.

Kitchen base cabinet sizes. Photo courtesy of Home and Patio Decor Center

Kitchen base cabinets are usually 24 inches deep and 34 inches in height. Placing a countertop can raise it to 36 inches. Widths of cabinets can measure anything between 9 to 48 inches and increase in multiples of 3 inches. It also depends on the kind of fixtures that you may want to add… like a basin or sink etc. For example a 30 inch is good for a single basin sink while a 33 or 36 inch is good for a double basin sink.

Kitchen wall cabinets are usually 12 to 24 inches deep and can measure anywhere between 12 to 48 inches in height. Depth of wall cabinets should always match with the depth of base cabinets. Cabinets that may lie above refrigerator are generally 12 inches to 15 inches in height. However, their depth is standard just as your base cabinets.

While kitchen cabinet dimensions can be chosen according to your requirements or constraints, you can either choose standard kitchen cabinet sizes or just go for your own dimensions to accommodate your kitchen appliances or have an island arrangement or other arrangements. These are easy to select as far as base and wall cabinets are concerned.

However, when it comes to choosing corner kitchen cabinet sizes you have be careful about the measures. You need to know the corner angle, whether it is a diagonal wall and base angle or square corner wall and base angle or the blind corner base angle. They are far more difficult to adjust if you have your own customized settings and hence cabinets designed on standard kitchen cabinet dimensions may not fit. So, select your settings first. Another point is that if you have decided to go completely for standard kitchen cabinet size, then corner cabinets will be no exception and will be provided for by the makers.

Corner kitchen cabinet sizes. Photo courtesy of Home and Patio Decor Center

The corner kitchen cabinet sizes depend on where you are mounting them. If you have a diagonal or square corner wall cabinet, the standard sizes are 24 inch wide and 30 or 36 or 42 inch high. For a corner base, the width is 33 or 36 inch while height is 34.5 inch.

While designing your kitchen cabinets, you will have to also consider the areas that you wish to include according to your requirements like the countertop, splashboard, sink or basin etc. Again there are standard kitchen cabinet dimensions for these areas. For base cabinets, standard countertop depth is 25 inch and splashboard height is 4 inches. The kickspace height is usually 4 inches and depth is 3 inches. If you plan to have drawers above cabinet doors then drawer depth is 4 inch. For wall cabinets, height above the countertop is 18 inch while height of cabinet above stovetop is 24 inch. Width, as stated earlier, should always match the base cabinet width.

Extra storage is always an option for those who have an island in their kitchen. The added advantage is that you need not worry about matching their size or fitting with the other base cabinets. However, they do come in standard width sizes of 15, 18, 24, 27, 30, 33 and 36 inch. You just need to fix a countertop above your island cabinets and you have a great dining space in your kitchen. As an example 36 inch countertop is good enough for island cabinets that are 24 inch deep.

Again the design and colors can be selectively chosen depending on whether you want to match them with the rest of the cabinets or just have some swanky new area in your kitchen. You may wish to keep the island height a little raised than the rest of base cabinet heights or just at the same level. In case of higher level ensure it is not awkwardly too high.

Some samples of kitchen cabinet colors. Photo courtesy of Alibaba.com

Kitchen cabinet paint colors

1. A great way of personalizing your kitchen is to make everything look a part of a subtle theme. Look for inspiration from small things around you, something you and your family are really fond of. Just because you like tomatoes, don’t go paint your cabinets red; look into the tomato for subtle colors that may be more neutral, something that will still be loosely based on your theme. You could go for pale pinks, light greens, cream or even white. Don’t look at the face of objects for their theme, look right into them and you’ll find exactly what you are looking for.

2. Painting a kitchen cabinet can take weeks and it may needs several coats of paint. It is important to get the color right the first time, because there is nothing as annoying as scrapping it off for another color.

3. When you look for colors to paint your kitchen cabinets with, choose something that is neutral. You could get bored of how your kitchen looks and you might want to change a few things and the kitchen cabinet color should not come in the way of it. A neutral shade which would blend in with most types of kitchen would be best suited in this case.

4. If you are looking for some bright, loud colors… it would be a good idea not to get them painted on the cabinets. This is because there is usually more cabinet space than wall space in the most kitchens and a bright color would look overwhelming. Use this bright color you have in mind on curtains, lights, and bowls or stamped on here and there to give you the desired effect.

5. Also, keep looking out for the most widely used kitchen cabinet colors. They are not popular without reason so they would usually be a good bet.

Kitchen cabinet stain colors

Staining your kitchen cabinets are another effective way of making your kitchen look better. You have to decide on the color of the stain and where you are going to stain the cabinets. Staining with more than one color adds depth and makes the cabinets stand out.

Choosing the stain color

While choosing the stain color, make sure that the colors are at contrast with the cabinet and yet complement each other. You must keep note of the fact that the cabinet doors themselves are a particular color of wood and this can make an impact on the ultimate color of the stain. It is usually a wise idea to take the cabinet door to the color store before zeroing in on one color.

Technique of applying the stain color

Once you have zeroed in on the color you want to apply, you must decide on where you would want to apply it. If you have panel doors that are slightly raised, you can apply the darker color on the outside and backside frame of the cabinet doors. If you have one solid wooden price as the cabinet door, you can color this the darker color and the rest of the cabinet can be done with the lighter shade. If you have a frame that has work on it like carvings, stain them with the darker color and the rest (inclusive of the drawers) can be done with the lighter color.

Coloring the kitchen cabinet is one of the simplest and most effective ways of making the kitchen look wonderful.

What do you think about all of this?

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