What are Some Popular Cabinet Styles?

How to choose the right design for your custom kitchen cabinetry

Is your kitchen the best it can be? Custom cabinetry offers distinct design elements that you get to choose and implement for a home that is uniquely yours. To help pick the perfect style, here are a few different options that are guaranteed to make any kitchen both stylish and functional.


Shaker and raised, recessed, or flat panel

Through the years, fashion trends in cabinetry have varied, though there are some styles that have lasted the test of time. These three designs are wonderful choices that will remain timeless and add value to your home for future generations.

Shaker

Shaker style cabinets are one of the most popular choices when installing new cabinetry to the home.

Arguably the most common design for kitchen cabinetry, shaker style cabinets add a traditional feel to the home with their classic design and clean linework. They feature a flat center panel with square edges and minimal detailing.Shaker

Arguably the most common design for kitchen cabinetry, shaker style cabinets add a traditional feel to the home with their classic design and clean linework. They feature a flat center panel with square edges and minimal detailing.


Raised-Panel

This laundry room features an example of a framed raised panel in hickory wood.

A more formal style, raised panel cabinets are made with a center panel and outer rim or overlay. As you can see, the edges of the center panel slope backward to create a raised shape in the middle.


Recessed-Panel

The opposite of the former, recessed-panel cabinets have a center panel that is depressed or concave. This style is similar to the shaker format in that the center panel is lower than the outer.


Flat-Panel (Slab)

The fronts of these flat-paneled cherry wood drawers and doors are a stylish and simple design.

Commonly referred to as ‘slab cabinets’, flat-panel are ideal for minimalists. Their sleek, modern design feature flat fronts without grooves, raised, or recessed panels.


Overlay options

In terms of cabinetry, an overlay means the entirety of the door lays on top of a cabinet’s frame. Varying in sizes, overlays are chosen based on the amount of the base frame you want displayed. Here’s a look at the three kinds of overlays that we offer:

The illustrations above give examples of what you can expect to see from a birds-eye view with different cabinet overlays.

Inset

Doors and drawers are fitted inside of the cabinet face frame.

Half Overlay

Fitted on the outside of cabinet face frame.

Full Overlay

Doors and drawers cover the face frame almost entirely on the outside of the cabinet face frame.


Framed vs. frameless cabinets: what’s the difference?

If you’re looking for bold cabinetry that adds character and life, styles such as beadboard and louvered are great options. Both give the home a warm and more relaxed look equated to farmhouse or cottage aesthetics. Either style can also be used as a singular design for all cabinetry, or showpieces that add dimension to your cabinetry.

FRAMED

DESCRIPTION: Face of cabinets includes outer frame resembling a flat picture frame. Door attaches to frame.

PROS:

  • Added strength and durability to cabinets

  • More design potential for creating a customized look

FUN FACT: Framed cabinets are the most traditional form of cabinetry – odds are you’ll find them in the majority of kitchens!

This image shows how the construction of framed and frameless cabinets differ from one another.

FRAMELESS

DESCRIPTION: Face frame is eliminated leaving doors attached directly to the sides of the cabinet box.

PROS:

  • Commonly called ‘full access cabinets’ as they allow more accessibility and are larger than framed cabinets

  • Contemporary, modern design

DESIGN DETAIL: Only full-overlay doors can be used with this style of cabinets

FUN FACT: This style of cabinetry is known as the European way of manufacturing cabinets, however, it has become increasingly popular in American kitchens.

Framed cabinets are great for organizing. The frame at the front can be split into different sections for better organization of your kitchen, bathroom, or any other room in the house!


Custom Cabinetry Reflects Character

Like what you have but want a subtle change or two? Making over an area doesn’t always have to mean starting over from scratch. Implementing Kitchen Islands or Custom Shelving offer additional storage capabilities and have endless potential for customizable designs that will fit in seamlessly with your home.

Whatever you choose, you can count on Schjenken to deliver custom cabinetry specifically designed for you and your needs!


Here are some other articles you might enjoy reading!

Choosing the Perfect Countertop

Are you a granite or quartz person? Learn the differences between these popular choices for custom countertops.


What’s the Best Way to Clean Cabinets?

Everything you need to know about taking care of your cabinets, so they’ll last a lifetime.


Why Do I Want Custom Cabinetry?

We breakdown the benefits of investing in custom cabinetry rather than buying mass-produced cabinets from your local home improvement store.

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