“Cabinetry is the core essence of design,” says Julie DeJardin, kitchen designer and owner of DeJardin Designs of Portland, OR. As the sole support of countertops, backsplash, appliances, and dishes, the functionality and finish of these basic boxes determine whether a remodel is successful.

Today’s trend is a wood-clad kitchen, where major appliances are sheathed in wood, creating an unbroken expanse of color and grain. Cherry is still popular, but staining or painting it dark brown is gaining popularity. Textured glass is replacing standard glass in cabinets. Stylized toe kicks that resemble the detailed molding of a dresser or hutch, mix and match finishes and sleek, nearly invisible hardware, complete the look.

Photos courtesy of DeJardin Deigns

The idea is for cabinetry to resemble furniture, creating a seamless blend between the kitchen and dining area, or the ever-popular great room. “You can’t even tell it’s a kitchen,” she says.

In older homes, achieving this look requires moving walls. “You can move a wall if it’s not load bearing,” she explains. If it is, putting in a new support beam is easily accomplished. “It’s expensive, but it’s what you want to do anyway if you are modernizing the space.”

Can’t afford to move the walls? Try knocking out the soffits and installing extra-tall cabinets. This increases storage space and the strong vertical line gives a sleek look to a smaller room.

Style should not sacrifice function and DeJardin combines eight years of culinary training with fifteen years of design experience to help people develop a creative, workable space. “I tell my clients you don’t have to enjoy cooking. Nonetheless, your prep and food storage areas have to work.”

Box in Your Options
Whether you choose custom cabinetry or pre-fabricated boxes depends solely on budget. Prices range from $5,000 to $50,000, a dollar amount that easily competes with other must-have beauty items, like a countertop, appliances, and floors.

Custom cabinets are generally the most expensive solution, but the advantage here is a product that has been “engineered to fit your kitchen,” explains John Nisbet, co-owner of Bristol Woodworking & Design, Portland, OR.

“The cabinet is the foundation for the countertop. Many people struggle with the cost of custom cabinets, yet they put in granite countertops. Heavy countertop surfaces should sit on a sturdy platform, one designed to stand up to the wear and tear of daily opening, slamming, and cleaning. The weight of the countertop, when combined with heavier appliances like stand mixers, and the pressure used to roll pastry or chop chicken, creates cumulative stress which in time can break down hinges and hardware.

The end result of any cabinet selection should be a kitchen that stands up to abuse. Think about how often you and your family open and close drawers and cupboards. If you have young children, do they climb on the countertop to reach the cereal?

“I’ve been in homes,” Nisbet says, “where they ask me to fix the cabinets. The hinge plate is falling out; the screws are working themselves out because the box material isn’t thick enough to accommodate the countertop weight.”

This presents a real challenge, because if the counter is supporting a granite top, “You just can’t take out the cabinet and replace it. When you are dealing with that much weight, value matters. It doesn’t make sense to skimp on cabinets when you’re going full-bore on countertops.”

Good quality can be found in semi-custom cabinets, and you can choose from a large selection of styles, woods, and finishes. These are usually ordered through kitchen design centers in box stores such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. With semi-custom, it is also possible to swap plain doors with a thin veneer overlay for solid wood doors. Semi-custom cabinets may need to be special ordered, a time factor that should be worked into your overall remodel schedule.

If pre-fabricated cabinets fit your budget, there are a variety of choices. Stock cabinets, such as those found in Parr Lumber’s Cabinet Outlet, offer a tremendous selection at a reasonable price. n this “cash and carry” environment, buying new cabinets is as easy as buying a pallet of paper towels.

Homeowners and contractors alike enjoy this option. While the “buy today and install tomorrow” philosophy has its advantages, there is no flexibility in the product, so if you have a room with odd dimensions, these standard cabinet boxes might not be an easy fit. Also, on some models, the materials and hardware used are low quality, and your new cabinets might show age faster than the countertop, appliances, and floors.

Tip: “Halogen light bulbs don’t like slamming cupboard doors,” says Kay Newell, owner of Sunlan Llighting of Portland, OR. “The vibration makes them burn out more quickly.” Instead, try Xenon bulbs. More durable than halogen, these bulbs offer the same color, burn longer and cooler and, when cool, the glass portion can be touched with bare hands. The only downside: Xenon bulbs are more expensive. “But they last longer, so it’s all the same in the end,” she says.

When Cabinets Just Need a Facelift

After

Before

Photos courtesy of Kitchen Tune-Up

Unlike cabinet replacement, re-facing can update the kitchen in less than a week. If the box itself is in good condition, “The most common method is to remove existing doors and drawer fronts and replace them with custom-made new ones,” explains Gary Yeager, owner of Kitchen Tune-Up®, Oregon City, OR. “Then we cover the existing cabinet end panels with plywood and face frames with a real wood veneer.” Choices include cherry, hickory, alder, ash, walnut and oak, plus an array of hardware to finish the new look.

The other alternative is a kitchen tune-up, a reconditioning process that cleans existing cabinets, restoring them to their original appearance. If the original cabinetry is in good condition, but worn looking, a tune-up makes it look like new, he explains. Tune-ups are also a good choice for homeowners or realtors wanting to get a house ready to sell, he ays.

No matter which option, home owners never lose the use of the kitchen, not even for one night, Yeager says.
Cost: $500 to $2,500 depending on whether it’s a replacement or tune-up, materials and kitchen size

Pull-Outs Create Extra Space in Cramped Cupboards
Pull-out drawers and shelves “help improve the design that is already in place,” says Becky Swink, owner of the Pull-out Shelf Company in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA.

For many homeowners, it’s not feasible to remodel right away and pull-outs help to maximize available space. “It’s a short-term solution that re-uses what’s already in place,” Swink says. “I’m seeing a lot of people re-facing their cabinets and then adding pull-out drawers.”

Kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms are all candidates for pull-outs. “They can be added to custom cabinets, too,” she says. Homeowners sometimes realize the need for extra space after the cabinets are installed.

Photo courtesy of Pull-Out Shelf Company

Pull-out shelves are made of Baltic birch. High-quality hardware is dovetailed and laminated for easy cleaning. The shelves come with a lifetime warranty.

Cost: Varies, depending on shelf size and depth. Shelves are custom-made and installed by a professional.

The Bottom Line
Most common style: European, or frameless design. This means the inside of the cabinet is open, there is no center piece to work around, taking up needed space. The frameless style works particularly well in smaller kitchens, and allows people to maximize much-needed space.

Cubbyholes are in: If your kitchen doubles as an office, consider built-in enclosures for the computer and work station. Custom boxes can be made to fully enclose both the microwave and toaster oven, with a removable crumb tray and a pull-out cutting board.

Popular finish: Maple and cherry, clear stain, unpainted. While it’s possible to stain the wood a different color, there is a risk of not liking the end result.

Check for: Toekicks (where the cabinet meets the floor) either made of solid wood or plywood coated with melamine. This way, if the kitchen floods, there is less chance of the melamine delaminating. Avoid particleboard — if this gets wet it will swell and cause permanent damage to the toekicks.

Did you know? Cabinets darken with age and exposure to ultra-violet light. The color you pick might not be the same a year from now. Take this into consideration when choosing paint and accent colors. If possible, ask to see a sample of the aged wood.