Your Pinterest board might be filled with inspiration for a bright and airy kitchen. But achieving this look requires tough decisions. One of the most important is choosing the right cabinets, which can bring the biggest reward. Architect and designer Anastasia Harrison, owner and creative director of AHD&Co and with over 50 kitchen remodels experience, says ‘The cabinet door style is the single largest decision for the overall style of your kitchen.’ When choosing a kitchen cabinet style, it can be overwhelming if you don’t know the difference between Shaker and slab. To help reduce stress, here’s what you need to know about kitchen cabinet styles to find the perfect fit for your home.
There are two options for cabinet construction: framed and frameless. Framed cabinets have an added face frame at the front where hinges and doors attach. They offer full overlay, partial overlay, or inset doors. Overlay styles have doors resting on top of the cabinet frame. Inset cabinets, like the ones shown here, have doors set into the frame so they sit flush when closed. Inset offers a classic look but can be more costly and provide less storage as they require more work for a perfect fit. Frameless cabinets, popular in the U.S. after starting in Europe, have full overlay doors that attach directly to the cabinet box via hinges on the interior. They can look more contemporary and have more space inside, great for extending kitchen storage.
While Shaker-style cabinets are beloved for their versatility and timeless charm, they can be challenging to keep clean as dust and grime can accumulate inside the frame. However, if you’re willing to maintain them, this kitchen chameleon will enhance almost any style and remain chic for a long time.
03 of 12 Slab Cabinet Doors Think of a kitchen with a sleek, modern aesthetic and chances are you’ll envision slab cabinet doors. Also known as flat panel cabinets, this style consists of a single, smooth piece of wood, plywood, or MDF. Flat panels are available in various finishes and veneers, ranging from glossy white, gray, or colored lacquer to natural wood tones. The unadorned cabinet front provides a clean backdrop for statement hardware or looks sophisticated without visible hardware. Flat panel cabinets are often associated with a stark, minimalist vibe, but that’s not their only appearance. “This minimalist-style cabinet can be warmed with different colors or wood finishes,” says Harrison. “For example, a wood like black walnut has light and dark characteristics that add warmth and interest.” And despite their high-end look, flat panel cabinets don’t have to break your budget. “A modern flat-front cabinet door can be very cost-effective,” says Harrison. “Wood can be expensive, but there are excellent laminates—at a fraction of the cost—that look as good on flat panel cabinets as the real thing.” Bonus: With no detail or crevices to attract dust or cooking grease, flat panel cabinets are easier to keep clean than other cabinet styles. 04 of 12 Traditional Cabinet Doors Best known for their warmth and timeless appeal, traditional-style cabinets can create an elegant yet homey look. If you adore a more formal aesthetic and hope to incorporate furniture-inspired details like decorative legs and corbels into your space, traditional cabinets are a great choice. Typically, traditional cabinets feature raised rather than flat center panels and tend to adhere to a warmer color palette, often wood tones. Glazes and antique finishes are also options. Unlike the simpler, squared Shaker-style cabinet, traditional cabinetry often showcases arches, curved details, or other embellishments. “If you’re seeking a light and airy feel, traditional cabinets may not be the way to go,” says Harrison. 05 of 12 Beadboard Cabinets If charming cottage or modern farmhouse is the atmosphere you wish to create in your new kitchen, then consider beadboard kitchen cabinets. “Styled after traditional beadboard that was used on walls, these cabinets can fit in a home that’s modern or traditional,” says Harrison. Another plus: “They are moderately priced as they are overlay cabinet doors that are similar in construction to modern flat-front doors, but with grooved panels at the front. Complement this look with an aged brass cup pull for the full cottage effect,” she says. Beadboard cabinets can be stained or painted. White beadboard cabinets, like the ones shown here from Pottery Barn, are common but far from your only option.Pro tip: Harrison suggests doing painted beadboard cabinets in a color other than white. Try emerald green or navy as white beadboard can be tricky to keep clean due to the little grooves.
06 of 12 – Glass-Front Cabinets by Anastasia Harrison / AHD&Co. Scroll through designers’ Instagram accounts and you’ll likely see many picture-perfect kitchens with glass-front cabinets. Glass fronts are a great way to break up solid-door cabinets and display a collection of pretty dishes, glasses, or decorative objects. Harrison notes that glass-front cabinets can dress up your kitchen and are very nice adjacent to a window. The reflected light makes the space seem larger and brighter. However, glass-front cabinets aren’t for everyone. If keeping your dishes stacked perfectly isn’t a priority, you might want to pass on glass doors. If you want the pretty detail and expansive effect of glass without the pressure, Harrison suggests including some mirrored cabinets in your kitchen design instead. She says they also bring lightness and brightness to the space while hiding any mess. Another option is to use a couple of glass (or mirrored) cabinets to define one particular area of the kitchen, ideally a less frequently used one like a display area or butler’s pantry. You’ll get the stylish detail you love while keeping your everyday items safely hidden behind solid doors. 07 of 12 – Antique Glass-Front Cabinets by Lily’s Vintage Finds. Antique glass-fronts are a super chic variation of regular glass-fronts with a vintage, foggy look. These eye-catching cabinets from Lily’s Vintage Finds are much more unique than regular glass front cabinets. Jewel Marlowe, founder of Jewel Marlowe Interiors, says she has been using antique glass in both client projects and in her own home. This upgrade adds instant drama to a space by reflecting light around the room. If applied to a cabinet front, it would make your kitchen feel bigger. Plus, unlike normal glass front cabinets, the mirror hides the contents behind. The amount of antiquing can be customized to suit your style. Plus, antique glass is much better at hiding fingerprints, so your cabinets won’t need as much cleaning. 08 of 12 – Floating Cabinets by Scott Van Dyke / Getty. While floating cabinets are most popular in the bathroom, they can look great in the kitchen too, especially if you want to create the illusion of more space. As the name suggests, floating cabinets look as though they are suspended without any support or attachments and without touching the floor. Of course, you will need a great contractor to achieve this look. These cabinets jive best with a modern kitchen but can also serve as a pop of avant-garde in a rustic or traditional kitchen. Floating shelves also exist, which do not have cabinet doors or structures but share the same unsupported look. These, too, look very modern but will not provide as much storage space nor weight capacity. Plus, the doors alleviate the need to create a display within your storage, which is more practical.Craftsman Style Cabinets emerged in the 1990s as part of the Craftsman design movement. This era celebrated the handiwork of the artisan with attention to detail and structural elements. The overall design optimizes simple, straight lines with small embellishments on knobs, joinery, and moldings that elevate the classic look. Framed cabinetry is essential in this style, though the inset can be flat or raised and many modifications are possible, such as a beaded panel or cathedral framing.
For the material, consider woods with strong grains, such as oak, cherry, or maple. These cabinets look great in a traditional or rustic style kitchen.Handle-free Cabinets take slab-style to a whole new level of modern. A throwback to the 60s and 70s, these cabinets have a space behind the drawer or door where you can grip and open them easily. Another variation is a push-in cabinet, which only requires a slight push to open. This style can be super practical, especially for small kitchens where it is difficult to avoid running into handles or snagging clothing. However, dust will likely accumulate in the handle space, making the cabinets a bit harder to clean than their traditional counterparts. Also, if you’re someone who’s constantly rushing in the mornings, you may want to consider regular cabinets since their handles are easier to open when you’re in a hurry.
Louvered Cabinets are a great way to add a bit of depth and detail to your kitchen’s design. Any louvered cabinets will make your kitchen look a bit more spacious while adding an unconventional touch, which can pair well with a more traditional, rustic, or even a modern kitchen. “Louvered cabinets are on the rise in popularity. This style incorporates horizontal wood slats to give a shutter-blind look. At the traditional wider-slat scale, these shutter-faced cabinets can be a classy, yet understated upgrade to a traditional kitchen,” says Jewel. She explains, “They are a great choice if a client is looking for a custom, yet homey and livable feel. They also look lovely in a beach home when painted white. If a client is looking for a more modern feel, I am seeing a more modern version with more narrow slats. ” These cabinets are most commonly made out of wood, such as pine. Some louvered cabinets are functional, allowing you to adjust the louvers (slats) to control the amount of ventilation, while others are purely aesthetic. You can also find cabinets with glass louvers, which make for a stylish, retro look. Plus, louvered doors have been around since the middle ages, so you can count on them not going out of style any time soon.
Open Cabinets are cabinets with no doors, rather than shelves. This style can be a great addition to any kitchen because it shows off all the beautiful kitchenware and glasses that you have accumulated over the years.
Open cabinets are furnished to match the exterior. Because it retains the essential structure of a cabinet, it can hold much more weight than a shelf. It makes for a spacious look while making things easy to reach. However, this also means they can be more prone to collecting dust and being knocked down. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit
