Your kitchen is one of, if not the most important room in your home. Whether you are an aspiring chef or just someone who likes being able to put together a nice meal or two for your family over the holidays, a beautiful and functional kitchen is a gift that keeps on giving. Like all art and style, interior design goes through phases.
A few years back, granite kitchen cabinets were in style, and now light a kitchen cabinet and countertop is all anyone can talk about. But there is more to designing a kitchen than just following trends. There are many steps you can take to put a beautiful personal spin on your kitchen’s appearance.
And, of course, any kitchen makeover starts with your cabinets. Let’s delve right in!
Important Components in Your Kitchen
Now, when we talk about a kitchen makeover, there are several points of interest:
- Lower kitchen cabinetry
- Countertops
- Upper cabinets
- Kitchen Island
- Kitchen backsplash
- Paint colors for the walls
- Flooring
- Rangehood
- Oven/ Stove
- Kitchen decor
- Other assorted appliances.
You may have noticed how the kitchen cabinetry is divided into lower and upper cabinets. It is because that’s how important the detailing for your kitchen cabinets is. You can’t consider the same kitchen design ideas for both because they each serve specific purposes and add different aesthetic value to your overall kitchen design.
Hence, today we are going to take the time to discuss kitchen cabinet design ideas in a little detail. The reason for this is simple. We want you to have an impressive new kitchen that defines the functionality, brings you joy, and inspires you to cook delectable meals for your loved ones.
Read also – Small Kitchen Design Ideas to Maximize Your Kitchen Layout
Kitchen Cabinet Ideas to Add a Special Touch to Your Interior Design
When selecting your kitchen cabinets, think of the feeling they should inspire. We know, that sounds strange but psychologically speaking, every element on this planet has an effect on your psyche. You already know about the psychology of colors we discussed extensively but there is more to interior design.
✅The materials you choose, the patterns and textures that surround you, every item of home decor, and every piece of furniture and fixture inspire memories. They act as triggers.
Perhaps oak wood cabinets remind you of childhood Hanukkahs when Grandpa would sit in his wooden armchair and read stories to you.
Maybe the open shelves in your exposed cabinets remind you of the times you sneaked Christmas cookies from the open shelving in your mother’s kitchen cabinet. Perchance, when seeing a green kitchen cabinet, you recall the time you were backpacking through Europe and stopped at a small diner to taste the best beef stew you have ever had.
Memories are important. They instigate good vibes and positivity. So here are a few intricate kitchen cabinet design ideas to not only add aesthetic value to your new kitchen but also bring back beautiful memories. You can mix and match these design ideas to customize your kitchen cabinets.
Pick a Theme For Your Cabinet Designs
Much like selecting a theme for your overall home design, you can pick a theme for your kitchen cabinets as well.
✅In a rustic kitchen, you can install ornate cabinet doors with exposed wooden structures. You can also go for open shelves to stimulate a classic country kitchen look.
✅This could also work in a farmhouse kitchen style where you can tie the cooking space together with a rustic chimney, a farmhouse sink, and a small furnace for show or functionality as you please.
✅In other kitchen cabinet ideas, you can incorporate a contemporary kitchen theme with a minimalist design consisting of clean lines.
✅ A dark, black kitchen adds a sense of functionality to these modern kitchen design ideas and allows you to merge into the interior design of other rooms such as the living room, dining room, basically any room that surrounds the kitchen.
✅You can also opt for the oriental minimalist kitchen cabinet design trends and install sliding cabinet doors to make the kitchen look more simplistic. Consider using subway tiles and wooden backsplash to tie the kitchen design ideas together.
✅ Lastly, and most commonly used kitchen cabinet design theme is the traditional kitchen plan. You simply need to select a basic kitchen cabinet design made of wood or glass doors.
Throw in a tile backsplash, an array of appliances that only adhere to their utility, and some light paint colors on the walls. These traditional kitchen designs call for minimum creativity but you can always spruce them up by accessorizing your kitchen cabinets with personalized items. More on that later.
| Thomas Borcherding, co-owner of Homestar Inc. and interior designer says, ” Introduce more wood tones. Wood tones cultivate a more tranquil atmosphere, as the hint at nature relaxes the mind. Wood tones are also a phenomenal way to achieve more color in the kitchen.” |
Read also – Bathroom Cabinet Care: How To Maintain Your Bathroom Cabinet?
Decide on a Material For the Kitchen Cabinet Body
Once you have selected the theme of your kitchen cabinet design, you need to start considering the material you will use to build the actual cabinets.
Most commonly, people opt for wooden bodies for their kitchen cabinets, which is a fine way to go. However, keep in mind that often various types of wood instigate allergic reactions in family members. Therefore, you need to evaluate your options carefully so as not to make the kitchen a hot zone for hypersensitivity.
You can choose from a number of wood cabinet bodies such as:
- Maple wood
- Pinewood
- Oakwood
- Mahogany
- Alder wood
- Walnut
- Hickory
- Birch
Check which of these types of wood cabinets are safe to use around your loved ones. Also, check the porous content of the type of wood you select before planning the cabinet design with your designer or carpenter.
Another incredible kitchen cabinet material is metal, specifically stainless steel. These are not popular choices but with the evolvement of interior design, they are catching on quickly.
Choose Cabinet Colors by the Kitchen Design
As we have said on several occasions, colors play an important role in home interior design.
When selecting your cabinet colors, you must first visualize how it works with the paint colors of your kitchen walls.
| Kitchen design/colors | Cabinet colors to choose |
| Small kitchen – ideal colors on your walls and flooring would be light shades | White cabinets |
| Open-concept kitchen | Colors that complement the color scheme of the surroundings |
| Light green, light blue, and yellow walls | Dark brown or natural wooden shades |
| Light colored walls | Bold cabinet colors such as red, orange, navy blue, magenta, etc. |
| Black kitchen | White or black cabinets |
How to paint kitchen cabinets by yourself?
- Prepare the cabinet space you want to paint – remove the handles, hardware and wipe them squeaky clean. You need a clean space for you to work on.
- Prevent other spaces around your cabinet from ingesting your paint by covering them right – tight impenetrable covers
- Sand the surface well, to remove any bumps, and to ever-so-slightly harden the space for the cabinet surface to absorb and retain paint well. You need to fill any holes, or gaps in the surface to make the painted surface look spotless
- The kitchen is a messy place, and the cabinets in high traffic zones (below or above the countertop, or near the sink, and under the kitchen island. Choose paint that’s durable and can be cleaned easily with a damp rag
- You could grab a brush, spray can, or a roller to paint. For an even finish, the roller is your best bet. Paint with the roller, inside first, in a few layers to prevent any excess paint from dripping and staining the countertop
- Remove the shelves, door, hinges and paint each component separately
- Apply a glossy coat after you’re done painting
- Give the painted cabinet time to air dry, for the paint to stick onto the surface well
| Thomas Borcherding, co-owner of Homestar Inc. and interior designer says, “In a world of house-flipper grey paired with white subway tile, people are begging for color. A clever way to achieve color is by mixing cabinetry colors. For instance, if perimeter cabinetry color is white with a black countertop, inverse the colors for the kitchen island. The kitchen island would be dark brown base cabinetry with a white countertop.” |
Be Careful With Your Cabinet Hardware
Since the evolution of interior design and building cabinetry structures, the use of cabinet hardware has changed.
Gone are the days when your hinges and bolts fell apart from rusting.
✅Now, you have options to select stainless steel ones to protect your cabinetry.
✅Additionally, you can also choose the installation of the cabinet hardware to improve its lifespan.
✅You can opt for vertical or horizontal installations for swinging cabinet doors.
✅You can select a whisper-soft glider system for sliding doors and pull-out drawers.
✅You can even have roller tracks to support the movement of your kitchen cabinet doors and drawers.
| Jennifer Verruto, CEO and Founder at Blythe Interiors says, “Builder grade or no hardware is a clear sign of an outdated kitchen. First, if you have no hardware, definitely add it! We love a statement pull (instead of knobs). Pulls create length and drama, make sure to choose a finish that contrasts with your cabinet color. Upgrading your hardware will make a big difference – Think black or gold for a more modern punch! |
Revitalize the Storage Spaces
An important part of cabinet design is analyzing the amount of storage space you need.
Base cabinets, which are located under the countertops and sink, are usually used to store different manners of cookware. You can simplify the design to make the cooking process a lot easier. Here’s an idea:
Create a set of low-height pull-out drawers just below the countertops, preferably beneath the assigned spot for your burners. These are good to store your ladles, spatulas, brushes, strainers, peelers, knives, and other small cooking accessories.
Then, install deep-set pull-out drawers underneath the accessory drawer to hold larger cooking utensils. For the rest of the cabinetry, you can choose swinging or sliding cabinet doors or leave open shelves for storage.
Next, focus on the upper cabinets. This is where you store your dinnerware, namely your plates, bowls, etc. Make sure you not only have enough storage space but also facilities organizing the crockery with proper alignment.
Furthermore, you can create a section dedicated to stemware and glassware. You can also store your coffee mugs, ceramics, etc. in this specially designed storage space that is unlikely to let the precious, not to mention expensive items roll away.
Read also – Design Tips to Note Before Renovating Your Kitchen
Select Your Cabinet Doors
Now that all the little items are in place, let’s close that cabinet with a nice door.
For your cabinet door designs, you have a selection of options anywhere from plain wood, ornate patterns, cut-outs, or glass doors.
| Cabinet style/kitchen design | Cabinet door |
| Plain wood cabinets, in a modern kitchen plans | Articulate but simple door |
| Traditional kitchens | A simple door with ornate knobs |
| Ornate or cut-out cabinet designs | Simple wooden planks with custom carvings |
| Cabinet doors with mesh metal paneling for rustic, country, and farmhouse kitchen designs | Metal grate doors |
| Any design | Glass doors |
| Bob Bakes, Head of Design at Bakes & Kropp says, “Choose a clean, and inviting kitchen cabinet palette. We’ve found that our signature pairing of white and oak finishes strikes the perfect balance with warmth and modernity.” |
Utilize Designs for Corner Cabinets
These days, people tend to design rectangular kitchens with clean lines that run at perpendicular angles. Although these designs are trendy, they pose a real world problem. You either have to eliminate the use of the corner space or strain your back while trying to utilize it.
Our ancestors sure knew something we didn’t so they put the corner cabinets in place.
Strictly from a design perspective, corner cabinets offer innovative storage options. These designs not only facilitate using the corner space on countertops but also provide cabinetry for storing extra gas cylinders, a pipeline for your kitchen sink, or the gas line if your utilities are combined.
The corner cabinets add an edge to your kitchen design ideas thus creating a unique trend as compared to your neighbors and friends.
Consider Shaker Cabinets
These days, shaker cabinets are all the rage. We know when we say shaker, the first thing that comes to mind is a beautiful bar space.
Although we are a little sad to say that is not what we are talking about, shaker cabinets still keep us pretty pumped.
So, let us start by explaining that shaker cabinets are an extension of our cabinet door ideas. These simple but innovative designs style cabinets with a classic look. Normally, these cabinet doors come with center panels amidst five-piece doors but if you have a good cabinet designer then you can have one custom-made to your preference.
Shaker cabinet doors are the epitome of minimalist cabinet design. They use featured edges around the recessed panel without any carvings or decorative enhancements. You can get them with a laminate finish to preserve their condition for an extended period of time. If you are leaning towards a simplistic but modern kitchen design, then shaker cabinets are your new best friend.
Add Lights In and Around the Cabinetry
Lighting is an important feature in your kitchen design. Needless to say, you can use overhead lighting, pendant lights, and sconces at your convenience.
However, did you know you can now install lighting in and around your cabinetry as well?
Yes, that’s a reality.
| Position of lights in the cabinetry and kitchen | Type of lighting |
| Around your upper cabinets or install fixtures inside the cabinet | Accent lighting |
| Above base cabinet drawers | Targeted lights |
| Inside the kitchen | Rotational lights |
| Inside the base cabinets and drawers | UV lights |
Read also – Best Kitchen Cabinet Design Ideas
Accessorize Your Kitchen Cabinets
Lastly, just because your kitchen cabinets are basically small doorways to your necessities doesn’t mean you can’t decorate them with accessories.
To start it off, we have already discussed the glass doors. You can simply choose a designer glass panel with ornate designs and just leave it at that. It’s like a mini Sistine chapel within the confines of your kitchen.
If, however, you prefer a bit more flair, then consider wall art stickers on your cabinet doors. You can use whimsical stickers or some with flowers or food designs. These sure make the kitchen look fresh and feel cozier.
You also have an option to paint on your cabinet doors. You can easily use bold patterns or line them with fabrics and DIY textured papers. Perhaps animal prints and fur are a little uncalled for but a blossoming color paper might do the trick.
Conclusion
If you are unsure about what kind of cabinet design speaks to you or if you want your cabinetry to remind you of a blissful song, then talk to your interior design openly about your expectations. As homeowners, it is your prerogative to get your dream kitchen out of the renovation and almost all interior designers are well-connected with custom cabinet artists.
In case you are still unsure about the plans for your kitchen remodel and cabinetry layout, feel free to check out Foyr Neo. You can test different cabinet designs and how well they fit in with a farmhouse sink with an ornate faucet or the stainless steel appliances you prefer, or maybe both, because, why not? Sign up for Foyr Neo’s 14-day free trial today!
FAQs
Yes, sustainable wood options, recycled materials, and low-VOC finishes are environmentally conscious choices.
Lazy Susans, swing-out shelves, or diagonal drawers maximize accessibility in corner spaces.
Consider matching hardware finishes with faucets, lighting fixtures, and other metal accents for a cohesive look.
Pull-out pantry shelves, drawer dividers, and vertical tray storage are popular options for optimizing cabinet space.
Consider painting the kitchen island or a select set of cabinets in a bold hue while keeping the rest of the cabinetry neutral for balance.
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