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Design the Cabinets of Your Dreams
The Ultimate Guide to Cabinet Design in 2024
There are many options when it comes to cabinet design – different brands, materials, styles, colors, finishes, build quality, handles, inserts, lighting, and many more options…..
The Entire Process Can Feel Overwhelming.
We offer consultations at our Westlake Village cabinet showroom. Our design team quickly ascertains your needs, narrows down your options, and curates options for your consideration.
This guide is for those who want to understand the nuances of cabinetry. We will get into specifics. If you would rather have our team curate options around your needs, reach out to schedule your cabinet consultation.
Cabinet Trends in 2024
Natural Wood:
There is a growing appreciation for the organic beauty and texture of natural wood. Light wood finishes like white oak are popular.
Warm Color Palettes:
Warmer tones such as creamy taupe, off-whites, and hues with orange and red undertones are trending. These colors create a more inviting and cozy kitchen environment compared to stark whites of previous years.
Mixed Design Styles:
A blend of traditional and modern elements is gaining traction. This includes features like “skinny shaker” cabinets with thin frames and vintage elements like classic paneling.
Minimalist Aesthetics:
Clean lines, sleek surfaces, and understated hardware are seen.
Gold Finishes:
Gold finishes for hardware and fixtures are often paired with matte, brushed, or satin textures.
Optimized Storage:
There is a strong demand for enhanced storage solutions such as pull-out pantries, hidden compartments, and customizable drawer dividers. These features help maintain an organized kitchen.
Initial Cabinet Consultation Considerations
During the initial consultation, we learn about your needs and how you use your kitchen and cabinets. Think about these questions:
Aesthetic – What’s the overall aesthetic for your home and your kitchen? How does the cabinet style and design match the flooring, countertops, backsplash, appliances, and the rest of your home?
Functionality – How do you use your kitchen? What works in your current layout and what do you want to improve? What do you typically store, how does it fit, is it easy to access and stay organized?
Budget – Having a budget for your remodel project and knowing what portion goes to the kitchen and cabinetry helps make the best decisions and achieve your desired outcome. Semi-custom cabinets can cost 30% more than stock cabinets, and custom can be 2X the cost or more depending on the design. Setting a budget window allows us to present the best options.
Materials
Solid Wood
Common tree types of wood include oak, maple, cherry, hickory, birch, and pine. Wood is durable, can be refinished, has a timeless sophisticated aesthetic, and adds the most value to your home.
Plywood
Made from layers of wood veneer glued together. It’s strong and stable, resistant to warping and shrinking, and can support heavy countertops. It’s a more affordable price point than solid wood construction.
Particle Board/MDF
Made from wood fibers and resin, compressed under high pressure. Its smooth surface is good for painting, it’s affordable and not prone to warping.
Cabinet Style and Design
Door Style
Popular door styles include:
Shaker – simple, recessed panel popular for its versatility
Slab – flat panels for a modern look
Beadboard – vertical grooves for a cottage feel
Raised panel – elevated center panels for a traditional look
Recessed panel – flat panels surrounded by a frame
Mullion – glass-front doors with dividers
Open frame – single glass panel without dividers
Louvered – horizontal slats for ventilation
Door Finish
Natural wood finishes – light oak and walnut add beautiful organic warmth
Stained – enhances wood grain, available in countless shades to match your aesthetic
Painted – Smooth, clean modern aesthetic, hides wood imperfections
Glazed – Vintage and antique aesthetic, adds depth and dimension
High Gloss – Reflects light, giving the kitchen a larger appearance
Matte – Subtle and sophisticated, hides fingerprints and smudges
Hardware
Knobs– Small and round, used on both drawers and cabinet doors
Pulls (Handles) – Longer than knobs, available in various lengths
Bar Pulls – A straight and sleek pull, ideal for modern designs
Cup Pulls – Recessed pulls that provide a grip from underneath
Edge Pulls – Installed on the edge of the cabinet door or drawer, often hidden.
Finish Materials
These various hardware options come in different styles from timeless, modern, industrial, and more. They are offered in various finishes including:
Gold – Sophisticated, adds an upscale look
Brushed Nickel: Versatile, modern, and hides fingerprints.
Oil-Rubbed Bronze: Rich, dark finish that adds warmth and an antique feel.
Polished Chrome: Shiny, modern, and easy to clean.
Matte Black: Sleek, contemporary, and hides smudges.
Antique Brass: Classic and elegant, adding a vintage touch.
Storage and Functionality
Space Optimization features are tailored around your needs and what you do in the kitchen. Our clients love features including:
Lighting
Under-Cabinet Lighting: This lighting is installed on the underside of cabinets to illuminate countertops, making tasks like cooking and cleaning easier. Popular options include LED strip lights, puck lights, and light bars.
In-Cabinet Lighting: Installed inside cabinets, this lighting helps illuminate the interior, making it easier to find items. It can be motion-activated or manually switched on. LED strip lights and small puck lights are commonly used for this purpose.
Toe Kick Lighting: Positioned at the base of cabinets, toe kick lighting creates a subtle, ambient glow along the floor. It enhances the kitchen atmosphere and provides practical illumination for the nighttime navigation.
Above-Cabinet Lighting: Installed on top of cabinets, this type of lighting adds a soft, upward glow that highlights the ceiling and adds depth to the kitchen.
Drawer Interior Lighting: Integrated into drawers, this lighting turns on when the drawer is opened, making it easier to see the contents.
Accent Lighting: Used to highlight specific features or decorative elements within the kitchen, such as glass-front cabinets or display shelves.
Smart Lighting: Controlled via smartphone apps or voice commands, smart lighting offers flexibility in adjusting brightness and color.
Build Quality
Joinery – Joinery options in cabinets refer to the methods used to connect pieces of wood to form the structure of the cabinet.
Dovetail Joint – Interlocking wedge-shaped cuts (tails and pins) that fit together like puzzle pieces. Extremely strong and durable, often used in high-quality drawer construction. Time-consuming to make.
Mortise and Tenon Joints – A tenon (a projecting piece) fits into a mortise (a corresponding hole) cut into another piece of wood. Strong and sturdy, good for heavy loads.
Dado Joints – A slot (dado) is cut into one piece of wood to receive another piece. If made too deep, it can weaken over time.
Rabbet Joints – An L-shaped notch cut along the edge of a board that fits into a corresponding recess in another board. Easy to make, provides good alignment, but not as strong as dovetail or mortise and tenon joints.
Butt Joints – The end of one piece of wood is butted against another piece and fastened with nails, screws, or glue. Simple and quick to make, minimal tools are required but can be a weak joint over time.
Drawer Slides
Under-Mount Slides – Mounted under the drawer, hidden from view. Concealed for a cleaner look, often feature soft-close mechanisms, allowing for full drawer width.
Side-Mount Slides –Attached to the sides of the drawer and the cabinet. Visible when the drawer is open, reducing the drawer width slightly.
Center-Mount Slides – Single slide mounted under the center of the drawer. Concealed, but limited weight capacity, can cause the drawer to wobble.
Bottom-Mount Slides – Similar to under-mount slides but typically attached to the bottom sides of the drawer. Visible hardware inside the drawer, limited weight capacity.
Ball-Bearing Slides – Use ball bearings for smooth operation. Durable, can handle heavy loads, smooth and quiet operation. Great for heavy-duty applications.
Soft-Close Slides –Feature a mechanism that slows the drawer as it closes. Prevents slamming, adds a touch of luxury, increases drawer life.
Full-Extension Slides – Allow the drawer to extend fully out of the cabinet. Provides full access to the drawer contents, available in various types (ball-bearing, soft-close).
Certifications
Several certifications are given to cabinets that meet certain standards. These are the most common cabinet certifications:
KCMA (Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association) Certification
The KCMA certification ensures that cabinets meet specific standards for durability, quality, and performance. Cabinets are tested for structural integrity, finish, and materials.
ANSI/KCMA A161.1 Certification
This is a performance and construction standard specifically for kitchen and vanity cabinets. Includes tests for structural integrity, door and drawer operation, and finish durability.
CARB (California Air Resources Board) Compliance
CARB regulations control the formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. Cabinets must meet strict limits on formaldehyde emissions.
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certification
Ensures that the wood used in cabinets comes from responsibly managed forests.
GreenGuard Certification
Verifies that products meet rigorous standards for low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Cabinet Manufacturing Partners
Over thirty years, we’ve developed relationships with some of the world’s best cabinet manufacturers. Some of the brands we carry include:
Dura Supreme
Year Started: 1954
Known For: High-quality custom and semi-custom cabinetry with a focus on craftsmanship and innovative design.
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty.
Quality Level: High. Dura Supreme is known for its durable construction, variety of finishes, and attention to detail.
Kemper
Year Started: 1926
Known For: Semi-custom cabinetry with a range of styles and finishes.
Average Price Range: Mid-range.
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty.
Quality Level: Good. Kemper cabinets are built with quality materials and construction methods.
Ovation
Year Started: 1995 by a group of experienced cabinet makers with the intention of providing high-quality framed cabinetry at a great value.
Known For: Custom cabinetry
Average Price Range: Moderate to high.
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
Quality Level: High. Ovation cabinets are recognized for their customization options and quality craftsmanship.
Sollera
Year Started: 2006
Known For: Custom and semi-custom cabinets that combine contemporary design with functional storage solutions.
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty.
Quality Level: High. Sollera is noted for its modern aesthetics, quality construction, and attention to detail.
State Restoration’s Cabinet Process
Step 1: Understand you. We review your needs – what you are looking to do, your aesthetic and your budget.
Step 2: Our free design consultation is at our 10,000 square foot Westlake Village Showroom. We show you the styles and finishes so you can see and feel the differences.
Step 3: If you’d like to proceed, we charge you a design fee which gets credited to your project. We come to your home and measure the space. We build out the cabinet design using our CAD software so you can visualize your layout.
Step 4: We order the cabinets from your chosen supplier. We coordinate their arrival with any other work we are doing.
Step 5: Our cabinet installation team installs the cabinets.
Ready to see cabinets in person?
Schedule your complimentary showroom design tour.