People don’t often realize it, but kitchen cabinet doors can dramatically change the look and feel of your kitchen and add to the overall beauty. The quality of cabinets plays a major role in the way they will make your kitchen look. Cabinets of poor quality will make your kitchen look worn and unflattering, but quality cabinets can completely change that look. And it’s simple because all you have to do is change the kitchen cabinet doors to achieve your new look.

The first thing you should know about kitchen design is that cabinets can be made from a wide range of woods which include:

Oak

Maple

Pine

Cherry

Hickory

Poplar

Alder

Birch

Cherry, Birch and Maple are popular choices for cabinetry. If you are looking for a more affordable option, Alder and Poplar are great choices and also work well with glazed finishes. Pine is a soft wood that is also popular among many homeowners. Hickory and Oak are the heaviest of your choices. Keep in mind, particleboard and plywood is also used in the cabinet construction.

The style of the door is also important. The four main types of doors include inset, lipped, partial overlay and full overlay. There are five main types of cabinet door shapes which include flat slab, recessed panel, raised panel, beadboard panel and curved panel.

Common cabinet design styles include traditional, country, shaker and contemporary. Raised panel doors create a more traditional design. Full overlay doors create a more contemporary look.

When it comes time to purchase your new cabinets, there are three main types of kitchen cabinets to choose from. These include stock kitchen cabinets, semi-stock kitchen cabinets, and custom kitchen cabinets. Stock kitchen cabinets are limited in design options, but also very affordable. Custom kitchen cabinets allow you to get exactly what you want with a very high level of craftsmanship. However, be expected to pay for such customization. Semi-stock kitchen cabinets are a happy medium between stock and custom cabinets, offering a certain level of customization.

Cabinet construction types include framed and frameless. Framed cabinets consist of two components, the cabinet box and the face frame. These two components are assembled together. Frameless cabinets, also referred to as European-styled cabinets, consist of a box with no face frame. Frameless cabinets provide better accessibility and extra interior space.

The last thing to know about cabinet design includes the decorative pulls and knobs. Not only are knobs and pulls put in place for aesthetic purposes, they also protect the wood and finish of the cabinets. They are available to many shapes, sizes, and styles which include but are not limited to brushed chrome, plastic, ceramic, glass and iron.

A kitchen cabinet door can add beauty to any kitchen and certainly the kitchen cabinet design appearance really rests on the quality of the cabinets that you use. It is therefore quite easy to change the look of your kitchen simply by changing the doors on your cabinets.

Therefore a good kitchen cabinet design is very important if you want to get the most storage use out of the storage space you already have available. More importantly when you are designing a new kitchen is should be a goal that you want to achieve with your finished design.

Often kitchen cabinets are made from various types of wood such as Oak, Maple, Pine, Cherry, Hickory, Poplar, Alder and Birch. The woods which are best suited to cabinetry are Cherry, Birch and Maple although the less expensive woods such as Alder and Poplar are good with a glazed finish for creating a more antique look to your kitchen. However if you are looking for cabinets which are hardwearing then you should choose Hickory or Oak and for those of you who have small children then do not choose Pine as it is prone to dents and scratches because it is a softwood.

The doors for kitchen cabinets come in three styles, slab, recessed panel or raised panel and along with this there are many cabinet design styles to choose from also. The more common styles of cabinets used in kitchens today are the Traditional, Country, Shaker or Contemporary look.

Many kitchen cabinets are generally constructed using a combination of the woods stated above as well as having particleboard or plywood using in their construction.

If you would like to have solid wood kitchen cabinets then you will find that these are generally more expensive. Most people tend to go for solid wood and plywood kitchen cabinets which are generally regarded as being stronger and thicker than those made with particleboard (although this is less likely to expand).

When choosing a kitchen cabinet design is it best if you start by defining exactly what style of kitchen you are after. Are you looking to design a kitchen on more traditional lines with raised panel doors and lots of ornate molding or do you want to go with the more rustic look by using knotty pine and simple detailing. So why not carry out a little research and see which style you prefer the most and what is best suited to the budget that you have.

Kitchen countertops are probably the most commonly used aspect of a kitchen, next in line with the refrigerator. Homeowners face an array of choices when it comes to choosing new kitchen countertops. Not only will the look of your countertops be of concern, but you will also need to figure out how you will be using the counter, what level of maintenance you will want, and what the cost will be. The good news is that there is a countertop material out there for everyone!

As far as costs are concerned, countertop materials range from as little as $5 or $10 per square foot to upwards of $200 per square foot. The overall cost of new countertops will vary depending on the performance of the material, the availability of the material, and the difficulty of installation. You will need to research each material, figure out the cost of material and installation, consider how much time and money you’ll need to spend to maintain your new countertop and calculate it all into a total cost.

There are numerous countertop materials to choose from which include granite, tile, stone, acrylic, concrete, stainless steel, laminate, and even wood. Of these options, granite happens to be the most popular choice. Below you will find a few descriptions of some of the most common countertop options:

Laminates

If you are looking into laminate countertops you will most likely come across the name Formica. Formica is the most common name for laminate counters. Plastic laminate countertops consist of thin layers of plastic that are glued to particleboard or wood. As with any material, there are pros and cons to laminate countertops. The pros include stain-resistance, low cost, lightweight, and the fact that they are available in an endless supply of colors and patterns. Laminate countertops are also very easy to clean and easy to install.

The negative aspect of laminate countertops is that the durability of these countertops will not last forever. Unfortunately, laminates are not heat or scratch resistant and they can become dull and scratch easily with tough abrasives. Furthermore, excessive water exposure can lead to warping or water spots and the color or pattern can fade with time. You may end up having to replace them sooner then you wish.

Natural Stones

Natural stone options include granite, quartz, marble, limestone, soapstone, and slate surfaces. All of these stones are very popular today, especially granite, because they are easy to clean, beautiful, and durable. Granite withstands heat, resists scratching or staining and will basically last until you choose to have it removed. Marble countertops are becoming a popular choice because of their exceptional and stylish look. Marble is a favorite among bakers. Slate stands out in a kitchen because it is very durable and has such a unique surface. Limestone, on the other hand, needs to have an eye kept on it because it is very porous and spills must be caught and treated quickly to prevent staining.

Engineered stone

Engineered stone is made from particles of rock, combined with resin and pigments. It is often known by its trade names which include Silestone and Cambria. Due to the fact that engineered stone isn’t a natural product, there are no flaws or veins, such as those found in granite. It is also available in dozens of colors and patterns to suit just about any kitchen design. However, be prepared to pay for such a flawless countertop.