Cons: The main con of using upper cabinets is that they simply take up space, which can make a kitchen feel smaller, darker and more cramped. Cabinets, especially ones that go up to the ceiling, are also generally more expensive than shelves or wall finishes.
Base cabinets are significantly more expensive than wall cabinets due to the extra size and extra costs for drawer boxes and hardware. Replacing the doors and drawer fronts save money, and labor for removal and installation. Also, new base cabinets may not have the same dimensions as the old ones.
There are some undeniable advantages to this: the airy feel, lots of room for windows — and also some undeniable disadvantages: the loss of storage, the prospect of bending down to get everything you need.
White oak is one of the most expensive cabinet materials on the market and can be roughly 40% more expensive than its red-oak counterpart. There are two key reasons for such a stark contrast in pricing.
Benefits of High End Kitchen Cabinet
Here are some advantages of high-end kitchen cabinets. Durability. High-end kitchen cabinets are made to last. With the help of design experts, choose premium materials that will withstand the test of time when building your bespoke cabinets.
Kitchen cabinets are often considered a crucial element in the kitchen; providing extra storage for crockery, spices and small appliances, however, the latest kitchen designs have done away with those bulky upper cabinets. As it turns out, the space between the countertop and ceiling is ripe for rediscovery.
Plywood: The highest quality kitchen cabinets are made of cabinet-grade multi-layer plywood. Plywood cabinets are strong, easier to install and considerably lighter in weight than MDF or particleboard cabinets. While more expensive, plywood cabinets are a good choice if you expect to own the house for a long period.
Cabinets made of MDF, particle board, or other mixed synthetic materials are going to be much less expensive than lacquered cabinets or those made of solid wood or glass.
Arguably, the most timeless kitchen cabinet color is white. Bright white cabinets suit a variety of beautiful kitchens, including modern, contemporary, and farmhouse styles.
1. Solid Wood Cabinets. Solid natural wood cabinets are the gold standard when it comes to strength and longevity.
Shaker-Style Cabinets
Known for their simple design and recessed-panel doors, Shaker cabinets have been in style for more than 100 years. Shaker cabinets are popular in farmhouse kitchens, but they also work with a variety of home decor styles.
This is one of the main reasons designers and homeowners seem to be ditching the wall cabinets. There's been this ever-growing kitchen trend of trying to make our kitchens look less... kitcheny. And cutting out half of the cabinetry you would find in a 'traditional' kitchen is an easy way to do that.
Overall construction quality and manufacturing
Most expensive cabinetry products are made by experienced artisans with great craftsmanship in cabinet making.
Custom versus stock
As to average prices: Stock cabinets: $100 to $300 per linear foot installed. Semi-custom cabinets: $150 to $650 per linear foot installed. Custom cabinets: $500 to $1,200 per linear foot installed.
With that in mind, your safest option when designing for resale is to incorporate light, neutral colours with universal appeal. Using white or off-white shades is the most popular way to do this. Whether it's through painted cabinets or a light and airy countertop, including white is always a go-to in the kitchen.
Shaker Style Cabinets
With clean, classic lines, Shaker is the most popular cabinet door style because it can work beautifully whether your aesthetic is modern, transitional, or traditional.
All-White Kitchens
For the past decade, we've been seeing white walls, white tile, and Carrera marble. People are tired of these muted palettes, and designers are bringing in color— which we love.” Most designers also agree that white-on-white kitchens will look dated in 2023. So what color will be the new white?
We'd argue that when it comes to kitchen decor, quartz countertops fall into that category of timeless go-tos. The draw, says New York based designer Ariel Okin of Ariel Okin Interiors, is the material's ability to withstand years of chopping, mixing and holiday cookie-making. “They can take some abuse,” she explains.
Quartz countertops from companies such as Caesarstone and PentalQuartz are another good option. Blackband recommends sticking with white or, if you don't like white, a neutral color, such as tan, beige or ivory. Go with a subtle pattern and low veining for a longer-lasting look.
They're made of engineered wood.
Solid wood cabinets, esteemed for their strength and good looks, can quickly run up a five-figure price tag. Ikea cabinet units, on the other hand, are made from a cheaper melamine-clad, medium-density fiberboard (or MDF), a type of engineered wood.
Slab doors make an excellent canvas for unique hardware (knobs, drawer pulls, etc.) and are easy to keep clean or refinish. Because of their simplicity, flat-panel cabinets can be the least expensive, although factors like the type of wood used, finish applied, and hardware affect the cost.
The bottom line
The exact same cabinet will typically cost less if shop-built versus job-built. There's no real quality difference between shop-built and job-built cabinets typically, but there are some features for shop-built cabinets that might not be available for job-built.
In her own home, as well as on her television show “Fixer Upper,” Gaines has used a variety of different types of cabinets, including: Shaker-style cabinets: Shaker-style cabinets are a classic choice that features simple, clean lines and a minimalistic design.
Cabinet Quality Grades. Cabinets are grouped into four grades based on quality of construction: ready-to-assemble (RTA), stock, semi-custom and custom. Decide up front on the amount of money to be invested in cabinetry and then browse cabinetry lines and options within your budget.
Cheaper cabinets will often use thin panels which then require metal hanging rails with brackets, rails, and a picture frame construction. Sometimes they leave the panel out completely, so the wall shows through.