In every remodel that is done to a kitchen, the cabinets, more often than not, gets the biggest fraction in a budget. In choosing your cabinet, think long-term. Make sure that you choose wisely and that your choice is something that you will not be regretting for the next couple of years. Here are some tips
If the cabinets that you currently have are durable and are still in good working condition, you can update them by a simple freshening up. One way to do so is by re-staining them. This method will not cause a strain on your budget. Painting them is also a cost efficient way of updating them. Another method you can use is re-facing. This is where you put in a new veneer on the outside part of your cabinet. The doors are then replaced with new ones. The same goes with the drawer fonts. This process calls for services from experts. It also saves you time and effort since you are doing away with the labor of having to remove the old cabinets and replacing them with new ones.
Bear in mind though that the cabinet doors are the costly ones, along with the drawer fonts, when we are working with cabinets. It takes up around 60-70% of the total expense. So if you are hiring someone to do the job for you, it might be more practical to just buy a new one and replace the whole thing.
The upside in getting new cabinets is that you have free rein in choosing from the different styles and designs available. Now given the you have already decided to get new cabinets, you still have to decide whether to have one customized for you or if you will just get one that is ready made.
If you have a specific design in mind for you cabinet and wants a specific material used for it as well as a certain finish, then custom made cabinets is right for you. The only downside to this though is it takes time to finish and is quite costly.
You also have the option of getting semi-customized ones to save yourself from the hassle of planning and cost. Although it is made according to the size you are requiring, it already made with set increments. If there is too much space for the wall, you might need to use a spacer to hide it, and this forgoes storage. Nonetheless, even if you have limited say on the range of accessories as well as that of the materials and the design itself, they are not that pricey compared to that of the fully customized ones.
The most affordable among all cabinet kinds are stock cabinets. They come with set sizes and have set standards. It is also important to note that although stock cabinets are not really that popular quality-wise, there actually a lot of solid wood cabinets available in the market.
Regardless of the cabinet type you choose, the quality and durability of the materials to be used should always be considered. It is also recommended by professionals to select cabinets that have at least a warranty that is good to last for 5 years.
Now we move on to the different types of cabinets in terms of the construction as well as the style sported by the cabinet doors. In the usual kitchen you would find framed cabinets. This type has a frame outside just around the opening portion wherein the door is joined to that of the frame.
Another type would be the frameless cabinet. It is also being referred to as” European-style.” This type doesn’t have a frame in the outside. Unlike the framed ones, the door for the frameless cabinets is joined to the cabinets’ side. Also, unlike the traditional framed cabinets, frameless cabinets give easy access to the inside of the cabinet due to the absence of the frame in front.
As for the door, there are many styles to choose from. You have doors that only cover part of the cabinet frame, doors that cover the entire part and doors that are located inside the frame.
Now that you have finished taking care of your cabinets outside part, hence appearance, you can now shift your focus to the cabinets’ real functionality and features.
Cabinetry used to be installed in the kitchen for its functionality. Nowadays, it has evolved into something so much more. You now have pullout drawers for your cookware, assigned cabinets for the junk, so on and so forth. In addition to that, you now have accessories like spice racks that are already built in, organizers that are made up of drawers etc. This makes your kitchen more fun and functional.
Finally, to complete the whole remodel, install cabinet pulls or cabinet handles depending on the style or look that you are going for. Cabinet knobs are just as effective. The great thing about hardware is that you have so many to choose from with every price range that you can think of.
