Cabinet Door Style is as Important as Cabinet Color

Every kitchen design includes hundreds of decisions -- and you have to make every one of them.

It’s less stressful when you plan ahead and start considering your options before the sledgehammer hits the tile.

One element homeowners tend to overlook until the last minute are the doors on your cabinets. They might seem mundane, but when you really take a look at cabinet doors, you begin to understand how much time they require.

Because kitchens are mostly cabinets, and cabinet doors are the most visible parts of your cabinets, they become a major focus of any kitchen design.

There are three main styles:

Flat Panel
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1.  The traditional look of raised panel doors, which can run from sedate to ornate.
2. The clean design of flat panels of transitional design.
3. And modern/contemporary slab doors. 

In other words, if you are into a Tuscany theme, go with traditional. If you dream of entertaining in Denmark, slab doors will be your choice.

Raised Panel
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As with every other aspect of your kitchen design (unless you’ve already fallen for a style that you just can’t live without) the next decisions involve budget, style, and color and finish.

The price depends on the material the doors are made of as well as the style; elaborate and labor-intensive designs cost more. Raised panel and slab doors are more complicated to build, so the expense will add up more quickly, although raised panels are more pricey than slab doors. If you choose mahogany instead of hickory, expect a lot of dollar signs.

Flat panels will fit into nearly any style of kitchen and budget as they can be dressed up for the most elaborate designs by choosing high-end materials or dressed down for more simple designs by choosing a paint finish. 

Slab Panel
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And each of these styles can be further modified with cabinet hardware or the addition of glass or other materials.

Even after you choose a door style, your job is not yet done: You need to decide on color, finish and cost.

Examine the range of paints and stains, and also consider whether you want a distressed or antique look, which might work best in a rustic traditional or country kitchen.

No matter what you decide, there is one thing you can do in any kitchen, even before you remodel: Brew a cup of tea and relax as you imagine the beautiful look you will enjoy for the next several years.