Kitchen Bath Cabinets

Here's a decorative and practical way to update your home, and add some stylish storage to boot! Think about adding installed cabinets in your kitchen, bath, office, bedroom, game room - there are many styles available in a wide price range. It's easy to update your house by selecting quality cabinets, perhaps complemented by a new countertop, paint color or other wall treatment.

First, walk through your house - especially the rooms that flow from one to the next - and see where there's an opportunity to add cabinets that draw the rooms together. The cabinet style you choose should reflect the overall home architectural style, then address specific needs of each room.

Depending on your budget, consider cabinet refacing, stock, semi-custom or custom cabinets, all which are available in a variety of styles. Let's look at considerations for each type:

• Cabinet refacing: The quickest installation and easy on the budget, cabinet refacing eliminates the mess and complications found in a major remodeling project. Doors and drawer are prefinished, so installation is fast. Generally half the cost of a complete kitchen renovation, new cabinet doors can increase the a home's resale value.
• Stock cabinets: Although there are a limited selection of styles, sizes and materials, stock cabinets are inexpensive and take little time to deliver ("in stock").
• Semi-custom cabinets: Somewhere between stock cabinetry and custom are semi-custom, which are available in a number of styles and finishes. These cabinets are built to your dimensions, so you can request specific cabinet heights, widths and depths. Available in both framed and frameless styles.
• Custom cabinets: As the name indicates, these cabinets have no limitations on dimensions, design, materials, finishes and other special features. Due to the expense and time to produce, custom cabinets are the smallest category of cabinet types. Generally built on-site, with superior materials and fit.

When shopping or talking to your cabinet professional, here are some basic options - terms to help describe the right style for you:

• Framed cabinets come in a few styles. In general, a framed cabinet features a front frame around the door opening, and will have drawers and doors that are either flush inside the frame, inset partially, or the door or drawer will cover the frame. Framed cabinet are very popular - they're easy to install due to the rigid front frame, and can be more cost-effective because the cabinet backs can utilize thinner materials. The downside is the openings are smaller than a frameless cabinet (see below).
• Frameless cabinets are generally considered contemporary or European in style, as the doors and drawer fronts form a continuous line and don't have a front frame. Sleek, clean lines are featured, with the doors attached directly to the cabinet sides. A little more challenging to lay out, but the pay-off is easy access to the entire cabinet interior.

Call your cabinet professional for a consultation on what's right for your home design and budget.