Kitchen Cabinet Materials That Contractors Love

Solid cabinetry is one of the essential components of a functional and beautiful kitchen. Ask any local cabinet maker and you’ll learn that some cabinet materials are favored more than others. 

Quality, durability, and versatility play a huge part in how craftsmen choose the best materials for kitchen cabinets. And if you’re wondering which materials to purchase for your kitchen construction or remodeling project, we’ve got you covered. Here are some cabinet materials that contractors love. 

Original Hardwood. Known for its durability and classic appeal, solid hardwood exudes luxury. Some of the most commonly used hardwoods for kitchen cabinets includes cherry, oak, maple, walnut, and birch. These high-end wood materials are typically available in semi-custom and custom kitchen cabinetry options. Each type of wood has its different color variations and natural textures — which you can custom cut and finish to get the aesthetics that you want (e.g. Rustic, contemporary). 

Natural Softwood. If you want your kitchen to have a farm- or country-style appeal, softwood cabinet materials are the way to go. Popular choices are pine, cedar, and spruce — which are lighter or paler in color compared with traditional hardwoods. Keep in mind that their softer surface makes them more vulnerable to dents and moisture. 

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Made of pressurized fibers from recycled wood, MDF board is a good choice if you’re looking for a cabinet material that can withstand peeling and cracking. Most often MDF is used as an inside cabinet material, where natural first cut wood doors are used to finish the cabinet. Because MDF is easy to paint over, it gives property owners that much-needed versatility when it comes to aesthetics. 

Cabinet-grade Plywood. Many local cabinet makers prefer plywood because it’s economical and highly resistant to moisture. Compared to MDF, it also has greater stability, thanks to its composition: each layer or board is glued sandwich-style using a special adhesive. 

Stainless steel. Giving a more modern or commercial appeal to your kitchen, stainless steel is a material that comes in ready-to-assemble or semi-custom options. They’re mostly used in commercial settings because of their high resistance to moisture. The downside is that it won't give you the certain warm, homey aesthetic appeal that wood materials evoke. 

What Are The Different Cabinet Quality Grades

There are various options if you’re looking for the best materials for kitchen cabinets. But apart from picking which type of material you’ll use for your dream kitchen; you should also decide which quality grade you will utilize. 

The four main categories are Ready-to-assemble (RTA), stock, semi-custom, and custom.

RTA cabinets, as the name implies, are designed for DIY kitchen improvement projects. Available in a variety of styles and sizes, these can be assembled and installed even without the help of professionals. 

Stock cabinets, on the other hand, are already constructed from modular units and arrive at your home pre-sized. Compared to RTAs, they’re available in a wider variety. However, keep in mind that sizes are already fixed, so you can’t alter them to fit into your available space without some carpentry skills. 

If you’re looking for more variety and something that can be modified, semi-custom kitchen cabinets are for you. Semi-customs don’t just allow size adjustments once the order has been placed but are often better made by skilled cabinet makers. 

Custom made kitchen cabinets are the superior choice among the four categories but also the priciest. Custom cabinet makers will customize your cabinets including your preferred material, style, finishing, plus, accessories. 

It is hard to find local kitchen cabinet makers today. Many of the custom cabinet makers in New Jersey got gobbled up by larger cabinet manufacturers. The best place to buy kitchen cabinets today are through a kitchen designer that has those relationships already established.

Custom Made Kitchen Cabinets Make the Difference

Style and layout are crucial factors in any kitchen. But to truly achieve a functional kitchen that fits your demands and preferences, investing in custom made kitchen cabinets is highly recommended. Compared with their mass-produced counterparts, these storage solutions are designed and built according to your specifications and other set parameters.

We’re giving you the best ways how these cabinets can make the difference and help you achieve your dream kitchen.

They allow you to maximize your space. One of the best things about customized kitchen cabinets is that they’re built to fit the space you have. No matter what size or shape your kitchen is — and no matter how much storage space you’d need for all your kitchen stuff — cabinet makers can deliver a final output that can help you maximize every space you have.

They provide endless possibilities, aesthetics-wise. Apart from helping you create a kitchen that works best for your needs, custom made cabinets also give you the liberty to choose the colors and other style elements you want. Seeking an industrial appeal? How about a grand French Country style look? Because cabinets are a highly visible component of the kitchen, designing them to your liking can help you achieve the overall look you want for your kitchen.

They make your kitchen more personal. Do you have a special affinity for specialty wood work, crown molding and embellishments? Do you want to make a certain storage space more functional to accommodate your baking equipment or smaller kitchen appliances? If there’s any detail or unique modification you want to add, custom cabinet makers can turn your ideas into a reality.

They offer a higher quality of craftsmanship. Cabinetry professionals allot time and effort to create custom kitchen cabinet design that will surely satisfy their clients. And this is why tailored-fit cabinets generally have a higher level of craftsmanship than what you typically see in showrooms.

They are built to last. In consonance with having a higher quality of craftsmanship, painted kitchen cabinets are very in these days. A custom cabinet maker can utilize specialty hard woods and materials you just can’t find in the big box stores. Consider it as sort of an investment to a work of art that can last a lifetime.

Speaking of having the freedom to choose your cabinet materials, customized cabinets also allow you to uphold your commitment to living a more sustainable life. If you want a more eco-friendly kitchen design, we recommend hiring a kitchen designer in Hunterdon County NJ we love for your dream kitchen, and she will work closely with the cabinet maker that can help you get access to materials, like renewable, reclaimed woods that have a low carbon footprint.

Compared with stock cabinetry, custom kitchen cabinets give you the opportunity to truly showcase your personality. And because kitchens are a focal point of the majority of homes in the country, it’s also a great way to make a statement — something that can make your residential space more unique and special.

Contrast Is the Hottest Trend in High-End Kitchen Remodels

In most parts of the country, housing markets are booming. Smart homeowners realize they can use the equity in their houses to improve the overall value of their residential investment. Of course, few renovations are more advantageous than a kitchen remodel. If you are planning to renovate your home’s nerve center, you should think about contrasting colors when planning your new kitchen design. Here are four reasons contrast is the hottest trend in high-end kitchen remodels.

1. Contrast Is Different

Not many things are more frustrating than spending $50,000 or more on a kitchen renovation only to realize your new space looks like the builder-grade project a friend or neighbor already has. Even if you choose expensive appliances, countertops and finishes, your kitchen may not stand out without something more. Contrasting the colors found in your cabinet’s finish and the colors in your countertops is an excellent way to avoid that just-built, mass-produced look that is common in many homes.

2. Paint Is In

Wooden cabinets will probably always have a place in kitchens. Nonetheless, too much wood can appear dark, heavy and dated. By combining painted kitchen cabinets with wooden furniture, you can give your space a more stylish vibe. Try installing painted lower cabinets and wooden upper cabinets or vice versa to achieve a magazine-ready look. If you are married to the idea of having only wooden cabinets, try painting an island or banquette to achieve the contrast you are looking for.

3.Stone Is Hard To Match

With the elegant appearance and resilient surface of polished stone, marble, granite and even manufactured stone countertops have a place in any renovated kitchen. When looking through stone countertop styles, though, you probably notice that most types are varied and colorful. Matching natural variations is often impossible. When you add some contrast to your kitchen, you don’t have to worry about whether your stone countertops and cabinets match. On the contrary, the more the surfaces don’t match, the more modern your new kitchen looks.

4. Buyers Love It

If you want to list your house for sale, you should consider the real estate competition in your neighborhood. When buyers walk through your house, you want them to be wowed when compared to similar homes. A custom designed kitchen in Princeton NJ that looks and feels customized, will help potential buyers do a double-take when they see your home. If you do it right, don’t be surprised if you receive multiple offers from interested buyers.

Remodeling your home with custom kitchen cabinets is one of the smartest investments you can make. By adding some contrast to your painted kitchen cabinets and the stone countertop style you select, you take advantage of the hottest trend in high-end kitchen remodels. Remember, with a bit of contrast, you can likely create the kitchen of your dreams.

White Kitchen Cabinets Are Still Trendy

For homeowner’s looking to increase resale value, remodeling a kitchen makes sense. Still, swapping out old appliances, bad cabinets, and worn flooring requires a huge commitment. Unless you are planning to put your house on the market for sale immediately, you must live with the design choices you make. How are you to choose which cabinets to use? For virtually any space, white kitchen cabinets designed to fit your décor are still trendy. Here are a few reasons you can’t go wrong when you install white kitchen cabinetry.

Increase Visual Space

In many homes, kitchens seem dark and uninviting. When you look at most designer kitchen designs, by contrast, each room appears larger and brighter than they actually are. There is a reason designer kitchens look so great. In those rooms, white cabinets increase the perception of the visual space of the area. Since your eye doesn’t get caught up looking at dark wood or shadows, it focuses on other design elements in the room.

Promote Cleanliness

Whether you are a neat freak or not, you want your kitchen to look and feel clean. Since white is the color of cleanliness, white kitchen cabinets designed to fit help give your food preparation space a sanitary feel. Despite scrubbing, darker stained wood cabinets can often seem dull. Don’t let your guests think your kitchen is unclean. Instead, choose white cabinets to set a tidy tone for your home’s nerve center.

Complement Other Elements

If you’ve found the perfect slab of granite or the right refrigerator for your new kitchen, you may be concerned about cabinets clashing. That’s for good reason. If you choose too many bold elements for your new room, you risk getting a kitchen that looks busy and cluttered. When you opt for white cabinets, you can complement other design elements much better. Rather than having cabinets that contrast greatly with flooring, countertops, appliances, and other things, choose white and remove some of the clutter from your remodeled kitchen.

Invest in the Future

With a fresh coat of paint, white kitchen cabinets don’t show their age like other types of cabinets. Whether you plan to sell your house soon or own it forever, you can be certain your designer kitchen designs that include white cabinets will retain their designer, high-end look. Even better, if you decide to change design elements in the future, you will find that your white cabinets will be much more flexible with your new décor.

If you are considering remodeling your kitchen, you don’t have to be afraid of design commitments. By working with the right kitchen designer in Hamilton, NJ, invite the designer to suggest a few options of white kitchen cabinet designs. Two great minds work better than one.