In our last post, we discussed the practical matters involved in buying new cabinets: taking measurements, doing research, and gathering samples. Today, we would like to tackle a tougher question: How do you choose the right cabinet style for you?

We often encounter clients who are overwhelmed with all of the choices available in modern cabinets. There are literally millions of combinations of cabinet materials, construction styles, finishes and sizes. Add in hardware styles and finishes, and the possibilities are all but limitless. To narrow down your search to a manageable level, we suggest starting with figuring out what is most important to you.

Choose the Right Cabinets Based on How You Will Use Them

For clients looking to purchase new cabinets, the first thing we recommend is to consider how you use your kitchen. In many families, the kitchen is the hub of daily life. They eat most meals there, plan their days and travels there, and mark the time by the ebb and flow of family members as they check in and ask, “what’s cooking?”

To make sure your new cabinets serve their intended purpose, take some time to make a list of the “must have” features you simply can not live without. Once you have identified these features, we can fine tune our designs for how you will use your new cabinets.

The Home Chef

For foodies who relish the time spent preparing and serving gourmet meals to friends and families, we suggest maximizing workspace. Making sure there is plenty of open space for cutting boards and small appliances on counter tops will make working in a new kitchen a pleasure rather than a chore.

Take the time to analyze your work flow: Is your prep area close enough to the refrigerator and cook top? Do you have to navigate around islands and bar stools to reach your well-stocked pantry? Can you even fit that giant stock pot in your sink, or flambé your latest culinary creation without singing your upper cabinets? Are the finishes easy to clean with a minimum of effort?

Think about the times you thought to yourself, “It sure would be nice to have that cabinet over here,” or, “I wish the door opened the other way.” Identifying these wants and needs can help us to develop the perfect solution for clients that want to get maximum functionality out of their new kitchen.

The Aesthetic

On the other end of the spectrum are clients searching for the perfect cabinets to compliment the rest of their home décor. For these homeowners, the visual statement made by new cabinets is the primary focus.

In these cases, we have an incredible amount of choices available in styles, sizes, and decorative elements. Our designers can assemble a palette of finishes and hardware that works with your flooring, furnishings, and favorite accessories.

The cabinet lines we carry also offer many options to add designer touches. Cabinets can be built with displays for fine china and crystal, racks to store and show off a wine collection, or shelves to hold accessories and greenery. Available options like leaded glass doors, decorative mullions, and custom panel inserts allow our designers to put together a unique look that will stand out from the crowd.

Whether you are looking for sleek modern designs or ornate traditional masterpieces, we carry lines that can be adapted to provide exactly the look you are after.

The Utilitarian

Occasionally we come across a client who doesn’t want to worry about either of the above considerations. They just want cabinets that work well, stand up to heavy use, and look good without putting a lot of time or effort into maintaining them. Many of these clients are installing cabinets in rental or investment properties, and simply want to get the most value for their dollar.

For these clients, we carry a full line of cabinets for kitchens and bathrooms that come in simple, no muss-no fuss finishes and plenty of shelving and storage options.

Somewhere in the Middle

Of course, many of our clients fall somewhere in between these extremes. They want a balanced approach of style, function and value. That’s where our designers really shine. By analyzing exactly how you will use your cabinets, we can help to put together a plan that meets all of your needs without breaking the bank.

Cabinet Depot Has the Right Cabinets for You

Give us a call today at (850) 444-9300 and schedule an appointment to meet with our talented team. We provide our design and measuring services free of charge, and we love seeing happy customers who get exactly what they need out of their new cabinets.