Kitchen cabinets are the most underrated elements when it comes to the storage space in your kitchen. Even if they don’t seem that important because you’ve had them forever, they play an important role in how your kitchen will look and how it will affect how you move around when you’re cooking.
The kitchen can be an ideal space for everyone to have dinner for a birthday party or deal with a hangover the next day alone, so your lifestyle should help you as a guide. If you are always in a rush and don’t have time to cook, you may consider a more minimalistic style. On the other hand, you will need more storage and space to cook delicious meals with a big family.
Of course, you can be a good cook with a small kitchen, but you’ll maybe want to invest in some more qualitative furniture in addition to your utensils. And of course, we understand that sometimes building your dream kitchen can cost more than you expected, so we come to give you a piece of advice because there’s always a way to find what you want but on a budget.
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Evaluate your space needs
The first step is to measure how big is your kitchen. This way, you can think of a way to use your space for more practical storage. Keep in mind that there are standard units, but you can also choose alternative units, depending on the size of your room. If you have a small room, use the walls wisely by installing suspended cabinets to save floor space. On the other hand, having too much space can lead you to the same thing, but you know what you’re doing already if you are a maximalist.
The best thing you can do is visualise how it will look. You can find tools for this and play for a while with the elements to have an image in mind, not just a thought of how you want it to look like. And most kitchen unit stores have an online option to view their gallery so you can make the best decision based on what you see.
How can you choose the best cabinets on a budget?
This might be tricky, but budgeting doesn’t always mean cheap. You can budget and still get quality products if you look hard enough for the best sites, stores and shops around your town. First, you could start by asking yourself what you honestly want. Like the previous examples, if you are always in a rush and don’t need that much storage, maybe you can try something a little cheaper, but that will still show off your personality traits. Colourful kitchen cabinets shouldn’t be this underrated.
Also, if you need more space, you can find a way to improvise the way you’ll assemble the kitchen, but still, be realistic about the fact that you will need something durable and with a lot more space to prepare dinner for everyone. If you’re lucky to have more room for your kitchen, you will be able to spend time with your whole family while cooking.
Types of kitchen cabinets you can choose from
There are many kitchen cabinets that you can choose from according to your luxurious/minimalist view of how you want your space to look like. For the minimalist, you can choose from:
- Shaker (easy to clean and maintain)
- Flat-front (no frames or decorations at all)
- Handle-free (they can have special software installed so that you can open them with a simple command, like simple touch)
If you prefer luxurious kitchen designs, you can pick from:
- Craftsman (elegant touch of the joinery and doors)
- Beadboard (nice recessed lines and ornaments)
- Traditional panels
Keep in mind that the big and ornamental cabinets might need more maintenance and care than the ones from the minimalistic side. This is where you should see what type of wood is used and how you can choose the most suitable one. There are also framed and frameless cabinets if you have to hide what’s in them or if they’re essential things that you use frequently.
Quality is important for a durable kitchen cabinet
So that’s what we’ll be going to talk about. Ask yourself if you’ll live in this house forever to decide if investing in oak or hickory kitchen cabinets is wise. If you plan to sell the house, maple and birch may be a good alternative because they’re qualitative but not as durable as the options above.
When looking for the best cabinets, check their pieces to determine if the drawers are solid wood, if the doors are easy to open, and if the shelves are stable, so you will be able to store heavy utensils or whatever you usually have in your kitchen. Always “try them” to see if you can imagine doing your breakfast, lunch and dinner every day being surrounded by the cabinets you intend to purchase. They should be so practical and easily accessible to take what you need with your eyes closed.
Mass-produced vs custom cabinets: which ones are the best?
We’re going to be honest: it depends. But don’t have the misconception that mass-produced cabinets are inferior to custom cabinets because many businesses really invest in high-quality raw materials for their furniture. Of course, custom cabinets have more personality, they perfectly fit into your kitchen, but they might cost you more.
If you are changing the kitchen every time a new trend arises, it’s tricky to customise every time, but the good thing is kitchen cabinets can easily be slightly adjusted to fit the trends. The custom cabinets work very well if you are a minimalist and want just the practical part of the kitchen, but it’s still a challenge if you are new in the kitchen department.
To sum it up, if you have trouble choosing the perfect cabinets for your kitchen, just be honest with yourself about your budget and expectations. Don’t hurry up with purchasing something because it’s trendy, but try to get inspiration from everywhere and visualise what you need.
