What Door Style Should I Choose?

When it comes to kitchen design, one of the most important elements to consider is the style and mounting of the cabinet doors. The right cabinet door can completely transform the look of your kitchen, adding a touch of personal style and enhancing the overall aesthetic. With so many different styles and mounts to choose from, it can be overwhelming to make a decision. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the most popular, and offer some tips on how to choose the best one for your kitchen.

Door Styles

Recessed panel doors offer a clean recessed design with squared off frame edges. The most popular is shaker, but this basic design can be customized with different edges, frame sizes and center panel designs/materials such as glass or fluted panels. If you are looking for a simple and timeless look, this style is for you.

Raised panel doors have a more traditional formal raised panel with decorative frame edges. If you love elegance and minute detail which harkens back to times past, this is the style for you. There are many choices for the center raised panel and edges depending on how elaborate you want to go with it. An example of the most popular are the square or arched raised panel as shown here.

Glass panels have a transparent, textured, frosted or leaded panel that allows you to showcase items inside the cabinet. They could also have mullions or strips of wood to give it a paned glass look. Glass can be used on just a few cabinets or all of them. Most people choose a select few so that they can still hide items but showcase others. This style can make your kitchen feel more open and airy.

Slab doors are modern and have a minimalist esthetic. They are simply a flat solid door with no detailing. These are great for most colors but are especially great for high gloss bold colors or textures. If you love modern sleek design, then these are the perfect selection.

Mix and Match Door Styles

The fun part about these styles is that you can mix and match the doors and drawers. For example, you could have Shaker doors and slab drawer fronts. Or a raised panel type door with a recessed panel drawer front. It’s all up to what looks good to you.

Door Mounting Styles

Once you have selected the the perfect cabinet door style for you, the next step is choosing the right mounting to ensure they enhance the look you are going for.

Standard overlay means that the doors and drawer fronts cover or overlay the front of the entire cabinet except for a 1-2 inch gap revealing the face frame underneath and between the doors. In standard overlay the hinges may or may not be visible as they could be mounted to the face frame or inside the cabinet. If you want the hinges to show, then this is the option for you.

Full overlay means that the doors and drawers will cover or overlay the entire front of the cabinet except a small 1/4 inch gap in between. The hinges are attached to the inside of the cabinet and therefore are not visible. Full overlay gives your cabinets a more finished clean look overall.

Inset means the doors are mounted inside the face frame of the cabinet opening rather than over the face frame so that it is flush with the front of the cabinet. This uses special hinges so that they are not visible. This offers a seamless custom look which goes well with modern design.

Choosing the right cabinet door style for your kitchen is an important decision that can greatly impact the overall look and feel of your space. Consider the style of your kitchen, your personal preferences, and your budget when selecting the best look you want to achieve.

Explore different door styles at this link on Pinterest!