Everything You Need To Know About Cabinets
Basic Introduction to Cabinets
When you think about cabinets, more often than not, you think of
kitchen cabinets. These are the hottest cabinet items in the
market today because of their functionality, importance, and
versatility. However, there is more to cabinets than kitchen
cabinets, as cabinetry encompasses all facets of home decoration.
Cabinets are more than just storage. They speak of your
personality, your taste, and your sense of style. The
possibilities are endless, but it boils down to what your choice
is. In terms of style, there are just too many different kinds
of cabinets to chose from. But they are basically subsumed into
common classifications such as framed or frameless, stock or
custom made, traditional, country, or modern style, made of
hardwood, wood veneers or other materials.
Stock and Custom Cabinets
Cabinets are generally classified into stock cabinets and custom
cabinets. Stock cabinets are those cabinets that are
pre-fabricated and can be bought "off the rack" in many cabinet
shops. Custom cabinets, on the other hand ordinarily refer to
cabinets that are specially built by cabinet makers to fit a
homeowner's very detailed specifications, and are usually done
on site (homeowner's house).
Framed and Frameless Cabinets
A framed cabinet is a cabinet with a frame attached to the front
edges of its body. This is also known as traditional,
face-framed or American-style cabinet. A frameless cabinet, as
the name implies, is one that has no frame attached to the
surrounding face of the body. This is the standard among
European-style cabinets.
Traditional, Country, Or Contemporary Style
If one goes by tradition, all kitchen cabinets are made from
hardwood and are fastened to the kitchen walls. But nowadays,
permanently fixed cabinets have given way to standalone mobile
cabinets that may come in unconventional materials such as glass
or plastics. Traditional style cabinets are appealing to more
people because of its' ageless look.
Country style cabinets give a comfortable, cozy and welcoming
feel to a room. Hardwood is the best material to start with if
you want a country feel to your cabinets, as this can blend well
with florals or nature-inspired textiles or designs.
There are countless other styles to choose from, enough to get
you more confused on choices to be made. To avoid this, It would
be best to know where to look in the first place. Browse through
magazines, woodworking books, or cabinet shops. You can expand
your search to websites on home and furnishings. But do not
forget to choose a style that would naturally blend with design
and architecture of your house.
Solid Wood, Bonded Wood, and Wood Veneers
It's been a long time since having new cabinets means getting
the services of a cabinet maker or getting down to your work
clothes to make customary wood cabinets. As technology and
skills improve through time, the possibilities have become
endless. Old and new materials offer other different
classifications of cabinets.
Solid Wood
Because of its versatility and ageless look and appeal, wood has
become the most common material used for cabinets. It gives out
a warm, homely atmosphere, and blends well with almost any kind
of interior design and d