Great Kitchen Cabinet Styles for Any Home
Historically, for a lot of people, cabinets were only cabinets. From their beginning, kitchen cabinet styles were cubes with or without doors on them that were suspended on kitchen walls. As the years went by base cabinets were added as domestic engineers accumulated additional kitchenware and required a place to store it. The cabinets didn’t have to be nice to look at, because they were intended to be functional. Exceptions to this practice were in the mansions of the rich who had elaborately-carved wood and custom-designed styles.
During the Victorian times, cabinetry, as with the taste in furnishings, wallpaper, and carpets, was very ornate, designed using fine hardwoods. You might have had the chance to visit some of these vintage homes and observe the elaborate cabinetry those people enjoyed. Kitchen cabinet styles were basically limited to what people could afford.
Modern cabinets have turned into a number of different styles in a variety of different price ranges to satisfy the needs of every homeowner. Instead of simply being basic boxes containing shelves any longer, there are numerous specialty cabinets you can choose from, such as a pantry, a cabinet with a fold-out shelf for a heavy appliance, or open plate racks. Cabinets come in solid woods like oak, cherry, maple, and birch plus various styles with melamine or wood veneers. Tastes can vary from modern contemporary styles to elaborate, hand-carved units. It all depends on what you want.
The first thing to ponder when choosing a kitchen cabinet style is the basic style of your home. Most people prefer to have kitchen cabinets that look good with the home décor which makes their kitchen look like it is an integral part of the rest of the house. The most popular styles that that are available for kitchen cabinets include:
* Traditional – formal kitchen cabinet style with hardwoods, dark stains, and
brilliant brass hardware. Conforms
with the styles of the 18th and 19th century.
* Contemporary – sleek, streamlined cabinetry with simple, basic lines and flush
doors. Can be constructed of a
selection of different materials, such as wood, glass, laminates,
chrome, or stainless steel.
* Shaker – exceptionally simple, plain wood cabinets
finished with dyes and oils.
* Country – simple lines for a very laid back look.
Finished with paints or stains and either with or without doors
* Rustic – knotty pine, strap hinges, and basic kitchen cabinet
style.
* French Country – European styling with ornate, carved moldings and possibly feet,
more like furniture than kitchen cabinets.
* Arts and Crafts – Square, bold lines
created in Mission style. Often of oak.
* Cottage – casual and cozy with mismatchedstylescabinetry,finishes, and hardware.
With all of these different kitchen cabinet styles to select from, there’s sure to be one that will look just right in your home and blend your kitchen into your overall décor. You can also add private touches to the styles of some of the cabinets. For example, you might want to consider adding colored glass inserts to the doors or finish them with speciality glazes and exotic hardware. As you can see, kitchen cabinets aren’t merely boxes any longer. They’re a reflection of your excellent taste.