Because cabinet doors are the face of the kitchen, it will be very important that you choose a finish you want to look at for quite a number of years.
Keep in mind that, whichever material you choose to use for your cabinets, durability and low maintenance have to be the key to your choice.
As most of the cabinet carcasses nowadays are made of particleboard or chipboard, the only thing you have to worry about is the finish of the cabinet doors.
First of all it is important to choose which material you want to use. In this section, the different finishes and their possibilities will be explained.
Door Styles
There are a number of door styles, such as the following:
- Square Raised Panel
- Cathedral Arch
- Roman Arch
- Solid Panel
- Traditional Mullion Glass Door
- Country Mullion Glass Door
- Beaded Panel
- Shaker or Mission Style Door
- Shaker Door with Center Stile
Raised panel doors are available in a square, roman arch or cathedral arch style. The drawer fronts are offered flat or also with a raised panel. Styles range from simple to beveled, or grooved with added details. The arch or square style works well with traditional decor. The square door works well with contemporary decor.
Recessed panel doors are usually available in a square design or possibly with a cathedral arch. They look like a picture frame with a wood center panel. This style works well with country or contemporary decor.
Flat panel doors are either made as a solid wood with batten strips applied on the back to prevent warping, or as a veneer with solid wood edging. This style lends itself well to contemporary decor.
Beaded or slatted panel doors are available as either a raised panel or a recessed panel. The raised panel version tends to look more country where the recessed panel can work in either country or contemporary decor.
Shaker style doors are a version of the recessed panel. The doors, as well as the drawer front, are recessed with a very square profile (edge). This style works well in a country mission or an arts and crafts style kitchen.
