Trying to pick cabinets for a new home I am moving into next April.?
Question:Have to choose from the builders options. What do most people like? .white, or wood (what kind of wood and what stain)
Answers:
I would do Maple with a chocolate glaze for the cabinets and if you have an island, I would suggest maybe a black stain to give your kitchen a custom look. Also, if you can, be sure you don't have a "soffit" above your cabinets (where there is no ceiling above your upper cabinets). I would suggest having your cabinetry staggered in height and if you can leave the space above the cabinets between the tops of the cabinets and the ceiling, you could do some creative things such as rope lighting (very inexpensive) as long as you have the crown moulding on the top of the cabinets (they have to be trimmed out anyway). The crown moulding will cover the rope lighting and the subtle lighting is beautiful in the evening. Also, don't forget to do undercounter mounted flourescents. They're wonderful for lighting your work areas etc.
Also, do granite countertops if you can afford to. They're beautiful and easily maintained. I have never regretted using granite and so glad I didn't go with a manmade material instead. All these things will give your kitchen that custom look...actually it WILL be custom!! GOOD LUCK and have fun!!
Personal preference I would go with the wood . color has to do with the rest of the kitchen, like counter tops, appliances, flooring. You can allways paint the wood
I say wood as well white is alot harder to keep looking clean as well as the paint color can be stained by wine smoke and just cooking stuff can make white become yellowish... go with wood its classic warm and always in style well at least the finish of wood is the shape of the cabinets thats another story LOL as far as wood colors and stains I think the darker woods are a bit more trendy at the moment but its really just a matter of what you love... some people feel that dark stains are gloomy and some people feel that light wood looks unfinished... I had a light wood stain on my cabinets in my home my dad came in and asked me when I was going to stain the cabinets and I was so sad because they were already finished... (he is obviously a dark wood fan) another thing to consider is the style your going for... cherry wood can be very traditional where as lighter wood can be more country and dark wood can be more modern... and they can all also be any combination of those as well... a good idea would be to say what style you want to have or what kind of feeling you want from your kitchen. anyways good luck with whatever you choose... oh and my dream kitchen would have a cherry wood finish with a traditional finish and dark granite or quartz countertops and matching flooring very dark but I think very warm... especially since the darker colors can hide a bit of dirt alot better then the lighter ones... either way good luck
I think that you should stick with any kind of light wood. White is pretty but it's not as heavy duty when it comes to scuff marks. (kid proof) Don't go to dark because you never know what colors you may what to paint your walls. I use to flip homes & I know that light wood is good for resale too.
The other responses were good but I think that it basically depends on your overall style. As a designer, the first thing I would do would be to ask you how do you plan on designing the other spaces in your home.
The most popular wood used in kitchen cabinets is oak. However, I feel the two best woods to use are maple and cherry. Maple is a very smooth wood and when you look at model kitchens, it is the most versatile choice. Many times when people purchase new homes, they also purchase new furniture and if this is the case for you, I would encourage you to select maple.
One of the things about building a home through a builder is that the homes all tend to be cookie cutter and very unoriginal. My idea would be to mix dark and light cabinetry to create a more custom look for your home. Make the base (bottom) cabinets a dark cherry (I am using cherry in the generic sense because not all builders offer chestnut, cagnac, or walnut stains) and have the wall cabinets in sort of an almond type glaze. I dont know if this would be possible for you because of the builder situation.
Alternatively, I would recommend maple cabinetry with a glazed finish. It's traditional and modern (transitional) at the same time. This is why maple is such a good choice for cabinetry - it can go either way or be exactly in between styles.
Lastly, cherry would is great for the formal more traditional kitchen. When designed by a professional it can also be very modern. When you design a cherry kitchen the style isn't defined by the darkness of the cabinetry (because naturally, cherry is not dark, it darkens over time), but by the look of the door. For example, cathedral doors are traditional (doors with an arch). Or you could opt for a simple more transitional shaker style door (a simple recessed door).
Also, there is nothing wrong with white cabinets and if they have the proper finish, they will not yellow. ALL cabinets get dirty (films from grease and general cooking). However, if you do choose to go white, I would recommend a more off white (almond, pearl, or some kind of glaze).
The kitchen is my favorite room in the home to design. I hope this helps!
More Related Questions & Answers...