Cabinetry 101: Kitchen Cabinets and Kitchen Drawers

Choosing kitchen cabinets and drawers is a big decision.  As I have learned from working in the kitchen and bath remodeling industry, most people are unaware of the different kitchen cabinetry options that are available.  So, when clients come to our design showroom, I take the opportunity to show them around and give them a quick course I refer to as “Cabinetry 101”.   

Here are a few of the cabinetry questions we discuss in detail with our clients:

What exactly is Solid Wood or All Wood cabinets?  This is one of the more confusing terms used in the cabinet industry.  Solid Wood (or all wood) cabinets are actually comprised of a solid wood face frame and plywood sides, along with a solid wood door and drawer front.

What are the different types of cabinetry available for my kitchen? The 3 main types of kitchen cabinetry are framed, frameless and framed full access cabinetry.  Here’s the difference:

Framed Cabinetry:  Framed cabinetry is the most traditional type of cabinetry.  It has a face frame that is typically 1 ½” wide and covers the front of the cabinet box.  It comes with a variety of options, including full overlay, standard or partial overlay, inset, beaded inset or 3/8” inset.  Each of these options provide the cabinetry with a different appearance.

Frameless Cabinetry:  Frameless cabinetry is more of a contemporary European style.  They have no face frame attached to the cabinet box. There are no overlay options in this type of cabinetry and the door completely covers the cabinet box. This type of cabinetry is often referred to as “full access” because there is frame reducing the opening.

Framed full-access cabinetry:  Framed full-access cabinetry are cabinets with a face frame that is only ¾” on the sides, and 1 ½” on the top and bottom rails. This allows for full access into the cabinet box, but maintains the top and bottom rail to attach moldings.

What are the different Drawer Front Styles available to match my cabinetry? When our clients are choosing their cabinetry styles, we will also discuss the drawer designs that are available for their remodeling project.  Here are some of the available design options:

Standard Drawer Front: The standard drawer front consists of a flat, solid drawer head with a simple square edge or a more detailed lip edge. While simple in design, they create a clean appearance and can be used in almost any space.

5/4 Raised Drawer Front: A 5/4 raised drawer front is a profiled drawer head that looks similar to a raised panel.  It is created from a thicker piece of wood, which tends to give your drawer front a more substantial appearance.

5-Piece Drawer Front:  A 5-Piece drawer head consists of a picture frame with center panel. It is simple in design, yet adds a bit more depth than the standard drawer front without the cost of a complex design.

This should give you a little insight into the different design options available for your kitchen cabinetry project.  Our design consultants will work with you to choose the cabinetry designs that will work best with your unique style and your remodeling needs.