Choosing our kitchen cabinets.
if you missed: the antique grand piano into our kitchen island!
Like everything else in life, choosing your kitchen cabinets is a process where you are forced to define yourself.
Who am I?
Am I someone who has custom cabinets?
(spoiler alert— I am not.)
We started at custom cabinets; because Self said— you are special! Your cabinets should be special too!
Also, I had read a lot of this: you’ll be surprised! how affordable! custom cabinets are!
So I guess my surprise-meter is broken… because they cost exactly as much as I expected they would cost: a stupid amount.
After getting the quotes, Self was like– lol.no. make them out of cardboard… that way when they get dirty, you can just throw them away.
WAY BETTER PLAN.
Then we went old school— we live near-ish to the Amish; who make beautiful cabinets.
HOWEVER.
Amish people do not have internet.
That’s super awesome for them, that they have not wasted any part of their life on Pinterest or scrolling through fashion blogs, which are actually just platforms for mindless consumerism; of which I am jealous, because they get free clothing, play dress-up, and do not have to write text.
But I am someone who needs to conduct ALL communication through email.
—>THE PHONE IS SATAN <—
The Amish people know this and have sensibly barred him from their homes.
Then we took the obligatory trip to IKEA… so that we could lose our will to live and also acquire a whole bunch of low-priced crap we were mysteriously able to live without prior to the field trip; but now realize our lives were horribly mismanaged and unorganized.
Fortunately, the clothes-drying rack I purchased should fix all of that.
FYI, it looks like this and the design is AWESOME.
So I guess we ended up back where we should’ve started: in the middle-ish… we are going to use KraftMaid which is at Home Depot/Loews… we used them at our old/old house and were happy with them.
What we priced out came in at just under $5,000 (zero bells/whistles).
These layouts show drawer-over-door cabinets, but lots of you reminded me (THANK YOU!) that I’m supposed to choose DRAWERS! (or doors with slide out shelves.)
I’ve read this advice EVERYWHERE, (and promptly forgot) so for what it’s worth to anyone considering, it really does seem to be the UTTER CONSENSUS OF THE INTERNET… possibly the first and only such occurrence?
So that $5k price is just ballpark; we have changes to make.
Shockingly, I still have more to say.
We are no longer doing upper cabinets, but prior to this new evolution, way back when… we were planning glass-front cabinets.
I had 3 considerations (which I will tell you about because I spent way too long thinking about it to do nothing with the information):
1. NOT EVERYONE OFFERS BEVELED GLASS.
This was INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT to me because I am unwell as a human.
2. NO stacked uppers.
We have 9-foot ceilings, and I wanted uninterrupted height– one extra-tall cabinet, not two stacked on top of each other… (I think stacked is lovely in a different kitchen; but our space is not large, and I wanted my elements as SIMPLE as possible.)
3. GIANT FANCY molding that MATCHES the cabinets.
Theoretically, you can DIY any molding you want; but no matter how good my DIY paint match, it would drive me insane. INSANE. that it was not 100% identical.
Or, I would have already arrived at insane: having needed to research paint sprayers and application techniques and then spend months trying to re-create the pre-existing cabinet finish… no.
Finally… last thought: I would have liked inset cabinets; it’s why I pursued custom all the way to the Amish (who were still $$$)… and in the end, the price difference wasn’t worth it to me.
To me, really nice boxes… are still boxes; and whatever adjustments and compromises we’d avoid with custom cabinets… they aren’t important enough to me because my brain is made out of magpies.
First rule of Magpie Brain: never-spend-money-on-boxes-instead-of-a-fancy-soul-trophy.
April 30, 2018 @ 2:29 pm
If you want custom, don’t give up! Home Depot quoted me 12,000 for Martha Stewart cabinets with no upgrades. I found Greeson Custom Cabinets in my small North Carolina city. They crafted GORGEOUS Victorian style cabinets for me (solid mahogany and mahogany plywood cabinets, full inset doors, feet, they used reproduction and old hardware, milled custom trim, reproduced pictures I gave them of actual Victorian pieces….the works!) tore out my old kitchen, beautifully dealt with all the quirks involved with an 1890’s house ( not to mention mine!!) and installed the new for less then 12,000. And my kitchen is literally (not trying to brag here) twice as big as yours And they utilize email, and provide working plans with elevations so you really have a sense of what you’re getting. They even happily tolerated me hanging out in their shop looking at 100’s of woods and finishes until I found the one (THE ONE!!!) combination that matched the picture in my mind. I get complements all the time, and they have just gotten better with age. I am so glad that I stuck it out and got exactly what I wanted within my budget. I think (Paul don’t hate me) that you should too.
April 30, 2018 @ 6:10 pm
Eek! Greeson services my area! I was considering having mine refinished but sounds like I could get new for a reasonable price. I don’t care for mine 🙁
April 30, 2018 @ 3:01 pm
We went with KraftMaid thru Home Depot and are very happy with them. We upgraded a lot – solid wood and higher end lazy susan in corner and lots of unusual shapes and the fanciest matching crown molding to edge everything and matching beadboard for the backsplash and island ends… We did all drawers for the lowers and would never do anything else. The only cabinets on the lowers are the corner lazy susan and 3 (yes, 3) of the counter-height 9″ wide cabinet with a single vertical divider inside. Hubby added a horizontal divider (making the cabinet interior 4 equal sections) and they are perfect for cookie sheets, baking dishes and pans, lids, etc. They perfectly edge or finish an area where we needed a buffer and they are SO USEFUL!!! We have open walls above except a cabinet above the refrigerator and a corner cabinet in the, yes, corner. Hubby built a custom open dish rack that we painted to match the cabinets and beadboard and that’s on one side wall. Our kitchen is very unusual, we have a wood-fired oven that opens into one wall and a huge island, it’s a custom gourmet kitchen, and the KraftMaid cabinets are lovely in it, very furniture-finish looking.
April 30, 2018 @ 3:12 pm
My compulsion here would be to cheat with the windows…raise the one on the right so that the bottom is flush with the other opening in that wall – continue the cabinets at counter height underneath (three drawer numbers like you have flanking the stove. Then end the row of cabinets with a full height 2′ deep pantry, as little as 18″ in width. I’d paste a amateur sketch but I’m unable.
April 30, 2018 @ 3:25 pm
I don’t want to give you another rabbit hole to fall down but have you considered IKEA cabinet boxes with semihandmade.com doors?
April 30, 2018 @ 3:26 pm
Sorry, the website is actually semihandmadedoors.com.
April 30, 2018 @ 3:45 pm
I just can’t do Amish anything anymore. My trip through Shipshewana broke my heart. I know what a puppy mill looks like, even from the highway. I regret how much I love their pretzels and mustard. I can’t in good faith even buy those anymore.
May 1, 2018 @ 7:26 am
I’m with you on that Jayme. The puppy mill problem and the way they use up their horses then ship them to auction where they end up slaughtered for meat has really changed the way I feel about Amish products and supporting Amish businesses.
April 30, 2018 @ 4:00 pm
Have you decided what you are going to use for counter-top material and also if you will have a back-splash?
I have the same problem that I don’t like kitchens. I do like your blog.
April 30, 2018 @ 5:57 pm
You write so well, missy!
Anyway, you probably don’t want to know that (a) it is possible to make inset drawers and fronts for Ikea boxes, and they look fabby, and (b) there are lots of companies now who will custom-make fronts in pretty much any material, colour and style for Ikea cabinetry (standard fronts, not expensive inset ones, like Plain English, DeVol et al). The latest to the game, and so far my favourite (I can say this because our Ikea cabinets have fronts from them and I LOVE them) are The Swedish Door Company, here in Canada’s snow-swept sometimes sunny capital city, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Lovely to deal with, lovely quality, lovely price point.
April 30, 2018 @ 5:59 pm
PS – not sure, but you may have forgotten to include a fridge in your kitchen layout?
April 30, 2018 @ 6:18 pm
I have felt your pain at the entirely unreasonable cost of cabinets, but here’s a thought. Once you’ve got the boxes, the doors, fronts etc. can always be changed. Also still think you should go with the mob and get lots of drawers! Deep pot drawers are the bee’s knees! Keep thinking about your corner – if you go diagonal you can access all that lovely cube-age for bulk storage. Saw a great spot for the micro in your drawings – set into cabinet and facing the bench, therefor invisible at first glance. (I still secretly am hoping that the right sideboard comes along on Craigslist to marry your piano and mirror to create that elusive perfect unfitted kitchen) Carry on, brave renovator!
April 30, 2018 @ 10:07 pm
Custom varies a whole lot… We got quotes from 3 different cabinet makers, an the price for our kitchen varied everywhere from a rediculous $45k (from a guy with absolutely AMAZING craftsmanship) to $9k (From the guy we went with who normally makes furniture, has a just a single employee, and we were very happy with).
To give it more perspective, we also got quotes from several factory cabinet places, and those quotes varied from as high as $38k (custom, high quality, but still factory made) to $17k from Lowe’s, to $12k from an outlet that the cabinets seemed flimsy and we couldn’t get the layout we wanted.
The hardest part of going the true, craftsman-made, custom route affordably is finding the right cabinet maker. The frequently don’t do a great job of advertising.
April 30, 2018 @ 10:52 pm
I just have to say I LOVE your posts!!!! Even tho I am more of a “oh whatever” kind of person.
April 30, 2018 @ 11:23 pm
My idea here would be to cheat with the windows. Raise the one on the right so that the bottom is flush with the other opening in that wall – continue the cabinets at counter height underneath (three drawer numbers like you have flanking the stove. Then end the row of cabinets with a full height 2′ deep pantry, as little as 18″ in width. I’d paste a amateur sketch but I’m unable.
May 1, 2018 @ 4:42 am
Just discovered your blog- wonderful! If you haven’t pulled the trigger on the cabinets yet, you need to check Green Demolition, . Their brick and mortar location is in New Jersey, not far from Philadelphia but they list all their kitchens online including measurements for all the pieces in the original layouts, conditions and any exceptions not included. They buy all those Christopher Peacock style kitchen out of the mega millions mansions that someone just buys and decides must be redone for the sake of saying they had it all redone. We bought our kitchen cabinets from them (with classic inset cabinets, perfect hardware, glass fronted upper cabinets, granite counters and some appliances included) last month. The kitchen was much bigger than we need but had my dream island. Ended up with enough extras to make built in library cabinetry with bookcase added on top and a bathroom vanity. Whatever parts not needed, sell on Craigslist. Ours was about an $80,000 worth of materials, offered for $12,500, they accepted an offer of $10,000. Arrived in wonderful condition, and they was after they arranged 3rd party wrapping and shipping to Texas for me. (Which was additional). I have enough beveled edge granite to now pave a super highway. Many others listed are far less than that. It is the giant fancy of kitchen dreams. (and I admit I was holding my breath until it was all unloaded and realized it was perfection- is there any better feeling?). With shipping I still came in $2,500 under non inset cabinet quotes for the same space. Private message me if you would like to see photos on the one I received. Inventory is updated all the time.
May 1, 2018 @ 5:15 am
Look at the Crown Point Royal Ivory Custom one followed by the Boston Café au Lait. Either set would have ample pieces to configure in your space. Try an offer 20% less. Sell off the components/appliances you don’t need /want and you’d be under your Home Depot cabinet bid. The other advantage is they are built for tall spaces (and people, like you two). Would look amazing with your island and you have the advantage of reusing something beautiful instead of feeding the consumer beast.
May 1, 2018 @ 3:08 pm
VEB: You are the Bargain Queen we all admire. How could you not find custom cabinets for less than Kraft Maid???? We’ve had a small local cabinetmaker come in under the cost of big box alternatives such as Kraft Maid. TWICE!! These craftsmen are out there. Even here in Seattle where the cost of everything has become out-of-this-world. Don’t give up so easily!
Also, slide-outs behind doors (as in open the door, then slide them out, not open the door and discover it really is a drawer) are not great if you are even a tad bit less than absolutely precise and deliberate in all of your movements. I know, because my mother had them. They worked for her, and never showed a scratch from her less-than-coordinated moves. That’s because she never made any moves like that. I, on the other hand, even when showing supreme care and attention, left large gashes and gouges on her doors when I tried to pull out a slider before the door was fully open, or close a drawer before the slider was completely back in place. Even though the damning results of all my misdeeds were hidden unless the doors were open, I felt glaring condemnation for my lack of care whenever I witnessed those tragic signs of cabinet abuse. Please don’t do it. Nobody needs that kind of stress when it can be avoided. Not that you or the magnificent Paul would ever do something uncoordinated when working in the kitchen, but a friend of family member might. Save those relationships by avoiding sliders-behind-doors!
May 1, 2018 @ 7:20 pm
We had custom cabinets done by a local cabinet maker whose prices were competitive with Home Depot (or he would go out of business)! And yes, it is true that DRAWERS are the best thing…for one reason: the back of the drawer comes to you and you never have to get on your knees to reach that stupid thing at the very back…
May 2, 2018 @ 3:22 pm
*Kraftmaid too. But from an Independent Kitchen Store because they offered the style door I wanted that the big box stores didnt. Some of the trim (very simple) on a few of the doors had glue that had eeked from behind it. The Kraftmaid rep came to our house, went through every box of cabinets, and sent replacement doors. It’s nice to know they stand behind their product. (This was in 2004).
*I’m also on the drawer or pullouts bandwagon
*We did a single garbage pullout, and a double recycle one. Best decision ever!
* Some of our neighbors did custom and got beautiful cabinets and spent less than us!
*A custom cabinet builder moved in NEXT DOOR last year (13 years too late for us). I wouldnt be looking for a deal, but all the photos of his work are gorgeous, and well, if you had to live next door to a job…..
*99% of Florida homes have marble window sills in EVERY window….our kitchen one has granite to match the counters. The End
May 2, 2018 @ 3:56 pm
Why did you decide not to do IKEA? We love in a 60+ yo parsonage and the church is about to redo the kitchen with a small budget. We like IKEA cabinets better than Lowe’s but now I’m getting cold feet since you are The Queen of Research.
May 3, 2018 @ 8:58 am
Joy….Friends have done 2 Ikea kitchens, and are very happy with the results. Putting the cabinets together can be a real pain though.
May 16, 2018 @ 6:16 am
Can‘t understand why the cabinets should be white. Black lower cabinets, glossy or not, would match the piano island an look much less kitchen-like.
June 8, 2018 @ 9:25 pm
Lucky you! Your kitchen is gigantic – compared to our 7ft x 8 ft galley. No typo. Seven feet by eight feet – GALLEY. I’m pretty sure my parents had a camper with a bigger kitchen! I’m on my second and I swear LAST kitchen ‘reno’. Did updates 18 yrs ago. The original 1950’s cabinets – rock sold. I can’t bear to demo them out just to install new, so-so or $$$$$. We are painting. Changing appliances. Marble back splash/subway style. Graduating from formica to butcher block or marble. Making the pantry bigger? Longer counter? Encroaching into our “addition” room. New sink without the split. Maybe flooring? ALL white. Maybe a little SW 6688? My color of the week 😉
July 27, 2020 @ 2:59 pm
Absolutely beautiful. What paint colour are the cabinets?