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Here are the 22 trending styles and types of kitchen cabinets this year. Which are you going to choose for your kitchen?
There are two main parts of kitchen cabinetry — base cabinets and upper cabinets. If you imagine a typical kitchen counter setup, you have the base cabinets topped with the countertop, and you have the upper cabinets mounted on the wall over the countertops.
These two kinds of cabinets can come in many different types and styles — these are defined by the cabinet door style. And they may not necessarily match. This article is dedicated to exploring the most popular types of kitchen cabinets. But don’t forget the alternatives to kitchen cabinets too.
To illustrate with examples, we have included shopping links for each type. These links earn us a commission at no expense to you.
What's Inside
Shaker Cabinets
The most prevalent cabinet style in kitchen storage design, shaker style kitchen cabinets are characterized by their simple, practical style and straightforward construction. The name comes from the Shakers, a religious sect from the 19th century known for their simple furniture designs.
Shakers preferred clean, simple lines and minimalist styles, and their furniture designs are known for their practicality and simple, direct designs. They would often build furniture that was meant to last a lifetime, without any frills or unnecessary decoration.
This style is considered the go-to cabinet design that provides the most value for the money. Home stagers prefer it especially because of the decor-neutral nature and perceived value to customize the kitchen without big renovation.
Glass Front Cabinets
Glass cabinets will make the entire room seem brighter and more spacious. While they are more expensive than most other kinds of cabinets, they are worth the investment. They give every kitchen a shot of the class. Typically the upper cabinets have them. You do not want all-glass front doors, and it’s okay to mix and match with regular lower cabinet doors. Oftentimes, glass-front cabinets are used with base cabinets as display cabinets. They are typically found in kitchen islands. Glass fronts may be single panel, multi-panel, or stained-glass.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets
Take a combination of multiple styles and design, mix and match them and you have custom kitchen cabinets that fit your particular kitchen layout. These are ordered specially to be manufactored by your carpenter and cost a lot more than run of the mill store bought cabinets.
White Cabinets
We don’t always single out a single color as the type of cabinets, but when we do, it’s the white color. White kitchen cabinets are tidy, light, and neutral. They are timeless and traditional. It’s one of the most popular types of all kitchen cabinets. Because of their clean lines and elegant look, they are great for almost any kitchen decor. If you are thinking about installing new kitchen cabinets, you may want to consider white cabinets.
Louvered Cabinets
Louvered kitchen cabinets are a style of cabinetry that features vertical slats on the cabinet door’s front. They are composed of wood or vinyl panels with rectangular or square openings, known as louvers, drilled at regular intervals to allow air to flow and help with ventilation. Louvered cabinets are generally considered typical of houses built at the beginning of the last century, but they are experiencing a resurgence in popularity among those who appreciate the style.
Flat-Panel (Slab) Cabinets
Slab cabinets, also known as frameless cabinets (or flat-panel), are cabinets without frames around the edges. This makes them much cheaper than face-frame cabinets, but you should be aware that there are some downsides to this. In the past, frameless cabinets were also known as European cabinets, although this term is now considered outdated.
Flat-panel kitchen cabinets deliver an economical and straightforward range that will blend well with any modern kitchen. The consistent characteristic of this design is that the slab doors do not have any frames.
Inset Cabinets
Inset cabinet doors are inside of the cabinet frame, while the overlay doors are on the outside. The inset doors have exposed hinges, which can make an excellent accent feature. As such, they are more expensive because you need more expensive hinges.
Overlay Cabinets
Overlay cabinet doors are outside of the frame and have their hinges hidden. It’s a more popular design and it’s cheaper (you don’t need expensive overlay hinges).
Distressed Cabinets
Are you looking for a vintage kitchen design? If so, you should probably go for distressed cabinets and drawers available from many manufacturers.
Do your old cabinets need refacing? How about distressing them yourself as a feature? It can be easily done using a coat of paint and a distressing technique.
Beadboard Cabinets
Beadboard cabinets are cabinets that utilize a beaded wood finish as their surface. While the beadboard has been used for centuries by craftsmen, it has only recently become a popular option for kitchen cabinets. The style can be used in any room, and it is often used to create a vintage or country look in kitchen designs. This kind of paneling is not usually used on its own but rather as an accent to cabinets and other woodwork.
Thermofoil Cabinets
Thermofoil cabinets are one of the newest technologies in kitchen cabinet construction. The term thermofoil is a name for the method of heat-pressing vinyl on an MDF board. Thermofoil cabinets are typically used for kitchen cabinets that are finished to look like traditional wood cabinets. When cabinets are finished with this material, they can be used in wet areas. It is considered water-resistant.
The process contributes to some sturdy and inexpensive kitchen cabinetry. Usually, mass-produced thermofoil cabinets are available only in solid colors and imitation wood. These cabinets are affordable as well. Thermofoil kitchen cabinets are easy to maintain, immune to stains and moisture.
Kitchen Island Cabinets
Check Out the Top 10 Best Kitchen Island Cabinets
A small kitchen island is essentially a cabinet with a countertop. It’s a standalone cabinet that you can place anywhere in the kitchen for extra task surface and storage.
Wall Kitchen Cabinets
Wall cabinets are cabinets that are mounted on the wall. Typically they are the upper cabinets in the kitchen. Often these cabinets have glass front doors or open shelves for decoration purposes.
Tall Kitchen Cabinets
Tall kitchen cabinets are standalone and usually about 84 to 96 inches tall and around 12 to 24 inches wide. These are typically found in storage closets and pantries.
Sideboard Cabinets
Similarly to base cabinets, the sideboard is a cabinet that stands on the floor. But unlike base cabinets (that are usually part of counters), the sideboard is a standalone unit. It’s also known as a buffet or a credenza, depending on its design and purpose.
Traditional Kitchen Cabinets
Traditional style cabinets are often called stock cabinets. Traditional cabinets are typically made with plywood or solid wood. Plywood cabinets may be painted, stained, or varnished. Solid wood cabinets are often left unfinished, with the natural grain showing.
Rustic Kitchen Cabinets
Rustic style kitchen cabinets are made with a flat top surface, and this is generally made of laminate or wood. These cabinets are known for their distinctive design style and appeal to those who want to decorate their homes with a more natural feel, and those who like a more traditional and old-fashioned style.
The design of rustic cabinets is characterized by rough wood surfaces, solid wood edges, and a flat top. These have a more relaxed and organic look as compared to conventional cabinets. Make sure to use neutral colors with browns and grays and earth tones with concrete wood surfaces.
Contemporary Kitchen Cabinets
High-end kitchen cabinets today are usually elegant and contemporary. Their clean lines and sleek look characterize contemporary cabinets. The cabinets themselves are typically made of wood or metal and create a built-in look that can make your kitchen feel more spacious. This built-in design will be most effective in cramped, narrow spaces because the absence of molding allows for taller cabinets and more storage space.
Country Kitchen Cabinets
Country kitchen cabinets are put to use to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. They are made from solid wood and so are made to last over time. Utility cabinets are typically painted in vivid colors such as green or red. Patterned curtains are frequently used in this type of decor, and polished decorative panels have replaced conventional solid wood.
Open Kitchen Cabinets
Nowadays, open kitchen cabinet designs are prevalent. This style gives the kitchen an airy and modern look while enabling you to bring out your kitchen personality. Use open shelves not only to keep the kitchenware but create decorative displays.
Plywood Cabinets
Plywood is being valued for its useful, practical, and ornamental use. It has a warm and organic quality, all the while being a cheap material. Plywood cabinets (also called pressed wood cabinets) are the least expensive cabinets. They are typically lighter than solid wood cabinets and are made of wood layers that are compressed together under high heat and pressure. These types of cabinets can be made from either
Natural (Unfinished) Wood Cabinets
Unfinished wood kitchen cabinets are exactly what they sound like: cabinets that have not yet been covered with a finish, whether paint or varnish. They’re a popular option among DIY-ers looking to save money or have a unique look to their cabinets. There are several ways you can go about finishing your unfinished cabinets, depending on the look you want to achieve. Leaving them unfinished is also a trendy decorative feature.
