Renovating or designing a new kitchen is a major undertaking and you owe it to yourself to take extra time during the planning stage. After all, the kitchen is probably the most populated room in your house and you want to enjoy spending time here.
If your final choice of cabinet color or style isn’t quite right, it can be difficult to adjust. The following points are designed to get you thinking about what you really want and point out some pros and cons that you may never have considered.
- How much natural and artificial lighting is available in your kitchen? Just having a light stain does not make a kitchen bright. If it’s more closed than open, consider creating a window to take advantage of lighting in adjoining rooms or add reflected lights from your cabinets.
- What is going on in the neighboring rooms? Are there tints or color schemes being used that you’ll want to incorporate into your kitchen décor?
- Looking for a contrasting decor scheme or a decor where the colors are softer and flow from room to room?
- If you decide on a lighter opaque color, keep in mind that this shade does not last as long as other colors or finishes. Depending on the size and age of your family, you may need to clean these cabinets more often.
- Consider any theme you want to feature, such as traditional, formal, country, rustic, or modern. The style and color of the cabinets will vary depending on the theme you choose. For example, a more formal look might include a glazed or stained cabinet finish with enhanced crown molding and possibly decorative legs to make your basic cabinets look like furniture. A contemporary look might have a smooth, molded door style and possibly be painted rather than stained.
- When choosing a color scheme, you may want to consider less traditional shades that provide a warm/cool contrast, such as khaki, oyster gray, or gray/blue.
- Once you choose your cabinet display, it should coordinate with your countertop, backsplash, sink, and appliances. Any decorative lighting, such as pendants over a dining area, should also be considered. Pendant lights can provide nice accents, but they can also be inconspicuous and simply disappear.
- The size of the room will go a long way in determining your lighting and color scheme choices. Dark cabinets are fine in a small, well-lit room with light walls; however, a combination of light tones will make a small kitchen appear less busy.
- If you’re opting for a fairly neutral kitchen, you may want to consider a few accents to add interest. In a large kitchen with lots of cabinets, choose one wall and add glass inserts to separate the wood. If you have a large backsplash area over your stove, a decorative tile image can liven up your workspace.
- The various species of wood for your cabinets lend themselves to different looks and decorating styles. The most popular choices are maple, cherry, birch, and oak. The latter was more commonly used in the 1980s, but is still popular for modern-style doors or painted cabinets where you want the grain to stand out.