You don't have to choose custom cabinets to personalize your kitchen. Incorporate your unique sense of style with these features:
Knobs and Pulls. These handy features are more than a means to open cabinetry. Along with hinges, they're integral decorative elements. The primary consideration when selecting knobs and pulls is determining whether these elements will serve as an accent or blend in with surrounding cabinetry. An extensive range of knobs and pulls is available from wood and plastic to metal and ceramic. Knobs are generally round, egg-shaped, organic or square and mounted with a single screw. Pulls are typically mounted with two screws. Personal taste and price point are the only guiding factors.
Accessories. Whether you are installing new cabinetry or upgrading, you'll want to peruse accessories for ease of use, optimum storage and increased organization. "The very basics include lazy Susans, trash bin and recycling pull-outs, and utensil dividers," says home improvement center specialist Wanda Edwards Lee. "And you can get as detailed as you like with semi-custom and custom cabinetry. But the more accessories added, the higher costs will increase."
Accessories vary from company to company but most offer a plethora, enabling cabinetry to be as hardworking as possible. Plate displays and divided wine racks establish eye-catching focal points but also serve a function. "For five-star cooks, spice drawers pack a big punch," says Jane Coslick, a Georgia-based interior designer.
Another popular cabinetry feature is integrated panel systems. Designed to look like surrounding cabinetry, these veneered facades applied to the surface of utilitarian appliances, such as dishwashers and refrigerators, avoid a choppy look and allow the kitchen to feel less industrial.
Here's a punch list of more handy accessories:
Options include painted, stained, glazed, antiqued and distressed surfaces
Learn the basic types of doors, hinges, latches and catches available for kitchen cabinets
How to Pick Kitchen Cabinet Drawers
Improved glide technology makes it possible for drawers to be larger and hold heavier items.