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Post by melodyesch on Apr 13, 2025 21:42:46 GMT
My DH and I will be moving into the home that used to be my grandmother’s. The kitchen is small and needs to be extended. We know what we want, but now that we’ve started to look at cabinets, it’s just so confusing! Do you have any recommendations on cabinet brands?? Thanks!
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scrappinwithoutpeas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,215 
Location: Northern Virginia
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Post by scrappinwithoutpeas on Apr 13, 2025 22:07:58 GMT
Decide on a door style/shape that you like (plain/arched/inset/Shaker style, etc.), material (type of wood), and color (wood stain, natural, painted). If you decide on those first it will narrow down your choices. You'll also want to have in mind whether you want them all the way to the ceiling, rough idea of layout (uppers, lowers, corners, island). All the better if you can draw what you want (or have someone rough sketch it) to take to the people you'll be working with.
When we remodeled a kitchen (20+ years ago!) one of the first things we did was sit down with a cabinet maker (company) and narrow down the options. Once we had the cabinet finish, style, & layout decided, it also helped us choose a good match for the countertops, wall color, backsplash, etc.
Another option is to do it in reverse. For instance if you know you want a certain material & color for your countertops and appliances then let that help narrow your cabinet choices.
ETA: Our cabinets were REICO and we met directly with them. Our case was a little different because we were given [solid cherry] cabinets that were being scrapped (but were like new) from a friend's remodel and we were having new/additional cabinets made to match the style of the existing ones we were given. Their kitchen was a different layout so we used as many of theirs as we could and had the remainder made to match to fill in areas where we needed a different size/shape. Even though we were paying for basically custom cabinets, it saved us a lot in the long run. The REICO cabinets were very well made and lasted well. Still looked good when we sold that house last year.
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Post by ntsf on Apr 13, 2025 22:57:25 GMT
expect surprises in plumbing and electrical.. and old kitchens can have moisture problems. get a designer to help you pick out cabinets, hardware and counters..stay away from trendy things like open shelves. think about how the cabinets fit into the style of the home. flatter surface.. easier to clean. add hardware--handles and such
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Post by Skellinton on Apr 13, 2025 23:08:19 GMT
My mom had to do a major kitchen remodel due to water damage and it was quite a process. She got beautiful corner cabinets but I really like, it isn't a 90° angle, it makes much more storage rather than having that dead space in the corner. She also got deep drawers so she can have canisters for flour and sugar and such in them. I have those too and I love them.
She has a narrow pull out spice rack next to her oven and then another narrow pull out for cookie sheets and cutting boards which she really likes
Another feature I really like that she has are the self-shedding drawers.
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Post by calgaryscrapper on Apr 14, 2025 4:45:25 GMT
Have the flooring etc tested first for asbestos.
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Post by lainey on Apr 14, 2025 10:41:39 GMT
We're going with Ikea cabinets in our new house, the design service has been excellent (even though I've changed my mind 3 times already!) the price is very reasonable and everything is guaranteed for 25 years.
I will say that the house was built in the 60s so we've had all new plumbing and electrics put in, that's something you should factor into your costs.
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Post by lisae on Apr 14, 2025 11:57:43 GMT
Don't rule out custom cabinets without investigating. I found custom cabinet makers less expensive than prefinished ones and went that route when we redid our kitchen. It was many years ago but I would still shop both options today. I also got what I wanted versus having to combine components and settle for something.
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smartypants71
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,992
Location: Houston, TX
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Post by smartypants71 on Apr 14, 2025 12:27:58 GMT
We're going through that right now. My kitchen was not in desperate need of a reno, but as I've gotten older I've grown to hate it because it requires me to basically get on my knees to dig around for stuff in the lower cabinets. Plus, I have carrera marble countertops that I absolutely hate. Fortunately, my wood floors are in great condition, so we didn't have to invest any money there.
We are going with Ikea cabinets with custom fronts but have yet to land on a countertop choice.
My only tip is that whatever you think the price is going to be, add another 10k+ to that.
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Post by mikklynn on Apr 14, 2025 12:56:52 GMT
Don't rule out custom cabinets without investigating. I found custom cabinet makers less expensive than prefinished ones and went that route when we redid our kitchen. It was many years ago but I would still shop both options today. I also got what I wanted versus having to combine components and settle for something. We had the same experience with a wall of built-ins for our family room. They were gorgeous custom made cabinets for less than what we were quoted at big box stores. My advice is to assume it's going to take twice as long as you think. Make sure you have a contingency fund for those unexpected issues. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Apr 14, 2025 14:28:19 GMT
We did this when we rebuilt our lake place. We went with a local cabinet place vs. a box store. The only thing I don’t really like is the lower corner cabinet. It has lazy susans (which is a must have, IMO) but the corner cabinet at the lake is at a 90° angle so there is a weird hinged door and the spinners inside have a cutout wedge to accommodate that. The cutouts in the spinners have to be lined up in order to close the cabinet door. (I’m probably not explaining this very well!) Our corner cabinets at home are on the diagonal so there is a standard door to access it and full round spinners inside which gives you considerably more storage space.
Oh, and definitely get pull outs for all the lower cabinets and pantry cabinets! We have that at home and I love it. We need that at the cabin. It makes it 100% easier to get at the things in the back of the cabinets. We have them in our tall pantry cabinets too, and the upper cabinet pull outs also have clear bottoms so when you pull one out over your head you can look through the bottom to see what you have stored up there. We bought the house this way so I never knew it was even a thing, but I find it to be incredibly helpful.
And for the love of all that’s holy, don’t get a built in fridge. Yeah they look nice, but they’re crazy expensive and if/when it dies it makes it nearly impossible to replace with a more standard refrigerator because none of them will fit in that custom hole. If/when the SubZero that came with my house dies, I’m going to have to either do a major remodel to make a regular refrigerator work in the existing space ($$$$$), OR I’m going to have to drop $10-15K to replace it with another SubZero which is also $$$$$. Neither of which is a great option, IMO.
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