Your Ultimate Guide to the Different Types of Cabinet Finishes

Here at WC Supply, we love cabinets. Tall cabinets, short cabinets, white cabinets, brown cabinets, European cabinets… We love them all! No matter the cabinet, we love to work with any of our customers to find the right ones for their space. As a homeowner, making renovations is a part of life — and for many, it can be a tough process. There are lots of reasons home renovations can cause immense stress on a homeowner. Most people don’t realize how important the decisions you make in your renovations are. One wrong choice and the whole space can just feel off. Many of our customers come to us not even knowing where to start, or what they ultimately want their spaces to look like. So, we’ve put together this handy guide to make it easier for you to decide on the perfect cabinet finish for your space! 

Renovating Your Home Is Essential

Whether you’re installing new floors, replacing your kitchen cabinets or even rearranging your furniture, renovating your home is essential to ensuring your space holds its value over the years. Homes that never get renovated run the risk of falling out of local, state and federal compliance codes, nor will they have high resale value. Keeping your home renovated and updated is just one way you can practice being a good homeowner! 

Are All Home Renovations Expensive?

Many homeowners balk at renovations because they can be expensive. This is especially if you hire professionals for everything or you order the most luxurious of items. However, some renovations are more expensive than others, simply because of all the factors involved. Spaces like the kitchen, bathroom and even the backyard of your home can all be expensive renovations. These are rooms that will need a higher renovation budget because of plumbing, landscaping and the amount of labor that goes into the work. 

Kitchens and Bathrooms — Expensive, But Worth It

As we mentioned, renovating your kitchen and your bathroom are two of the more expensive areas to make adjustments to. Because of the plumbing, electrical and technology involved in these spaces, it makes the spaces cost a bit more. There are lots of convenience features that bathrooms and kitchens can have, which also drives up the cost. 

One area that many homeowners find drains their renovation budget is in the cabinets. However, here at WC Supply, we strive to ensure that our customers can get the kitchen of their dreams without having to sacrifice quality or blow their renovation budget. Sure, we have luxury cabinets that we love, but we also offer some budget-friendly options that many of our homeowners opt for so they can add some additional features in their space. No matter what, the cabinets we offer are of great quality, regardless of their price point.

Cabinets — The Basics

When ordering cabinets for your kitchen or bathroom, it’s important to know some basics. There are different types of cabinets — and, depending on your kitchen design — that might determine the style of cabinet you order. 

At WC Supply, all our cabinets feature plywood boxes, soft close drawers and the ability to customize drawer depths. This is especially beneficial for our customers who are building their dream home or need specific customizations for their lifestyle. Some of our cabinets also offer the option to prep for glass, which makes for a great design feature many customers love. 

However, deciding the right cabinets for you can take a lot of thought. Luckily, we’ve put together some tips to help you choose the right cabinets for your space. 

Budget: Your budget will determine a lot of things, especially when it comes to cabinets. We offer a variety of budget-friendly cabinet options that don’t sacrifice quality over price. However, your budget is something that you can’t ignore. Even though you might want to spend thousands for custom-built cabinets, if you plan on rewiring plumbing or electrical, replacing floors and installing brand new appliances, you might want to change your thoughts on cabinetry.

Design aesthetic: The type of look you’re going for will determine the cabinet style you want in your space. French countryside? Ivory cabinets with glass panes. Farmhouse? Pristine white cabinets. Traditional mid-century modern? Painted cabinets are great here so you can feature one color for upper cabinets and another for lower cabinets. Really think about the design aesthetic you’re trying to achieve in your space and that will give you a much better idea on what cabinets are right for you.

Foot traffic: How often will you be in your kitchen? If you have an open floor plan and your kitchen island also serves as your dining table, or your kitchen is right off your garage and people walk through it constantly, that will impact your kitchen cabinet decisions. Open shelving for any of your lower cabinets in highly trafficked areas might not be the best decision, but it can still be a great option for upper cabinets instead! 

Layout: The layout of your space can also determine the type of cabinets you choose. If your kitchen is a galley layout, tall cabinets that give you lots of storage space would be a better decision than asking for increased depth. An L-shaped or square kitchen also has specific considerations for their layouts as you choose your kitchen cabinets. Keeping this in mind will ensure that you don’t run into any snags while installing your kitchen cabinets.

Assembly type: Some of our cabinets come pre-assembled, meaning all you have to do is install them to the wall. Others come RTA, also known as ready-to-assemble. This means you have to piece together all the doors, bases and shelves for your cabinets. Your budget, time constraints or even your experience with construction will each impact your decision on the assembly type of cabinets you choose. 

Cabinet Finishes — Making the Look

With all the logistics of cabinets out of the way, let’s talk about cabinet finishes. The finish of your cabinets is what makes it “look” a certain way. Lots of homeowners make the decision to refinish their cabinets instead of replacing them (we’ve already covered the difference between replacing and refinishing so you can learn to tell on your own). A cabinet finish can transform a design or make the cabinets look out of place in a kitchen. Here are some additional things to consider when choosing a cabinet finish: 

Overall design: We’ve already talked about how the design aesthetic you’re going for in your kitchen can really impact your cabinet choices. You’ll want to pay close attention to the overall design of your kitchen and the other design choices you make. If you’re choosing a brown and green terracotta-Spanish inspired backsplash in your kitchen but installing gray cabinets, those two design aesthetics don’t particularly mesh well together. It can seem like a lot of work, but those little design details will really add up when you put everything together in the end.

Appliances: The appliances you have in your kitchen can influence your cabinet finish choice. Retro appliances look great with cabinets finished in a bright color that really pops, but sleek, dark gray appliances look great with glossy finished cabinets. Otherwise, they appear mismatched, giving your kitchen a look that just doesn’t sit right with guests or anyone who sees your kitchen space.

Hardware: You might not realize it, but the hardware you want in your kitchen can have a huge impact on your cabinet choices. In conjunction with your overall design and appliances, hardware can seem like a small decision at the time but it will have lasting impacts. Hardware requires you to drill holes into your cabinets, and you can’t just replace hardware if you think it doesn’t meet your expectations. Oblong hardware typically requires you to drill two holes, and if you change your mind to glass knobs, you’ll have to replace a cabinet door or drawer face so the hole doesn’t appear clearly patched. However, choosing the right hardware can really make your space feel complete. In fact, switching out the hardware on your current cabinets could be just what they need to feel fresh and new — even if all you did was repaint them and order new doors and drawer faces to update them.

Countertops: Before choosing a cabinet finish, really think through your countertops. The color and material will really impact your choice of cabinets. You wouldn’t pair a black marble countertop with cherry wood stained cabinets, would you? Countertops can really add some ambiance to a kitchen, but if you pair the wrong cabinets with the wrong countertop, then you might have some bad vibes in the space. Pro tip: Choose the same countertops and cabinets for your bathroom! This creates a cohesive look in your home. 

The specific cabinet finish you choose can create a specific aesthetic on your cabinets. Here are some popular cabinet finish options:

Matte: Pretty standard across most cabinet finishes, matte cabinets are a smooth finish that doesn’t look glassy when light is reflected on it. Instead, matte finished cabinets are painted without shine — but that doesn’t mean they’re dull! The matte finish looks great in a variety of spaces, showcasing a durable paint finish that doesn’t lose its luster over time. Many matte finishes come scratch and smudge resistant these days, perfect for busy homes with kids and pets! Matte cabinets are prominently featured in farmhouse style kitchens, usually with a butcher block or granite countertop. 

Glossy: A glossy finish on cabinets looks European, modern and futuristic all at the same time. These cabinets look almost as though there’s a clear acrylic overlay across the top of them, but they do require a bit more upkeep. They tend to show a bit more fingerprints and smudges than matte cabinets, but they are still a great option for many homeowners. Depending on the overall design aesthetic you’re trying to achieve, gloss finished cabinets can be a great choice! 

Stained: Wood stained cabinets are classic and timeless. If you take a look at your current kitchen, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve got stained cabinets already there. Maybe you even grew up in a house with stained kitchen cabinets. Either way, stained cabinets are classic — but they don’t have to feel old and drab. Stained cabinets look great in a variety of spaces, especially in vintage homes or even in beach houses. Log cabins and, yes, even high rise lofts can look great with stained wood cabinets. It all comes down to what you pair with them. The right countertop, backsplash, color scheme, flooring, decor and even lighting or other hardware can all have a huge influence on your kitchen and whether or not you successfully achieved your desired aesthetic.

Don’t Stop There — Other Rooms That Feature Cabinets

Your kitchen isn’t the only place that will feature a cabinet or two. Here are some additional places you can utilize cabinets and some design tips for them:

Bathroom: We already mentioned that your countertops and cabinets in your bathroom should match your kitchen. You should also consider using the same flooring, hardware and even similar lighting fixtures to really make the space feel cohesive. 

Laundry room: These days, homeowners create laundry rooms that feel functional and like a room all its own. Cabinetry in your laundry room can help with storage, hiding piles of clothes and even serve as a place for you to do folding, drying and sorting of your laundry. No more cluttering up the living room or your bedroom!

Living room: Built-ins are making a comeback, and they’re great for smaller homes that need to maximize floor space! You can easily install some built-in cabinets to hide away the kids’ toys and your cleaning supplies, or show off your favorite books and souvenirs from trips. 

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