top of page
Search

Introductory Guide to Cabinetry

Writer's picture: Harmony MolinaHarmony Molina

One of the the first things we do when we start diving into the details of a design that includes casework, is to send our clients a questionnaire that asks things like; "how tall are the cooks in your kitchen?", and "do you want soft close doors". It goes very in depth in order for us to fully understand how our clients plan to use their space, and how we can optimize the experience for them. One of the sections asks about build style and door style. Often this is met with some confusion as there are sooo many options out there and it can be very overwhelming. My hope is that this blog post will help guide clients and readers to better understand the options before making selections.


BUILD STYLE

Build style refers to how the doors and the frame of the cabinet are interacting. This will effect the overall look of the design greatly as different styles lend itself to certain build styles more than others.


Full Overlay: This often creates a much higher end look and can lend itself to looking quite custom. It is also versatile in style and can look either very modern, or chic and classic depending on the door style and the rest of the design.

Shown with micro-shaker door style
FULL OVERLAY BUILD STYLE

Half Overlay: Also known as Partial Overlay, this is a more traditional cabinet build that you would see in some older homes. This tends to be the most affordable option and while it can be seen as more dated than other newer styles, it can definitely be modernized with a shaker face or a more modern door style.

Shown with micro-shaker door style
HALF OVERLAY BUILD STYLE

Inset: This style has a very clean look and can look fantastic with both traditional and modern door styles. Because it does require more craftsmanship, it tends to come at a higher price point. However, that also means that these tend to be a higher build quality in general. Another great thing about this style is that there tends to be less damage over time to the doors since there are no exposed corners to bump or chip.

Shown with micro-shaker door style
INSET BUILD STYLE

Frameless: This is a European style of manufacturing cabinets that has become a popular way of creating a cleaner, more modern look. It can also be known as "full-access" as you do not have any framing in the way of accessing the cabinet box. It can only be used with full overlay doors as you will only see the door faces when everything is closed up.

FRAMELESS BUILD
FRAMED BUILD


DOOR STYLE

Door stile refers to the design happening on the door and drawer faces. There are so many options when it comes to door styles and many cabinet companies have their own unique options. There are generally three different styles that are then made unique with different detailing.


Flat or Slab: These are more suited for modern styles and European influenced designs. They look fantastic with frameless cabinet boxes and can also be a more affordable solution.

FLAT/SLAB DOOR STYLE

Shaker: The classic shaker style is one of the most popular as it lends itself to many design styles. It is a simple design that looks sharp and clean with a single recessed panel door.

CLASSIC SHAKER DOOR STYLE


Recessed Panel: When there are design elements added to single recessed panels these are no longer considered shaker style and are within their own category of recessed panel. They can have extra bevels or cut ins to make them more unique. These tend to work better with more traditional/classic design styles.

RECESSED PANEL DOOR STYLE


Raised Panel: These have a more traditional look and can often times be more expensive as they are typically made from solid wood.

RAISED PANEL DOOR STYLE


Beaded: These are a super fun way to add texture to a space. These can be more of the classic beadboard style texture, or have something more custom such as a v-groove cut.

BEADED CABINET DOOR STYLE
V-GROOVED WOOD CABINET DOOR STYLE

Arched: This is more of a classic style door that you would see in older homes, however there are ways to modernize this style with some more unique and sometimes customized versions of the arch.

MODERN ARCHED CABINET DOOR STYLE
CLASSIC ARCHED CABINET DOOR STYLE

Mullion: These cabinets look like windows, with glass inserts separated by vertical and horizontal mullions that vary depending on the design. These can be great for showcasing special dishes or glasses and can be mixed with solid doors to add accents. These cabinets look great with integrated lighting.

MULLION CABINET DOOR STYLE

Open Frame: These are another glass insert option but without the mullions. This is often a great way to showcase specialty glass such as reeded or other textured glass.

OPEN FRAME CABINET DOOR STYLE
WITH TEXTURED GLASS
INSPIRING CABINET DESIGNS

There truly are endless opportunities for making your cabinetry designs your own. I have added a little gallery of just a few of the fun and unique cabinetry designs I have found below. And these are just the outside! There are so many fun and useful customizations that can be done to the inside of your cabinetry such as pop up stands for mixers, integrated pegs for storing pots and pans, pocket doors that slide back into the cabinet box, lighting, the list goes on and will probably end up being another blog post sometime in the near future..


Do you feel like you can name what some of these door styles are now? I hope that this post has helped you feel more confidant in understanding the differences in door styles, and that you are left inspired by the many options!


35 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


COPYRIGHT © 2025. STUDIO MOLINA INTERIOR DESIGN.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
bottom of page