Introduction
Are you also researching trending cabinet door styles? This blog brings you the ultimate guide on a swift, stylish update that breathes new life into your modern homes.
Modifying or changing the design of cupboard doors initiates a domino effect that influences the ambiance and speaks volumes about your taste and attention to detail.
Unlike countertops and flooring, cabinet designs haven’t changed much over the last few years. But here are a few trending evolutions that have happened to the style of cupboard doors over time. The blog will discuss these ten hottest style trends that will dominate cabinetry design in 2024.
Stick until the end to uncover wild, bold, and unique cabinet door styles in 2024!
What is a cabinet door?
Knowing their anatomy would help you understand cupboard doors easily. Before we delve into the anatomy, know about the shape first! It is the face of your cupboard or storage unit.
This part opens and closes to get to or keep the stuff inside. These are crucial furniture parts of your living room, bedroom, or kitchen and may impact the overall vibe.
So, changing cupboard doors is about giving your cupboards a new look without changing the entire furniture. Our ultimate guide also helps modify your kitchen cabinet doors.
Cabinet door anatomy
Panel
It refers to the central recessed or raised portion. It sits between the outer frame or the edges of the cupboard door.
Stile
They run along the left and right sides of the cupboard doors. They create a grid-like pattern when combined with rails and can vary in width and design in cabinet door styles.
Rails
They run across the top and bottom sides of the door, connecting with the stiles to create a complete framework. Rails are available in square or arched varieties.
Inside edge
It is the border or profile facing the interior part of the cupboard. It also influences the visual impact of the door.
Outside edge
It refers to the border or profile on the exterior side of the door frame. Its design can impact the overall style and appearance of the cabinet door.
Wood species
It refers to the varieties of wood commonly used while making cupboard doors. Examples include hickory, cherry, oak, walnut, mahogany etc.
Joints
It is the area where the rails and stiles meet at the four corners of the door frame.
Hinges
These mechanical components enable the door to pivot to swing open and close. It fosters the connection between the cupboard frame and the door.
Finish
It is the application of the final coating on the wood surface to enhance cabinet door styles. The primary function is to protect wood from various elements such as heat, moisture, and scratches.
Types of cabinet doors
Consider type along with other factors while choosing cupboard doors. Find your ideal style based on the fit, budget, and design specs of each types of cabinet doors.
Partial overlay cabinet doors
It is a partial overlay when the doors partially cover the face frame of the cupboard. The exposed face frame in partial overlay doors introduces an element of visual interest.
It is one of the common styles for American kitchens where doors sit on top of a frame while leaving a gap in between. These are often the least expensive kitchen cupboard doors due to their flexible measurements.
Merits? You can open these cupboards without using any hardware. This type includes an overlay of about ½ inches while exposing about 2 inches of cupboard face frame.
Choosing these cabinet door styles that break away from uniformity is ideal if you enjoy adding depth and interest to your cabinetry. It also gives a sleek appearance as this style avoids the full coverage of the face frame.
Full overlay cabinet doors
These types of cabinet doors are ideal for framed cabinets. They cover most of the frame. This design also allows for maximum use of cupboard space.
These doors are also budget-friendly options than other styles. The minimal gaps between adjacent doors or drawers create a uniform and consistent visual appeal. It enhances the overall cohesion of cabinetry.
An extra inch of space is left inside as these doors don’t close into the closet like inset ones. A full overlay syncs with frameless construction, where cupboards sit on baseboards covered with legs.
The design allows for the full utilization of closet space, providing ample room for storage without the interruption of visible face frames.
Inset cabinet doors
It is one of the famous cabinet door styles in British kitchens. They are set into the cabinet frame. They often feature intricate architectural detailing, such as beading or grooves. It fully exposes face frames with minimal gaps.
You can use concealed or exposed hinges on this type of cabinet door. However, these closets are about 25% to 30% more expensive than full overlay cupboards.
The precise fit of inset doors emphasizes symmetry. This meticulous approach allows the natural beauty of the wood grain to take center stage with flush installation.
Inset shakers are one of its traditional designs. They feature concealed hinges with either a slab front or a matching drawer front. These closets date back to the early 1900s, making them truly timeless.
10 popular cabinet door styles
Here is your style guide after understanding the types of cabinet doors!
Recessed panel cabinet doors
It has raised sides and a flat center panel. Modern minimalist homes will appreciate the contemporary look of this cabinet panel. It is an ideal fit for modern countertops made with materials like marble and quartz.
The door face is the only differentiating factor to recognize a recessed panel from other designs. The center panel of the door is recessed into the rest of the door frame. It refers to a recessed panel when the height of the center panel is lower than the innermost height of rails and stiles.
They are either created with one piece or 5 pieces of wood. However, 5 pieces of recessed panels are traditional whereas one piece resembles the modern creation of recessed panels. They come in a variety of colors, designs, and shapes. And, they can be partial overlay, full overlay, or frameless closets.
Arched cabinet doors
These are cathedral cabinet door styles with a decorative arched top. These Gothic-style cupboards are coming back to style or haven’t been outdated, you say! There are plenty of ways to integrate these Victorian closets into modern interiors.
They contribute architectural details where the curvature adds a layer of complexity to the visual narrative of the cabinetry. Their timeless appeal complements rich wood finishes and intricate detailing.
They feature a variety of materials, including glass, wood, metal, or other composite materials. The curve adds a classic, unique, and custom touch while the overall design maintains a sense of modern simplicity.
Arched doors also offer customization options if you desire to update your old ones. It allows you to tailor the degree of curvature, the type of arch, and additional detailing to sync your design vision.
Shaker-style cabinet doors
Shaker styles are one of the famous cabinet door designs known for their box-shaped appearance and square edges. It contains an inset panel in a four-cornered cupboard frame. They generally have gentle curves with straight lines.
The history of Shaker closets dates back far before their origin. The term ‘Shakers’ was coined by the United Society of Believers in Second Appearing of the Christ. Thus, Shaker-style cupboards represent a mirror image of furniture designed by skilled craftsmen once referred to as ‘Shakers.’
They have a typical shaker-style door and beveled edges. The drawers of shaker-style closets can either be partial overlay, full overlay, or inset. They have categories with different sections using muntins, mid-rails, or pieces commonly called mid-stiles.
Beaded and V-groove panels
This 4-piece basic frame contains a beadboard on the central panel. Beadboards have tongue-in-groove connections running vertically between the strips. The visible grooves create a slight gap between each connection point.
These casual cabinet door styles highlight the planks separated by ‘beads’ or the ‘ridges’ within the slats. It is often found in cupboard doors with decorative recessed panels. It creates a decorative profile when placed tightly with a groove and tongue.
Nowadays, beadboards are available in easier-to-install sheets than individual boards. When compared with older varieties, there aren’t many differences in style. They are well-suited for contemporary kitchens or spaces that desire a clean and uncluttered aesthetic space.
Raised panel cabinet doors
This style contains a central raised portion. Its central panel is more in height than the surrounding surface. These doors may have square edges or arches. They may also feature metal or glass inserts for the unique build.
Traditional raised panel doors also adapt themselves to transitional and even contemporary styles. The choice of profiles, finishes, and materials can influence the overall look.
Raised panel drawer fronts maintain a cohesive look throughout the cabinetry in a kitchen or other living area. Raised panels also hide any imperfections present in the cabinet frame. Their build material varieties include MDF, wood, and laminate.
Glass-ready cabinet doors
Glass cupboard doors help make your space look brighter and lighter. It adds dimension and depth to your spaces while breaking the visual monotony of solid cabinet frames. These types of cabinet doors are ideal for contemporary, traditional, and vintage living spaces or kitchens.
These doors include features that make it easy to insert glass, allowing homeowners to showcase the contents of their cabinets. They can accommodate different types of glass, such as clear, frosted, textured, or stained glass.
The frames of some glass-ready doors may also feature detailing or molding to enhance the aesthetic appeal. Homeowners can choose a design that complements the overall look of their kitchen or cabinetry. These kitchen cupboard doors are famous for hutches or standalone display cabinets in dining areas. They provide an elegant way to showcase fine china or other collectibles.
Slab cabinet doors
These are flat panel cabinet door styles without any beveling or ornamentation. This style also gives a traditional look to your living spaces or kitchens. It has 90-degree cornered edges. However, the drawer pulls are the only ornamentation on these flat-panel cupboard doors.
These doors are also known as Euro-style cabinet doors. They are made of high-quality plywood, medium-density particleboard, fiberboard, or solid hardwood materials. Plus, they may have stain, lacquer, paint, veneer, and laminate finishes.
This style syncs best with shaker-style cabinets. It has been around for ages, and it is not going anywhere. Modern kitchens emphasize clean, open spaces, and slab doors contribute to this aesthetic by avoiding visual clutter. Incorporating textures, such as matte or glossy finishes, can further enhance the visual interest of slab doors.
Mullion cabinet doors
A mullion divides or separates sections within a cabinet frame. The insets in mullion cabinet door styles are often filled with glass, providing transparency and a way to display items while adding a touch of sophistication.
They may have a combination of framed sections and solid panels, providing a balanced and visually interesting composition. You can also catch up on various innovative trends for glass-fronted cabinets, such as picture-window cabinets, peninsula cabinets, sliding glass, eglomise, decorative textured glass, etc.
Mullion cabinet doors are used mainly in kitchen cabinetry, especially for upper or display cabinets. They provide a way to showcase dishes, glassware, or collectibles.
Open frame cabinet doors
These cupboard doors contain a large glass insert without any central panel. They are almost similar to mullion doors to showcase aesthetic objects inside the cabinets. Yet, they won’t have any mullions except the large glass insert.
The open center of the door allows for the insertion of glass, mesh, fabric, or other materials to create a decorative or transparent inset. Adding interior cabinet lighting can enhance the visual impact of open-frame cabinet door designs, especially in the evening or in dimly lit spaces.
Open-frame doors complement modern and minimalist kitchen designs. However, the choice of frame material, glass type, and overall design should align with the interior design style of the kitchen or living space.
Louvered panel cabinet doors
Louvers in louvered panel cabinet doors allow regulation of airflow or ventilation. Louvered doors are often featured on entertainment center cabinets, allowing airflow to prevent overheating of electronic components.
The size and spacing of the louvers can vary, offering design flexibility. Some doors have closely spaced louvers, while others may have wider gaps for a more open look. Creating truly louvered cabinet doors requires angling small slats slightly. On the contrary, louvered-look doors are profiled accordingly to look like louvered cabinet doors.
Conclusion
Hopefully, our detailed blog on the top 10 trending cabinet door styles has opened the door to a world of design possibilities. Choose the perfect style from our list and watch your space transform. From the timeless charm of raised panel doors to the modern allure of slab designs, each type of cabinet door brings its personality to the heart of your home.
FAQs
Q.1 Why is cabinet door style important?
They are crucial because door styles reflect your design taste and influence the overall feel of your space.
Q.2 How do I choose the right kitchen cabinets?
You can select an ideal fit based on the following factors:
Current kitchen design theme
Flooring
Design of shelves
Budget
Storage needs
Ease of access
Q.3 What is a contoured cabinet door?
Contoured cabinet doors may have two varieties. They are either raised panels with contoured centers or flat panels with contoured edges.
Q.4 Do slab doors work in modern kitchen cabinets?
Yes, they are among the popular choices for contemporary designs in kitchen cabinet doors. They are an ideal fit for a minimalist appearance.
Q.5 What is the standard cabinet door style?
There isn’t a specific standard style for cabinet doors. However, you can choose your style based on what is trending that we’ve discussed in the blog above.