One of the showcase kitchens had exactly the type of wood and stain and cabinet door we were considering. It was valuable to see all of it working together. :) We looked at the other stains but we ultimately decided on the original stain we were considering.
Although there are many many options out there for cabinets, I'm only putting down the information that I learned from our trip.
Wood
- Cherry: hard wood and stains beautifully, also becomes richer in color over time
- Alder: soft wood and stains like cherry
- Maple: hard wood
- Oak: very "grainy" (a little too rustic for my taste)
Stained wood doors are cheaper than painted wood doors! Apparently the labor associated with painting (like painting all the layers) is more expensive.
Framing
- Inset: drawers and doors are flush with the frame.
- Face-frame: traditional look where there is a frame around the doors and drawers.
- Frameless: European look where there are very thin seams between doors and drawers.
Cabinet Interior
- Stained wood
- White laminate: cheaper and brightens the interior
Drawers
- Drawers that open 3/4 of the way
- Drawers that open all the way with side mounted drawer glides
- Soft closing drawers that open all the way with bottom mounted drawer glides
For the kitchen:
* Cherry doors in an amber cherry stain
* Raised door panels with an arch along the top
* Full circle lazy susan in the bottom corner cabinet
* White laminate interior
* Soft closing drawers
* Face-frame construction
For the upstairs bathroom:
* Maple doors
* White laminate interior
* Drawers open all the way but not soft closing
For the master bathroom:
* Cherry doors with clear stain
* White laminate interior
* Soft closing drawers
Master bathroom: cherry cabinets with clear stain aged 1 year(left) and
cherry cabinets with clear stain aged 6 years (right)
