Which Kitchen Cabinet Style are You?

When it comes to remodeling or purchasing a luxury pre-owned kitchen, your kitchen cabinet style is one of the most important decisions you have to make. People have many different preferences, and designers have produced an array of kitchen cabinet styles that might make the decision seem overwhelming. So, let’s go through the different cabinet styles to find out which kitchen cabinet style you like best! 

Contemporary Kitchen Cabinet Styles

The contemporary kitchen cabinet style is a no-bells-and-whistles kind of design -- actually, forget bells and whistles, as this cabinet style doesn’t even have angles. “Sleek” is the word that best describes contemporary kitchen cabinet styles. Cabinets will appear flat and simple, devoid of any faux finishes or decorative trim. 

This streamlined look will give your kitchen a natural flow that’s easy on the eyes and makes everything look uniform. If you choose contemporary cabinet styles then you’ll also want to pair it with simple hardware, and modern appliances that don’t have a lot of angles or other decorative accents. Though they fit in all kitchens, contemporary kitchen cabinet styles work best in small kitchens, where angles and decor might just take up valuable space.

Modern Kitchen Cabinets

There are only subtle differences between contemporary and modern kitchen cabinet styles, but the world “modern” is misleading, as it’s a style that was set almost a century ago. But because of its simplicity and elegance it’s here to stay, and a very popular kitchen cabinet style. Contemporary and modern are considered similar because they both follow the same sleek, no angle style for kitchen cabinets. 

For modern kitchens, however, they’re often not paired with stainless steel, modern appliances or stone countertops. The cabinets can also be made of wood, laminates, glass and metal, which is really how you distinguish your kitchen cabinet style. 

Shaker Kitchen Cabinet Styles

Shaker kitchen cabinet styles can also fall into the realm of contemporary and modern designs, as simplicity is emphasized. Shaker style is a couple hundred years old but features only a few more design elements than modern kitchen cabinet styles. For example, shaker kitchen cabinet styles typically feature a flat panel drawer or cabinet like a modern design, but also include rail frames for some depth.

Shaker kitchen designs are also meant to be more functional, and focus less on aesthetics and more on utilitarianism. For this reason cabinets tend to be made of strong woods such as cherry, maple, hickory and quartersawn oak. Keeping the natural wood look is optional however, as some people prefer to paint their cabinets in white or gray to give their kitchens a brighter feel.

Rustic Cabinet Styles

When thinking about rustic kitchen cabinet styles, the two things that come to mind the most are functionality and color. Rustic kitchens look great, but the focus of the design is on creating a kitchen that functions during the heat of cooking, as opposed to just being something pretty to look at. This means that cabinets are typically made of wood, and built to last.

Knots in the wood give your kitchen that true rustic look, and to achieve this kitchen cabinet style the primary choices of wood are pine, cherry, oak and hickory. Giving these woods color results in more of a color stain or hue than a solid color. Rustic kitchens are great when paired with hardwood floors, and other wood elements such as a butcher block countertop for an island.

Country Kitchens

Rustic and country kitchen cabinet styles are very similar, as both styles typically use strong wood, and both kitchens put a great emphasis on functionality—these kitchens are meant to be cooked in, and the design should reflect that approach. 

What makes country kitchen cabinet styles distinctive are raised-panel doors, beadboard or decorative panels. Decorative panels, such as stained glass, or glass with wire or tin, are common in country kitchens, and are highly preferred if you have country collectibles or trinkets that look great on display. This provides a great opportunity to show off your taste and style.

Mission-Style Kitchen Cabinet Styles

Mission-style kitchen cabinet styles were born out of the Southwest, and reflect Spanish styles from the region. Mission style has become more popular and synonymous with the Arts and Crafts movement, mainly because it combines so well with colorful ceramics made in the Southwest and Mexico. 

Mission-style kitchen cabinet styles have straight lines and little to no hardware, but when they do, black is preferred for wrought iron, rubbed brass or bronze metal handles. This beautiful kitchen cabinet style will cost a pretty penny, as mission-style cabinets are typically custom made, and the types of woods used, which are typically oak, white oak or cherry wood, are on the expensive side. 

French Country Kitchen Cabinet Styles

French country kitchen cabinet styles are meant to transport you to the French countryside, and to achieve this look cabinetry will typically have ornate wood carvings. This will pair well with other French country style attributes, such as decorative molding or arches. French country kitchen cabinet styles are typically wood, and either natural wood color, or cream.

Hardware for French country kitchen cabinet styles are usually ornate, and made of brass, bronze or iron. Another tenant of a French country kitchen is displaying cooking utensils and tools, so if you have copper pots or stainless knives, think about pairing those with similar hardware.

Retro Kitchen Styles

Retro kitchen cabinet styles provide a unique look that really lets you create an eye-catching kitchen with a fun attitude. Retro typically brings to mind 1950s post-war American style, and while that may seem like a thing of the past, those designs were very much created with the future in mind. 

While most of the previous styles display straight lines and natural colors, retro kitchen cabinet styles allow for exaggerated curves, as well as bold and bright primary colors. That means that matte finishes are uncommon, in favor of gloss, and to match that shine, hardware elements are usually large and loud, and that’s why materials such as chrome are popular. 

Tuscan Inspired Cabinets

“Warm” is the feeling you want to evoke when installing Tuscan kitchen cabinet styles. That is achieved through the color of the cabinets, which are typically made of strong wood, and colored in rich brown colors, or even primary colors for more style and flare.

Tuscan kitchen cabinet styles usually feature raised panels and often have decorative wood accents. Just like French country kitchens, Tuscan kitchens often include kitchenware and utensils as decor, and sometimes even food is used as a decoration. Hardware is also more stylized in a Tuscan kitchen, so ornate iron, bronze, copper or brass are typical. Tile work is also common, so you’ll want to match styles and colors with your kitchen cabinets. 

Craftsman-Style Kitchen Cabinets

Craftsman-style kitchen cabinet styles are just about always made of wood and feature stained wood for color, and many straight lines. Craftsman kitchen cabinets are also typically custom built, and since they also use strong wood, you should expect a heftier price tag.

There are three main design styles for craftsman kitchen cabinets, and they are modern, traditional and vintage. This rounds off our list quite well because so many other previously mentioned design elements can be incorporated into craftsman-style kitchen cabinets. Modern designs are sleek, while traditional styles are more cozy and vintage has some decorative elements that make a cabinet look like it’s straight out of history.

Find which kitchen cabinet style, and other kitchen essentials such as appliances and countertops, fit you the best with Little Green Kitchens.