Von Löwen Designs

Before anyone gets ready to start a kitchen remodeling project and begins sorting through what can frequently appear as a never ending selection of cabinetry, it can really help to acquaint yourself with both general kitchen remodeling and basic cabinet terminology. There’s no need to get to carried away, but if you know a little bit more about the language, communication becomes easier and more effective and will help with your research or when talking with kitchen designers or cabinet makers.

Check out my Kitchen Remodeling Glossary to get familiar with some typical terms (or when you’re having trouble sleeping) and then amaze your friends, designer, and contractor with the plethora of knowledge you have at your finger tips.

If your interested in learning more about how to make your kitchen remodel as green and eco-friendly as it can be don’t miss my posts Greening Your Kitchen Remodel and Green Remodeling In Practice – Part I and Green Remodeling In Practice – Part II for other interesting tidbits and relative information you might find valuable.

And if you’re really enthusiastic – don’t miss the many glossaries and other useful remodeling information I’ve painstakingly added and have available in my Lexicon.

Including my:

• Kitchen Remodel Calculator
• Earth Friendly Consumer Glossary
• Green Building Glossary
• Aging-In-Place Checklist
• Indoor Air Quality Glossary
• Solar Glossary
• Lighting Glossary
• Window Glossary
• Carpet Glossary
• Soundproofing Glossary
• Landscape/Xeriscape Glossary
• Construction Glossary (under construction)

A part of kitchen cabinetry that tends to get misunderstood often involves the terms stock, semi-custom and custom. Contrary to what many people think, these terms are not related to the quality of cabinets but rather, how they’re manufactured.

• Stock – Stock kitchen cabinets are pre-manufactured in specific sizes, typically 3″ increments, with few if any options for modifications other than some limited choices the manufacturer might offer. They are off-the-shelf products in a limited range of styles.

• Semi-Custom – Semi-custom cabinets are like stock in that they’re also pre-manufactured but come with a wider array of options and sizes than pure stock cabinets. With semi-custom you have some ability to pick and choose various details to tailor an otherwise pre-built stock cabinet. In other words, you have some customization choices.

• Custom – Custom kitchen cabinets are built to the designer’s or customer’s specifications, with no limitation on size, style choices, wood grade or finish. They are truly made-to-order. They may be simple or they may be ornate, but the difference is that they’re made to suit your specific design requirements, in whatever size, form, finish, colour and material you so desire.

Think of it this way – basically stock cabinets are like the car you buy right off the dealer’s lot. You have to take it for what it is, with no ability to choose any options or upgrades.

Semi-custom cabinets are similar to the car that you factory-order through the dealer, with the ability to specify colour, motor and other options. It’s still a Toyota or Ford and it’s mass-produced, but you have a list of options to choose from and have some say in the makeup of the final product.

Custom cabinets are analogous to walking into the dealership and having them build a completely new car for you, per your design, from the ground up with for the most part having no boundaries whatsoever.

If there’s anything to take away from this discussion on stock-semi-custom-custom cabinetry, remember that we’re talking about how the cabinets are manufactured and not about quality or decorative style. Custom kitchen cabinets don’t necessarily imply quality kitchen cabinets. Hand-built, made-to-order cabinets can still be poorly constructed. Conversely stock cabinets that are produced in mass quantities and limited sizes can also be manufactured with solid construction and quality materials.

The overall quality of kitchen cabinetry is usually closely linked to the cabinet’s construction, meaning how they’re put together and the materials they’re being made from. You’ll be wise to pay close attention to these key features, particularly if you expect to live with your cabinets for a long time. Kitchen cabinets, particularly the drawers, take a lot of punishment so paying for some durability is a wise investment.

Key points to be aware of include the following:

• Materials – They include particle board, MDF (medium density fiberboard), plywood, solid wood, metal and laminate/melamine (the laminate or melamine is laid over the particle board or similar substrate).

• Construction and Design – Kitchen cabinets are constructed in one of two different design styles – framed or frameless. Framed cabinets employ a wood frame that outlines and mounted to the front of the cabinet box, if the door is mounted flush with the face frame the door style will be referred to as ‘inset’. Frameless cabinets do not have this feature, (no face frame) thus the name.

Also, the joinery and techniques used to assemble and support kitchen cabinets vary. Structural braces are made from plastic, wood or metal. Methods of joinery include hot-glue, staples and nails, or, more intricate woodworking techniques like dovetails and dadoes.

• Hardware – Drawer slides vary in level of quality (some use ball bearings whereas others use nylon wheels/rollers) and physical location on the drawer (sidemount or on the bottom) which affects available drawer space. Today, soft closing mechanisms are huge and standard features with many cabinet manufacturers for both drawers and doors. Shelf mounting brackets can be either plastic or metal.

You’re not limited on where to buy kitchen cabinets either, they seem to be everywhere these days. You can purchase them from kitchen & bath showrooms, big-box home centers, lumberyards, local cabinet makers, and even online.

How To Determine How Much Cabinetry and My Kitchen Remodel Will Cost.

Determining how much your kitchen cabinets will cost depends on a realm of factors, but the best place to start is by establishing a budget for your new or renovated kitchen. The NKBA recommends a budget of 15 percent of the overall value of your home be allocated for a complete kitchen remodel. There are some general guidelines for budgeting items like cabinets, countertops and appliances so by starting with a budget, you’ll be able to zero in on what you should expect to spend on cabinets.

Industry statistics show that on average, cabinets make up approximately 35 percent of the kitchen budget which is also the largest percentage of overall expenditures for the kitchen; with the cost of appliances around 12 percent and countertops 11. Again there are many variables involved but by using my Kitchen Remodel Calculator as a guide you should be able to determine a ball park figure for what your allowance for cabinetry, as well as other kitchen product spending should be. There’s nothing holding you back from spending more or less but this just means that the other parts of your kitchen design will make up correspondingly higher or lower percentages of the overall budget. So, if your kitchen remodeling budget is $100,000.00, expect to pay roughly $35,000.00 for cabinets. Again, this assumes average statistics.

Once you have an idea of what you’re willing to spend on cabinets, you’ll be better equipped to make choices on the wide range of options available to you.

One final note on costs: as I mentioned in my previous post Kitchen Cabinetry – Design & Remodeling Considerations – realize that between 40 – 60 percent of the overall cost of your kitchen cabinetry will be determined by the cabinet door style you select and your cabinetry’s overall finish; paints, glaze, distressing all add up real quickly. Other factors include the quality of construction and quantity of bells and whistles that they incorporate. Options and upgrades abound and including them in your kitchen design and cabinetry will increase the price. These options include everything from the engineering of the cabinet itself and their organizational upgrades and gadgets, to the actual materials used to construct them. The key is to prioritize what it is you really want and need by asking and answering some straight forward questions I mentioned throughout Kitchen Cabinetry – Design & Remodeling Considerations and making sure those ‘must-haves’ fit into your budget.

Given the number of kitchen cabinet manufacturers, you’re probably asking what the differences are, if any, among them all. In reality, the differences are really found in the same general categories that make them similar. It’s back to the car analogy again: the auto manufacturers all make vehicles that do the same job; they’re just variations on a theme.

How They’re Similar.

• Materials – Cabinets are made from a finite range of materials and finishes so unless someone is making cabinets out of bricks, most if not all will use similar materials (predominantly wood and wood-based products, melamine, laminate and some metals).

• Construction Style – Kitchen cabinetry falls into two basic style categories – framed and frameless. Regardless of which manufacturer you choose, they’ll produce either one or both of these styles.

• Options – Just like with cars, cabinet makers offer a varied array of options and price points.

How They’re Different.

• Stock / Semi-custom / Custom – How your kitchen cabinets are produced will vary among the manufacturers with some offering only custom pieces and others providing only stock or a combination of manufacturing methods.

• Quality – Not all manufacturers are created equal; there are those that offer more premium products in the way of materials, construction, finishes, and options. Some manufacturers offer several product lines with graduated levels of what would be considered quality features (such as better materials and finishes).

• Access to Market – Some kitchen cabinet lines are available through big-box home retailers while others are through select dealers or designers. Other cabinetry is available through the internet with direct delivery to your door. Smaller local cabinet makers may sell directly from their shop.
So what’s the bottom line when it comes down to sorting through all the various kitchen cabinet makers and manufacturers? There’s no right or wrong way to narrow down to a short list of candidates but here are some suggestions:

• Start by saving some ads from kitchen design and remodeling magazines on various manufacturers that appeal to you. Using the internet is a good way to find out more about them since most brands provide fairly good information on product lines, materials and construction. Most kitchen cabinet manufacturer websites will also tell you where you can find their products.

• Next, talk to a designer and go look at some actual product. You can do this by either hiring a professional, visiting a local kitchen & bath showroom or any home-improvement retailer. This way you’ll actually see the differences in methods of construction and quality as well as all the latest and greatest cutting edge features.

• Find some local cabinet makers in your area and visit them as a comparison to the large commercial cabinet makers.

What You Should  Know About Cabinet Warranties.

Virtually all kitchen cabinet makers offer a warranty with their product. If they don’t, that should be a red flag. Cabinets are not a cheap expenditure and they get a lot of use so regardless of where you buy them, make sure you understand the warranty.

The warranties offered by cabinet manufacturers vary with regard to what’s covered, the duration of the warranty and the manufacturer. A good rule of thumb is that cabinet makers who build quality products are not afraid to stand behind them with a solid warranty. The key points to consider are as follows:

• Duration – How long is the product warranted? What you’ll find here are different levels or tiers of cabinet warranty coverage, depending on the manufacturer. Typical durations are 1 year, 5 years or lifetime coverage.

Be aware of what the manufacturer considers ‘lifetime’; some warranties state that a kitchen cabinet’s lifetime is considered to be 10 years. This may or may not be a long time depending on your perspective and how long you plan on staying in the same house or with the same style of kitchen design.

Some manufacturers also vary the warranty coverage within their product lines. Lower-end product lines have the shortest or most limited warranty whereas the high-end line enjoys the longest warranty period.

• Coverage – Find out specifically what’s covered and what’s not. Most if not all warranties will cover defects in workmanship and materials. They usually won’t cover any damage that’s inflicted once the cabinets are in place or the result of improper use or care; or cabinet doors that are built over a certain dimension in width and/or height. Typically manufacturers also won’t cover any materials that do not have a finish or are prepped for paint.

Some makers of kitchen cabinets provide warranty on separate parts of the cabinet like drawers, drawer slides, hinges and similar hardware. These items are covered separately from the more generic coverage on the cabinet boxes and may also have different levels of coverage. For example one cabinet maker offers a 5 year warranty on workmanship and materials and a limited lifetime warranty on the drawers and drawer guides.

• Compensation – What’s actually provided to you should you have a legitimate warranty claim? In most if not all cases cabinet warranties provide either repair or replacement of the defective component, at the discretion of the manufacturer. Some may offer reimbursement of the cost of the parts if they are no longer available.

One thing to keep in mind is that usually only the defective part or parts are covered by the cabinet warranty. There is typically no compensation for any labor or parts required to gain access to repair or replace the defective cabinet parts. Examples would be the requirement to remove countertops or appliances.

The point here is to highlight that while kitchen cabinet warranties are not complex, there are enough differences and nuances between manufacturers and product lines to make it worthwhile to understand them clearly.

Lastly, I think it’s most important here to realize when it’s all said and done that kitchen cabinetry is merely a commodity and there’s honestly much much more to their purchase and your kitchen design than just this. In a real remodeling scenario it’s of course about service, trust, and what takes place (or not) during the post sell process, through your installation and beyond. These are the critical things that hold both legitimate and undeniable value and may be over looked or difficult to put a dollar amount on. Well maybe for the first time remodeler – never the second!

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.

It seems as though family life has always been centered around the kitchen. Whatever culture or country you may be in, socializing takes place in the kitchen; from parties to family meals, an occasional snack, even just a simple chat with friends over coffee, often takes place in the kitchen.

Fitted kitchens have gone from being considered a luxury to an expected standard. They are a fashion trend unto themselves, and many a verbal battle has ensued behind the scenes with both husband and wife and family and friends over their kitchen pride. Yes, the fitted kitchen as we know it sure has come a long way in the last 100 years.

One of the most striking developments and one which has transformed the average modern kitchen for most people – is the revolutionary change that has taken place not only with its furniture, cabinetry and accessories, but with its equipment. The desire for efficient and reliable cooking and cleaning facilities in the kitchen has of course been long standing. By the early nineteenth century the kitchens of the wealthy were striking testimonies to human creativity in pursuit of the means and equipment for producing ever more complex and elaborate culinary styles. The forms of power available for achieving these styles however, did not stretch much beyond hand and fire until very late in the century. The twentieth century saw a rapid acceleration in harnessing electric and gas power to many of the cooking and cleaning processes formally done manually particularly since the Second World War. Much of this would not have carried much significance however, if it had not been for the explosive technological inventiveness of the post-war years which led to the demise of the traditional unfitted pieced together kitchen and introduction of not only the fitted kitchen we know of today, but a wealth of advanced powered cooking and cleaning aids.

The kitchen is easily the most used space in the home and should be addressed as such; a well thought out and orchestrated kitchen design and layout is critical. Next to the actual construction costs your cabinetry almost certainly will be the biggest ticket item you purchase for your entire kitchen remodel, and without a doubt have the biggest aesthetic impact on the overall end result.

Before even considering a kitchen design or remodeling project I think it’s best to have my clients dedicate some time to examine and determine what they truly want to accomplish with the new design and floorplan – setting goals with regards to looks, function, and budget. Doing this work up front to clarify the purpose of action and outcome ensures not only a better end result, but a happier and more satisfied client.

What don’t you like about your current kitchen cabinets?

Pin down exactly what it is you dislike about your current cabinet situation so that you’ll be specific when looking for solutions in your new cabinets and kitchen design.

Do you not have enough space or maybe it’s poorly allocated space (like that corner cabinet that just seems to have some sort of black hole that things fall into and never return)? Maybe your current kitchen cabinets are just the wrong style (just say no to those huge reveals and old arched oak uppers) or perhaps they just don’t have usable and well thought out organizational features.

The more specific you can be about what it is you want to have or change, the more focused you’ll be about targeting the right options from the myriad that are available with new kitchen cabinets.

How long do you plan on staying in the home – are you updating for the purpose of reselling or do you plan on staying long term?

The answer to this question may determine the price you’re willing to pay for your kitchen cabinetry as well as the level of customization, uniqueness and quality of construction you want to consider. If you plan to stay in your current home indefinitely, you may want to spend more of your budget on durable cabinet construction and materials. On the other hand, if you’re just out to flip for a quick resale, you may want to limit your investment to a functional but more cost-effective cabinet style, cabinet door, and construction.

Be sure to check out my Kitchen Remodel Calculator for help with putting together your budget.

What is the style of your home and your current kitchen?

The existing decor and traits of your home will customarily play a major role in the type and characteristics of the kitchen cabinetry you choose. The converse is also true too – the style of cabinets you select will influence the look and spirit of your kitchen.

Do you want to continue with the existing style of kitchen cabinetry or are you looking to change it? Period cabinets are appropriate for classic antique homes where retaining the style of that era is desired; while updated styling like European frameless cabinetry might be better suited for more of a transitional or contemporary kitchen design.

Regardless of which way you go, identifying the overall stylistic approach you’re shooting for will help narrow the focus on cabinet selection and also provide some guidance for a more thorough and comprehensive kitchen design and layout.

Are you looking for environmentally friendly kitchen cabinet choices?

As the green movement continues to grow and regulations continue to change from state to state, so do your choices for interior materials and finish selections. As mentioned in my earlier posts Greening Your Kitchen Remodel and Green Remodeling in Practice – Part I & Green Remodeling in Practice – Part II – your kitchen is full of opportunities to select sustainable eco-friendly materials, including kitchen cabinetry. With options like bamboo, FSC certified materials, reclaimed wood, etc., greening your kitchen remodel is definitely gaining popularity.

The Box.

The number one distinguishing feature of a green cabinet is that the box material is free of urea-formaldehyde. Urea-formaldehyde resins are used in conventional plywood and particleboard adhesives and can off-gas formaldehyde gas, a carcinogen, into homes. Formaldehyde gas can affect people in various ways, but when present in the air at levels at or above 0.1 ppm, acute health effects can include watery eyes, nausea, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, skin rashes, and burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat. Manufacturers have been quick to address the formaldehyde issue, with many replacing formaldehyde with a soy-based protein binder.

Formaldehyde-free box material is the minimum you should expect in a green cabinet, and there are two categories of formaldehyde-free box material available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

• Particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF). Particleboard and MDF cabinets cost less than plywood. Most particleboards also incorporate some recycled content, but the quantity varies. The biggest drawback to these materials is that they are heavier, harder to hang, and more fragile.

• Veneered plywood or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified veneered plywood. The FSC is the primary accrediting agency for sustainably managed forestry operations. Plywood boxes require a greater initial investment but will perform better and for a longer time. FSC-certified plywood can be more expensive than non-certified wood, but it is assured to be from a sustainably harvested source.

To read more about VOC’s, formaldehyde, MDF, and controlling indoor air pollution be sure to check out my posts Indoor Air Quality – Part I and Indoor Air Quality – Part II.

The Door.

Cabinet doors should either be built entirely from hardwood or have a hardwood frame with a veneered, formaldehyde-free center panel. We’ve already addressed the sheet material component. Let’s take a look at our hardwood options.

• FSC-certified North American hardwoods. FSC certifies sustainable loggers and tracks the timber through the supply chain. Every sawmill, plant and distributor must be an FSC-certified organization for the end product to carry the FSC eco-label. FSC-certified hardwoods and sheet materials are possibly the greenest solution because they are guaranteed to have come from sustainably harvested forest products.

Be warned: Most green cabinet builders offer FSC products, but it is not the default selection. If you want FSC trees in your kitchen, you must specify that. There is usually an upcharge on FSC materials for cabinet manufacturers that is passed on to the consumer.

• Uncertified North American hardwoods. Only 3 percent of domestic timber carries the FSC label. It would be inaccurate to assume, however, that the remaining 97 percent is old-growth clear-cutting. As the Hardwood Council points out, “The volume of hardwood in American forests is 352 billion cubic feet, and they are adding growth of 10.2 billion cubic feet a year. This compares to annual removal of 6 billion cubic feet. We are not running out of trees.”

Traditionally sourced American hardwoods tend to be less expensive than their certified counterparts. Sourcing American hardwoods, especially those species native to your region, minimizes the gas and oil needed to get these materials to the manufacturer near you. However, the trade-off is that there is no guarantee the hardwood you are getting came from a source that practices sustainable harvesting techniques.

• Alternative non-native hardwood species. There are many materials not native to North America that are rapidly renewable and sustainable. German beech, a light hardwood native to Europe, with qualities similar to maple, is extremely sustainable due to practices implemented 200 years ago by European forests.

The Finish.

Finishes are the component of the green kitchen package where most green cabinetry companies fall down. Low-VOC finishes often take quite a bit of extra work to apply, require a skill set that is very different from the application of conventional finishes, and many manufacturers aren’t set up for the process.
But it’s important to understand VOCs are chemicals that readily volatilize under ambient conditions and react with sunlight to produce smog. The EPA cautions that exposure to VOCs can produce the following health effects: eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination; nausea; and damage to liver, kidney, and the central nervous system.

Many manufacturers will try to sidestep this issue by telling customers they use water-based finishes. Water based does not necessarily mean low-VOC. There are many water based finishes that are not low-VOC with the overall durability debate still raging. Be sure to ask. In addition, you need to take adhesives into consideration. Adhesives are often overlooked in kitchen cabinets and they too, should be low or no VOC.

Again to quote my post Indoor Indoor Air Quality – Part I: “Approximately 160 million Americans are breathing unhealthy air; with 29 million of these Americans under the age of 14 and 15 million over the age of 65.” Understanding the effects of VOCs and poor indoor air quality on human health has never been more important. We spend about 90 percent of our time inside where accumulations of interactive chemicals can cause concentrations of pollutants that can be as much as 50 – 100 times greater than our outdoor air, but yet still less than 20 percent of Americans actually believe it!

What amount of storage space do you need? Is it greater than what you currently have?

Look at what you currently have on your kitchen countertops or in other places that you’d like to have storage space for inside the cabinets. Knowing how much stuff you need space for in your kitchen cabinets will help you get an understanding of the amount of cabinet space you’ll need. Remember that the fewer items you permanently store on your countertops the more working space you’ll have.

What is most important to you – aesthetic appeal or durability and quality construction?

Let’s face it; all of the advertisements and magazine articles we see depicting kitchen cabinets are usually high-end, expensive designs with lots of up-charge options. Achieving your dream kitchen is a worthy goal but be realistic. When there’s a limited budget it may not be possible to afford high quality materials and construction as well as exotic woods and finishes. Be wise about allocating your money between quality materials/construction and aesthetic items like door styles, finishes and ornamentation. And realize that between 40 – 60 percent of the overall cost of your kitchen cabinetry will be determined by the cabinet door style and finish. Usually there’s a happy medium somewhere.

Do you really need completely new cabinets or will a face-lift suffice?

If your current cabinets are in good condition and you don’t need or want to change the current layout of your kitchen, perhaps all you need is a refreshment of the current style.

Although it’s not for everyone and usually not all that cost-effective anymore, cabinet refacing is one way to put a fresh face on your existing kitchen cabinets. It involves re-skinning the cabinets with a new wood or laminate veneer and replacing the doors. There are other cabinet refurbishment options too.

And lastly for those of you on a really tight budget, there’s always consideration for just the replacement of your cabinet doors and hinges to provide a new look and style to your existing kitchen cabinetry.

Just replacing the cabinet knobs and pulls is another way to change the look of existing kitchen cabinets and can be quite dramatic on the entire room. Don’t think that entirely new cabinets are necessary if the only problem with your existing ones are some tired doors or a style that no longer appeals to you.

As I mentioned in my post Kitchen Design & Remodeling – Kitchen Cabinet Basics before starting a kitchen remodeling project it can really help to familiarize yourself with general kitchen remodeling and basic cabinet terminology to learn your options and what will work best for your particular situation, be sure to do your research and educate yourself a little bit before you begin.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.