Choosing Between Traditional, Classic, And Modern Kitchen Cabinet Styles

By Author: Jason Delmar
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When choosing cabinets you will usually find two styles to choose from - modern or traditional. There are exceptions and some companies have various names or themes to their cabinet lines, but overall you are going in one direction or the other when it comes to a cabinet style.

The term modern generally refers to something that is current or up to date. Something that is from the present time and can relate with the products of the present era; the word modern can almost go hand in hand with the term contemporary. This is because contemporary is defined as living, occurring, or existing in modern times. So if you see one term used for cabinets and a different company has the other term being used, you can almost always assume that the cabinet will be something similar in design and style.

These modern or contemporary cabinets have more of a streamlined look. Flat or near flat surfaces (as opposed to raised panels in most traditional cabinets), stark colors or sometimes the extreme opposite, bold colors are usually the norm; these colors can range from mocha black to a super white. Some stores even carry ...
... colors like a fire engine red or lighter pastel shades, but be wary of these colors; they might look good in a store showroom or even in your home, but in two years, five years or maybe ten years from now, will this color stand the test of time. Or in other words: colors and styles come in and out of favor; a bold color is more likely to pass through a current trend as opposed to a safer color that has longer staying power.

All modern or contemporary cabinets do not have to be in bold or outrageous colors, as I mentioned before, dark colors like chocolate brown, plain black, or traditional white can also be associated with this style. From this, the design of the cabinet follows these simple colors --by having simple designs. Flat fronts, straight lines, and very little in the way of intricate patterns, instead a modern cabinet is very plain when compared to a traditional cabinet. The term Shaker is used often when referring to modern cabinets and this is because the Shaker style of cabinets is very plain and simple, but at the same time it presents a clean look - which is ultimately a modern style.

Traditional cabinets are quite the opposite. First you will find these cabinets in the colors you most often think about when visualizing kitchen cabinets. The stained wood brown, the natural Oak or Maple, the medium to dark cherry, and the off white that has a country feel to it. Again it is not a rule, but it is the norm when looking for traditional cabinets. The lines of these cabinets or design style consist of straight lines that are accented with curves or arches. These cabinets having sweeping patterns and raised panels that give a heavy feel that comes with a traditional look, it is not a bad technique, it's just a different look that presents a varying style.

In the end choosing a cabinet style is an adventure. You have many choices and decisions to make, but a good way to start is by deciding which type of look to have in your kitchen. From this choice, other design aspects of the room and the house should fall into place.
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