Planning to get cabinets made in my kitchen

Any tips to ensure we get the right ones?

Bring out the measuring tape and measure the exact kitchen area and then measure again. Why? Make a mistake in the measurement and more than likely, you’ll make a mistake in the cabinet sizes. Now that you have the accurate area measurement, you can start taking into consideration the floor and wall plan, recesses and nooks, windows and door swings, even water and gas outlets.

Spend as much time as you possibly can in picking the right base cabinet for this will be the foundation from which the rest of the cabinets will flow. Think with foresight and use some good ol’ common sense in planning the size for the base cabinets as focusing on style and aesthetics sans functionality will be a cause for heartburn later on.

Think about the kind of differently-sized cooking paraphernalia you’ll be placing inside the cabinets and how often you’ll be using them. What kitchen tools can cause possible safety concerns and what needs to be placed away from prying hands? Should the sink and cooktop cabinets be close or far apart? Nowadays, there are a plethora of internal cabinet storages that accommodate adaptable shelves and enclosed drawers. These can be used cleverly so as to avoid boxy looking cabinets. What’s more, concealed compartments with full extension drawers and soft-close hinges work well when extra storage space becomes a must.

You can choose from solid wood, laminates, veneers, PVC sheets, or even stainless steel or aluminium! PVC also called the ‘membrane finish’, is usually a sound and economical alternative in comparison to laminates and wood-based products. It is termite-proof, anti-corrosive, and easy to maintain! Acrylic finishes are great if you want a glossy and super-smooth finish! They do come with a hefty price tag, though!

You might think that knobs, handles and pull-outs – the cabinet hardware, so to speak - are superficial additions that can be left to later, right? But no, these late additions are often the key elements that can help to tie-in the entire look of the kitchen. If your kitchen is modern and classy, the natural choice will be to opt for savvy looking hardware that gets affixed to the cabinet door with concealed screws, pull-outs in most cases.

Take stock of your stuff and take a call about the objects that can go and those that can remain. Keeping efficiency of the kitchen in mind, organise carefully using folding shelves, cabinet pull-outs, and spice racks.

Cabinets accommodating cooking utensils can be planted close to the cooking area aside from having related appliances at close access. A tall pantry cabinet with a cabinet organizer for hard-to-reach areas can be a helpful addition.