The right kitchen cabinet contractor has a wide selection of products at the right price. If you’re a contractor looking to help homeowners select the best cabinet door materials and style, Conestoga Wood Specialties can help. We offer thousands of design specifications so you can provide your clients with the best options.
This guide will help you choose the right kitchen cabinet door supplier and offer some educational guidance you can pass on to your clients.
Understanding Kitchen Cabinet Door Material Options — A Guide for Contractors
You have many options when it comes to custom, high-end cabinet door materials:
- Wood: The classic choice, wood as a cabinet material is an aesthetic and practical option. Many homeowners prefer the look of wood grains in their kitchens, and the material holds its value and is customizable with stains and paints. There are many wood species suitable for kitchen cabinet doors, including Alder, Cherry, Maple, Pine and Birch.
- Plywood: Plywood is durable and affordable. As a composite material, it comprises different veneers or plies of wood adhered together. Due to these layers, it is resistant to expansion and contraction, and it comes in different types and grades.
- MDF: Versatile and cost-effective, medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is a type of fiberboard that has a lower density and smoother surface than particleboard. In general, it costs less than plywood, and its smooth surface makes it easy to paint.
Tips for Choosing the Right Door Material for Your Project
How do you know if you’ve chosen the right cabinet door material for your client’s project? Take cost, style and functionality into account with these tips:
- Align with the client’s budget: Kitchen cabinet doors can be one of the most expensive kitchen remodel projects. If your client has a tight budget, you’ll want to select a more cost-effective material. MDF and other alternative materials fall in the lowest price range, while certain solid woods will have higher price tags.
- Complement the kitchen’s style: A stainless steel cabinet, which we don’t offer, would look strange in a traditional-style kitchen. The material you choose should suit the kitchen’s current or future style. Talk with your client to determine what they’d like — some clients want their doors to be a focal point, while others prefer them to blend in more.
- Ensure functionality and durability: For kitchens that expect to see heavy use, a more durable and higher-priced solid wood cabinet will be a better option for longevity. If you’ll be painting the cabinet doors, the smooth surface of MDF or plywood will make it easier for the paint to adhere.
Kitchen Cabinet Door Trends for 2024
So, your client wants to update their kitchen by refreshing their cabinet doors. What’s the best way to recommend new design trends that will appeal to a wide variety of clients? Consider these 2024 kitchen cabinet trends and adapt them to your client’s needs:
1. Embrace Color Diversity
Kitchen design trends for 2024 favor unique colors — if your client expresses an interest in making their cabinets a focal point, you might source cabinet doors in colors like sage, maroon or plum. While bold colors like bright reds and blues might suit certain styles, recent trends favor natural colors with a slight twist as they are more universally attractive.
2. Incorporate Contemporary Styles
There has been a rise in trends toward minimalism and sleek designs in kitchens, particularly in cabinet doors. Sharp, straight lines and seamless, high-gloss finishes characterize the contemporary cabinet door style. For an ultra-modern look, the client might want to stick with a streamlined cabinet door with neutral-colored paint. Doors with sharp lines and recessed or raised panels blend contemporary and traditional cabinet styles.
3. Balance Modern Aesthetics With Longevity
While it’s vital to keep up with kitchen design trends so you can serve your clients, it’s also a good idea to watch out for ideas that are too trendy — meaning they won’t be popular for long. Finding a good balance between modern aesthetics and longevity means focusing on classic, timeless elements with a twist that your clients will appreciate, such as special colors or unique design elements.
4. Mix Materials
A hallmark of modern design trends is mixing materials, like wood and glass. While open shelving had its day, many customers prefer a more functional option with glass doors as their cabinet doors — this style offers a similar aesthetic appeal to open shelves with better organization and protection.
5. Integrate Doors With Smart Features
Smart homes are not a thing of the future. With app-controlled lighting and appliances, your clients will likely want cabinet doors that can accommodate their various smart home devices. These features might include recessed cabinet lighting to provide better visibility on the counter or even a small nook for their smart home assistant so they can use it while cooking.
How Kitchen Cabinets Improve Home Value
The kitchen is one of the most expensive rooms in a house to upgrade — new flooring, countertops, backsplashes, appliances and cabinets can really add up. While the initial costs can be daunting, you can educate your clients about the return on investment (ROI) these updates will provide for their home value.
A full-scale kitchen demo and remodel may not be in the cards for everyone, but there are small changes that can have a huge impact on value. According to one report, smaller kitchen upgrades, like replacing cabinet doors, had a higher ROI at 14.8% than larger-scale upgrades.
Almost as important, newer cabinets can increase a kitchen’s functionality, providing homeowners with better storage solutions. While boosting the value of a home can pay off when it comes time to sell, new cabinets also make the kitchen space easier and more enjoyable to use, increasing homeowner’s satisfaction.
Trust Conestoga Wood Specialties for High-Quality Kitchen Cabinet Doors — Get in Touch Today!
To serve your clients best, you need to find a custom cabinet door manufacturer. Conestoga Wood Specialties offers thousands of cabinet specifications with unique colorways and design details. In addition to our expansive offerings, we also provide unmatched artisanship and quality. Our company started in 1964, and we’re always looking for new ways to bring the next big thing to our customers.
When you work with us, you can enjoy access to easy quotes and a seamless ordering process through our Con-Nex and other online tools. We are leaders in dependability, and our team is committed to getting your order to you on time. Our very own transportation fleet can deliver products to various regions safely and reliably.
Contact us today for more information on our offerings or how to purchase with us.
