Factors to consider:

Even before you start making cabinetry decisions; it pays to start thinking about what you want from those cabinets. As you begin to plan, be sure to consider the following:

• Take a look at what you like and don’t like about your current cabinet configuration. For example, many of today’s kitchens are replacing lower cabinets with drawers. These drawers of varying depths allow you to store pots and pans, plates and other items normally kept in lower cabinets without the bending and reaching those cabinets require.

• Many cooks have chosen to replace some upper cabinets with shelving. This provides a more open look in areas with limited space and easy access to commonly-used items. Be careful, though; you may not care for the more cluttered appearance that results.
• Think about all the uses you have for the space. For example, if you are a frequent baker, you may want to have a cabinet structured to hold your baking pans or an appliance garage for your stand mixer.
• Kitchen cabinets need to be more than a pretty face. Be sure to open and close doors and drawers. Look for cabinets with good quality hardware, interior boxes and door and drawer panels. Make sure they wipe clean easily.
• Understand that the stained cabinetry in your kitchen is unique, and that some stains change color slightly over time. This means that if any doors or drawers need to be replaced, the new item may not be an exact match.
• Darker cabinets are lovely, but be sure to include good lighting with a darker cabinet choice. Darker cabinet and countertop options require stronger lighting in a kitchen to compensate.
• When you make your cabinet decisions, think about resale. You improve your resale dollars if your cabinet choices coordinate well with the style of the rest of your home. Remember that additional built-in cabinets provide you with welcome storage and add resale value.
• Take a look at exactly what you will be storing in every room where you will have built-in cabinets. It pays to take the time to make a plan before you order your cabinets rather than try to figure out where to put things once your cabinets are in place.

Here is the start of a list of things you may be storing. Be sure to add your own items.

Kitchen:

• Tall food items: cereal, crackers, pasta, prepared meals
• Canned food items: large and small cans
• Bagged food items: Flour, sugar
• Spices
• Silverware
• Cooking Utensils, spatulas, knives, whisks
• Plates, bowls, cups
• Serving bowls and platters
• Pots and pans and their lids
• Food storage containers and their lids
• Boxed foils and plastic wraps
• Baking supplies: specialty pans and decorating supplies, cookie cutters
• Dish towels, sponges
• Cleaning supplies
• Table linens
• Paper towels and napkins
• Cookbooks

Bathroom:

• Soap, Shampoo & other personal hygeine products
• Bathroom cleaning products
• Make-up & toiletries
• Lotions
• Toilet paper
• Towels
• Medications
• Supplies for guests in a guest bath
• First aid supplies

Laundry Room

• Soap and other clothes-cleaning supplies
• Space for folding clothes if possible
• Space for hanging clothes if possible
• Space for home cleaning supplies