Kalamazoo Kitchen Cabinets

Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets are the workhorses of the home. For many people in kitchens are not simply the culinary center, they also serve as desks, meeting places, dining rooms, craft centers and more. Just as Kalamazoo has many different aspects of its culture, including breweries, science, industry and Western Michigan University, your Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets should be chosen based on how much they can do at once.

Kitchen Work

If your Michigan kitchen layout takes on more than one role, the first steps in home remodeling are to establish the work zones and plan your Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets according to those zones. Common work zones include, prep areas, cooking, cleaning, storage, eating nooks, small home offices and entryways. Fitting all of these zones into one room may require additions. An easy way to add counter space or an extra work zone is to create an island or a peninsula.

An island is a separate, usually rectangular, portion filled with Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets and covered with a counter. If you have a lot of floor space, you can place it in the middle or to the side. If you need the floor space during certain holidays, you can choose a rolling island, that can be rolled near a dining table to serve as a food station or used primarily in the kitchen for appliances and prep space. Other common uses for an island include a breakfast or drink bar or a place for a second prep sink.

The peninsula is an extension of your current counters. It also takes up floor space, but it is a permanent addition that can be used on one side for prep space and on the opposite side as a bar. Islands or peninsulas should be filled with Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets for extra storage or pantry space. They can also contain decorative cabinets on the outside that showcase decor or collections. A wine or towel rack can be added on the far end of the peninsula.

Choosing Materials

Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets come in stock, semi-custom or custom options, meaning you can get luxury kitchen cupboard designs if you so choose. If you are on a strict budget, then stock cabinets are probably the best option for you. These are cabinets that are created in common sizes and configurations, and they are made out of many materials, including laminate, veneer, plywood or hardwood. There is a material and style for almost any kitchen and personal taste. They are made using traditional frame design, and they are available in contemporary, sleek frame-less design.

Laminate Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets are created from plywood pressed with a resin, and they are available in many different colors. They are durable and easy to clean. Veneer is made with plywood coated with a veneer in many different colors, textures and wood grains. Just like laminate flooring, they are a great way to achieve a wood grain look without using more expensive hardwood. They are also easy to clean and harder to damage.

Hardwood and hardwood plywood are still popular options for cabinets. Certain styles like the Shaker styles or American colonial styles are still made to this day. Shaker Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets are cleverly crafted from hardwood, without using many nails or screws. They are created to use cabinet space effectively, and they look both simple and classic. Other colonial styles are made with more wood detailing in cherry, hickory and oak hardwoods.

If you are interested in using MI hardwood or plywood and you want to support the economy by using local Michigan labor, you are in luck. Kalamazoo offers a number of options. Look for a sign that says your Kalamazoo materials are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as North American hardwood.

Innovative Cabinetry

Since MI colonial days, kitchens have grown to include freezers, refrigerators, and warming drawers. The shape and styles of cabinets have also changed. Vertical cabinets that are long and thin fit between appliances or other drawers. They allow you to keep platters and trays in their own place, easily accessible when no longer stored below pounds of dishware or pots and pans.

Another popular change is the pullout drawer. Pullout drawers are recessed into the cabinetry. Once drawn out, you have access to spice racks, condiments or glassware. You can also create "appliance garages" with corner or under-cabinet counter space. Coffee makers, toasters, food processors and blenders can have a concealable cabinet hidden by a "garage" tambour door.

Consult a contractor, designer or architect to find out how to add these custom options. As you make decisions for your new Kalamazoo kitchen, brainstorm how you can garner more space while staying within your budget. Kalamazoo kitchen cabinets have changed and expanded like Kalamazoo. When Bronson became Kalamazoo, it grew to include modern manufacturing, culture and family. Your new MI kitchen can follow suit.