Cabinets make up 30–35% of a typical kitchen renovation budget and cover more visible surface area than any other element. The wrong choice shows every day. The right choice holds up for 15–20 years.

Here's what to think through before you commit.

Match Your Cabinets to Your Home

The cabinet style should work with your home's overall design — not against it. A sleek handleless cabinet in a traditional colonial home looks as off as ornate raised-panel doors in a modern condo.

Traditional homes: Raised panel doors, warmer wood tones or off-white paints, decorative molding Contemporary homes: Flat slab doors, minimal or integrated handles, high-gloss or matte finishes Transitional: Shaker-style doors — they bridge both worlds and are the most popular choice in Durham Region right now

Don't know where your home falls? That's exactly what a design consultation sorts out. Our team sees hundreds of Durham Region kitchens and can spot what will look right in yours.

Cabinet Construction: What to Look For

Not all cabinets are built the same. Here's what separates cabinets that last from cabinets that don't:

Box construction:

  • Plywood — strongest, most moisture-resistant, holds screws better over time
  • MDF (medium density fibreboard) — stable, smooth finish surface, good for painted cabinets
  • Particleboard — cheapest, but swells with moisture and doesn't hold hardware well long-term

Door construction:

  • Solid wood and MDF doors resist warping and cracking better than particleboard
  • Multi-stage factory finishes (primer → paint → topcoat) last longer than single-coat hand-applied finishes
  • Look for crack-resistant technology on painted doors — paint hairline cracking is the #1 complaint with lesser cabinets

Drawer construction:

  • Dovetail joints — interlocking wood joints that hold up to heavy daily use
  • Stapled or glued butt joints — cheaper, but loosen over time
  • Metal drawer bottoms in premium lines prevent sagging

Shelving:

  • 3/4" thick shelving won't sag under the weight of dishes and cookware
  • 1/2" shelving is common in budget lines but bows within a few years

Hardware Matters More Than You Think

Cabinet hardware is the jewellery of the kitchen. It's the detail people notice — and touch — most.

Style direction:

  • Knobs for a classic look, pulls for a modern feel
  • Bar pulls in matte black or brushed gold are trending in Durham Region
  • Transitional kitchens often mix knobs on uppers and pulls on lowers

Finish selection:

  • Chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, brushed gold, bronze, brass
  • Match your hardware finish to your faucet and lighting fixtures for a coordinated look
  • Mixing metals works — but keep it to two finishes maximum

Quality check:

  • Soft-close hinges rated for 75,000+ cycles
  • Full-extension drawer glides so you can reach the back of every drawer
  • Six-way adjustable hinges that allow fine-tuning after installation

Plan Your Kitchen Traffic

Cabinet layout and door swing affect how people move through the kitchen. This gets overlooked until it's too late.

Key clearances:

  • 36" minimum between facing cabinet runs (42" if two people cook)
  • 15" of counter space on each side of the cooktop
  • 24" of counter space on the handle side of the fridge
  • Island walkways need 36–42" of clearance

Door and drawer conflicts:

See our post on kitchen layouts for how different floor plans handle traffic flow.

Don't Forget Cabinet Lighting

Lighting changes how your cabinets look and how your kitchen functions.

  • Under-cabinet lighting — illuminates your countertop work surface and eliminates shadows
  • In-cabinet lighting — makes glass-front doors a feature (not just storage)
  • Above-cabinet lighting — adds ambiance in kitchens with space between cabinets and ceiling

LED strips are affordable and run cool. They can be added during installation or retrofitted later — but wiring is easier during a renovation.

Prefab vs. Custom: The Budget Decision

For most Durham Region homeowners, premium prefab cabinets deliver the construction quality, style options, and durability of custom — at 40–45% less cost.

Choose prefab when standard sizes work for your kitchen (they do for 90% of layouts). Choose custom only when you need dimensions or materials that prefab lines don't offer.

The money saved on prefab cabinets can go into better countertops, upgraded hardware, or improved lighting — all of which have a bigger impact on how the kitchen looks and feels.

Get Help Choosing

Cabinet selection has too many variables to wing it. Bring your kitchen measurements and style preferences to a free consultation at Floor and Bath Design. We'll walk through the options that fit your home, your kitchen, and your budget.

See our cabinet work in the project portfolio — from bright white transitional kitchens to bold two-tone designs.

Book your free consultation

Floor and Bath Design · 109 Old Kingston Road, Unit 4, Ajax ON · 905-683-0079

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best kitchen cabinet materials?

Plywood box construction with solid wood or MDF doors gives the best combination of durability, finish quality, and moisture resistance. Avoid particleboard boxes in areas near sinks or dishwashers — they swell with moisture exposure.

How long do kitchen cabinets last?

Quality cabinets (plywood construction, dovetail drawers, soft-close hardware) last 15–25 years with normal use. Budget cabinets with particleboard construction and stapled joints may show wear in 5–8 years.

Should I get soft-close cabinet hinges?

Yes. Soft-close hinges prevent slamming, reduce wear on the cabinet frame, and are now a standard buyer expectation in Durham Region. Most premium prefab lines include them as standard — not an upgrade.

What cabinet style is most popular right now?

Shaker-style doors dominate the Durham Region market — they work in both traditional and contemporary homes. White and off-white painted finishes are the most requested colours, followed by navy blue and sage green for accent cabinets or islands.

Is it better to reface or replace kitchen cabinets?

Replace if the cabinet boxes are in poor condition (swelling, loose joints, water damage) or if you want a layout change. Reface if the boxes are structurally sound and you only want a new look. Refacing costs about 40–50% of full replacement.

How do I choose between knobs and pulls for kitchen cabinets?

Knobs work well on upper cabinets and traditional styles. Pulls are easier to grip (better for lower cabinets and drawers) and give a more contemporary feel. Mixing both in the same kitchen is a common design approach — knobs on doors, pulls on drawers.

Can I upgrade my cabinet hardware without replacing the cabinets?

Yes. Swapping hardware is one of the fastest and cheapest kitchen upgrades. If the new hardware uses different hole spacing than the old, you'll need to fill the old holes and drill new ones — a simple job for any installer.