If you do exposed hinges, don't do bronze. It's not appropriate. Do either nickel, stainless, or actual brass.

I'm just curious as to why you want exposed hinges. Are you going for an industrial style? We had exposed hinges in a $250K house in CA almost 30 years ago, and I thought it looked cheap, but maybe it was the oak cabs too. Maybe on more expensive cabs it looks appropriate~just relaying my experience.

It's also a period look. What color/finish cabs?

Hinges on inset doors is very traditional and more than appropriate. Hidden hinges, concealed or European hinges, whatever you want to call them, are of the last 20 years or so.

I have both on both beaded inset and a flat frame. I can tell you the hinges are hardly notable, because they are pretty much in the crack. For me, the color of the hardware would be dependent upon the color of the cabinets, not the appliances.

You've chosen a very traditional cabinet style. What style are you aiming for your kitchen?

When you frame and mat a picture, you make the mat compliment the picture, not the room. Sure, hopefully they go together, but you can't make the picture fit the room by forcing a mat color. Do you get me?

I want a traditional looking kitchen. The cabinets will be painted white maple and will have a beaded edge. The counters will be soapstone, blue star 36" range, concealed dishwasher, stainless counter depth fridge. One part of the kitchen will not have upper cabinets, I will be putting an antique plate rack in the section (hopefully I can find one!). And there is an area for a small antique cupboard.

Then hinges are more than in keeping with your cabinets. Are you getting the Gable style from Medallion? I am in LOVE with that door, with the beaded face frame. I think I am going to try to figure out how to make that cabinet detail.

IMHO, hidden hinges would be like an evening dress minus the earrings and lipstick. Hahahaha. The part that's not in keeping is the stainless fridge. Counter depth is just wonderful, but could you conceal that?

I cannot WAIT to see your finished pictures. I live vicariously and need a nice, beaded inset fix. :)

CEFreeman- I'm getting the Santa Cruz style. How do you conceal a counter depth fridge? We had to make some concessions and just couldn't do the built in fridge. Our fridge is not in a prominent spot so the thinking is it won't be too much of an eyesore!! What color hinge would you suggest?

Holly springs- what are your thoughts on black exposed hinges?

Well, I'm not sure about the color, but the hinges have to be exposed, just HAVE to be! :)

The color of the hinges is purely a matter of personal taste, so let the cabinet and counter colors be your guide.

I'm not a fan of the hidden Euro hinges, but it's all in one's perspective; I associate them with all the awful cheapo cabinetry I endured in bad sublets as a grad student in Europe.

But beyond that, it's also functional: I resent the amount of space the hidden hinges take up along the sides of the shelves; I loathe dusting around them; I seriously dislike the way they limit your opening of the cab doors to 90degrees; I experience them as hideous chunks of metal with no style or charm.

So to be more concise: I'm with the most excellent Fori, as usual. :)

I have no idea if you can conceal a counter depth fridge. I think that's a manufacturer thing. Since they're originally made for small, apartment type kitchens, they probably don't make it because who dresses up a rental that well? Owners? Only if they're in residence.

So that makes at least 3 of us. Inset and Beaded inset must be exposed!:) I have the same feelings about concealed hinges as circuspeanut. Ok, there's a flat, smooth look for ultra modern kitchens, but they're way from my thing, too.

I'm sitting here in front of my own, very own-built cabinets. They're made of reclaimed wood with antiqued brass, minaret style full-wrap, exposed hinges. I don't even see the hinges. I'm going to attach 2 pictures of two of the 26 cabinets that make up my MBR Tansu. Now, a couple of them utilize the Norcroft Cottage doors I already have. I liked the look and couldn't figure out how to inset doors that only had a 1/4" reveal all around. I painted and antiqued them and they're an excellent foil for the reclaimed doors.

Be kind. Cell phone pics, cloudy morning light, saw dust all over the place, (good thing I don't sleep in this room!) and blue tape for knobs.

Sorry. Can't access my own web store, so 2 posts:

Wow. The colors are much more rich in person. I like these boards because of the cutting marks that look like stripes. They're actually raised ridges from something. Then, who could pass up the peachy-pink in the old pain!?

Notice my beaded inset in the 1st pic? It's a face
frame from another project. The following frame is a regular cabinet, more traditional, flat frame.
It is also one of the supporting cabinets on the bottom.
Oh - I loved how there were circles from paint cans or something on the pallet boards. I thought that looked cool.

Sounds like a great kitchen!

If you're going to the trouble and expense of beaded inset, then yes - exposed hinges. The hinges will determine the pulls or knobs, but not the appliances.

A google image search on "white cabinets black hinges" will turn up a lot of examples. (Or try dark instead of black). I also remember a striking example on attocmag.

Black will make the hinges a "star." Don't know if you want that.

For what it's worth I have antique bronze with full inset in the summer retirement-house-to-be. I have aged brass (I dunked them) on 3/8 inset (don't ask) in a kitchen we recently more or less finished.

I

Just my 2 cents--while I love the look of exposed hinges, I wanted soft close doors. So I ordered my white beaded inset cabs with nickel hinges, then I realized that I could not have soft close with the exposed hinges. Needless to say, to me, the soft close won, and I had my hinges removed. But your kitchen sounds beautiful and I do think it will look beautiful with exposed hinges.

Hey CE, I've got the exact same hinges on one inset cab that has (finally) been installed. (this guy building my cabs is breaking no land speed records)

I too like the look of exposed hinges with inset doors. It feels appropriate, although I've seen lots of kitchens with hidden hinges and inset that are just lovely, too. Mostly don't like how bulky they are inside, and I like to be able to open my doors wide. Sounds like a good fit for your style of kitchen, too.

The general rule of thumb is that the other decorative metal hardware should determine the finish of your hinges. Not the appliances. So if you want ORB pulls, the hinges should be the same. Satin nickel pulls, satin nickel hinges, etc.

If you don't have other decorative metal hardware (wood knobs for example)..then I have no idea.

CEFreeman- your cabinets have a cool factor for sure!

I think I'm leaning towards the satin nickel now, I have to decide by tomorrow or then any changes there is an up charge!