I think the door panels on the sides of the desks and the ends of the cabinet run give it a more upscale look. My situation is slightly different than yours in that we have a long counter that faces the front entry. Half of it is working cabinets, half of it isn't. We opted for doors on the non-operational area to give it continuity and it does look classier.
My opinion is that you will not regret having done it, but you could regret not having done it.

Good point kellie-

What do you think about the ends of the desk/"hutch" not being paneled? I am worried about it looking too "fussy" since the whole unit itself already has alot of detail.

Here's a picture of a beverage center/"hutch" area posted by alku05 years ago, which sort of shows what I mean. (Alku did not panel this area, but paneled the rest of the kitchen.)

We did a combination of both; no door panels where it really doesn't show or might be "too much"; that is, on the end of the island where the side can't be seen except as you're near the sink (our kitchen is small, no long sight lines there), and on each side of the window. Otherwise we did door panels on the ends. I uploaded a couple of not-very-good photos of our kitchen in early stages before it was finished for you to see.

I just think it is such a classy look. The sort of thing that would set apart an upscale kitchen from a kitchen.

I agree that if it isn't visible it isn't neccesary, but where it is highly visible it is just a really nice look.

In my previous home, I had door panels on everything except the sides of the cabinets over the sink, I think it just gives the kitchen a more finished look. Am doing it in this kitchen as well, to me, it's worth the extra money.

I think plain finished ends are what you find in first or builder grade kitchens.
I think the expense is worth it.

We are debating the same question. We have veiwed 4 kitchens done by our guy, and none of them had them. Our kitchen is the smallest (size and budget) of those he has done, but I still think we are going to order them. I just don't want to walk into my kitchen after it is done every morning and think how much nicer it would have been with panals.

I love the look of the door panels on the sides of the cabinets. Here's my kitchen and hutch with the furniture finished ends (Schuler) to give you an idea of what it might look like. I didn't put the furniture ends on the cabinets flanking the stove hood, or the window. Schuler has an option for integrated furniture ends that I just loved.

{{!gwi}}

Yes, I made this decision at the last minute as well...I went with the doors, even though it was a significant expense. The KD said that the plain ends were well-done enough that it would look "fine" without them...but "fine" isn't good enough for my forever kitchen. I want gorgeous, fancy, wonderful!!! lol!! Go for the panels!

Only you can decide if it's worth the money. You do have alot of "ends" where the panels would look very nice, so the price is probably reasonable.

I didn't do it in my last kitchen, and kind of wished I had. Definitely doing it in the new house. Even the back of the peninsula will be all panels. {{!gwi}}

I agree with susanka. Even if you ended up doing 1/2 of your door panels, that would be $600 saved, which is a very nice high-end kitchen faucet, or warming drawer (have seen several new ones on CL for $400 range), etc. I definitely wouldn't do your cabs near the sink, but maybe would consider it for the desk area, since it's more 'furniture' than just kitchen cabs. The french doors on the left: are they going out side, and usually closed, or are they going to another room, and will usually be open?

I'm trimming out the bookcase at the end of my island, since it's somewhat exposed, but won't worry about my cabinet ends, since I only have one that would face the family room, and hopefully it won't be too noticeable, since it's sitting at the end of my large peninsula/eating bar.

Ditto Marcy96, we didn't panel out the uppers by sink but did do the end run fridge,island and to the left of stove. It really does "finish" the kitchen in my mind, and I do notice the "naked" look when it is not done in kitchens I go into. I talked a friend into doing it and she was so happy I did, she is not TKO like me and just didn't understand the visual punch it gives.

But that is just my opinion. ;-)

ps my installer used finished trim pieces and boxed the island out on site. This did save on money and bulkyness.

Sounds like a good choice. And you made a decision! I'm celebrating decisions this week because I'm sure none of them will be mine!! Do it right is my motto too.

marcy96, beautiful kitchen!

@breezy -- if you are celebrating decisions this week, listen to this one:

My GC called me to see if I had picked a faucet for the powder room that is getting done with our kitchen reno. (So that he could order the vanity top.)

So -- I checked out the Moen website and called him back less than 10 minutes later with my -- wait for it -- FINAL DECISION on the faucet!!!

I was so excited that I made a quick decision on something without ruminating and obsessing on it!! Woo hoo!

Here is a link that might be useful: My powder room faucet!!

OK - so wow. I stand corrected. Our tiny little kitchen cabinet bid came in just under $10,000 with no end panals. I asked the guy to break them out so I could decide.

Side of dishwasher (end of peninsula)$275
Back of Peninsula $550
Side of 39" base $275
Side of 39" upper $185
Side of 27" upper $185
Side of microwave $160

Total: $1,630 - Wow - I am surprised it was so high and now need to reconsider! Is that about right - it is more than 10% of total cabinet cost!

@colorado -- I'm not sure of the exact breakdown, but I believe that our KD said that it was about $100 for an upper, and $130 for a base cabinet. Of course, we could be paying more per cabinet, so it may be a wash. I hope that helps.

I like the look of end panels. That's what I chose for current build. 2 upper end panels + each side of fridge and freezer surrounds+ each side of oven&built in micro+ 2 base cab panels and the back of the angled pennisula has panels the full length. I think it gives them a more finished look.

Master bath linen tower has them but the 2 upstairs linen towers don't.

I'm not sure of the price for mine.