Which kitchen cabinets? Schuler, Belmont? Brookhaven?

10 years ago

I am agonizing over which cabinets to choose for our kitchen remodel. We have talked to 3 places and received quotes from all 3. The difference in quotes is 4-5,000 dollar difference! Are we really getting more quality from the local shops than a place like Lowes? The ones from Lowes we are looking at the Schuler line in a painted white shaker style. We are looking at the Belmont 1900 series and the Brookhaven or DeWils. All white painted shaker style with plywood boxes. I can't find enough reviews for the difference in quality. Or GC will install them all. Help!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

SparklingWater
10 years ago
I looked at Brookhaven but went with Elkay's frameless Innermost (Elkay Cabinetry also manufacture's Schuler). I got a lot of white painted cabinets-twenty three including the tall pantry as well as trim and moulding.

I'm really happy with them (although I'm still dealing with a glass cabinet hinge alignment situation that's gone on to long with Elkay). The satin paint finish is great-a low luster rather than matte, very durable to everyday use and cleans up (i.e., avoids stains) very well by using Elkay's directions. The interiors of my white painted Elkay product are birch (except glass cabinets) and all are even in color tone and texture bar. The maple wood didn't have knots, and the interior edge banding is the same as the birch (baring one small drawer on the bottom which is darker in color). I didn't have any returns to the company: all came very nicely done.

Brookhaven has a great reputation too. My GC was very helpful in figuring out an initial question on venting, and his connection was with a designer who sold Innermost, and I wanted frameless so voila!

SchÃÂ¼ler face framed white shaker would have been my second choice, as I truly like Elkay Cabinetry satin finish. I spent a lot of time there with a different KD. What color white are you contemplating?
williamsem
10 years ago
Of those, I think Bellmont may be the only frameless line (though not certain). If that matters, then you can differentiate based on that. I have the 1900 series installed, just about a year now. They are solid, well built, and I would absolutely use them again. Can't really comment on the other lines in comparison.
Related Discussions
Brookhaven, Holiday Kitchens or Yorktowne cabinets
Q
Comments (5)
Hi Buckscounty, We looked seriously at Brookhaven. They are very nice quality, with a great finish. Also, Brookhaven is owned by Wood-Mode, which is a more expensive line, with virtually unlimited ability to customize. So, if you have one piece - say a mantle-style range hood for example, that isn't one of the Brookhaven standard sizes, you can get that piece from the Wood-Mode side of the house, and everything will be finished together. The others may have that ability as well, I don't know. I have heard of Holiday, and have the impression they are good quality. I'm not familiar with Yorktowne, but I'm in CA and some companies seem to operate only in certain parts of the counrty. Good Luck!
...See More
Brookhaven vs. schuler cabinets
Q
Comments (2)
I've sold BH and Medallion (same as Schuler). Unusual for apple to apples not to be awfully close, promos or not. My own kitchen is BH and I'd say it is worth the difference. Have seen a few complaints here recently, don't know if it's changed. Been 3 years since I worked there, but still prefer the cabinet. Generally one of the better painted though others are catching up in the price bracket. BH is available frameless, and framed cabinets are doweled frames both plusses IMO. Schuler is pocket hole constructed frames.
...See More
Brookhaven cabinets vs. local custom cabinets - can't decide!
Q
Comments (14)
I cannot address how Brookhaven compares with custom, but I have a Kitchen with Woodmode (stain finish) and Butler's Pantry (stain finish) and Laundry (painted) with Brookhaven. The Woodmode is inset, and Brookhaven is overlay. We had a number of issues with the dealer and his installer. Our project was a nightmare as a result. Do not assume that because a dealer carries a great product like Woodmode/Brookhaven, that they will be good at what they are supposed to do. And Woodmode's lead-time for replacement parts can be a real schedule-breaker. I am in the process of planning for another kitchen remodel (the Woodmode/Brookhaven is in our second home), and will be going with custom cabinets this time. The main reasons for deciding not to use Woodmode/Brookhaven this time around are cost and lead-time for replacement parts. I have to say, that even though Woodmode/Brookhaven cabinets are very, very nice cabinets, I do not think they are worth what they cost. The cost is staggering! My kitchen is very high-end. We spend a fortune on many custom items, such as a custom-carved french limestone range hood, custom hand-made forged lighting fixtures etc. No expense was spared. I have to say, that for all these items, I feel as if I got good value for the price. Not so for the cabinets. Don't get me wrong, they are great cabinets--just that they stand-out in a kitchen where everything is "over-the-top" as having a cost that is ridiculously out of line. I recently decided to add an smallish amoire-type cabinet in my laundry room to store brooms. This little Brookhaven gem--despite the fact that they were having a "sale," cost about $2,300. To store brooms. In my laundry room. Galling, no? But I chose Brookhaven, so if I want it to match... I have several friends who have done kitchens recently, and what I spent on cabinets easily is four times or more what any of them spent. Some of those friends used custom cabinets that seem as nice, if not nicer (especially when considering the ability to custom fit, or do any door style) than Brookhaven. Perhaps some are not as nice, but not significantly so, and the cost difference is huge. One thing to consider in terms of the durability of finish is how long you will be in the house--or how long until the next remodel. If it is a long time, a factory finish is almost always more durable than a custom. But the custom might be easier to retouch too. Funny, when I was ordering my Brookhaven, the dealer had a display that was finished by a local finishing specialist, because the finish they wanted was not available from Brookhaven! Not sure where you are located, but in the Pacific Northwest there is a company called Morgans Fine Finishes, and they specialize in cabinet finishing. They actually finish cabinets in their shop, and then you install, so you get some of the benefits of a factory finish, but the ability to customize. Guess it all depends on your priorities. There are some nice custom cabinets out there, but if Brookhaven offers the color and door style you want, they are great cabinets, just very, very expensive!
...See More
Brookhaven/Wood Mode - which 'white'?
Q
Comments (32)
I am also in the process of redoing my kitchen, and I'm having the same problem trying to decide between Nordic white and bright white in Brookhaven Edgemont. What did you finally decide, and are you happy with it? We are in the process of installing Brookhaven bright white cabinets in our beach house. We were initially going to do nordic white, but our trim is BM distant gray, which is a very crisp white and the nordic white looked dingy next to it. I was really nervous that the bright white would have blue undertones but in our space, it doesn't. Having said that, we're going for a cooler palette...gray stained oak floors, BM sea salt walls, colonial white granite. If you want warmer tones, nordic white would be better. Hope this helps.
...See More
mattiew
10 years ago
Based on reviews from here, we went with Brookhaven. At that time (2008), the feedback I was seeing was that the paint finish was very durable and even. I was happy with the cabinets (we have since moved), nice construction and held up well. We had a few issues with the cabinet door fronts (shifted during shipping which exposed unpainted portions) but these were quickly replaced. I LOVED the kitchen designer that sold this line; great about finding options to reduce cost, making the most of the space etc. In our city more than one dealer carried Brookhaven, the first I went to was not as helpful and didn't seem interested in helping us reduce the cost.

Not long before we renovated our kitchen, my mother renovated using a nice cabinet from Lowe's. The service and attention to detail that I received from the local company was outstanding, her experience was just ok. She had to really stay on top of them to correct problems.
susanlynn2012
10 years ago
I have to thank the posters this thread as I will use this information to help myself. I thought I knew what I wanted but now I am confused but I do know I want White Shaker Cabinets as that has been my taste for several years.
Majra
10 years ago
I'm happy with my Schuler cabinetry and had a great experience with Lowe's.
susanlynn2012
10 years ago
Majra, thank you for letting all of us know. I may check out Schuler Cabinetry at Lowes.
vdinli
10 years ago
If you are limited for space in anyway, go with frameless cabinets. Both Bellmont and Brookhaven have frameless cabinets. Just see a side by side comparison on base drawers-you get so much more space! Good luck on your decision making process. We are just about narrowing it down and it has not been easy.
akshars_mom
10 years ago
We have Belmont 1900 series cabinets in Painted white and the Cherry with Spice stain. They have only been in use a few weeks but so far we have been happy. The KD we worked with us was great. I think people have mixed results with big box stores. Only you can decide if the KD there will work for you. Be prepared to spend more time on tracking everything if you go that route.
sjhockeyfan325
10 years ago
We also have Bellmont 1900 series - ours are melamine lowers and acrylic uppers. We're happy with them, but I don't really know how to analyze the quality (plywood boxes, and as I said, melamine interiors (which I like better than wood for ease of cleaning) and melamine/acrylic exteriors. The one change I would make is to put in heavy duty glides for the drawer that holds my dishes, but everything else is fine.

I also think the KD issue that akshars mom mentioned is true whether its a big box store or not. Some are great, some are not. Ours was ok, but we had to be aware of every little detail.
agk2003
10 years ago
sjhockeyfan love your kitchen! we are doing a transitional look with frameless white shaker but i also love the modern look of yours.
sjhockeyfan325
10 years ago
Thanks!

Which kitchen cabinets? Schuler, Belmont? Brookhaven?

Comments (11)

SparklingWater

williamsem

Related Discussions

mattiew

susanlynn2012

Majra

susanlynn2012

vdinli

akshars_mom

sjhockeyfan325

agk2003

sjhockeyfan325

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US