Frame less cabinets are true overlay and were started in Europe years ago, this is where European style got it's name. They developed this technique after world war 2 because of lumber shortage. No frame on this type box, just the sides themselves. Most of these cabinets are made with 5/8" or 3/4" material and hinge mounts directly to cabinet side. American custom shops started building cabinets this way in early 80's. 1/8" or less between all doors and drawer fronts.
Large production shops that supply Lowes and Depot mostly do framed cabinets. The sides of these cabinets are usually 1/2" thick, 3/4" not needed because a frame is being used. The gap tolerance is generally not as uniform as that on true overlay. 1/8" between doors that butt, however two cabinets that meet each other the gap between these is generally 1/4" or 1/2". Drawer fronts usually have 1/2" between them when you have a drawer on top of one another and when a drawer is above a door. This all has to do with the hinge, framed cabinets mount on frame and not side of cabinet like frameless. The geometry of hinge on framed cabinets is not the same as on frameless making those gaps to be tighter on frameless design. The hinges on frameless are more robust, and have better adjustability . Frameless will get you more cabinet space than framed. Both cabinets will serve the same purpose in the end. I would choose the look you like best. Hope this helps.

I agree, it is your kit, select the cabs you like.

The look you prefer is your own choice, but if your 1940s kitchen is short on space, I think you'll see a big difference in use of space with the different cabinet styles. If that's not a problem for you now, then maybe you don't need to consider that, but I couldn't wait to get rid of all the wasted space in my kitchen (custom, site built, few drawers and those that were there wasted as much space as they gave to storage, island devoted to a downdraft with no shelves or drawers). For me, that meant frameless, and I love them. I'm happy with the look, but happier with the huge improvement in my use of space.

For those of you who have followed my story over the years, you will remember that because I built what I liked in my last house (a white kitchen with white tile backsplash,) it took me 3.5 years to sell it, and the number one fault cited was the "all white kitchen." So even though I plan to live in this house forever, you will understand my reluctancy to do anything too extreme or out of the ordinary.

For what it's worth, this house is being built on an infill lot amongst other houses that are all at least 70 years old. Everything about the new build except the interior has to be approved my the local historical commission. Having been in several of the neighbor's houses, I did notice that none of them have inset or full overlay cabinets. Many were S&R kit houses built around the turn of the last century and they weren't particularly high end at the time.

So what would be most appropriate? Frameless vs. framed is not a consideration. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.

To me partial overlay screams late twentieth century. Perhaps it's a little different for me because I have a craftsman home, and the lines of full overlay seem to fit the historic look a lot better than partial overlay. Here's an example of the look I'm talking about:

{{!gwi}}

I think that if the custom fits your budget and the cabinetmaker is reputable, you will be vastly happier with custom regardless of door style. My carpenter added invaluable touches to my project, some of which occurred to both of us only in the midst of it; I would have really missed out had I had to order the whole shebang in advance from a factory.

Re. the full overlay, I'm also a huge fan of inset. I agree that partial overlay has a more historic feel to it -- what's the exact age of your house?

gregincal: That is a pretty kitchen. I don't entirely mind frameless cabinets but it is hard to find them in quartersawn oak. Fortunately I'm not really going to be lacking storage.

circuspeanut: We are building new on an infill lot.

my custom inset cabs were just installed and i love them! i would encourage you to get what you really love, they obviously cannot be swapped out easily so this is a place to be sure you can live with what you select. i went custom as my kitchen is small in 1942 house and i needed to squeeze in a lot along one short wall and custom was the only way to do it. while it cost more it was very much worth it. i was considering dynasty and if i did not have the size issue i would have gone with them. keep in mind some cab places will negotiate with you. if you need a little wiggle room in your budget to afford inset tell them that and see if they can better the price for you.

Whups, I let this reply sit while others composed more.

Partial overlay, to me, connotes either 1920's - 50's, if it's a thinner painted slab with rounded-off door edges -- or else 1970's - 1980's, if chunkier and pickled or golden oak with arches. I much prefer the early 20th century version, and this seems to be what you're aiming for?

Mmmm in 1920:

and mmmm in 1936:

but 1970's ugh:

and 1980's ugh:
{{!gwi}}

These are some of my just installed partial overlay, stained cherry, raised panel, true custom cabs. I chose this style for the galley kitchen in my 1940 Cape Cod because I think it goes well with the traditional furniture and colonial trim in the house. I like them. You should get whatever you like.

I don't really get full overlay = the look of frameless with none of the advantages. Frameless is the norm here in Canada so I find partial overlay charming and plan to incorporate it into my kitchen in the uppers on one wall (small kitchen so I'm using frameless on the lowers). I like the lipped cabinetry circuspeanut is referring to but think it is more retro and closer to inset which is too period for my taste. Partial overlay fits with a nice cottagey relaxed kitchen style. I think partial can work in a slick kitchen OK but if you know kitchens it is a pretty obvious compromise. Comes down to what sort of kitchen your doing and what you like (I also like slab drawer fronts).

I have frameless full overlay in my den, and framed partial overlay in the kitchen.

Bear in mind that there's varying degrees of partial overlay. My kitchen shows a bit of the frame top and bottom, and not too much between the doors. I like that look much better than partial overlays that show a ton of frame and in general look like the doors are a size too small.

I do prefer the partial overlay look of my kitchen to the full overlay of the den. My den just looks dominated by the doors and drawers. The exposed frame in the kitchen gives it a lighter and more visually interesting look, to me personally at least.

I love our full overlay. I think they look "traditional", more than modern. ?

sandesurf - I think your full overlay cabinets look traditional because of the door style you chose and the moulding. If it's even possible, I think your kitchen may be smaller than mine-unless that door next to the 'fridge is a pantry, in which case you have me beat. I really like what you did!

ncamy - if space isn't a concern in your new kitchen, definitely go with what looks most "right" to you. You really can't make a wrong choice.

everyone - don't you wish there were an edit function on this site? I've done it myself more than once, but reading through a post where an important word, like "don't", gets inadvertently left out can be really confusing! It's amazing that we can mostly just fill in the compositional errors and move on.

I had full overlay in my kitchen before the switch to inset. I like full overlay much better than partial overlay.

I really think it is a personal preference. And that the style of doors has a lot to do with it. The 1936 white slab kitchen circuspeanut posted looks just like what we are tearing out. I didn't mind the style, but it was starting to fall apart and the layout wasn't great.
I really like Ginny20's partial overlay new cabinets. And while I don't think I like full overlay, sandesurfs are very nice too. So I guess I would worry more about the door style and if you liked it than if it was full overlay or partial overlay. Especially if you have plenty of room. But of course, I haven't picked a style yet myself. Good luck with your decision.

I'm not a huge fan of full overlay either. I considered it for awhile and the cabinet line did have a style door that did a fool-the-eye inset door, but in the end I decided the extra expense of inset was worth it to me.

Does the kitchen in your rental home have lipped partial overlay doors? That's what I had in my old kitchen that was remodeled in the 50's. The doors fit closer and to me the look is cleaner.

Personally, I dislike partial overlay...but that may be my prejudice b/c the builder-grade cabinets I had in my old kitchen were partial overlay w/stiles b/w the doors for the 36" wide cabinets (the other cabs were 24" with one door). To me, partial overlay does not say "traditional". However, it's your kitchen...if you like partial overlay, then put them in!

BTW...not all partial overlays have the stile today...some just have the doors come together like in full overlay with the partial overlay around the frames.

"...Drawer fronts usually have 1/2" between them..."

Really? My face framed, full-overlay cabinets have 1/8" b/w most drawer fronts & doors, with one that's 3/16" (the gap b/w the top & middle drawer in this pic...the rest are 1/8").

susannes1, Thanks, and yes, that's a pantry door. :)

ncamy-

In our unfitted kitchen we have full inset, partial overlay and full overlay. The inset and partial overlay are kitchen displays (1 hutch, 1 island and 1 small full kitchen) purchased when a local place was changing out their displays (from, I kid you not, 1978, we built in 2006). The full overlay were built on site by our contractor using drawer fronts leftover from a remodel of our previous house. All of the styles play nicely together (at least in my mind), and I like the contrast. If the price of all inset is too high, you might consider doing a mixture.

Full overlay is probably my least fav style, and I don't think it can pass for inset for one minute, and anyone who thinks so is fooling themselves (IMO). Having said that, we have full overlay on some of our cabs cuz we had cab fronts (that morphed into drawer fronts) leftover from a remodel of a previous house and it was the cheapest way to get drawers next to the DW and on the other side of the sink. They are pretty chunky, and I painted them an intense blue paired with glossy black pulls, and they look OK. My whole house kind of resembles a jumble, so they don't really stand out.

It's interesting that some folks have commented on the door thickness and molding thickness being a consideration of what looks pleasing to the eye, our partial overlay cabs are light maple, from 1978, and the doors are thin and the solid brass (gasp!) hinges are visible. I think the thinness and the hinges showing make them more reminiscent of the vintage kitchen circuspeanut posted (which I love, thanks cp).

Here's a pic of our partial overlay maple cabs in our pantry.

Good luck-

sandyponder

If you go to Lowes or Depot you will find almost all of the cabinets are made the way I said. Frameless is much more for the custom cabinet maker. If the door has a square edge profile on framed cabinets when two doors meet where cabinets are joined together they will pinch if having an 1/8" gap. Not sure what kind of edge profile you have. This situation does not occur on frameless due to how the hinge is made. You also lose interior cabinet space with the frame, 1 1/2" on every drawer and shelf. Plus if you have a rail between each drawer your losing 1 1/2" in drawer depth . I think the original question relates to style more than function.

sandyponder: Mixing was exactly what I had in mind! We are going to have a hutch-like bar that will have a fully integrated paneled dishwasher so I was thinking about purposely making it different anyway.

One thing I do like about this cabinet maker, is that the face frames will all be one continuous piece. So with inset or partial overlay there won't be a seam where the individual boxes are joined. I think that will make it look much more like furniture.