I like the short one. The fake doors look like they could be real. The tall ones look kinda weird, and I think something other than fake doors would be more appropriate.

When doors are used as end panels, they are just supposed to be decorative and matching, not look like real doors.

But, I think when you finish the kitchen and everything is in place, these won't really stand out.

I'm not helpful. I think they will look fine but if they bug you, you'd better have them fixed.

Well, this is definitely a matter of personal taste. I am pretty much a "go with the flow" kinda person, and, since the cabs look fantastic, my vote is for taking the money and running. I *do* know how frustrating it is to plan everything out, and then to have something come back at you different from what you expected. But different doesn't necessarily have to be bad. Again, I think they look beautiful.

Not speaking of your kitchen but of end panels in general...In a kitchen with a lot of "shaker" panels, I prefer plain ends because they give a rest, a counterpoint to the busyness of the rest of the design. Additionally, there is no virtue in fooling people in a working kitchen into thinking that there is a true door where there is only a decorative panel. And I like the flat panel areas because they can be used to mount something, whether a large calendar, a clock, a little shelf, a piece of art, a tv.

In your kitchen, the last photo shows end panels with a different depth of grid pattern than the front of the unit shows--this disparity would bother me, making the end panel so frankly disfunctional, no pretending it's a matching door panel or a piece of a larger pattern across the rest of the kitchen.

We have end panels exactly like what you ordered but didn't get. Ours are at the end of the counter runs each end, and at the end of the island. Ours are solid wood panels, and we have had not warping or twisting. I personally think three panels looks better than six, but it really is personal preference. Is it going to bother you every time you look at it? I bet it will, as you had a very specific idea when you ordered it. There are a couple of things in my kitchen that I wish I had insisted they fix at the time.

I agree with fori, the tall ones do look a bit odd. But if you can live with them then take the money. If you are going to be bugged them everyday, then change them. I also had end panels that were not as I specified. I decided it wasn't worth having them redone. Only you can decide how much they will bug you.

If I didn't get what I specified I would ask them to change them. This was one area where I was obsessive about what I wanted. (I didn't even know the term integrated panel until I saw a friend's custom built with doors stuck on the end and knew I did not want that.)

I have raised panels instead of shaker and, like you, I was adament I wanted "integrated panels" and not doors glued on the end.

Mine are wide so there is only one panel instead of two. I don't have a tall cabinet like you do but I have the integrated raised panels at the end of my base and upper cabinets and I would not want two side by side because it would be too busy to my eye.

Don't you want them to look more like the back side of your island?

I think it looks busy. :( Sorry, I know that is probably not the answer you want to hear.

We have two full-height inset end panels with 8' ceilings (one on the refrigerator and one on the micro/pantry cabinet). We actually chose to do only two "rectangles" and they are not the same size. The top panel lines up visually with the upper cabs (so bottom of upper cabs is even with bottom of top end panel). The bottom end panel takes up the rest of the space.

Even though the end panels and the uppers and not on the same plain, it does keep some continuity and keeps it from standing out or seeming busy.

That said, we totally ended up settling some of our cabinet issues with our cabinet guy by taking the cash instead of having him do it over. We just wanted to be finished and it was too much work to have it redone. It is really a matter of priorities. If you can live with it, take the cash. If it will bug you until the day you die, have them redo it. Keep in mind, once all of your furniture, rugs, accessories, plants, etc. are in your home, it will definitely not stand out as much to you. Really. :)

Here's the best pic I have:

I would ask to be given, what I requested, and what I'm paying for...unless they're doing this for free?

I didn't think so :)

lavender - in a sense they are doing it for free. That's what the $1500-$1800 credit represents. Or did ya miss that :)

polkadots - while i don't think the sides look bad , I do agree with most that larger panels would look better. Only you can gauge you're daily angst vs. pocketbook. If it gnaws at you everyday for the next 15 years the $1500 savings ($100/yr)or "free" will look like a really bad bet.

I want to thank each of you so much for responding and for your thoughtful comments. I don't know if you can relate, but I feel so alone in all this - everyone (builder, trim carpenter, etc.) all think they look "fine" (I hate that word!), and I have started to get worn down with all the decisions. I knew this forum would help me!!

I really think it will bug me, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't being overly critical. I would continue to welcome any more opinions and I am going to go to the house and look at it some more and make a final decision.

Again, thanks for the support. And caliwendy, yours is a kitchen I have admired so I appreicate you sharing that picture showing that end panel.

Thanks to all!

My finished end panels have 1 section on the wall cabs, 2 sections on the 24" deep base, 3 on the island, and 4 on the fridge/pantry. I don't have a photo of the fridge panel, but it is 2 over 2 equal sized panels.

idrive65, just wondering, who did your cabinets? If you live near I-65, I'm wondering if they are out of Jasper, Indiana?

Polkadots - I don't think you are being overly picky at all. It isn't what you ordered (WHA?!!) and I agree it looks a little odd as end panels. I think in the long run you'll be happier with insisting on the change. It sounds like they forgot - if it's something that couldn't have been done, then why did they agree to the design in the first place?

Best of luck - the credit won't go as far as the right cabinets will :-)

I meant if the whole kitchen was free! LOL

If you can afford it, get your heart's desire. If you're already worried that you might regret your decision...you probably will.

I would because I did. The moldings on top of our cabinets were the wrong ones. As soon as I walked in I knew they were the wrong ones. My DH didn't notice. I don't know if they would have given me a discount because I didn't give them the chance to offer. The wrong ones were not the look I was looking for - fine for someone else but not for me. My KD said sure I could keep them but they would have changed the look of the kitchen so out they went.
So - will these ends change the look of your kitchen - will they add a degree of fussiness that you don't want (I think they are very fussy), will they make you tense every time you see them, - and if they are going to then get rid of them.

I understand completely what you are feeling polkadots. My friends thought I was nuts because I was obsessive over understanding exactly what my cabinet ends would look like.

I would have noticed immediately if I did not receive what I had discussed. Just because it looks "fine" to someone else does not mean its YOUR vision. I would have been sad if I had compromised on something that was so important to ME.

Good luck.

As most people here have said, you need to go with what your heart desires and what you are comfortable living with in YOUR kitchen. To me, I actually don't think the panels look that bad. And it seems like something that would grow on you and/or get lost in the beauty of the rest of the kitchen when it is complete. However, I 100% agree with everyone that even though I think they look okay, and the builder says they look "fine", you are the one with the vision and you are the one who will always notice them. Do what feels right and don't worry if anyone thinks you are being picky!

If you don`t really like them and have an option to have them corrected to what you do like, I would definately have them changed. Not to sound snooty or anything but "fine" sometimes is just not "good enough" when it comes to something as important as cabinets that you are going to be looking at for years to come. I personally would not want to look at them everyday and think " I should have had them changed when I had the chance!" I wouldn`t feel guilty or anything having them make it right, you said yourself you were very specific in what you wanted.

Thank you to everyone for the votes of confidence. I am a very detailed person and I will probably focus on these panels for the rest of my life if I leave them as is! Now I am second guessing myself on what I should change them to! The three inset panels I originally planned, or possibly just a decorative end that mimics the door style but is not actually inset? And three panels or two bigger ones? I will have to sleep on these thoughts - I have until Monday morning and then we have to get these changes in process.

Again, thanks for the support and help. I really do appreciate it.

I really like the way that cali wendy did hers - two panels split so that the top one is even with the bottom of her top cabinets and then a longer one for the bottom. You would have seen her photo above. Would something like that work for your space. It is simple and yet there is something elegant about it with a sense of style - it isn't just a 50/50 split.

Agree with ByronRoad--a simple assymetrical pattern on end will thwart the seeming mismatch with front of the frig unit.

I do think the refrigerator cabinet looks a little busy. The base cabinet looks pretty good, but I personally prefer the look of one panel. I can so relate to contractors trying to tell you it looks "fine". Don't let them gang up on you and wear you down. Don't let them make you feel like you are causing trouble or creating a delay. This is the fault of the cabinet company. I am also very detail-oriented and I think you are making the right decision to have it changed. It sounds like it would continue to bother you long after the contractors leave and you would regret not fixing it. Although the refund would be nice to get back, you weren't expecting to receive it. You were expecting to spend what you already spent.

Those horrible contractors trying to give the OP what is obviously a more detailed (read more costly and time consuming) end. Monsters!!! Some folks on here should really get some perspective.

To the OP

I get where your coming from and how you feel caught between what they did (which is obviously very nice work) and what you wanted. I think it looks nice but appreciate where your coming from (inset is a fussy look to me anyway so these ends don't tip the scale but I could see how they could to someone else). Seems like it will bother you so you should proceed with changing it. Good luck the rest of the way.

The only way they can make single panels and warrant against shrinking will be to use plywood for the panels. If solid wood (glued up from narrow strips; not one single board) the shrinkage/swelling will blow apart the joints every summer. There's no practical way (that fits into their factory production setup) to allow for that much seasonal shrinkage, so they would insist on making the panels from a stable material, plywood or MDF.
Casey

Caryscott, it's not a matter of them trying to give her more. It's a matter of them trying to give her something she didn't want and then making her feel funny about changing it to what she actually wanted. When three people are telling you it's fine, it makes it more difficult to say that you would like it changed to how you originally ordered it. It's much easier to give in and accept what you don't really want. Don't forget, she is paying them. They are not doing her any favors by giving her some added benefit. It sounds to me like they are trying to make it easier on themselves rather than fix an obvious mistake that she was very clear about when ordering. What would be more costly and time consuming would be to fix it now after the fact (which apparently the cabinet company has offered to do). Maybe they really think it looks fine, but since they know it's a mistake and they know she is not happy with it, they shouldn't make her "feel so alone in all this."