What Is A Decent Cabinet Line And Where Did You Purchase?

5 years ago

I am trying to educated myself on cabinets (as well as countertops, etc) as we will be starting our build soon and I'd like to have my choices ready so I can move on to other things. I have read countless posts and looked at hundreds of pictures (which really has not helped all that much to be honest). I see where some will buy their cabinets from Home Depot and others say they are not good. I figured buying from a small kitchen center would be more costly. How do you know where to buy and what cabinet is going to hold up and give good wear and tear? How are Kraftmade or Decora cabinets different at Home Depot than a smaller kitchen cabinet company?

Has anyone ever ordered their cabinets online? Is this a bad idea if you know what style, color and cabinet company?

I would appreciate any advice, suggestions and your feed back on cabinets you purchased and if you are still happy with your choice pr what you would do differently.

We will be GC of the build. My husband has done this before and we know many subs personally. We also have a very dear friend who is a structural engineer who wants to help but this means researching on our own which I am happy to do.

Featured Answer

efh105

5 years ago

My daughters kitchen is about ten years old and it looks great, she has Candlelight Cabinets. When I did my kitchen remodel two years ago I went to a distributor that sold them. The kitchen designer was excellent and every vendor that worked on my kitchen commented on how nice the cabinets are. My contractor said it was the first time he had every cabinet come out of the box fully square and the paint finish was perfect. Two years later, they look the same as when they were installed, I highly recommend them.

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Comments (55)

Angela Zuill
5 years ago
When we build our house 4 years ago we were so happy to find out that the cabinet maker that our builder suggested was practically the same price as buying from a major distributer. I was able to show him photos of cabinets that I liked, he made a sample door for us, and off we went. So happy with our cabinets- one of the top two decisions we made about our home!
NewEnglandgal thanked Angela Zuill
Boxerpal
5 years ago
Hi NewEnglandgal,

(Great name) It is so challenging to figure out a budget. So many details can easily be forgotten. Can your builder provide a company he uses? Like Angelazuill did. We went with Cabico Cabinets. Cabico is a nice midrange cab company. We worked with a KD and GC and we met with different cabinet companies. We liked the Cabico price and quality. I did not like the cabinets at big box stores. Some people swear by Kraftmaid or IKEA or Thomasville. My cousin used Kraftmaid and they were excellent to work with. And they can work great for some people. They are not custom but you might be able to make them work in your space. My BIL has put in IKEA in apartments he owns and says they are a great deal. Below is a link that helped me learn a little about the different cabinets. One thing I wanted to avoid were dangerous chemicals. And we wanted something as close to custom that we could afford. Good luck on your search. ~boxer

Mainline kitchen info
NewEnglandgal thanked Boxerpal
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NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks Boxer. I will take a look at the link. We are GC's of the build so no builder but I will ask around as we know many who could send us in the right direction. I appreciate your response and help.
crcollins1_gw
5 years ago
The appliance store where we bought our range recommended a kitchen designer (yes, we put the cart before the horse by buying the range first but we found a BlueStar floor model and bit the bullet before we ever even had a kitchen plan... it worked out). The kitchen designer sold Wellborn cabinets which are made in Alabama (we are in Georgia) so that's what we did. There were ... not so much problems, really, but things I wish I had known going in. Things that if I had read here earlier I would have been on the lookout for. It all turned out fine and four years later I can hardly remember what the issues were. Well, except the low clearance on our top drawers that keep me from being able to put the larger size foil and cling wrap in there. :(

Do you plan to engage a kitchen designer? They should be able to help you with your options locally which is hard for us to do. Get recommendations/references, though. Not all KDs are created equal!
Boxerpal
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Oh, my confusion. You did say acting as your own GC and new build. I would visit lumber yards and even IKEA and big box stores. If this is a new build you might be able to work with some of the standard sizes in these cabinet companies to fit your space. In some ways you are luckier than most because it is a new build you have the flexibility and the good fortune to work with straight walls. You might even meet with a cabinet maker who could make some cabinets for a good price. Being in New England you have Canadian Cabinet makers near by or even woodworkers in VT, ME and NH. Believe it or not, sometimes working with local craftsman can be cost effective. Good luck and enjoy the journey to your new home. ~boxer
NewEnglandgal thanked Boxerpal
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
Do not laugh but I have even considered having an island painted in a dark plum color! Crazy I know.....
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Debbi Washburn
5 years ago
Are you anywhere near Northern Westchester,NY at all??? I would be glad to work with you! :)
NewEnglandgal thanked Debbi Washburn
Boxerpal
5 years ago
Not crazy at all... You have probably seen these great ones but just in case... enjoy them.

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Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
5 years ago
What lovely inspiration pictures. Plum is a wonderful, warm color, plus it's vibrant and cheerful.
NewEnglandgal thanked Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
Emily A
5 years ago
I love my Barker cabinets! good quality and affordable! I couldn't find a local supplier that came close to them in cost.
NewEnglandgal thanked Emily A
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
No Debbi unfortunately I am a good 8 hours away.
Thank you for the photos Boxer! Beautiful! I especially like the Victorian Townhouse one. At first I really wanted navy blue and that has been what I wanted till I walked into a house just like we are building and I thought it would not look so good.....decision, decisions.....

I agree Rita such a pretty color but here I thought nobody would ever think of having a dark plum color island. Ha! I got the idea from this small pic I saw in the Decora brochure. I thought to myself "What a beautiful color!" Decora will paint your cabinets any Sherwin Williams color you want. I wonder if I would get tired of Plumb. This is our forever home till we die or go in a nursing home..... lovely thought huh?

Emily I have never heard of Barker cabinets?
Boxerpal
5 years ago
Decora is a nice brand of cabinet and how lucky they will give you the island you dream of. Go for it!
NewEnglandgal thanked Boxerpal
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
I would have to price them out and not sure what they would charge for a special color on the island. How about this color? I think it is such a beautiful color...but will I have the guts to do it and will I always like it? I have always loved the plum colors. I tend towards warm colors... Maybe with a white perimeter? I wonder what the pros think?
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Anglophilia
5 years ago
Look for a Shiloh cabinet dealer. Depending on what you spend on your appliances, they may or may not be in your budget. I would absolutely also consider Ikea.
NewEnglandgal thanked Anglophilia
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MDLN
5 years ago
Agree with Anglo, I found Shiloh to be the best value. Am very happy with the quality and was happy to get inset cabs at no upcharge.
NewEnglandgal thanked MDLN
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you.

If I look at Shiloh, how would I go about getting aan island made and painted a color I want? Like plum?
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MDLN
5 years ago
When I bought Shiloh, KD said they do custom colors.
notsewmuch
5 years ago
I have had an amazing experience with RD Henry. They do custom colors, the quality is top notch and the price point is good. They aren't well known so I thought I'd put that out there in case you have a local distributor.
NewEnglandgal thanked notsewmuch
Mary Leeth
5 years ago
I would suggest looking on Houzz for local cabinetmakers, using the reviews to help you narrow it down. I was shocked that the price charged by our local cabinetmaker, whom I found on Houzz, was approximately the same as the big box stores, for a better quality product customized for our home. Also, remember that if there is some mistake, i.e., a cabinet painted the wrong color or a bad measurement, your local person can likely fix it in a matter of days, versus a matter of weeks for a mass producer. There is great comfort in having the same company that made your cabinets also installing them. I think hiring local for our cabinetry was one of the best decisions we made in our kitchen remodel. Good luck to you!!
NewEnglandgal thanked Mary Leeth
Jerry Jorgenson
5 years ago
I used a local cabinet maker too.

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Reel Sneaky
5 years ago
We're in the same boat, we went to a local cabinet shop. We've got a fairly large kitchen, our island is about 16' alone. We priced out a couple of options. Shiloh's I guess you'd say "starting price point", was surprisingly close to the other options. We are going Shiloh. The construction quality is markedly different.
NewEnglandgal thanked Reel Sneaky
Holly Stockley
5 years ago
My local KD carries two lines - Holiday, and his own signature line of handbuilt cabinets. Holiday seems to be pretty decent. We're going with the handbuilt line. The guy is an artist, he uses a catalyzed finish, sky is the limit for colors. And, by the time we price out Holiday with some of the options we want, price is about the same. It's worth looking around at some of the smaller kitchen shops. But don't get discouraged if the first one is ridiculous. This guy quoted us around $30K for the whole house cabinets. A quote for a similar set up from another local shop was $65K. (Which is OK. I don't need the whole interior of my cabinets to be made of walnut, anyway. Which is one of their options. Although not included in that quote)
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cyc2001
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
If you’re anywhere near metro west Boston (Uxbridge), Country Craftsmen is a custom cabinet shop that folks on GW have used and I know 3 people in real life who used them and are thrilled with their kitchens. I haven’t moved forward with my kitchen Reno yet, but I did get a quote from CCamd it was a little less than greenfield cabinetry, a semi custom line.
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Reel Sneaky
5 years ago
NEG, Shiloh will do custom color match.
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notsewmuch
5 years ago
https://www.mainlinekitchendesign.com/general/kitchen-cabinet-ratings-for-2018-updated-reviews-for-the-top-selling-cabinet-brands/

Here are some ratings.
NewEnglandgal thanked notsewmuch
Reel Sneaky
5 years ago
IMHO, some seriously skewed ratings if they are rating IKEA as equally as good as Shiloh. Comical.
NewEnglandgal thanked Reel Sneaky
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Debbi Washburn
5 years ago
Many companies do custom colors - usually a selection from Sherman Williams or Benjamin Moore... I love the plum island!

Can't wait to see what you decide on
NewEnglandgal thanked Debbi Washburn
sofaspud
5 years ago
We priced cabs at Lowes vs. a local KD business, and the costs were comparable. We went with the KD center, and I'd do it again. The customer service was out of this world, and they were very responsive with questions after the fact.
NewEnglandgal thanked sofaspud
fancyxx
5 years ago
We used kitchens direct in seekonk,ma to purchase our semi custom showplace cabinets. They were amazing to work with and the quality is great!
NewEnglandgal thanked fancyxx
fancyxx
5 years ago
We also created a custom island :). All in all we paid under $17k for the cabinets and around $2500 for the counter top (wicked white quartzite) which was heavily discounted because a friend owns a stone supply company. To cut the counters the way we liked was an additional $1400.

We didn’t like the kraftsmaid cabinets because they didn’t offer as much customization. We were also quoted over $20k for medallion inset cabinets (with a discount.)
I’m happy with showplace because any little issue we had they immediately fixed.
NewEnglandgal thanked fancyxx
aprilneverends
5 years ago
my vote would be to try and check local cabinetmakers

especially as you're going to handle and jungle so many things all at once..somebody good who'll be able to work with you very closely, might be best fit, in terms of communication, coordination with other trades..and very well maybe quality/price
NewEnglandgal thanked aprilneverends
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
Cyc2001 we are a good 2 hours away from Uxbridge.

Debbi how would I go about finding which cabinets do custom colors? I only know of Decroa and Shiloh. There is only one kitchen store that carries Shiloh near me.

fancyxx which stoneyard did you go to? We went to MIS in Norwood. I would love to find another to look at. We already have a fabricator should I choose granite or Quartzite (I do like Quartzite). I will check out Kitchen Direct as well.

I could also look into a cabinet maker. I did use one for my cherry island we had built for the home we just sold last November. The island was beautiful but the wood was still a bit rough feeling, not as smooth as we would have liked (but still beautiful).
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Debbi Washburn
5 years ago
The easiest way I know of is to look into all the local places around you and ask or see if their website tells you what brands they carry... See if anyone near you sells Kraftmaid Vantage ( that's in dealers only ) or look for a place that sells Candlelight cabinetry - they are made in NY - beautiful cabinet line...There's Plain and Fancy , Wood Mode, Dynasty, Fabuwood, Greenfield, etc etc...

There are literally hundreds of cabinets companies out there so to list all the ones that all the designers on here know about won't really help you if you don't have access to them...

Hopefully you will find something great!
NewEnglandgal thanked Debbi Washburn
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you Debbi! The place I visited a month or so ago, United Builders Supply, carry Wellborn Forrest, Greenfield, Kraftmaid, Decora, Aristokraft and Schrock (a couple others I would not use, like Wolf).
cyc2001
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Hi NewEnglandgal, I have one more suggestion - not sure if this is any better geographically! My mom and sister both used this place (decades apart) and were very pleased. They’re in NH.

http://advancedcustomcabinets.com/
NewEnglandgal thanked cyc2001
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you CYC, looks like a very nice place but a good two hours away :(
Kim Goodman
5 years ago
Kountry Wood at Menards
NewEnglandgal thanked Kim Goodman
Kim Goodman
5 years ago
Not Menards....Hobo
NewEnglandgal thanked Kim Goodman
Boxerpal
5 years ago
cyc2001, I have heard of them, AdvancedCustom is a great company.
NewEnglandgal thanked Boxerpal
fancyxx
5 years ago
@newenglandgal we went to marble and granite in Westwood. We actually found the counter we loved at their CT location and had the counter shipped to MA. they are pricey tho. The original price of our wicked white was $5999. We got it heavily discounted.

Also, showplace let’s you customize your cabinets and island. We created the entire design and they made it. Kitchens direct is great, ask for Peter :). I made so many changes and they would respond instantly. I can’t recommend them enough. PLUS our cabinets/ island are PERFECT.

We created the island to accommodate the built in microwave and added two columns to the front. The cabinets are a beaded inset style. They are HUGE and exactly what we wanted.
NewEnglandgal thanked fancyxx
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
fancy your kitchen is beautiful and that slab!!! What cabinet line did you go with?

I have a Kitchen Direct near me, same company as you used. Peter is the owner and works in both the Narragansett and Seekonk offices.

Thanks for sharing. When is your home going to be ready?
fancyxx
5 years ago
Thank you :). We went to the one in seekonk! We are super picky so the process is taking way longer than we anticipated. We bought the house In June of 17. I know, I know... pathetic! We are hoping to move in by Christmas :)
fancyxx
5 years ago
@newenglandgal we used showplace. Quality is amazing. No texture issues with the wood.
NewEnglandgal thanked fancyxx
Boxerpal
5 years ago
Fancyxx, When I lived north of Boston, I got my Virginia Jet Mist granite from Westford too. Much cheaper than other stone yards. We were so happy. OUr fabricator was from Manchester NH and the actually artist installer was a Canadian guy that came down to work our our counters. He was fantastic. ~boxer
Anna (6B/7A in MD)
5 years ago
We used Medallion. No issues in the the past 4-5 years. Cabinets arrived perfectly intact with no dings or scratches.
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
We are probably going to go with Medallion. We could also use Plain and Fancy but have a feeling the price will be too high. Thank you for all the help and suggestions. We are filing our plans in the next week for a building permit then we are off and running!
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
fancyxxx we ended up going to Marble and Granite in Mass and got Wicked White for our island (leathered) too! I got silver grey granite for the perimeter and think we are going with Ted Wood cabs. Awaiting pricing now on the cabs. Yeah Wicked White was not cheap! How are the counters holding up?
fancyxx
5 years ago
@newenglandgal they are great because we still haven’t moved In lol. We just finished the backsplash (white herringbone with platinum grout.) The wicked white is flawless though, totally worth the cost!
NewEnglandgal thanked fancyxx
NewEnglandgal
Original Author
5 years ago
fancyxx when do you think you will be in? We are hoping for summer. Hope you will do a reveal I am excited for you and hope to see pictures!