One Kitchen. Two Designs. A Range of Opportunities.

You may know how you want your new kitchen to look, but estimating cabinet costs can be harder. The same room can come with very different price tags depending on the cabinetry and design details you choose. With so many makers, materials, storage accessories, prices, lead times, and warranties to compare, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To help make sense of the options, we created two kitchen designs—one tailored and detail-rich, the other classic and functional—and priced each through three cabinet lines and a local cabinet maker. Here’s a look at how those choices shape the budget, along with explanations of common cabinetry terms.

Comparing The Two Designs

DESIGN 1:
Tailored & Detail-Rich

This design pairs stained wood lower cabinets with painted uppers that reach the ceiling. Glass-front uppers, a curved two-tone vent hood, and a furniture-style island with decorative posts create a layered, finished look. Cabinetry surrounds the refrigerator and double oven, a matching panel covers the dishwasher, and the microwave sits below the counter. Storage features include four rollout shelves, one trash pullout, one corner swing-out shelf unit, two door-mounted spice racks, two pots-and-pans drawers, two silverware dividers, one lift-up appliance garage, and one tray divider cabinet.

$111,812.85

  • Inset Construction; UV Maple Plywood with Solid Wood Face Frame
  • Paint Grade Cabinets with Custom Color
  • Walnut Cabinets with Designer Stain
  • Mitered Doors and Drawers
  • Metal Drawer Boxes with Lighting Package
  • Lifetime Limited Warranty

$85,736.06

  • Inset Construction; Ply-Core Plywood with Durable UV Top Coat and Natural Maple Veneer Interior
  • Painted Maple Doors/Drawers with Standard Color
  • Walnut Cabinets with Standard Stain
  • Raised Panel Door and Drawer
  • Walnut Drawer Boxes with English Dovetail
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

1900 SERIES

$119,848.79

  • Frameless Construction; 3/4″ Plywood with Natural Finish on Both Sides and UV-Cured Top Coat
  • Paint Grade Cabinets with Fan Deck Color
  • Walnut Cabinets with Standard Stain
  • MONTICELLO Doors and Drawers
  • Legra Tip on Drawer System
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

Locally Built & Finished Onsite

$52,671.22

  • Overlay Cabinets
  • 3/4″ Plywood Interior Boxes
  • Paint Grade Cabinets with Locally Sourced Color
  • Walnut Cabinets with Locally Sourced Stain
  • 15-18 Week Lead Time (includes install and paint/stain)
  • Two Year Construction Warranty

DESIGN 2:
Classic & Practical

The classic design uses painted upper and lower cabinets, with uppers that stop below the ceiling. An over-the-range microwave provides ventilation, while the dishwasher front and refrigerator side remain exposed.

$23,861.91

  • Framed Cabinets
  • UV Maple Plywood with Solid Wood Face Frame
  • Standard Overlay Doors and Drawers
  • Standard Door Selection, Slab Drawers
  • Standard Color Selection
  • Solid Wood Drawer Boxes with French Dovetail
  • Lifetime Limited Warranty

$24,513.41

  • Frameless Construction
  • Simulated Maple Wood Grain and Color on Ply-Core Plywood
  • Standard Door, Slab Drawers
  • Standard Painted Maple Doors/Drawers
  • Maple Drawer Boxes with English Dovetail
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

1300 SERIES

$13,978.77

  • Frameless Construction
  • 5/8″ Particle Board Cast Construction and Shelves with White Interior
  • White Melamine Cabinet Boxes
  • 1300 SERIES Door and Finish Options
  • Reduced Shipping Lead Time (approx. 2-4 weeks)
  • Five Year Warranty

Locally Built & Finished Onsite

$28,953.57

  • Overlay Cabinets
  • 3/4″ Plywood Interior Boxes
  • Shaker-Style Drawer/Door Fronts
  • Locally Sourced Paint or Stain Options
  • Undermount, Soft Close Drawers
  • Two Year Construction Warranty

What Most Affects Cabinet Pricing?

Design Choices

  • How many drawers and doors do you need? Many new kitchen designs favor lower drawers because they make items easier to reach. Think about which setup would work best for you: cabinets with doors and pullout shelves, or stacked drawers.
  • Which storage accessories matter most to you? Make a list of spice racks, rollout drawers, tray dividers, appliance garages, and any other features you’re considering. Then separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves.
  • Will the cabinets reach the ceiling? If so, you may need to decide between taller upper cabinets and an additional row of cabinets above them.

Cabinet Construction

  • Framed vs. Frameless — Framed cabinets offer a traditional look, easier installation, and the option of inset or partial-overlay doors. Frameless cabinets offer a sleek, modern look, slightly more interior storage space, and wider pull-out drawers.
  • Inset, Full Overlay, and Partial Overlay
    1. Inset — These doors sit flush within the cabinet’s face frame rather than covering the front of the box. Inset is typically the most expensive option.
    2. Full Overlay — These doors cover almost the entire cabinet face frame, leaving very little of the frame visible.
    3. Partial Overlay — These doors and drawers cover only part of the cabinet face frame, so more of the frame shows. This is generally the least expensive option.
  • Construction Materials — Look at how the cabinet box is built, how the doors and drawers feel, and how durable the materials are.

Door Design

The more detail you add to a cabinet door, the more it generally costs. Simpler styles tend to cost less, while intricate designs increase the price. Popular reeded doors and drawer fronts can add substantially to the budget, as can glass fronts and metal inserts.

Finish Choices

  • Wood Species — Wood choice can significantly affect cost. Walnut, for example, is much more expensive than cherry. Staining a less expensive wood species can often give you a similar look.
  • Paint and Stain — Color plays a part in the price, too. If a standard finish matches or comes close to the custom color you have in mind, choosing it can leave more room in the budget for other parts of your remodel.
  • Factory vs. On-Site Finish — Finishing cabinets on-site generally costs less, but the finish is typically less durable than a factory finish. Factory-finished cabinets arrive ready to install, so you avoid the disruption of painting, staining, and sealing in your home.

Choosing the Right Cabinets for Your Kitchen

These examples give you a starting point for understanding cabinet costs. Your final price will depend on your kitchen’s layout and dimensions, the selections you make, and the installation needs. A realistic budget starts with a design and a clear understanding of what you’re buying.

At Kitchen, Bath & Home, we’ll walk you through your cabinetry options and explain how each choice affects your design and budget. We’re happy to answer your questions and help you find the right balance of style, quality, and price—so you can choose cabinets that fit your budget without compromising on quality.

RETURN TO BLOG MENU

NEXT ARTICLE