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Design ideas

Home Design Ideas: Kitchens, Cabinets and Islands

Home design ideas from Cabinet Era's designers: cabinet styles, modern and grand kitchens, islands, baths and closets, with door styles to see in our showrooms.

Explore the ideas Free design quote
White kitchen with a black island, open shelves and a patterned backsplash
Traditional kitchen with stained wood framed cabinets and a center island American Style Cabinets American style cabinets pair face-frame construction with shaker and raised-panel doors. See framed door styles from Waypoint, Fabuwood and more at Cabinet Era. Read the guide Modern European style kitchen with white slab base cabinets and wood tall cabinets European Style Cabinets European style cabinets are frameless, with full-access boxes and flush slab or shaker fronts. See K2 and Fabuwood Illume frameless cabinets at Cabinet Era. Read the guide White shaker kitchen with a gray island and pendant lights Popular Cabinets Popular cabinets right now: shaker doors, white and gray paint, warm wood tones, navy and green. See the cabinet styles homeowners choose most at Cabinet Era. Read the guide Kitchen with white shaker cabinets, glass-front uppers and a copper range hood Best Selling Kitchen Cabinets Our best selling kitchen cabinets, from same-day Vita shakers to Fabuwood and 21st Century favorites, and why homeowners and contractors keep choosing them. Read the guide White shaker cabinets with a copper range hood and quartz countertops Best Quality Cabinets How to spot the best quality cabinets: plywood boxes, dovetail drawers, soft-close hardware, durable finishes and KCMA certification. A Cabinet Era checklist. Read the guide Modern kitchen with black cabinets, a marble-look island and brass fixtures Modern Style Kitchens Modern style kitchens done right: slab and slim shaker cabinets, matte and gloss finishes, wood accents, quartz and smart storage. Plan yours with Cabinet Era. Read the guide Large gray kitchen with a long waterfall island and bar seating Grand Kitchens Grand kitchen ideas for large spaces: work zones, tall cabinet walls, statement hoods, double islands and pantries. Plan your large kitchen with Cabinet Era. Read the guide Navy blue kitchen island with seating for three and a white countertop Grand Kitchen Islands Grand kitchen island ideas: size and clearances, seating, storage, two-tone colors and countertops for a big island. Design yours with Cabinet Era. Read the guide

Great homes start with a few good decisions: how a room should work, which style you love, and which materials will hold up. Our designers make those decisions with homeowners and contractors every day in our showrooms across Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey. These home design ideas gather what we have learned, from choosing between American and European cabinets to planning a grand kitchen island, with real door styles you can see, touch and order.

Start with how you live

Before choosing colors, list how the room will be used. Do two people cook at once? Do the kids do homework at the island? Do you entertain often, or need room for bulk shopping? The answers decide the layout (galley, L-shape, U-shape or an open plan with an island), and the layout decides almost everything else.

Measure the room before you fall in love with a picture. Our Plan Your Own Kitchen guide shows what to measure: walls, windows, ceiling height, and the positions of the sink, range and refrigerator.

Pick a cabinet style

Cabinets are the biggest visual and financial decision in a kitchen. The first choice is construction: framed American style cabinets with classic shaker and raised-panel doors, or frameless European style cabinets with flush slab fronts. Then choose a door and a color. Our guide to popular cabinets shows the styles homeowners choose most, and our best selling kitchen cabinets are the door styles customers order again and again.

Insist on quality where it counts

Plywood boxes, dovetail drawers, soft-close hardware and a durable finish are the difference between cabinets that last for decades and cabinets that sag in a few years. Our checklist for the best quality cabinets shows what to look for before you order.

Kitchen ideas by size

Beyond the kitchen

The same principles work throughout the house. A bathroom vanity in the same door style as the kitchen ties a home together, and our bathroom remodel ideas cover layouts and finishes. Custom closet systems bring the same organization to bedrooms and entryways.

See it before you buy

Upload a photo of your space to our AI Visualizer, browse every door style in Find Your Style, and explore our kitchen cabinet gallery and completed jobs. Then visit a showroom to see the finishes in person. Our design service is free, and every cabinet is sold at wholesale prices.

FAQ

Home design questions

Still deciding? Our showroom designers answer these every day. Ask us yours.

Where can I find home design ideas for my kitchen?

Start with the guides on this page: cabinet styles, popular colors, modern and grand kitchens, and kitchen islands. Then visit a Cabinet Era showroom to see door styles and finishes in person and get a free design.

What is the first step in designing a kitchen?

Measure the room and decide how you will use it: how many cooks, how much seating and what you need to store. The layout comes from those answers; the cabinet style and color come after.

Should I choose American or European style cabinets?

Choose framed American style cabinets for traditional, transitional and farmhouse homes, or frameless European style cabinets for a sleek modern look and easier access to storage. Both are on display in our showrooms.

Does Cabinet Era offer free kitchen design?

Yes. Our showroom designers plan your layout and prepare a quote for free, for homeowners and contractors alike. Bring your measurements or a floor plan, or send them to us.

Can I see the cabinets before I buy?

Yes. Door samples and kitchen displays are available at our showrooms in Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey, and you can preview cabinets in a photo of your own space with our AI Visualizer.

Ready to plan your kitchen?

Bring your ideas and measurements: we design the layout with you and quote it at wholesale prices, for homeowners and contractors.

Get a free quote (410) 242-3333
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