Preparing for Your Cabinet Design Meeting

Feel free to come prepared with design ideas, floor plans, and an estimate on project budget and timelines when you visit our showroom. Your designer will talk you through our design and selection process, and provide information on quoting, delivery, and installation. Cabinet design meetings typically take anywhere from 60 - 90 minutes and you’ll spend time choosing your cabinet style, countertops, and hardware. 

‍

Designing Custom Cabinets

The first step in designing your kitchen cabinets or bathroom vanity is selecting your preferred wood species, door style and construction, and stain or paint color finish. The cabinet brands we feature carry popular wood species, like maple, white oak, red oak, cherry, hickory, walnut, and alder. Each wood species offers unique characteristics, like dramatic grain patterns and pin holes or detailed knots and mineral streaks. During your appointment, you’ll have the opportunity to view these wood species in full-sized door samples to ensure you get the perfect look and style for your home. 

“The most popular wood species we’re seeing in bathroom vanities and cabinets are maple and white oak. Both of these wood species are so versatile and offer a subtle grain pattern that creates a smooth, uniform appearance.” —Victoria T., Kitchen & Bath Designer

There are many door styles to consider when designing your kitchen or bathroom cabinets. The most popular door style in home interiors is called shaker. Shaker cabinet doors provide a clean, simple and versatile look. If you prefer a traditional look, our designers recommend a raised panel door style. The biggest trend we’re seeing in the Des Moines area in modern and contemporary homes is the slab door style. Slab cabinet doors offer a sleek and sophisticated look to any room of your home. 

Another important design component to both bathroom and kitchen cabinetry is its construction. There are three types of cabinet construction, including framed, frameless (also called full access), and inset. Framed cabinetry is considered the standard in cabinet design and is the most economical choice. Frameless cabinetry is a preferred cabinet construction style because it's incredibly functional and adds 15% more usable space. Inset cabinets are constructed so that the cabinet door sits flush with the cabinet frame. Inset cabinets are loved by interior designers and homeowners alike for their elegant look and nod to European design.

Once you’ve made these selections, you can move on to choosing hardware and countertops. Our showroom includes hardware displays that feature top brands like Top Knobs, Amerock, and Emtek. Most hardware styles are available in a variety of finishes like flat black, bronze, chrome, and satin nickel.