10:37 AM PST on Wednesday, February 11, 2004

By Linda Swift / Special Contributor

If a house has a heart, it's the kitchen. That's where brownies get baked, the dog gets fed, and notes get left to make sure they're read.

Building or remodeling a kitchen can be a daunting project, but it's also one of those rare opportunities to have things just your way – especially if the plan calls for new cabinetry. Even if room dimensions, plumbing placement, and budget are inflexible, creative possibilities are almost limitless when it comes to cabinets. Putting some thought into what you want and need will help you make smart decisions about cabinetry, which experts say accounts for roughly half the cost of a kitchen.

Andy Post A sweeping curve of SieMatic's French oak cabinetry follows the lines of this kitchen.

It also pays to take advantage of free kitchen planning advice that's available. Large home-improvement stores usually have designers on staff, and a number of Web sites offer computerized kitchen-design programs that allow users to experiment with various ideas.

Cabinetmakers have lots of innovations for making the most of tight quarters. Built-in microwave cabinets free up countertops; pullout pantries and spice racks put deep, narrow spaces to good use; shelves or cookbook racks can be mounted under wall cabinets.

Lasting Impressions (972-333-7249; www.greatkitchens.com) has a number of space-saving strategies. One is to use the 8 to 12 inches at the bottom of an under-the-sink cabinet to install two drawers, creating more storage while leaving room for plumbing and cleaning supplies.

Lasting Impressions also builds convenience into its custom-made cabinetry, with features such as mixer pull-ups and built-in recycling bins.

One popular amenity is a pet-feeding station. It consists of a bin-style drawer for dry food above a pullout for food and water bowls built into the toe kick (the typically wasted area just above the floor).

Kraftmaid Cabinetry Colorful pasta or dried beans become part of the decor when displayed in KraftMaid's glass-front dry goods cabinet (1-800-571-1990 or see www.kraftmaid.com).

Co-owner LuAnn Darnell says large drawers have replaced shelves for cookware storage.

"A 3-foot-wide, 1-foot-deep drawer for pots and pans is so much handier than having to crawl on your hands and knees trying to find something in the back of the cupboard," Ms. Darnell says.

Lasting Impressions does a lot of work for homeowners who frequently request a vintage look so that the kitchen décor is compatible with the rest of the house. Islands in these kitchens often have a free-standing appearance, even though they're built and installed in the same way the cabinets are.

"Recessed in where you can't see is where it attaches to the floor and the electricity comes up," Ms. Darnell says. "It will look like a piece of furniture sitting out there in the middle of the room."

Framed vs. frameless

Whether custom-made or mass-produced, kitchen cabinets generally fall into two categories: framed and frameless. In addition to having different installation methods, they also differ in appearance. Framed cabinets have a traditional look, with frames visible around the doors; frameless cabinets have a seamless appearance because no frames are visible.

Kraftmaid Cabinetry Fill the gap between cabinets with KraftMaid's pullout shelf unit for spices and other small items (1-800-571-1990 or see www.kraftmaid.com).

Most cabinet manufacturers offer both budget and higher-quality lines.

You'll find more solid wood surfaces in the higher-priced ones. Better cabinets also may have full-extension drawer glides that let you view the contents, including the 6 inches at the back of the drawer. Another difference is the length of warranty, which may be one year at the low end and "lifetime" for more expensive cabinets. In either case, the blue-and-white seal of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association on the inside door is assurance that the product meets industry standards.

For cabinetry in an average-size kitchen, a homeowner could pay anywhere from about $3,000 to $50,000 or more.

The most economical cabinets are ready-to-assemble units, such as the Mill's Pride line carried by The Home Depot.

More expensive are the semi-custom lines, with standard-size components that can be combined in several ways and tailored to fit with decorative fillers between cabinets where they're needed. Semi-custom gives buyers a number of options for cabinet types, door styles, finishes, hardware and decorative accents.

Custom cabinetry from kitchen contractors and design firms is at the upper end, but this category has the broadest price range because it offers almost unlimited choices.

Companies that specialize in upscale custom kitchens usually start with an inventory of what's in the client's current kitchen. At bulthaup, a German company whose lowercase name reflects a minimalist philosophy, the next step might be to persuade clients to get rid of some of their stuff.

"We have so much clutter in our lives outside of our homes, we have so many distractions, that I strongly believe a home should be uncluttered and should be soothing rather than aggravating," says Rolf Willers, president and CEO of the company's American operations.

Instead of working with color palettes, bulthaup designers focus on materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, hardwoods, leather and glass.

Although the prices are high-end, there's no shortage of clients (including celebrities such as celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse) willing to spend megabucks on minimalist kitchens. One reason may be the shifting nature of status symbols.

Mr. Willers refers to a New York Times article indicating that affluent urbanites are less impressed by designer clothing labels than by good interior design.

"When you go to people's homes, they want to portray a lifestyle – and they do," Mr. Willers says.

That thought is echoed by a design consultant for another custom kitchen company, SieMatic.

"Spaces are being created to reflect lifestyles, rather than the opposite," says Amy Bean, who manages a SieMatic showroom.

That means designing kitchens that are as individual as the clients.

"We've done kitchens for people whose kids like to cook with them, so there may be a dropped area where the kids can help roll out dough," Ms. Bean says.

An efficient kitchen plan creates easy access to needed items. After evaluating her clients' lifestyle and priorities, Ms. Bean makes sure to "put their cookbooks where they need them, store their linens where they're close to the table, or insert a silver drawer so they can get that silver out of the closet and use it."

She tells clients there's no need to abandon architectural principles and style at the kitchen door.

"They have this wonderful architecture, wonderful materials, beautiful artwork, and then they just do these cookie-cutter kitchens," Ms. Bean says. "The cabinetry doesn't have to be stuck all the way around the walls."

Like many other custom kitchen companies, SieMatic approaches cabinetry as furniture. "You can really create furniture to do more high-style kitchens that kind of integrate the best of your architectural materials," she says.

KraftMaid Cabinetry Decorative feet and other embellishments give cabinets the look of fine furniture.

Furniture trends

The cabinets-as-furniture trend has inspired furniture manufacturer Thomasville to introduce its own cabinetry line. Available at The Home Depot, Thomasville cabinetry incorporates features such as turned column corners and decorative feet for a freestanding look, as well as hand-rubbed glazes that accentuate the detailing.

Mainstream cabinet brands are also offering furniture-style embellishments: fluted or spiral columns, decorative onlays, and moldings in dentil or rope designs.

Hardware is another way to enhance the furniture look. Knobs and pulls are available in antiqued brass, brushed nickel, pewter, copper, bronze and rust finishes.

For a unified look, refrigerators and dishwashers can be covered with decorative panels that match cabinetry. Most manufacturers sell matching range hoods, as well as the fans they conceal. Michelle Jenkins, a divisional sales merchant for Home Depot, says some range hoods have a flat band that's just the right size for adding accent tiles to match a backsplash or counter.

Many cabinetry lines have open-front components for showing off your favorite things: bright apples or gourds piled in slide-out wicker baskets; plates or trays in wooden-dowel racks; copper cookware in a showcase topped with a decorative valance; a wine collection in a latticework rack.

Glass cabinet doors, more popular than ever for displaying decorative pieces, offer an array of choices. The glass may be ribbed, textured, leaded, frosted, beveled or pebbled; fabric may be sandwiched between layers of glass.

Illuminating the cabinet interior maximizes visual appeal. Use glass shelves to let light shine all the way through.

Other alternatives to plain wood cabinet doors include latticework, wickerwork or punched tin. Thomasville's silver shadow finish is a dramatic pewter-toned laminate that won't chip or wear the way a painted surface will.

To blend kitchen décor with the rest of the house, many furniture-style cabinet lines include components for entertainment centers and buffets so that the same style can extend into adjacent areas.

Installing new kitchen cabinets presents an opportunity to make ergonomic adjustments, too. Ms. Jenkins says many homeowners are elevating the dishwasher, which makes loading and emptying easier on the back.

KraftMaid Cabinetry, sold at Home Depot and Lowe's, is one of the most versatile brands, with accessories and designs for almost any need.

KraftMaid's Passport series, for example, makes it easier to navigate the kitchen in a wheelchair. Features include deeper toe kicks, tambour doors that slide up rather than open out, and seating clearance at sink and cooktop.

For kitchens that are not quite big enough for a center island, KraftMaid makes a "floating island" with a butcher-block top. It appears to be built-in but slides out on heavy-duty casters for four-sided access.

Thomasville Thomasville's furniture-style components with a hand-rubbed glaze create an attractive computer workstation (available at The Home Depot).

The trend toward having a computer workstation in the kitchen hasn't gone unnoticed by cabinet manufacturers. Wellborn Cabinet's line includes desk-height modules, keyboard pullouts, file drawers and CPU cabinets with pocket doors and pullout shelves (call 1-800-336-8040 for dealers).

The kitchen cabinet industry also makes components for creating island seating areas, tables and cozy booths. That's because the kitchen is a hub of activity. It's a place where kids do homework, couples catch up on the day while preparing meals together, families eat dinner, and guests tend to gather, no matter how inviting the living area is.

Mr. Willers of bulthaup believes that the tendency to congregate in the kitchen is instinctive.

"Human dwellings, going back to early days, centered around the fireplace, where meals are prepared. That's where it's comfortable," he says.

"The kitchen is the fire place, the water place. That is the center of the house."

Linda Swift is a free-lance writer for The Dallas Morning News.