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Looking forward to building a substantial addition to my home this year. Went to look at kitchen cabinets today. I was surprised to see many inset type doors and drawers at the local cabinet shop. Frankly i likely will not want to pay the extra for inset, but, what are the pros and cons of overlay vs. inset doors and drawers?
Remember these will be purchased, no time to build cabinets while being general contractor, framer and finish carpenter for the build.
Roger
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Kitchens from a practical standpoint are not all that friendly with inset doors and drawers
It is a design feature that has gained popularity recently.
That is about it.
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The inset style doesn't really do anything for me. Though I do prefer frameless cabs as you get more usable space especially with drawers.
Also when you load down an inset drawer really heavy it drops and the spacing looks off.
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Personal preference. Inset drawers and doors look more refined, like real furniture, especially when a bead is run around the opening. But they definitely cost more and often give problems over time.
John
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Your workmanship has got to be perfect or the inset doors/drawers will look like crap. The gap all around the doors and drawers have to be equal.
See this example:
http://www.seventreeswoodworking.com/wp-...-Inset.jpgPersonally I've been using more drawers and fewer doors for my cabinets. My last bathroom vanity had two drawers and no doors. The utility of the space is greatly improved.
In my kitchen I added pullouts, but it would be less work to build drawers in the first place. And easier to use. Now I have to open the double doors to use each of its included pullouts. With drawers I would only have to pull open the drawers.
It is something to consider.
When my cupboard ran out of room in the kitchen I installed 7 pullouts. I replaced all the items that were previously on the shelves and found that I still had more space left over.
I am sold on drawers. My next kitchen is going to have almost no shelves, and mostly going to have drawers.
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We have inset doors and drawers on all the cabinets in our house. They were custom built by a professional cabinet shop. Here is my opinion.
They look really nice. I really like them. But.... You must train everyone in your family to be somewhat careful about putting things away in them. When you bump the front edge (or corner) of a stile (vertical parts of the frame) with a plate or glass or pan, it shows even when the door (or drawer) is closed. With an overlay door that ding is covered. Just something to think about.
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BrentDH said:
it shows even when the door (or drawer) is closed. With an overlay door that ding is covered. Just something to think about.
That's another reason why I'm not going with inset on my new kitchen this year.
In addition to that my thought is that unless the cabinets are made 3/4 inch deeper the inset doors will reduce the inside cabinet depth.
Every freekin' millimeter is prime real estate in my small house.
Ray
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jteneyck said:
Inset drawers and doors look more refined, like real furniture...
John
Added new kitchen to our home several years ago and had all the cabinetry made by a local and very professional shop. Specified inset drawers and doors for the reason stated above and have never regretted it. Still like the decision, enjoy the cabinet look every day and would do it again - YMMV.
Doug
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Though i am not overly fussy, i would choose overlay to save $, even though the ARE custom cabs. But wife has seen them and wants them, so that is what we will get if the budget allows.
Somewhat concerned about the edge dinging, but having discussed with wife, she still wants inset.
Thanks for the comments.
Roger
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If I had my way I'd do our kitchen like a commercial kitchen. I cook and for anyone who cooks your kitchen is a place of work and working in a kitchen built like a piece of fine furniture is not beneficial to the job of cooking as you have to baby everything. Then again few people cook anymore and the kitchen is now there for looks mainly.
