Owning a home means having the freedom to design the kitchen of your dreams. From appliances to décor, you can do anything you want with your decorative features. This includes cabinets, which play a massive role in your space’s overall look and atmosphere.
Your cabinets should be functional. However, that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your aesthetic preferences when creating a usable kitchen space. Forget all the “rules” you’ve learned about interior design and try something new and exciting!
Why stick to one dull cabinet design when you can get creative? Whether you’re mixing and matching color schemes are blending aesthetics, your cabinetry can be the most exciting thing about your home. Take a walk on the wild side and learn how to mix cabinet styles for a unique kitchen design.
Mix and Match Textures
Texture is an incredible tool that’ll make your kitchen more dynamic. Having the same finish across all your cabinetry makes everything blend together, but not in a good way. If you want to make your cabinets pop, consider mixing and matching textures.
Combine matte finishes with shiny surfaces for an interesting contrast. A few glass cabinet windows with solid doors will break everything apart and define your space. Textured wood with sleek metal creates a modern-industrial aesthetic that will look great for years to come.
Use a Variety of Door Styles
The process of choosing cabinet doors isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” situation. You actually have many different styles to choose from, and you don’t have to commit to one. Using a variety of door styles creates visual interest. Instead of everything looking the same, you’ll have striking differences that draw focus.
Refresh ordinary shaker cabinets by pairing them with narrow beadboard doors. Insets and overlays add a necessary dimension to an otherwise flat design. If you need more symmetry, use flat doors on your center cabinets and book-end them with louvered-style doors.
Other kitchen cabinet door styles to consider include:
- Transitional
- Slab
- Distressed
- Custom
Accent One Piece of Cabinetry
Another way to create a unique kitchen design with cabinetry is to turn one cabinet into an accent piece. Instead of making subtle changes across all of your cabinets, be bold with one. All rooms need focal points, and your kitchen is no exception. Create a bold statement with paint, texture, engravings, or interesting hardware.
For example, you could design an eye-catching kitchen island with flat wooden cabinets and a shiny, sleek countertop. Or you could decorate your center cabinets with a bold pop of color and leave the rest a neutral shade. Another option is to swap out your middle cabinet doorknobs for elegant gold handles and install handless doors for the rest of your cabinetry.
Be Playful With Color
Who says you can only use color sparingly? While minimalism has been a trend for the last decade, eccentric styles are taking the stage in 2023. Be playful with color by painting your cabinetry in bold shades that complement your overall color scheme.
To build an attractive color palette, start with your primary shade. This will be the main wall hue you’ll build your accent pieces around. Next, choose a secondary shade to paint your cabinets that’ll consume about 30 percent of your kitchen. Your final color will fill all the gaps. You can incorporate it through hardware and décor.
Pair light-colored upper cabinets with dark-colored lower cabinets for a simultaneously traditional and modern flair. Hunter green cabinetry will make your kitchen feel like a natural paradise. When it comes to color, style rules should feel more like suggestions. So long as you stay true to your preferences, you can’t use colors incorrectly.
Choose Contrasting Shades
We all know the saying “opposites attract.” While it might not be true in certain situations, it’s useful advice when decorating your kitchen. Another way to mix cabinet styles for a unique kitchen design is to use contrasting shades.
Light-colored cabinets with dark countertops stand out better than those with matching shades. Alternatively, you could create an inverse effect by installing dark cabinets against a pale-colored wall. Why limit yourself to color contrast? Add bits of interesting textures and finishes to bring your kitchen to life.
The idea is to create visual dimension. When all your kitchen accents are the same color, size, and texture, your eye can’t differentiate between fixtures. Adding contrast is an easy way to make your space look and feel more interesting.
Blend Rustic and Modern Aesthetics
Mismatched spaces have an uneasy, chaotic atmosphere. That’s why people tend to choose one decorative theme and repeat it throughout their entire home. However, blending aesthetics is a great way to make your kitchen more personable—you just have to do it strategically.
Integrating styles is like building a color scheme. Choose one aesthetic as your main theme, and throw in accents that follow a secondary style. For example, you can install rustic cabinetry and spruce it up with modern hardware. Or you could invert that theme by using sleek, flat cabinet doors with rustic kitchen décor pieces.
Don’t forget about other kitchen aspects. You can mix materials by layering wooden cabinets against a stone wall. You could even color block with lumber cabinetry and marble countertops and backsplashes.
Replace Outdated Hardware
Cabinetry doesn’t only refer to doors and storage spaces. Hardware is an important aspect that can make or break your kitchen space. If you want to revamp your cabinets without performing a complete renovation, replace your outdated hardware.
Crystal doorknobs add a luxurious touch, are easy to access, and are simple to install. Go industrial with dark metal handles that stand out against a white cabinet. Don’t forget to match your door hinges. When designing a unique kitchen, every detail counts.
Create a Unique Kitchen Design With iCabinetry
Every interesting kitchen design starts with durable, trendy cabinets. Choose iCabinetry to be your cabinetry supplier. Whether you’re a contractor or a DIY homeowner, you’ll find what you need, as we have models that work for all kinds of spaces.
Shop our collection of Ultracraft kitchen cabinets to find your perfect style. Whether you want a modern kitchen or a traditional design, our cabinetry will make your dreams a reality. Check out our inspiration gallery for cool ideas to get your designs off the ground.
