The most important factors when choosing your built-in cabinets

Layout

Different rooms will need different built-in cabinet layouts. For example, kitchen cabinets may need deep, low drawers for kitchen appliances, or open shelves at eye level to store your most-used items, such as tea bags and coffee powder. The most important is to layout your kitchen according to the three main work areas (preparation, cooking, and washing).They will also need to be built around appliances such as your fridge, oven, or microwave.

Bedroom wardrobes, on the other hand, should provide a range of sizes for clothing organization (e.g. hanging space, shelves, compartments, etc.). Custom made wardrobes are also the best solutions to maximise the entire height of your bedroom, and fit into odd wall lengths, rather than buying ready-made cabinets that may leave blank spaces In your bedroom.

Finally, living room built-ins may consist of more open shelves to display books, photos, or family heirlooms. It may also need to have space at the rear to accommodate cables and electrical sockets.

In the bathroom, consider multiple sized compartments and shelves. Small ones to store toiletries, medication, etc and bigger compartments for toilet rolls, towels, cleaning products, and the like.

Materials

The durability of materials used for your built-in cabinets should be based on the environment they would be exposed to and its purpose.

The most common cabinet materials are melamine fibreboard, or plywood with laminate or veneer finishings. Alternate materials include aluminium or steel cabinets, normally meant for kitchen use.

Bedroom and living room cabinets can be made of any wooden materials as there isn’t much moisture exposed to them. They are also not used subject to as heavy usage as the kitchen or bathroom cabinets.

In the kitchen, other durable alternatives include aluminium, cement or steel-framed cabinets that do not absorb humidity or allow fungal growth.

Bathroom built-ins are commonly made of plywood laminate that is water resistant and will not swell due to moisture absorption. However, ventilation is crucial to allow the humidity in the bathroom to escape regardless of the wood type.

Styles, hardware and accessories

Picking the suitable cabinet doors could make a huge difference for the appearance of your home, but think practicality first. Shaker-style cabinet doors are typically used for kitchens and bathrooms because they come in various designs.

Slab cabinet doors are versatile enough for every room while giving a very sleek appearance if you’re going for a modern minimalist design. They come in an array of matte, glossy, or textured designs.   

If you’re tight on space and don’t want to swing open doors, track doors are a better option. That way, you can slide the doors side-to-side on a ball-bearing track to access both sides.

Hardware includes the knobs, pulls, and handles with which you open your doors. Designs came in a wide selection, each offer functionality, aesthetic, or both to fit into your desired interior style. Functional ones include knobs and bar pulls. Decorative hardware such as backplates, cup pulls, and oversized novelty knobs set apart your cabinets at first glance.

For added flair to your built-in cabinets or simply to maximize space, you could install some additional features or “accessories”. Racks on the inside of your kitchen or bathroom cabinet door could place pot lids, spices, cleaning supplies. Roll out cabinets offer the same advantages by utilizing narrow vertical spaces. For dead spaces, blind corner storage cabinets would do the trick.

After considering each aspect, you should have a clearer image of what your built-in cabinets should look like and how they would enhance your lifestyle at home.