Kitchen Cabinet Buying Guide

Updated on: February 16, 2022

Cabinet Construction

One major step in buying kitchen cabinets online is determining if you will be using assembled cabinets or RTA (Ready To Assemble) cabinets for your project. Assembled cabinets are delivered to your home already built, and will need only minor adjustments to be fully functional. Fully assembled cabinets are usually available with more custom options and features than their ready-to-assemble counterparts.

RTA cabinets arrive flat-packed and must be assembled piece by piece. While RTA cabinets may be an attractive, cost-effective option for a handy DIYer or experienced contractor, they can take up a significant amount of time (and often money, due to errors made during the assembly process) just to prepare the cabinets for installation.

Learn more about assembled and RTA cabinets

Find Inspiration

What does your dream kitchen look like? It may feature multiple finishes, an island or peninsula, glass doors, a wet bar or a beverage nook—there are so many possibilities! Pinterest, design blogs, and actual customer photo galleries are all popular places to gather inspiration. While you consider current trends, be mindful of your home’s future-- do you plan on selling in the next few years? If so, focus on timeless over trendy styles; but if resale is not part of your plan then choose what feels most like home to you!

Order Kitchen Cabinet Samples

Ordering cabinet door samples is the best way to see how a particular style and finish will look in your home’s environment. This is an important step in the kitchen cabinet buying process that should never be skipped, as a finish can appear different in your own lighting than in a website image. Try to order multiple samples in different colors – you might be surprised what looks best in your kitchen!

A helpful planning tool is a “mood board” created from all your samples- it’s a compilation of selections for your kitchen makeover. A mood board can include a cabinet sample door and/or finish colorblock, a backsplash tile, a floor sample, decorative hardware, and paint swatches. It’s also a great way to help plan for additional accessories and keep your vision on track.

Design Your Space

Whether you’re a designer at heart or looking for help in every nook and cranny, it’s best to work with a kitchen designer when buying cabinets online. Experienced kitchen designers can design an entire kitchen from the floor(plan) up, or just provide input and assistance on the finishing touches, like moldings and trim pieces. Kitchen designers are well versed in creating a design to work within a budget and know some of the more technical aspects of kitchen planning such as:

1. Proper workflow within the space
2. Walkway clearance
3. Appliance cutouts
4. Appropriate ventilation

When working with a designer you should always receive a comprehensive design packet which includes a detailed floorplan, elevations, and realistic 3D renderings of your space.

Order Cabinets

After your design is finalized, an experienced kitchen designer can email you every component of your kitchen in an itemized quote. (Side note: If you plan on shopping around to compare prices on kitchen cabinets, an itemized quote is the easiest way to compare the products apples to apples, and ensure you are getting the best price!) Your box construction, door style, finish, hinge location, and any extras like skins and fillers will be included in your quote. 

When you’re ready, click the “Buy Now” button at the bottom of your email to add all items to your online shopping cart and check out.