Your kitchen cabinets actually take up a large portion of the wall area in your kitchen. This means, whether you like it or not, these cabinets can make a major design statement.

True, you may be more interested in whether your cabinets are spacious enough to conceal both crock pots, the bread-maker, juicer, and the kids' snow cone machine, but if it's time to replace your cabinets, consider style as well as functionality.

What's a Contemporary Kitchen Cabinet?

Contemporary cabinets can sometimes share characteristics with traditional-styled kitchen cabinets--some light valences on the bottom and crown moldings on top--but in large part the styles are easy to tell apart. Think clean lines and less detail for contemporary cabinetry. Contemporary cabinets can be frameless, and they generally don't have panels. They may be made of wood, laminate, or steel. In terms of hardware, some contemporary cabinets just don't need it--the drawers and doors are meant to be opened by fingers without any knobs or pulls. Others utilize hardware that's simple with tidy lines.

Why Go Contemporary?

More than other styles, contemporary cabinets rely on elements from the rest of the kitchen to make their statement. For example, contemporary cabinets are generally white in order to contrast with black countertops or a black and white patterned floor. Contemporary cabinets don't blend in with the rest of the kitchen design. More often they use color contrast to "pop." While it's common for homeowners who plan to sell in the near future to choose traditional cabinets, there are certainly people who look for a home with contemporary style. Furthermore, if you're not planning on selling, you should absolutely go with what you like best.

About the Author
Ellen Foster is a freelance writer and teacher. She has taught students aged five to forty-five.