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When it comes to cabinetry, you have two options: Go the custom cabinet route or buy stock cabinets from a retailer. Whether you’re considering custom kitchen cabinets or custom cabinetry for your bath, home office, living room, bedroom or fireplace, here is what you need to know to make the right decision.

Custom Cabinets Really Do Make a Difference in Many Ways, Especially in the Kitchen

Stock kitchen cabinets limit your options. Rather than creating a design YOU want, you accept a design that accommodates standard kitchen cabinet sizes, materials and manufacturer options. Choosing custom cabinetry gives the designer the freedom to present you with a fresh, new look, plus you’ll enjoy cabinets uniquely designed for your style and needs. Special cabinet sizes, distinctive wood types or finishes and intricate design elements are all on the table with custom cabinets, which also means any existing millwork, trim or furniture can be matched.

Frankly, we’ve never met anyone who wanted to waste perfectly good storage space—custom cabinets maximize every square inch and are tailored to how you intend to use your space. Limited by size, stock cabinets can result in a lot of unused (wasted) space that has to be masked by fillers.

Stock cabinets look worn and shabby well before their time because they’re fabricated from cheaper materials and hardware. Custom cabinets built in your cabinetmaker’s shop use superior construction methods, materials and hardware—they are truly an art form. Stock cabinets get torn out and replaced because they don’t age well and don’t last. It’s a rare occurrence for anyone to consider replacing custom cabinets as they are a valuable investment.

Your Choice of Custom Cabinetmaker Matters Now and Years from Now

Do your due diligence researching a custom cabinet company, just as you would any other professional you’re hiring to work with you and in your home. Before scheduling an appointment or requesting a bid, get the easy legwork out of the way. Look at:

• How many years the company has been in business (the longer, the better)
• Read testimonials from past customers and ask to speak to a few
• Review the company’s photo gallery of past custom cabinet projects

Most cabinetmakers will provide a complementary consultation and bid. During this appointment, you’ll get a feel for the company’s passion and commitment to the custom cabinetry craft. The designer you meet with should do two things: listen to everything you say and ask a lot of questions. Be prepared to answer or talk through how you intend to use your kitchen, your must-haves and would-like-to-haves, as well any aspects you don’t like about your current layout. Don’t be alarmed if the designer asks to get back to you with solutions.

A reliable custom cabinet company wants to solve your problems and deliver a perfect ending, and that can take some collaborating with the custom cabinetmaker. Since you’re paying a bit more for custom cabinets, the level of personal service is more inclusive so you’ll work closely with the designer to select options and approve a final layout.

Though custom, cabinetry making is still construction. It’s normal to experience a few bumps along the way. Choosing a custom cabinet company with years of experience and a stellar reputation in the industry means its team will smooth out any bumps and create a less stressful situation for you, not to mention can save time and money.

Choosing custom cabinetry for your home is an investment in creating areas tailored to your style, space and needs, and collaborating with the right company ensures you receive what matters most to you.