While both oak and maple are beautiful, each has its individual quirks that you might want to consider if you haven’t made a choice yet. Where durability is concerned, oak is the natural choice. Oak is a heavy, hard wood, and the cabinets are usually thicker than maple. Of course, unless you plan on really giving your cabinets a beating, any wooden cabinet should be tough enough for everyday use. One of the plumbers who also knew much about the house plans and house design provided the following information.
Because of its thickness, and rougher texture, heavy oak cabinets are a good choice if your décor leans toward the rustic, country style. Otherwise, you may find that they are out of proportion to the rest of your kitchen. Maple is a better complement to a contemporary kitchen, as maple cabinets are thinner and have a slick texture. Maplewood is naturally light in color, where oak is generally a reddish or cocoa brown. Because of maple’s pale hue, it is quite receptive to stains of all colors. Oak can also be stained, but the darker natural color will come through. Once again, if you have a country kitchen, this may be desirable: imagine a heavy, grainy oak cabinet tinted to match your décor with some of the lovely and colorful Scandinavian stains. Because maple is in higher demand than oak, you may also be able to find oak cabinets at a lower price than their maple counterparts.
Cherry wood is another popular choice for kitchen cabinets. The color of cherry wood ranges from vivid red to reddish brown, and is very bright and warm. Cherry’s beauty is more than skin deep: it is quite durable. The color is as at home in a classic setting as it is in a sleek, modern one. With wood cabinets of all varieties, style is everything. The cut of the cabinet and the pulls you pick out will determine the appearance of your kitchen, as will the stain you choose.
Because it is even more popular than maple, cherry will generally cost a bit more, but the price difference in the raw product is not great. What makes the price of cabinetry soar is the craftsmanship. The more finely tooled you want your cabinets, the greater the price will be. Likewise, a simple finish will cost far less than a special stain. Hardware is also huge sticking point when it comes to the final price of the cabinets.
Cabinets and drawers without pulls can look polished, but over time they can develop a dingy appearance from heavy use. Bottom of the line cabinet and drawer pulls look like what they are: cheap. The finish wears away with use and you will have to spend that money again to replace them after just a few years. Try to find nice pulls that reflect your home’s personality: glass and ceramic look great in a shabby-chic way, while nickel finish telegraphs a modern sensibility.
