Fitting a New Kitchen: Kitchen Cabinet Types Explained

Cabinets make up a huge part of your kitchen. The layout of your kitchen cabinets has a big influence on the look of your kitchen and how you use it. They can make it feel open and airy or small and cosy, and affect how much natural light there is. Plus their design can have a big impact on your kitchen’s style.

All of this means it’s important to get your kitchen cabinets right. A good way to start is to make sure that you know your different kitchen cabinet types. We’ve made a handy guide to ensure that your kitchen cabinet shopping is as easy as possible.

Kitchen cabinet types

Kitchen cabinets can generally be divided into 3 categories. Lots of kitchens include all 3 types, but this is by no means compulsory. Which kitchen cabinet types you choose to fit and where largely depends on the appliances you have and the effect that you want to create.

Base cabinets

Base cabinets sit on the floor and fit underneath the kitchen surface and worktop. They’re probably the most common type of cabinet and can be found in most kitchens. Traditionally, a base cabinet is divided into two, with a hinge-door cupboard taking up most of the space and a draw fitted above it. However, there are lots of other types of base cabinet. These include corner cabinets, open cabinets, and pull-out cabinets, which are often used to store herbs and spices.

Wall cabinets

Wall cabinets fit on the wall, usually above base cabinets. Often people leave a gap between their base and wall cabinets for a worktop and cooking space, but you can also stack them directly on top of each other if you prefer. Wall cabinets tend to reach high up on kitchen walls, either nearly or right up to the ceiling. Wall cabinets usually contain shelving and often come with the option for a glass door.

Tall cabinets

Tall cabinets tend to be less common than base and wall cabinets. They’re essentially very tall base cabinets and can often reach right up to your kitchen ceiling. They’re usually used either for storage or to house appliances like fridges and ovens.

Once you’ve worked out which kitchen cabinet types you want and where then you’re free to start making decisions on material, style and whether you want to buy stock or custom-made ones. Once you’ve chosen your cabinets you can get installation quotes by completing our online form. Simply click the ‘Start my project’ button and we’ll get you up to 4 free, no-obligation quotes.