What to Look for When You're Shopping Around for Kitchen Cabinets?

What to look for when shopping for kitchen cabinets

When you are shopping around for new kitchen cabinets you’ll notice that the price can vary from item to item, and even store to store. Although sticking to your budget is important, there are other factors besides the sticker price that should be taken into consideration. Quality, style, and materials can be equally important.

Comparing kitchen cabinets at a kitchen showroom

Shopping for kitchen cabinets
Test the drawers to make sure that they are built well and pull out all the way.

At The Kitchen Showcase, you can shop around and explore all the various high-quality products in one huge showroom. We have over 40+ complete rooms featuring various materials, price ranges, and styles. Here’s what to look for when you’re shopping around for kitchen cabinets.

What to look for in kitchen cabinets

Kitchen cabinets aren’t just going to be cabinets, they can also be shelves and drawers. Besides a variety of storage options, you want your cabinets to be high-quality. Quality cabinets will tend to cost a little more up front, but they’ll last longer and require less maintenance, so they will make up for their sticker price in the long run. However, there are also plenty of quality products in all price ranges.

How It’s Made

Look for products that have quality hinges and are put together in a solid and effective way. Look for good craftsmanship and a sturdy build. Pieces that are designed to fit together in interlocking fashion are going to be sturdier and last longer than something that is nailed and glued together.

Test the Product

Visiting a showroom allows you to test the product. You can open the cabinets doors and see how they feel. When you test drawers, make sure that they pull out and push in smoothly. You also want to see if they pull out all the way, and cabinet doors should feel solid and sturdy.

Consistency

Denver kitchen showroom
Compare kitchen cabinets at our kitchen showroom in Denver.

Custom cabinets are going to give you exactly what you want and will be customized to your needs. However, if you’re looking to get a quality product without custom pricing, semi-custom products are the way to go. Make sure that you choose a semi-custom product that is consistent from piece to piece. The wood grain and color should be the same from cabinets to drawers to shelves.

Style

If you don’t love your kitchen cabinets, especially their style, then all the savings in the world won’t matter.

Price

The price range that you have in mind will help you narrow down your options, but you also have to consider the quality, materials, and style.
The Kitchen Showcase is one of the largest kitchen showrooms in Denver, Colorado. Compare kitchen cabinets and talk to a design expert about what to look for when shopping around for kitchen cabinets.

The Subtle Differences Between a Traditional and Transitional Style Kitchen

Best Cabinets and Countertops in Denver

Understanding the various design trends will help you narrow down your options, but first, you have to understand the differences between the styles. Let’s talk about the design differences between a traditional and transitional style kitchen.

Traditional vs. Transitional

Traditional kitchen
Traditional wood cabinetry with ornamental moldings and detailed design.

It’s important to design a kitchen that speaks to your style. When we try to put certain design ideas into a particular style box, it’s usually to help designers guide their clients towards the products they might like. At the beginning of a remodel, it makes it easier to communicate with your designer if you are both speaking the same language. Two styles that are often confused are Traditional and Transitional. So, let’s look at the design elements that set the two styles apart.

Traditional kitchen design

Traditional is exactly what you think it is; a throwback to your grandmother’s kitchen but updated to meet modern standards. A traditional kitchen isn’t old, outdated, or stuffy. The design elements are traditional, tried and true, and will make anyone feel right at home. There is a comfort to a traditional kitchen because we all recognize and have a history with the design.

Traditional Design Elements

A traditional kitchen design element is using natural materials. Wood cabinets and detailed craftsmanship and design. The cabinet doors have raised paneling, and there is a lot of ornamental design, like fancy and bold crown molding. A traditional kitchen will also have the classic hood range over the stove, with a quaint backsplash.

Transitional kitchen design

Transitional kitchen
Cleaner lines and more minimalist design are design elements in a transitional kitchen.

The transitional kitchen will lean more towards incorporating practical elements, with cleaner lines and less design or a sleeker kitchen.  Transitional kitchens are aptly named because the design is a smooth transition from the traditional to the modern. You will still see a lot of natural elements, but you will keep the design elements to a minimum. If there is crown molding, it’s simple and clean in design.

Transitional Design Elements

The cabinets doors are going to be more subtle in their design, but not so sleek that you end up in modern/Euro territory. A transitional style kitchen will tend to go a little bit more towards an industrial feel, with lighting and manufactured materials.

Kitchen showroom in Denver

Check out the subtle design differences between a traditional and a transitional style kitchen at The Kitchen Showcase in Denver. We’ve got over 40+ rooms to inspire you for your kitchen remodel.

The Best Option For Your Next Renovation

Denver kitchen and bath desingners

Your budget allows for so much further at The Kitchen Showcase

We’re extremely selective in the brands that we offer, focusing on best-in-class manufacturers for each price range. Because we’re so selective, we have great volume buying power, meaning you get a superior product for your budget. One of the most daunting parts of remodeling or new construction is trying to picture what your new room will look like, how it will function, and whether you’ll be happy with the end result. Design plans can help you to an extent. Our showroom will help you go the distance. Our showroom is arguably the best kitchen showroom in Denver.
Parkwood Homes & Kitchen Craft Cabinets
With nearly 40 room displays, you can see, touch and experience your design choices first hand. Our designers will show you the best options for your vision, so you can feel confident in every decision you make. Remodeling a tired kitchen or building a new home brings a jumble of emotions – from the elation and thrill of seeing your designs for the first time to the hassle and stress of living through construction.

Our Decades-Long Experience Makes for Great Custom Kitchen Designs

Since 1984, we’ve helped thousands of customers navigate each step of the remodeling process. From cabinet planning and design to accurate ordering and careful delivery and installation, our professional staff will take care of you from start to finish and help you create a beautiful home for your budget.
Parkwood Homes & Kitchen Craft Cabinets
At The Kitchen Showcase, we always try to exceed our customer’s expectations by delivering the best customer service possible. To achieve our goal, we have gathered the best kitchen and bath designers, and they are more than willing to help you create the kitchen & bathroom of your dreams. We invite you to stop by our new and beautiful Kitchen and Bathroom Design Showroom, located in Centennial, Colorado. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Evenings and Saturdays by appointment. Also, you can send us your questions through our website and we will answer.

Design A Kitchen or Bath With Personal Style

The right finish for kitchen cabinets

There’s always a new trend when it comes to kitchen and bath design, but the one trend that will never go away is to infuse personal style with functional design. If you’re doing a remodel of your kitchen or bath, take inspiration from the trends of the day, but the final design should be a reflection of you and your family.

Kitchen and bath design trends are fleeting

Kitchen and bath design in Denver
When you custom design your kitchen and bath cabinetry, you won’t have to compromise on your design vision.

If you’re checking magazines and the Internet for kitchen and bath design trends, you’ll see a lot of opinions for great designers. However, unless you can afford to update your kitchen and bath every time the trends change, a better use of your time is to talk to a design expert about your personal style – something that speaks to the life that you live, the life that your family lives – and try to infuse a little bit of everyone into your kitchen design.
A home should be a reflection of the people that live there, so don’t put too much stock in the latest trends of the day. Yes, we can tell you that the rustic country style kitchen is back, or that freestanding bathtubs are all the rage. We could talk to you about mixing and matching textures, or how engineered stone countertops are making a splash in new kitchens, as opposed to natural stone that has long ruled the world of countertops. However, chances are that by the time your kitchen is ready, a new trend will have replaced the old. What we’d much rather talk about is how you imagine your kitchen and bath.
Semi-Custom Bathroom Cabinets
Have your own custom-designed elegant bathroom

Talk to a kitchen and bath designer in Denver

We’ve got a huge showroom that can give you a lot of inspiration, but when we sit down to talk about your vision, think big. Don’t hold back; even if every design idea you have, or every aesthetic isn’t possible, it’s easier to pull your design back than to minimize your design and not getting exactly what you want.

Custom cabinetry and countertops

When you design your kitchen and bath with The Kitchen Showcase, you won’t have to compromise on your design vision. That’s why custom cabinetry and countertops were invented, so the client never has to rethink a design idea. The only reason for changing an idea is to make it more functional and efficient. After all, a kitchen and bath need to make sense. You wouldn’t hang the towels far away from the shower or sink. You wouldn’t create drawers and cabinets that take up too much space or don’t account for the things that you’re going to be storing.

Kitchen design trends
We’ll help you design your dream kitchen and bath.
Photo: New model home of Century Communities – Marvella.
Designed by Erik Brinegar

Denver bathroom and kitchen designers

Our designers can make your design dreams come true, helping you make the best choices for the room you are designing, as well as make it personal and authentic to you and your family.
Let’s start designing your dream kitchen and bath!

An Organized Kitchen is a Harmonious Kitchen

Organizing your kitchen

It’s not what’s on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. We’ve been teaching our kids this life lesson for ages, but at The Kitchen Showcase, we can apply the same rule to your kitchen cabinets. How you organize your cabinets and drawers will make a big difference in how well your kitchen functions.
Organize your kitchen

Organizing your cabinets

If we look past aesthetics and style for a minute, how you organize your kitchen is one of the most important factors in kitchen design. The first step to an organized kitchen is to get custom storage spaces. Making sure your cabinets are specifically chosen and designed to meet the needs of your kitchen.

Maximize space

Being organized is about utilizing the space available. In a kitchen, you can never have too much space, so you want to organize your kitchen to maximize the space. A well-organized kitchen will turn every cooking challenge into a cooking party.

Make Everyday Items Accessible

Make sure that you place the most used items in easy to reach places. You should also keep kitchen utensils and tools near whatever appliance they go with. For instance, keep your pots and pans near the oven so you don’t have to travel across the kitchen everytime you need another pot or a ladle to stir the pot. The inside of your cabinet doors is a very underutilized space, and perfect for hanging utensils from hooks.Organize kitchen drawers

Matching Storage Containers

For items that are awkward in shape, but are used all the time, like utensils and tools, find matching storage containers to keep them organized. You can also custom design your drawers and cabinets to have smart storage space for each of your tools.  All this will help to keep your pantry organized and more efficient.

Simplify your cooking experience

Organizing your kitchen is all about creating harmony so that your kitchen is easy to use. The more organized you are, the more you will simplify your cooking experience. With everything in its place and easy to reach when you need it, you will have more energy to chat with guests and be more present during parties, instead of stressing in the kitchen.
Visit The Kitchen Showcase kitchen showroom in Denver. Talk to a designer about how to organize your kitchen and create better harmony. We have all the best products to design your dream kitchen on a realistic budget.

Designing Your Dream Kitchen in Four Easy Steps

Kitchen showroom Denver

Kitchen remodel experts in Denver
Designing your dream kitchen is fun, and it’s not as hard as you think. You just need to collaborate with the right designers and experts who can help you turn your vision into a reality. At The Kitchen Showcase, we can help your kitchen dreams come to life in four convenient steps.

Planning and designing a kitchen
The first step to designing your dream kitchen is to let your imagination go wild.

The first step to designing a kitchen: Gather inspiration

Before you step foot in The Kitchen Showcase (TKS), you need to let your imagination be your guide and seek out inspiration wherever you go. Inspiration is everywhere, from window shopping to scouring the Internet for new trends and design ideas, to magazines and TV, to checking out your friends and neighbors to see what they have going on in the kitchen.
When you’re just starting to put your dream kitchen together, you should allow yourself to dream big. Right now, the sky’s the limit. Once we start putting all of your ideas together, we can reign in your imagination so that it fits in with reality.

The second step to designing a kitchen: Contact a designer

Now that you have the perfect kitchen in mind and a folder bursting with photos, brochures, drawings, and color swatches, it’s time to contact our kitchen designers to see how we can fit all of your ideas into one perfect kitchen.
We’ll also need to know what your goals are with the new kitchen. Are you just trying to update and modernize, do you want to be more energy efficient, do you want more space, more resale value, or something entirely different? The purpose of your kitchen will affect the types of products and materials we’ll guide you toward, and how we will design your kitchen.
Of course, we’ll need to know your budget. A budget is, unfortunately, a necessary evil in the process of designing a kitchen (or a bath, closet, wet bar, study, laundry room, garage, etc.)

The third step to designing a kitchen: Creating a space and design plan

Kitchen design experts Denver
Our designers can help you pick the perfect materials for your dream kitchen while staying within your budget.

Once you make contact with TKS, we’ll take all of your ideas into account, visit your home to get an accurate feel for the space we have to work with, and then we’ll sit down and create a space and design plan so that you can picture your new or remodeled kitchen.
Our designers have a vast knowledge of the thousands of kitchen products available and can help you navigate through all your options, helping you find the perfect fit. Our Colorado showroom is one of the best, so you’ll be able to see, touch, and experience the product firsthand before you make your decision.

The final step to designing a kitchen: schedule delivery and installation

We see each of our projects through to the final installation. Once you’ve signed off on the final kitchen design, all we have to do is find a suitable time for you (and your family) to have everything delivered and professionally installed. Your designer will be there to make sure everything is to your complete satisfaction.
Kitchen design

Kitchen design professionals in Denver, Colorado

Turn your dream kitchen into a reality in four easy steps. Request a free estimate, call us by phone (303-799-9200), or visit our Denver showroom.

Preventing Your Cabinets From Cutting Off Circulation in Your Kitchen

Custom cabinets Denver

Every kitchen needs cabinets, but not every cabinet will suit every kitchen. Although aesthetics are important, we’re going to talk about how to best utilize the space in your kitchen, and make sure that your cabinets aren’t cutting off the circulation in the room. Here’s how you can keep the flow in your kitchen.Glass kitchen cabinet doors

Cabinets can cut off circulation in your Kitchen

Sometimes when you put cabinets in your kitchen the whole space feels tight and claustrophobic. Cabinets take up a lot of room, and if you’re not careful, they will cut off the circulation in the room, making your kitchen feel small and uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are ways that you can keep this from happening once you add cabinets.

Shelves and open cabinets

One way to make sure that you still have room to breathe in your kitchen is to add glass cabinet doors or open shelving. Being able to see into the cabinets or to see the wall behind the shelves will make the kitchen feel more open. You will create more space and dimension with glass cabinets doors, making the kitchen more interesting.

Cabinet lighting

Lighting is everything. Lighting underneath and inside your cabinets will bring more light into the kitchen, and make it brighter and happier. Both literally and figuratively. Cabinet lighting will also make it much easier to find things in the cabinets, making your kitchen more functional, as well as, fabulous.

Kitchen cabinets Denver
Light colored cabinets give a more open feel.

Light colored cabinets

Use light colors in your kitchen. Anytime you are trying to create more space, using lighter colors will help open up the room. The white and neutral kitchen will keep it light and bright, making the kitchen more inviting.

Best kitchen cabinets in Denver

To find the best kitchen cabinets for your kitchen, talk to a designer at our kitchen showroom in Denver. The Kitchen Showcase has over 40 finished rooms to inspire you, as well as, the best products on the market based on quality and price.

Granite vs. Quartz Countertops

Playing with proportion in kitchen design

Choosing the best countertop material for your kitchen

The two most popular materials for kitchen countertops are granite and quartz, but what is the difference? Which one would you pick over the other? Let’s take a look.

Designing a kitchen in Denver
Stop by our Denver location and check out the different countertop materials.

The difference between granite and quartz countertops

Granite – If you’re looking for pure stone, then a granite countertop is your only option.
Quartz – This is engineered from crushed quartz. A pigment is used to create the color palette, and a resin is used to bind the crushed materials into one solid kitchen countertop.

The aesthetic differences between granite and quartz countertops

Screenshot 2016-08-04 at 12.37.15Granite – Because it is made from one giant slab of natural stone, the colors and textures will vary throughout each countertop.

  • Pros – You get a unique countertop every time due to the natural variations in each stone.
  • Cons – The color choices are limited to the colors that nature provides. Typically, you’ll pick from various earthy tones to hues of blue, green, and rose.

Quartz – Since a pigment is used to create the color of the quartz countertop, you have a greater variety to choose from to compliment the rest of the colors in your kitchen.

  • Pros – Because of the added pigment, colors are more even and consistent than granite.
  • Cons – Your neighbor can steal your personal style and get the exact same countertop!

Differences in durability between granite and quartz countertops

Silestone Quartz CountertopGranite – Natural stone requires a little more maintenance than its quartz counterpart. Granite needs to be sealed at installation and will need to be re-sealed over time. Granite will also stain easily.
Quartz – No sealer, and hardly any maintenance. Plus, quartz countertops won’t stain like granite countertops are prone to do, and it is less likely to crack and chip.

Kitchen design professionals can help you pick the right countertop material

Our designers can help you decide on the best materials for your kitchen countertops depending on your budget, your lifestyle, and your personal style.
Get a free quote and start designing your dream kitchen today!

Bringing Color and Contrast to the Modern Kitchen

Kitchen backsplash

Kitchen design is moving away from the traditional white and neutral tones to add more bold and refreshing colors, mixed with contrasting materials textures to bring life and vibrancy to the modern kitchen. Customize your cabinets with specific colors and finishes, and don’t forget to have fun. Your dream kitchen is only limited by your imagination. Don’t worry, we are here to make sure that you don’t overdo it with too many colors and patterns!

Custom kitchen cabinets in Denver
Contrast light neutral cabinets with a pop of green tile on the walls and bordering the kitchen island.
Photo: Parkwood Homes & Kitchen Craft Cabinets

New details in the modern kitchen

Choosing one style of cabinets for your whole kitchen is a thing of the past. Your kitchen is a multi-faceted space with many unique spaces that each serve a function, so why would you choose the same style and color cabinet for each area? You still want the overall design to be cohesive, but you don’t want it to be static and boring.

Two-tone cabinets are trending in the modern kitchen

Lighter cabinets on top and darker ones on the bottom have slowly turned to lighter grays and neutrals on top, and then turning to a navy, green, or even black for the lower cabinets to create contrast. The mix of colors is a breath of fresh air in a world of stark white kitchen designs.

Play with texture

Eco-friendly kitchen cabinets
Take a bold step away from the traditional white kitchen with black cabinetry and a black kitchen island. The Morley residence’s kitchen featuring FSC certified Crestwood cabinets.

Playing with various textures in your kitchen, from the fixtures to the appliances to the cabinets and countertops, can also add personality and personal style to your dream kitchen. Black fixtures are a bold, modern choice, from appliances to countertops to lighting to faucets. Instead of the traditional silver shine, look for matte textures that won’t catch and reflect the light too intensely.

Design a modern kitchen with The Kitchen Showcase in Denver

The Kitchen Showcase (TKS) has top designers who are up-to-date on the latest trends and design tricks to give you the lux, functional, and fabulous kitchen of your dreams. We are highly selective in the brands that we promote and use, and we work professionally and efficiently with each client to make your kitchen remodel a smooth and fun experience.

Re-Imagine Your Kitchen Space at The Kitchen Showcase in Denver

kitchen design denver

Visiting a kitchen showroom is like Disneyland for homeowners, builders, and interior designers. This is where you get to live out your kitchen dreams, find inspiration, and see first hand what all the possibilities are for a brilliant new kitchen. At The Kitchen Showcase in Denver, we’ve brought together all your favorite kitchen and home furnishing brands. We’ve married quality with cost, making it possible to build your dream kitchen for any budget.

Kitchen Showroom Denver
Kitchen showroom in Denver.

Reimagine your kitchen at The Kitchen Showcase

The Kitchen Showcase is a dreamworld of kitchen wonder. You’ll find every material, color, style, and design elements. When you walk through almost 40 finished rooms, it’s easy to reimagine your kitchen space and find ways to make a few upgrades or remodel the entire kitchen. Instead of walking up and down rows of impersonal appliances, furnishings, and products, The Kitchen Showcase lets you see how everything works together.

Talk to a kitchen design expert

It’s easy to fall in love with too many ideas at our kitchen showroom, which is why we’ve got design experts ready to help guide you through this wonderland of seemingly endless kitchen design possibilities. Our designers have over 21 years of experience in the kitchen and bath industry. Take advantage of their knowledge of brands, products, design, and style. Make your dream kitchen come true by making informed decisions and getting exactly what you want.

Best in kitchen brands

Kitchen Showroom DenverFor over 30 years, our family-owned business has been specializing in the best-in-class brands and expert service and design. We’ve helped homeowners, builders, and interior designers fall in love with their homes again and again.
By specializing in the best brands per price range, The Kitchen Showcase in Denver offers greater quality and value than any kitchen and bath company in Colorado. You get much, much more for your investment.