Looking for door panel ideas

[Rick Potter]

We built a 500 SQ. FT. apartment behind the house for our adult granddaughter to live in. Living room, bedroom and bath. It has a tiny 6' Kitchenette area, and I will be doing the cabinets soon. Only about 6' of cabinet, upper and lower.

She uses the living room to tutor dyslexic kids and adults. Pretty busy at it, too.

It will probably be done in Oak, with the new Varathane aged barnwood (grey) stain, and I would like to do upper doors with different panels, maybe glass. All my doors have been raised panel, but 20 somethings don't really want that.

Any fresh ideas?

[Lisa Starr]

Rick, Shaker Style doors are quite popular and easily built. I've done 2 varieties of these, depending on the end user. The "who cares" ones are quick and dirty requiring nothing more than a table saw and 1/4" plywood or MDF (if you're painting) for the panel. For the "nice" ones, I glue up 1/2" thick panels and then rabit the back edge so that I still have a flat panel in the front, but it protrudes back flush with the frame. You just have to make sure there will be a slight gap to allow for expansion. The "nice" ones are the doors my 29 year old son and girlfriend chose for their kitchen I'll be building.

[Brian Tymchak]

I've been kicking around some plans in my head for a mission style barrister bookcase with leaded glass fronts.

[Jamie Buxton]

Wire mesh for uppers. Unusual, and sturdy. Source -- https://www.vandykes.com/decorative-wire-grilles/c/335/

[Jim Becker]

Keep the design simple...it's timeless. Glass in the uppers can look nice, but clear glass also reveals disorganization and clutter...something "not totally clear" may be the better choice and even though they are up high, invest in the tempered product for long-term safety. Make your uppers deeper than "traditional from back in the day"...many traditional uppers are just too shallow to be functional for some items and with a small kitchenette, that extra couple of inches greatly increases the storage space available. Do drawers in the lowers wherever possible. MUCH more convenient. The only place that's not really possible is under a sink, but otherwise, it's a good way to go.

[Mel Fulks]

I like glass doors with cloth on inside. Rod at top and bottom . Solid color cloth just wide enough to to not be flat. Glass doors without cloth will cause the kids to try to read soup can labels containing backward and upside down print.

[Rick Potter]

Wow! Some nice ideas overnight.

I appreciate the suggestions, keep 'em coming. I intend to make these nice, we live here too. The object is finding a style she can enjoy, without feeling fuddy duddy about the ''out of style" kitchenette; but also it needs to be something we can live with when she moves on to her own place.

Great advice on the abundant drawers, and deep uppers. That is what we did when I built the kitchen in the house. 13" to 15" inside various uppers, to fit plates, etc., and a total of 68 drawers, all designed for their content, including drawers in the footwells for cookie sheets, pizza peels, etc. It took forever, but Mama is happy.

[Jamie Buxton]

This is such a tiny kitchen that material costs almost don't matter. This is an opportunity to make the kitchenette a woodworker's showplace. Make the door panels with some outrageously fancy veneer. Look around https://certainlywood.com/index.php and https://www.veneersupplies.com/. Use exposed joinery. Go wild.

[George Bokros]

Do drawers in the lowers wherever possible. MUCH more convenient. The only place that's not really possible is under a sink, but otherwise, it's a good way to go.

Another idea for the lowers is roll out 4" deep trays. We did this when did our kitchen. From the outside they appear like traditional doors but everything is in easy reach.

[Jim Becker]

Another idea for the lowers is roll out 4" deep trays. We did this when did our kitchen. From the outside they appear like traditional doors but everything is in easy reach.
This works well for Euro frameless and overlay type doors, but is cumbersome with inset doors. But even with the former types, requiring the doors to be open can block access to adjacent storage. That said, roll-outs are a good compromise for when the look of a cabinet door is desired or when retrofitting for sure.

[Tom Bender]

Microwave ovens (and other ovens) should be below the countertop for safety. I can't believe code allows high ovens. Nobody wants to wear a hot soup.

Jim is correct about drawers, and about roll outs behind doors. If you are doing roll outs, just do drawers.

Jamie is right about material costs. Go with Corian with a rimless Corian sink.

If you can find space for a pantry cupboard somewhere it will be much appreciated.

[johnny means]

Veneered slab doors can be sleek and modern, but also warm and timeless. Contrasting tones can make it look fun and add interest. I would avoid Solid surface materials, there's a reason why they went out of fashion really quickly. They don't age well, and wear and tear doesn't add character. I always push all drawer layouts for lowers. 25" deep cabinets at floor level are medieval technology. Who wants to get on their knees to root around in cabinet for something that is more than likely large and cumbersome? It's like storing your roasting pan under the bed.

[Dave Sabo]

Wire mesh for uppers. Unusual, and sturdy. Source -- https://www.vandykes.com/decorative-wire-grilles/c/335/


Oh yeah, that stuff is cool.

Prob. is , it’s gonna cost Rick $1500 - $4000 to do a couple of doors.


Glass is cool too , and pretty cheap.

[Ben Ellenberger]

You can put chicken wire on your cabinet doors? I can do that for less than $1,500. I may be moving soon and this is giving me ideas if my new place needs work.

[Rick Potter]

Interesting ideas all. I went to a glass shop and they have some nice semi opaque patterns also. I used a bit of that in the house kitchen.

What really bothers me is that she (grandaughter) really likes the gray shades for the wood, and the wife is traditional enough to hate it. Here I am stuck in the middle. It is just a little apartment in the back yard, but they both want it classy, but different.

I did an ebony stained oak built in bookcase in the bedroom, and got talked out of using red oak stain for trim detail. To me it looks like I painted it. Sure glad I don't do this for a living.

We found a vegetable sink that will drop in to a granite slab for the counter, so that is a start. It had to be small, but deep.

I built a temporary cabinet with black pebbled formica, to satisfy the inspector, but it gets torn out to do the final cabinets.

Thanks for the input folks.

[finlay gray]

Go for stuff that last. You wouldn't want to change them anytime soon.

[Jim Becker]

Style and finish is very subjective....as clearly illustrated between the resident and your partner-in-crime. If the young lady is going to be there long term, I think I'd defer to her taste, for sure, if it's not off the wall, since she's the one that's going to be looking at it daily.

[Ron Selzer]

Maybe make two sets of doors and drawer fronts. One set for now for granddaughter and the other set for your wife after granddaughter moves out.
Ron

[Jim Becker]

Since I "think" the intent is for painted regardless...paint color can change in the future so I'd do a color that the occupant will appreciate. If the style is also at odds, Ron's comment is also valid. There may also be a middle road for "style", depending on tastes.