EUROPEAN CABINETS: THE SLEEK CHOICE

European Cabinets & Design Studios

ARAN CUCINE

European Cabinets & Design Studios is the exclusive retailer of Aran Cucine kitchens in Northern California and Florida. Every kitchen is crafted to order in Italy.

Most of the wood used to build these elegant Italian kitchen cabinets is purchased from companies certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and 90% of the waste generated in the manufacturing process is recycled.

European Frameless vs. American Face Frame Cabinetry

How do you tell which is which?

It is easy to tell the difference between a face frame cabinet and a frameless cabinet at a quick glance. The main difference is whether you can see a wood face frame without opening any doors or drawers. American Style face frame cabinets typically have large gaps between the doors and show the wood face frame all the way around the door. There are two types of face frame cabinet styles. There is the American style face frame where the doors lap on top of the face frame, and a flush inset style where the doors fit perfectly inside the frame. We will stick to talking about the American style face frame cabinet because this is by far the most common style. European Frameless style cabinets will have very small gaps between the doors that are typically less than a quarter inch and should look more like a shadow line. Frameless cabinets still have a matching edgeband on the cabinet box that is visible when the doors are open, but you should not really be able to see this at a quick glance.

What are some of the main differences between these two styles beside the face frame?

American Style Face Frame:

Face frame cabinets carry most of the structure in the face frame and usually have thinner cheaper materials for the cabinet box material. They will have door mullions, which are additional frame pieces, between all of the door and drawer faces. So if you have a cabinet with a pair of doors there will typically be piece of wood in the center of the cabinet where the door lands. The doors on American style cabinets are typically attached to the face frame with concealed compact hinges. The most commonly seen face frame cabinets in our area are red oak cabinets ordered out of a catalogue in three inch increments. The lower cabinets usually have half depth shelves and the upper are reversible so that they can be hung right side up or upside down. If they were built by a custom shop they will most likely be medium stained alder or painted white and built in custom increments, but they can be stained or painted any color that is desired. Some custom shops will build the frame for an entire wall as one piece to add additional structure to the cabinets, but we do not see much of that here. Typically face frame cabinets will have doors that are not very square, because they really do not need to be. They will usually be finished to the walls with a piece of trim mold, which is a thin piece of wood about an inch wide that is pressed to the contours of the wall and nailed on to the face and sides to fill any gaps that may exist after installation. Every shop does it a little different and this in no way represents how every shop does it, but this is what we see the most of in our area. This style of cabinetry was created to keep costs low and to allow cabinet builders to get away with a much less precise product. Which usually correlates to a less expensive final product for the customer.

European Style Frameless:

Frameless cabinets are built with the cabinet box being the main structure and a thin edge is applied to the box to match the exterior of the cabinet. Box materials will be thicker and beefier than most face frame cabinets because the box does all the work. The doors and drawer glides are attached to the box itself instead of to a face frame. Both styles of cabinetry typically use concealed hinges, but the hinges for Euro style cabinet is bigger and beefier. Euro style cabinets can still be ordered out of a catalogue, but most people opt to have them custom made and installed by local professionals. The margin for error on frameless cabinets is almost none so it is a harder style to tackle as a DIY project. The doors on the Frameless style have to be square, the lines between the doors and drawers have to be straight and consistent, and typically all of the finishing details are scribed and cut to fit the walls instead of adding a trim molding. Euro style cabinets can also be stained and painted to any color, but they also have the ability to match any room style. They can be made to look rustic, modern, industrial, traditional, transitional, contemporary, and anywhere in between. The only style that Euro cabinets should not be made to look like is the American Face Frame style. Again every cabinet shop builds a little differently, but this is a general idea of typical details. European Frameless cabinets are built around precision and longevity which typically equates to higher prices as well.

What are some of the pros and cons when choosing a style?

Some of the Pros and cons of these styles are obvious after reading the description above, but some are less obvious issues that do not jump to the surface right away. First I think that it is important to note if you are working with a professional, and they take pride in their work, then customers will most likely be happy choosing either cabinet style as long as it fits their needs. However, there are many reasons that we at Sweetwood Custom Cabinets, LLC have decided to build European and Flush Inset cabinets and stay away from American Style Face Frame cabinets altogether.

European cabinets are much more visually appealing because of the flexibility in style, precise building techniques, and thought that goes into each project. The finished product is actually cut, carved, and sculpted to the walls when completed. European cabinets can be made to match any style of the room, details of a house, or designer’s vision. That is the reason that almost all of the pictures of popular kitchens on the internet and in magazines are either European or Flush Inset. American Style cabinets cannot be made to look like anything other than American style cabinets. Which means that all of the creative and fun styles that are so popular right now are pretty much off the table.

European style cabinets have more usable room for storage, especially at drawer banks and at cabinets with multiple doors. American Face Frame cabinets have bulky door mullions at every door and drawer face that take up valuable space.

The fact that the hardware attaches to the cabinet box on a Frameless cabinet means that the doors and drawers will still look great decades later. With American Style cabinets the face frame will typically crack where the hinges and slides are screwed into it. Often within a few years and the doors will start to droop and sag until they eventually fail.

The most notable reason to go American is the price difference. American Style cabinets should almost always be less expensive than European due to the way that they are built and the materials used. Also, because they cannot offer every design style, they typically have reduced options and are more standardized. This allows American style cabinet companies to take advantage of economies of scale.

In the end the decision to go European or American usually comes down to one thing, and that is cost. Most of our customers realize the difference between what we do and what is on display at the box store, and that is usually the reason they have set up a consultation and requested a bid. They know that the price will most likely be higher (although it isn’t always), but they also understand the level of quality and customization is much higher. Cost can be a huge factor considering that custom cabinets are one of the most expensive parts of any remodel. Even with all of these cons stacked against American style cabinetry, this style still accounts for a much larger market share than European style cabinetry in the US. However, in recent years the trend has been quickly shifting as more and more people realize the benefits of the European style of cabinetry and are being inspired by magazine quality pictures circulating around the internet.

EUROPEAN CABINETS: THE SLEEK CHOICE

If you’ve been doing a little research into cabinets, by now you are possibly aware of the general differences between Euro-style cabinets and the common American “Shaker” design. As amazing as it sounds, together they make up the majority of cabinet types used worldwide. In fact, they’ve been the primary models used in kitchens for years.

A “Shaker” style cabinet is also known as “framed”. The door is literally a 4 piece frame that surrounds a middle recessed panel. The doors are hinged to, and lie on top of, its wooden box “face frame”. Euro style cabinets on the other hand are frameless; flat and smooth. They are also known as “full access” because the lack of a face frame and absence of a center stile allows unhindered entry into the cabinet. This brings us to another primary difference between the two, how the doors sit. The Shaker doors sit over the face frame, while a Euro style cabinet lies flush with it.

Despite being flat and sleek, Euro style cabinets manage to mix it up. They are also designed to be horizontal, opening from the long end on the bottom (like a garage door). Of course, the majority is built in the standard vertical motif, opening out from center (when there are two doors covering the interior) or in the case of a single door, out from the long edge on whatever side has the handle.

The frameless look extends to the matching drawers as well. With no frame, all that is visible is a drawer front. As a kitchen theme it is considered a bit more contemporary than the Shaker, its appeal being its simplicity (some call it “streamlined”). It is a smooth and basic look that has found wide acceptance internationally, even beyond Europe. The cabinetry drawers are also typically larger, creating an overall storage advantage.

Interestingly, it is the Shaker cabinet that mostly often relies on real wood or hardwood for its construction. It is a element that serves as part of its rustic appeal. The fact that most Euro style cabinets do not make use of real wood is a matter of practicality. Given that their sleek flat designs require large flat simple doors, they would be more prone to warping or bending if made from any type of real wood. This is why the majority of euro style cabinets are made from other materials. Composite woods such as plywood or synthetic structures such as Medium Density Fiberboard, also known as “MDF”, are perfect for the sterile, intentionally unnatural look that makes Euros so popular. In lieu of any embellishments or wood grain a laminated surface is most often adhered.

The cabinets may be covered in a vinyl substance known as “Thermofoil”. It is a popular and affordable option that stretches and glues the material onto the outside surfaces. In recent years it has become sought after because it is available in a variety of finishes and designs that look quite modern.

For those that prefer a bit of texture, they can have the cabinets finished in “Melamine”. With this surface covering, there are no bare exposed sides (as with thermofoil) and it is similar to laminate although it offers much more by way of character. The wood grain like texture is truly unique and available in shades such as Cocoa and Milan, both of which are best described as elegantly handsome.

Of course Euro Style cabinets wouldn’t be fulfilling all preferences without a high gloss option. Classy and smooth, layers of high gloss paint help to create the ultramodern kitchen. No matter what color you choose – white, silver, charcoal, etc… shiny Euro-style cabinets NEVER fail to impress! And the choices don’t end there – you may decide on metal framed glass cabinets instead. Each one comes equipped with a soft close mechanism, ensuring that the integrity of the glass is maintained safely for years of use.

The cabinets are often equipped with adjustable shelves and the thick veneer also serves to protect the raw edges of the box. That’s just one of many options that you may choose. Typically, a great euro style cabinet package will include a MDF door that features soft close hinges and sits full overlay, concealing the natural interior finish. Get the box and shelves in sturdy 3/4 “plywood and you have the makings for the perfect Euro style cabinets. Select from endless varieties of hardware such as door pulls and handles and complete your kitchen with a lustrous collection of cabinetry sure to make a strong impression.