For those traveling abroad, it is not unlikely to hear from Europeans that Europe is becoming more like the US and to hear from those here in the US that the United States is becoming more like Europe. Although this converging trend towards a common center called the global market can sometimes create political or economic disagreement; to our lives and times, lived daily in our kitchens, can only add some flavor when we can tap into the best of all worlds with more in terms of, all in the spirit of better meeting all of our unique lifestyle needs and preferences. like never before.

Understanding the influences that contribute to the increasing diversity in today’s consumer tastes is very important for cabinetmakers seeking to satisfy their preferences. When it comes to the kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets we choose for our homes, many of us start by envisioning their appearance, which is driven by all of our experiences; Maybe you’ve traveled a lot, grew up in the country or maybe in a big city and you start to imagine how a particular style, like contemporary or traditional, will work with your vision.

Once you have an ambitious vision of what you’re looking for in a design, you shouldn’t select cabinets simply for appearance, but for build quality as well. It is important to first become familiar with the different types of cabinets; including stock, ready-to-assemble (RTA), semi-custom, fully custom, and a new channel of imported custom cabinets. You can see how easy it can be to get overwhelmed by all of these terms, so let’s keep things simple by clarifying the two types of cabinet construction, the traditional American front frame or framed cabinet, and what is increasingly seen as cutting edge in cabinetry. modern construction. manufacturing efficiency, full access cabinets.

American-style gilt “framed” construction.

Face frame cabinets use solid wood joinery on the front of the cabinet to form, as the name suggests, a face frame around the front of the cabinet, while frameless cabinets do not. You can usually tell the difference between the two types of cabinet construction by the way the doors and drawers fit against the front. With the framed cabinet, you’ll see a combination of frame and door/drawer front, with wide reveals (or gaps) between each door/drawer front.

This is called the frame overlay style. When the cabinet doors are closed, you can still see the cabinet face frames around the doors and drawer fronts, and can often see the hinges as well. Framed cabinets are most likely the ones you’ll be familiar with since they’ve been the standard style in America for several decades. This is due to the fact that framed cabinets became widely available from large manufacturers who generally produce frame-faced cabinets and distribute them to various places to buy cabinets, including large home centers. Typically made with a plywood or particleboard case held together by a front-attached hardwood frame, framed cabinets are identified by the gaps between the doors and drawers where the frame is visible. The cabinet interior is wider on both sides than the cabinet opening. The front frame typically extends into the opening about 3/4″ or more. Although the prevalence of full-access cabinets is increasingly featured in style and design publications, framed cabinets remain the convenience choice in the United States accounting for “about two-thirds” of cabinet purchases.

European style or “all access” construction

Full access (sometimes called European or frameless) is the standard for European-style cabinetry; Resembling a box, they do not need a front frame as the front edge of the cabinet’s side wall functions as efficiently as the front of the cabinet itself. Full Access Cabinets are built like a box instead of using a hardwood face frame. Sides and other structural components of full access cabinets are typically made of thicker or heavier materials, making additional face framing unnecessary for structural strength. When the doors and drawers are closed, you can see more of both as they present a “full overlay” where they cover almost the entire cabinet with tight or continuous reveals (or gaps) between each door/drawer front. This style of overlay door completely hides the hinges and is adjustable for perfect alignment. Recovering the reduction in width and height lost with the presence of a frame with framed joinery, the interior width is the same as that of the opening; hence the term full access.

Full access cabinets offer a wide range of benefits, both aesthetic and functional. By creating a consistent door-to-door design scheme, frameless cabinets gained wide acceptance in the United States in coastal regions and their benefits continue to be experienced by craftsmen and homeowners alike; its popularity is increasing throughout the country.

The Advantages of Full Access Cabinets

Driven by design tastes and practicality, homeowners and builders are beginning to understand the added benefits of full access cabinets and the consensus is that if you’re buying cabinets made by a quality cabinet manufacturer, the full access cabinets are the best option.

• Design Flexibility: With full access cabinets, no cabinet face frames show, making them the preferred choice for designers who demand clean, simple lines; In addition, they offer a wide selection of features that allow for a virtually infinite measure of customization.
• Structural integrity: All-access cabinets are built to last, and whether the entire cabinet is made of plywood or industrial-grade particleboard, it’s structurally sound.
• Ease of installation: The ends and sides of the cabinets are flush like fine furniture and the hardware accommodates if you need to adjust the position of the doors for precise alignment.
• Easy and complete access: As the name implies, full access cabinets bypass the frame entirely, allowing complete, unobstructed access to the interior of your cabinet. Using the entire box makes the cabinet more accessible while providing an extra couple inches of space; in some cases, up to 10-20% more storage space.
• Maximum use of space:Full access provides more usable space within a frameless cabinet compared to a framed product of the same size, further enhanced with larger drawers and pull-out shelves; and, because the closet box itself is structural, it has fewer braces and reinforcements inside the closet, and therefore more space inside.
• Suits both traditional and contemporary designs: With a minimalist and smooth appearance, total access is the preferred option for designers who demand maximum use of space, ergonomics and aesthetics, with the right materials. Flush doors and concealed hinges work just as well to execute a traditional look as they do modern or contemporary, creating a sophisticated, seamless look that can only be achieved with full-access cabinets.

As you have discovered, these two types of cabinet construction result in completely different sets of capabilities. While all-access cabinets can achieve both architecturally inspired Old World classics with all the time-honored antique qualities, they can also cater to sleeker, cleaner contemporary European motifs that framed cabinets can’t. Full-access cabinets are the new standard in kitchen cabinetry with the quality of their furniture, and as a result, many new homes have full-access cabinets. Full access cabinets simply present a classic case of No Compromise.