Cabinetry is essentially furniture for the kitchen and the bath. It sets the tone for the entire room, while providing much-needed storage.

Before You Begin

Walk around the room and consider what your needs are. Do you want to stow all your towels in the bathroom instead of the hall closet? If so, you might benefit from a few deep cabinets. Do you need a row of vertical dividers in the kitchen for all those cookie sheets? Think about how many drawers and upper and lower cabinets you would like, plus extras, such as open shelves, glass-front doors, and deep drawers.

Consider Your Options

Stock: Available in a limited number of styles and finishes, inexpensive stock cabinets are sold in home-improvement stores and can usually be taken home the same day. They generally come in three standard widths: 27, 30, and 33 inches.

Semicustom: These are sold in the same sizes as stock but come in a wider range of styles and finishes and offer features such as pot racks. Delivery time is four weeks and up.

Custom: With handmade cabinetry, the sky’s the limit — but you’ll pay for it. “Elaborate molding finish could easily add 30 percent to the total,” says Matt Aanensen, a remodeler in Kearny, New Jersey. Delivery takes at least six weeks.

Keep in Mind

Cabinet-box and shelving materials vary — from plywood to medium-density fiberboard (MDF) to particleboard, which may sag over time. You’ll need to choose from four door styles: slab (little or no ornamentation), recessed panel (a center panel outlined with a frame; shown), raised panel (a center panel raised for contrast), and glass insert (a center panel of glass, clear or frosted, that provides a glimpse of what’s inside). As for the cabinet-door materials, there are many choices, the most popular of which are featured here.