What Consumers Want

When it comes time to design a kitchen, most homeowners focus first on the kitchen cabinetry because it will not only house all their kitchen gadgetry, dinnerware, edibles and cookware, but it will need to be able to endure daily use and abuse. Having a great looking kitchen doesn't mean anything if it's not usable. Here are some things to look for to make sure your kitchen cabinetry doesn't fall flat.

Carefully check out the cabinet drawers to see how they can help you organize your kitchen. Deep drawers remain popular, as well as specialty storage in drawers, like plate holders and dividers that can be customized to fit a particular utensil. People want features in drawers that remove the clutter or eliminate the traditional 'junk drawer.' Another small, but very useful feature is drawer inserts, so the contents inside don't rattle or shift when the drawer is opened or closed.

• Functional storage is very important. These are items like spice racks, cabinets with shelves that slide out to allow items at the back to be accessible, swing-out racks for storage of dinnerware or glassware, lazy Susans, recycle centers, and even wine racks. Gone are the narrow drawers of yesterday. Homeowners are looking for wide drawers and usable spaces.
  
  
• Putting storage features in corners and close proximity to major appliances like ovens, dishwashers and microwaves is an appealing feature for homeowners who like to cook and don't want to go out of their work zone for kitchen gadgets and food.

Your cabinet door style and color will have the most impact on your new kitchen's palette by making the strongest visual statement. They'll also have the most impact on your wallet. Cabinets typically account for half the cost of your kitchen. What you spend will depend on:

• Manufacturer choice
• Quality of cabinet construction
• Materials
• The amount of interior storage options
• Amount of cabinets you need
• How much you've allotted for major appliances and gadgets.

Prepare to spend: $5,000-$20,000 for stock; $20,000-$40,000 for semi-custom and $40,000 plus for custom.