A kitchen remodel isn’t easy because there are so many decisions you have to make from the type and style of your new stove to the color and material of the kitchen cabinets. We all need kitchen remodel help every now and then, so we’ve put together this guide on choosing between glass front or open cabinets for your kitchen. A remodel is often a drastic change from the original kitchen, so people experiment with new ideas and concepts. If you’re debating between these two cabinet door types, this guide is for you.

Benefits of Glass Doors

When you decide that you want open cabinets or glass front doors, you’ve decided to show the contents of your kitchen to the world. This is a wonderful thing if you’re an expert in organization and have various dishes that you want to show off.

Glass doors can provide you with that see-through feel, but still allow for protection that open shelving can’t. For example, if you have cats or other animals in the house, then the glass front doors can keep them away from the dishes. The cats can get into open shelves and knock down glasses and other dishes to the floor. Glass fronts can also provide a modicum of privacy that you can’t get with open shelving.

Benefits of Open Shelving

One of the biggest advantages to open shelving is cost savings. The cabinet doors are some of the most expensive aspects of the cabinets, so with no doors, you’re saving money. Cabinet doors are also one of the most difficult decisions of RTA kitchen cabinets. There are so many types and designs to choose from that not having them is a much simpler decision.

If you have a vintage kitchen, and it’s filled with old kitchen utensils, etc., open shelving is a perfect way to show them off. Open cabinets are designed to display the items you’re storing, so they should be something special.

The Downsides of Glass and Open Shelving

The biggest issue with both types of timeless kitchen cabinets is the extra cleaning necessary. If the dishes displayed are rarely used, then they’ll gather dust and even cobwebs, which are an eyesore.

If you have any kitchen storage items such as canned goods and snack foods, you’ll have to either display them along with your vintage dishes or get creative with storage. Glass doors can hide them a little depending on the door design, but not open shelving. The other option is to have a mix of standard cabinet doors to cover this type of storage and open cabinets to highlight your dishes.

If you’re interested in knowing more about stylish kitchen cabinets, then check out our free guide. It’s got everything you’ll need to start your kitchen cabinet replacement process.