Your cabinets are much more than simply wooden cubes to store your stuff in! They’re the face of your kitchen, and gone are the days when cabinetry is resigned to a plain old wood or painted finish. With the wide array of finishes available for cabinetry today, you can create virtually any look and feel and create the kitchen of your dreams. With so many different types of finishes available on the market today, how do you know which is which? We’ve broken down the different finish types below as a handy reference.

Stain Finishes: Stain finishes are meant to enhance the characteristics of the wood species used in the cabinetry. Generally speaking, stains provide a transparent coat of color so the natural beauty of the wood shines through.

Stain/Glaze Finishes: Unlike regular stain finishes, these finishes are semi-transparent, meaning that the natural wood shows through, but there is added depth and dimension. Glaze is typically applied over stain and used to accent and highlight carved details, but can be applied as a full-coverage glaze as well.

Paint Finishes: Painted cabinetry is just what it says it is. Many homeowners choose painted cabinetry because of the classic styling and virtually limitless color palette. Most frequently, white and neutral colors are chosen for all-over kitchen cabinetry and a striking, more intense color is used as an accent.

Paint/Accent: An accent glaze is applied to the detail areas of the cabinetry, such as curves, carved details and edges, to accentuate these elements.

Paint/Glaze: Like the stain/glaze finish, paint/glaze finish is when a glaze is applied over the paint in order to add depth and dimension to design elements.

Antique Finishes: These finishes help create the appearance of natural aging in new cabinetry. This is accomplished by various glazing, staining and distressing techniques. Antique finishes include such finish types as country, heirloom and patina.

Foils and Acrylics: Sounds like a day at the salon, but these are contemporary cabinet finish styles fashioned with foil and acrylic materials. This allows for a very unique, fashion-forward design.

Of course, your cabinet finish selection is highly dependent on the style of kitchen you wish to create. Whether you’re looking for the cozy, warm comfort of a country kitchen or prefer a sleek, contemporary look, your cabinetry will be the centerpiece that helps you achieve your design goals.

When it comes time to design your dream kitchen, turn to the experts at Fahy Kitchens & Baths – we can help you select a cabinet finish that perfectly suits your style. Please feel free to contact us at (315) 735-8181 or fax to (315) 735-2829. Fahy Kitchens is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated.