The Tacoma Guide to Planning Your Perfect Cabinets—On Any Budget

Your cabinets are the heart of your kitchen and bathroom.

They set the visual tone. But they also determine how functional your spaces are. So when they clash with your aesthetic sense or don’t have the right spaces, then every meal and morning routine is harder than it needs to be.

In Tacoma and the South Sound there are lots of older homes with cabinets geared for 30 or 40 years ago.

But planning for new cabinets can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? What questions and options are most important to consider?

Our designers have helped hundreds of local customers dial in cabinets they love. Here’s exactly how to make a plan for your new cabinets, so you can update your kitchen or bathroom with confidence.

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First Things First: How to Envision What You Actually Want

In order to figure out all the details, it’s helpful to have a picture of where you want to end up. Which starts with the “feel” that you’re after.

First think of some places you’ve loved spending time:

• Friends’ and family’s homes
• Favorite AirBNBs
• Hotels you’ve enjoyed
• Restaurants you love

How do these spaces make you feel? You might love feeling cozy, serene, fancy, energized, edgy… 

What does that tell you about how you want your kitchen or bathroom to feel?

Once you have a sense of the feel you’re after, scroll through this Inspiration Gallery from Canyon Creek. Note the colors, layouts, materials, and finishes that give you the feeling you’re after. It can be helpful to start a mood board somewhere like Pinterest to keep track of the aspects you like.

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Make Your Life Easier with Tailored Functionality

The goal of good cabinet design is ease.

Your cabinets should make the things you do every day easier and more accessible, while still having space for the items you use less often.

So the first question is: How do you use your kitchen and bathroom every day? What items do you use every day that you’d want more easily at hand?

Once you have that core element figured out, think about the larger items that will need space:

• Baking sheets
• Stand mixers
• Slow cookers
• Bulk paper products
• Pantry items
• Etc.

What do you want to make sure your cabinet design has space for? Note those down.

Next, think through any accessibility needs that you or your family might have. Consider the different height and mobility needs of the people who will be using the cabinets regularly.

Finally, consider other storage or functionality options you might want. Things like a wine rack, a baking center, a pull-out trash can, or plate display racks. The inspiration gallery or Canyon Creek’s planning guide might be handy to revisit here. Note down anything that’s important to you.

Remember that you don’t have to get every functionality detail figured out. What’s important is that you know what the priorities are for you. Then our designers can walk you through all the options to make sure you don’t miss anything.

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Budgeting for Your Cabinets: More Options Than You Thought

A lot of people hear “budgeting for cabinets” and their eyes glaze over.

But you don’t have to line-item every screw and drawer pull. That’s for us to worry about. You just need to estimate what you’d like to invest in your cabinets so we can help you find the best options that fit your budget.

The good news is: there are great options for virtually any budget. Here are some helpful questions to think through:

• How long do you intend to live in the home you’re in?
• How much do you estimate your new cabinets will add to your home’s value? 
• How much home equity is available to you? 
• How much have you set aside in savings?
• If you’re planning to take out a loan, what size loan would give you a comfortable monthly payment?

Use these questions and any other considerations to come up with a rough budget. But you don’t have to nail down an exact number. It’s often easier and more helpful to settle on a range you’re comfortable with.

Then we can show you different options within that range so you can choose what works best for you.

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Make Sure You Get Cabinets You Love with Tacoma’s Most Trusted Remodeler

Odds are you’re only going to get new cabinets a handful of times in your life.

With so many options and details, it’s helpful to have someone on your side who can walk you through every step of the process. Our designers have worked with countless Tacoma-area homeowners to make a cabinet plan that matches their vision and their budget.

So whether you’ve already made a thorough plan or you want some expert support getting started, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Click here to get in touch with our design team and get the ball rolling on your brand new cabinets.

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