Most people associate cabinets with wall cabinets, because these are more visually prominent, especially in the kitchen. However, base cabinets are actually more important because they serve more uses than wall cabinets do.
Wall cabinets are for storage and display, but not much more. In some cases, they may frame a wall oven or the range hood without actually supporting them, as wall cabinets are not usually sturdy enough for that. In fact, you can replace wall cabinets with open shelves, which is actually trending today, and you will not feel the loss so much.
Base cabinets are different. The absence of base cabinets in your design can seriously undermine the success of your kitchen and kitchen remodel.
Choosing the design and style of your base cabinet is not even your most important decision, as this has no functional impact. You have to concentrate more on whether the cabinets you choose will serve their intended purpose.
Of course, it goes without saying that base cabinets provide much of the storage you need in the kitchen, from cutlery to pots and pans. However, their functions extend way beyond that.
You need to know the functions of base kitchen cabinets when doing a remodel because prioritizing them can affect the efficiency and functionality of your kitchen. In fact, your base cabinets practically dictate the layout of the kitchen, and by extension, the design. Designers often use base cabinets to mark the spaces for other elements in the room such as your major appliances.
Support for countertops
One of the most important functions of base cabinets is to provide support for countertops. It may be in the kitchen or the bathroom. This is the reason for the name as it serves as the base for the workspaces.
No kitchen can function without some type of workspace, and the most efficient way is through countertops. However, tops are no good without a base, so that is where base cabinets come in. This is also the reason the standard height for a base cabinet is 34.5 inches. With a countertop, this raises the workspace to about 37 inches, which is a comfortable height for most people working in a kitchen.
Of course, you can have a countertop with a base cabinet. You can place it on a table, and it will work just as well. However, most people prefer base cabinets because it makes efficient use of the space, providing storage for your kitchen stuff.
Frame for the sink
Base cabinets are also the preferred way to frame the kitchen sink, another essential element of the kitchen. The cabinet can provide support for the sink, with or without a countertop, and camouflage the plumbing that comes with it. As with countertops, a sink might be conceivably framed by a structure not involving a base cabinet. However, this will leave plumbing exposed, which most people would not like. The cabinet also provides a place to put cleaning materials and other things you might need in the kitchen you would not like exposed.
Outline the layout
As mentioned earlier, designers and remodelers use the base cabinets to outline the layout of the kitchen. Since they install on the floor, they are a necessary part of the floor plan. The layout may be one-wall, U-shaped, L-shaped, or galley. In any of these cases, the base cabinets usually play a central role.
In fact, builders usually put in the base cabinets first before anything else after the rough build out. They outline the layout so that they can earmark the spaces for major appliances as well as the aisle space and workflow. If you happen to have tall cabinets, which are essentially base cabinets that go almost all the way to the ceiling, they will also have an important part in the layout.
Base for kitchen islands
Most kitchens today have some type of kitchen island. Some are full islands with all the trappings, while others are portable ones that mainly serve as movable worktops and serving carts. Some are permanent features in the middle of the kitchen, while others are on caster wheels, ready to roll out to where you need them.
Base cabinets provide a foundation for any of these islands, with the exception of the kitchen table. The base is usually in a square or rectangular shape, and usually with a durable top such as granite, marble, or quartz countertops. They might include drawer sets for efficient storage as well as sinks and cook tops. In some instances, they can serve as a bar, butcher block., pastry table, or serving cart.
You can have your contractor build you a kitchen island instead, but that would be an unnecessary expense unless you want one in a custom shape. RTA cabinets will serve just as well at a much lower cost.
Conclusion
You can hardly get through the day without using your base cabinets one way or the other. It just goes to show you the need to give careful attention to base cabinets when planning your remodel, especially if you are looking to make it more space efficient and functional. You can ask the advice of your remodeling contractor for how to make the most of your base cabinets.
Mimosa Kitchen and Bath can service your home or business located in DC metro area, Columbia, Rockville, Bethesda, Jessup, Chevy Chase and surrounding areas.
At Mimosa Kitchen and Bath, we sell high-quality products manufactured by leading brands in the industry and expert remodeling services. When you purchase your products from us, we guarantee speedy delivery compared to ordering from big box stores. We will also customize the product according to your specifications and install it into your kitchen quickly and with excellent artisanship.
We sell a host of products, including but not limited to bathroom and kitchen cabinets, flooring, faucets and sinks, and vanities. Some of the brands we carry include Zodiaq, Fabuwood, Forevermark Cabinetry, Caesarstone, MSI, Kitchenmaid, Wolf Cabinets, Cambria and Hardware Resources. You can visit our showroom in Elliicott City, Maryland to see the many products and stone slabs we have available. This includes marble, granite and engineered quartz.
All of our products come backed with brand warranties. Contact us today to get a free quote for your kitchen or bathroom upgrade!
