If you're looking to bring new life to your home, your cabinets are a great place to start. Cabinets are vital elements in every room — in addition to providing storage space, they also serve as visual accents and often create the room's layout. Glass cabinet doors are excellent choices for making a cabinet system shine.
We created this style guide with bathrooms and kitchens in mind, but these tips easily apply to any space.
REFACE OR REPLACE?
Before you begin, you need to determine which option is right for you — replacing your entire cabinet system or focusing on the components. Replacing your cabinets may be necessary if they're in bad condition or if you want to rearrange your space.
If you're happy with the overall layout of the room and your cabinets are in good condition, all you need to do for a fresh new look is replace the cabinet's parts with new ones that fit your ideal aesthetic. Refacing your existing cabinets with glass doors is a great way to revamp a space without going over budget or dealing with invasive demolition.
But first, you need to know what style you're going for. Having a clear idea of your desired results will help you choose the best glass cabinet doors for your kitchen or bathroom.
GLASS CABINET DOOR STYLES
The door style you choose can dramatically alter the look and feel of your cabinet system — and your entire room. Consider the following factors when you select your new cabinet doors:
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Glass type: The most striking part of any glass door is the glass itself, so you want to make sure you choose a glass panel that works well in your space and looks good in your cabinets.
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Mullions: Mullions divide your glass panels into distinct sections. The number of mullions on a panel can significantly alter a cabinet's appearance and vibe.
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Cabinet placement: Where you place your glass cabinet doors plays into a cabinet system's overall balance and composition. Find places where it makes sense to allow visibility into your cabinets and mark them on your plans.
MULLIONS
A mullion is a dividing bar that separates a glass pane into individual sections. You'll find them almost anywhere there's glass, including windows, doors and cabinets.
The number and arrangement of mullions you have on your cabinet door can dramatically change the look of your space — for example, a modern farmhouse-style kitchen might need diagonal mullions that intersect in an X shape. A more traditional kitchen could use this element, but it would probably look much better with a grid of interlocking vertical and horizontal mullions.
More mullions create a more geometric, orderly appearance, while glass panels with few or no mullions let in more natural light, making a space feel more open.
CLEAR GLASS
Transparent glass is the most common and versatile choice for cabinets in any room in a house. It has a clean, airy feel that works beautifully with almost any design style, from traditional to rustic. Home decorating trends come and go, but clear glass will always be in style.
Clear glass cabinet doors are best for people who like to show off what they keep in their cabinets. For example, if you have a fine china collection you'd like to keep on display, you can install clear glass cabinet doors to create an elegant showcase.
The only drawback to installing clear glass cabinet doors is that they reveal everything, so you'll have to clean your cabinet doors frequently if you have kids or pets. Additionally, if you feel uncertain about letting guests see disorganized cabinets or mismatching dishes, a less revealing glass might be best.
FROSTED GLASS
Frosted glass is an excellent choice if you're set on glass cabinets but want to limit how much your guests can see inside.
During production, frosted glass is blasted with sand or another abrasive substance to produce a sleek, translucent finish. The glass obscures fine details, so all your guests can see is the silhouette of whatever you keep behind it.
The clean, airbrushed look of frosted glass cabinets works best in modern, minimalist and contemporary design schemes. However, it is incredibly versatile, so it could easily fit into more classic spaces as well.
You can order frosted glass panels with custom etchings and designs for a more conventional take on this style. Etched glass works exceptionally well with bohemian and vintage decor because it lends the space an artsy, cozy vibe.
TEXTURED GLASS
If you like the look of glass cabinets but want something with a little more personality, textured glass might be your best choice. Textured glass has been embossed or molded to create a pattern on its surface. It creates a unique, eye-catching look in any space.
Additionally, textured glass hides smudges, so you can get away with cleaning them less frequently than clear glass. This quality makes them excellent for homes with small children or pets.
Popular glass textures include:
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Seedy glass: Also called seeded glass, seedy glass contains tiny bubbles and a subtle wavy texture reminiscent of hand-blown glass. It lends the room a vintage, old-fashioned look that works well with rustic or traditional decor.
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Reeded glass:By taking a roller to the surface of a panel, glassmakers can create a lined, wavy texture that effectively blurs whatever is behind it.
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Rain glass:Rain glass has textured vertical streaks that create a wet appearance.
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Pebbled glass: As the name implies, pebbled glass resembles the coarse texture of stones. It looks excellent in contemporary bathrooms.
COLORED GLASS
While they can be challenging to style in some spaces, installing stained and leaded glass cabinet doors is an excellent way to add a pop of color to your room. You can choose from several different types of colored glass:
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Stained glass: Stained glass is a classic choice that fits beautifully in most vintage and retro homes, but it can also provide a striking visual accent in a traditional kitchen.
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Leaded glass:More commonly known as crystal, leaded glass contains a trace amount of lead that replaces the glass's calcium content. This property lends it a higher degree of clarity than traditional glass, and it often comes in a wide array of colors. You're most likely to find leaded glass in flea markets, salvage shops or specialty retailers. However, the sophisticated look of this glass style is well worth the hunt.
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Eglomise glass: The term Verre Eglomise refers to an old glass decorating technique where the artist applies gold or silver leaf to the rear face of a glass pane to produce a reflective finish. Eglomise panels create an elegant, polished feel that elevates a room.
GLASS KITCHEN CABINET DOORS
Before you make any decisions regarding your kitchen cabinets, determine their purpose. If you want to display your fine china, clear glass is your best choice. If you want to upgrade your kitchen's look without revealing too much, go with frosted or textured glass.
Of course, you also want to determine which cabinet style will best fit your ideal aesthetic. Consider how your chosen glass will look combined with mullions — do you want to visually break up the panel, or would you prefer a plain glass pane? Asking these questions brings you closer to your dream kitchen.
HOW TO STYLE GLASS KITCHEN CABINET DOORS
Glass cabinet doors provide a unique opportunity to take your kitchen's decor to the next level.
Here are some tips for styling glass kitchen cabinet doors:
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Base cabinets: Installing glass cabinet doors on ground-level kitchen cabinets provides an extra visual point to elevate any design. However, families with small children or pets may want to reserve glass doors for their upper cabinets to avoid excessive smudging or breaking.
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Upper cabinets: Upper kitchen cabinets with glass doors are a classic design choice in any interior decorating style. They insert a visual break into your cabinetry, creating the illusion that your ceiling is higher than it is. Using cabinet doors with multiple mullions is another way to develop a sense of depth and dimension.
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Double-sided cabinets:Many older kitchens have a peninsula that divides the cooking space from the rest of the room. Hanging double-sided cabinets above this peninsula was a popular and practical design choice, but it's fallen out of fashion in recent years. Revive peninsula cabinets by installing glass doors on each side — this will open the kitchen up more to the rest of the house while allowing more natural light into the space.
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Sliding cabinets:Sliding glass kitchen cabinets were prominent during the mid-century modern trend of the 70s, and they've become more popular over the past few years. If you have solid sliding cabinets, consider replacing the doors with glass to create a funky retro look.
GLASS CABINET DOORS IN BATHROOMS
Glass cabinet doors can enhance any bathroom regardless of your chosen aesthetic. Whether you dream of a cozy rustic bathroom or a sleek modern shower space, refacing your cabinets with glass doors can help to tie the room together.
STYLING GLASS BATHROOM CABINET DOORS
Like your kitchen, how you should style a bathroom cabinet depends on what you use it for. If you have a lot of medications or personal products you'd prefer to hide from guests, opt for a textured or frosted glass panel.
The best places to install glass cabinet doors in your bathroom include:
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Outside vanity cabinets: Make your vanity look glamorous by installing glass doors on the outside cabinets. While clear glass is a classic choice, frosted or textured glass panels would look equally good, as they will conceal cleaning and personal products from view while providing a sleek, elegant look.
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Jack and Jill vanity: If you have a Jack and Jill bathroom with two sinks, separating the sinks with a glass cabinet door is a great way to add an interesting visual break and divide the vanity between each person more clearly.
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Medicine cabinet: A glass cabinet door is an excellent upgrade for a medicine cabinet because it allows you to arrange personal items like beauty products or fragrance bottles. To really elevate the look, you could also install an Eglomise panel in the back of the cabinet to provide a reflective surface in place of a traditional mirror. This technique looks especially striking in a medicine cabinet hanging above the toilet.
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Linen closet: A clear glass cabinet door with no mullions fits beautifully on a freestanding linen closet. Create an upscale bathing experience for yourself and your guests by arranging your best towels inside. You could also intersperse your bath linens with aesthetic items like framed artwork or pretty bottles.
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
Creating a beautiful space involves more than just changing your cabinet's doors. You also need to pay attention to the bigger picture to really make your glass stand out. For example, keeping your cabinet contents tidy is critical for maintaining a clean, put-together appearance.
Here are some quick tips to elevate your glass cabinet doors:
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Organization: If you're installing glass cabinet doors, you need a clear organizational scheme to make keeping tidy cabinets easy. For example, if you usually grab whatever's on the bottom shelf, that's where you should place the items you use most frequently. Reserve upper shelves for decorations and items you rarely use — you'll have less to reorganize. Plus, if you're in the kitchen, putting plates back will be much easier if they're in an easy-to-reach place.
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Balance: Creating a sense of harmony among the items in your cabinets makes a big difference in their overall appearance. Whether you choose clear, stained or frosted glass, guests can still see the outlines of everything in the cabinet. Arrange these items according to size and shape, avoiding placing too many things of one size together. For example, you could offset stacks of plates with decorative elements like pretty glasses or a favorite cookbook.
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Color:Composition and organization are essential elements in creating standout cabinet displays, but if you really want to elevate your decor, play around with colors. For example, you could warm your space for autumn and winter by swapping certain elements out for copper cookware and natural wood pieces like mixing bowls and cutting boards. You can put these pieces in storage when spring comes around and replace them with more brightly colored pieces like painted ceramic bowls or tinted wine glasses.
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Hardware: The glass doors you choose should complement your hardware. If you want to change things up, you can install new hardware to play off your new panels. Keep things conventional by matching metals throughout your room, or mix different styles to create a more dynamic look.
BUY CUSTOM GLASS CABINET DOORS FROM CABINET DOORS ‘N’ MORE
Replacing your cabinet doors is easier than ever when you order from Cabinet Doors ‘N’ More. Here's how it works:
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Measure your cabinets: Every order is custom-manufactured according to the information you give us, so accurate measurements of your cabinets are critical. Measure twice for best results.
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Find your style: Find your favorite cabinet doors on our site. We offer styles for any design theme, including modern, traditional and transitional cabinet door styles.
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Select the right materials: Choosing the right material for your cabinets is crucial to ensuring the best results. We offer several wood species in addition to medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and rigid thermofoil (RTF). You can also order free thermofoil color samples to ensure the right RTF color.
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Place your order: Ordering through our site is easy. Simply select your favorite style and material on our website, enter your measurements and proceed to the checkout page.
If you're ready to upgrade your kitchen or bathroom cabinets, consider ordering from us at Cabinet Doors ‘N’ More. Browse our online selection of cabinet doors to see what we have to offer, or learn more about us here.
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