Are Custom Cabinets Worth It?

As a designer, I have an aversion to the word “custom.” I instantly see my clients' eyes widen and their bodies tense, because what they actually hear is “expensive.” As such, I’ve made an effort to eliminate it from my designer vocabulary.

Although custom is not a dirty word; what it really means is “right for you.” Let’s look at cabinets, for example.

Early in my design career, I had a client say to me “we don’t want custom cabinets”. I didn’t know how to respond because every cabinet job I’d ever done has been “custom”. In my head, I was thinking “what are non-custom cabinets and how does that work?”

The truth is, unless you’re ordering a stock cabinet for a small space (like a bathroom vanity), your cabinets are custom. Every local cabinet maker will visit your home, measure your space, and build cabinets specifically for your needs. Some degree of customization is necessary to ensure a proper fit for your space and your appliances. And you’ll likely have specific storage needs and desired upgrades that the cabinet maker can accommodate.

As with any product, there are degrees of quality and craftsmanship across cabinet makers. Selecting a basic quality cabinet with a simple design and minimal features will be less expensive. Conversely, if you prefer high quality cabinetry with a specific design and all the amenities, those will naturally come with a higher price tag.

Either way, they are custom.

So, when it comes to the question of whether custom cabinets are worth it, the focus should shift away from whether they are custom or not, and instead to the quality of construction, the design that goes into them, and the features that are right for you and your budget.