What is a working triangle?

In every kitchen plan there is a work triangle. A work triangle is the shortest walking distance between the three main working sites in your kitchen. The refrigerator is the cold storage work site. The primary sink is the cleaning and food preparation work site. The stove is the cooking work site.

The primary sink should be located between or across from the primary cooking surface and refrigerator. If these three work sites are too far away from each other than you waste time walking between them. If they are too close together your kitchen will feel cramped and there will not be enough countertop for adequate food preparation.

The distance of each side of the work triangle is measured from the center front of each appliance or sink. The three sides should each be between four and nine feet. Together the sides should total twenty-six feet or less. An island or other kitchen cabinets should not interfere with the work triangle by more than twelve inches. Major traffic patterns also should not cross through the triangle.

Obviously, each kitchen is different, and these rules cannot all be followed all the time, especially during kitchen remodels. Still, your work triangle should function well for you, and these rules should be thought of as guidelines for accomplishing this goal. Your kitchen designer will be able to get the best possible work triangle given your parameters. Call, email or come by The Savannah Cabinet Shop today and we’ll start the process together.

Timeless White Kitchen Cabinetry

A white kitchen never goes out of style. White kitchen cabinets are the equivalent of a little black dress, perfect for almost any occasion, able to be dressed up or down, fitting no matter what your personal style. For this reason, white paint is by far the number one requested finish for kitchen cabinets.

White kitchen cabinetry can serve many purposes other than just plain being beautiful. White kitchen cabinets can be a foil for a bold countertop choice, a dark wood floor, whimsical wallpaper or funky accessories in an array of colors. White kitchen cabinetry can also make a small kitchen feel more spacious, or a dark kitchen seem brighter.

A white finish looks good on any style of kitchen cabinetry. Whether you are choosing a traditional raised panel door, a simple recessed flat panel, a casual bead board, or a modern slab door, white paint will look good on it. Best of all, if your tastes change over the years, with white kitchen cabinetry, you have a better chance of just being able to change the details of your kitchen and produce an entirely different look.

White kitchen cabinetry going all the way to the ceiling was an excellent choice for this tight on space galley kitchen. The white finish makes the space feel bigger; the height of the kitchen cabinets gives the space more visual height. The white finish is also the perfect foil for the rich wood floors and grey stone countertop. With this neutral color scheme, different accessories could easily be swapped out over time or for different holidays to give the kitchen an ever-changing look.

With the variety of doors styles and the two different countertop materials, the white finish on the kitchen cabinetry here acts as a unifying element.

The worn natural wood floor, the shiny glaze of the backsplash tile and the natural clear finish of the maple countertops are brought together by the white kitchen cabinetry. This kitchen is about simple elegance: a variety of textures in a muted color palate. The white kitchen cabinetry is the foil on top of which everything else is placed.

This kitchen walks the line between country and modern. The worn wood half log ceiling beams, the turned post high chair, and the white porcelain farm sink with flanking split posts are the elements that hint at a casual country style. The high gloss subway tile back splash, grey slate tile floor and the jet black countertop give it a cool modern vibe. The white kitchen cabinetry is the perfect way to straddle these seemingly dissimilar styles. By using a slab drawer front mixed with a shaker, recessed flat panel door, the kitchen cabinetry acts as a perfect mediator.

There are a lot of things going on in this very small space, a blue ceiling that bleeds into the walls, bead board paneling to the seven foot mark, louvered shuttered windows, a natural brick floor in a basket weave pattern, Americana prints, three different medium brown wood elements and stainless steel appliances. What keeps this kitchen looking quaint instead of overcrowded? You guessed it- the white kitchen cabinetry.

White cabinetry isn’t just for small kitchens. It works beautifully in large or open kitchens as well. Simple white kitchen cabinetry allows you to decorate any adjoining room in any style with the confidence that it will flow seamlessly with your kitchen cabinetry.

The white kitchen cabinetry in this kitchen has allowed for bold design choices throughout the room. From the dark wood beams, to the black counter stools, to the decorative toe valances and large white hood cabinet, the white finish unifies these elements, and creates the perfect backdrop for them to stand out against.

With at least three of the four walls of this kitchen lined with kitchen cabinetry going all the way to the ceiling, and with a bumped out sink section, this kitchen could have easily felt cramped and closed-in in any other finish. The white kitchen cabinetry however, makes the most of the kitchen’s one window and allows those sitting at the table to feel cozy instead of claustrophobic.

This eclectic chic kitchen gets it character from the myriad of accessories. The deer head, the candle chandelier, the old-time kitchen accessories, etc. The finishing touches like the two countertop materials and stainless steel cup pulls all add to the whimsy. What keeps the space clean, light and airy is the white kitchen cabinetry.

This kitchen is a mix of traditional aesthetics and up to date accents. The traditional inset style of the wall cabinets mixes well with the up to date full-overlay island cabinetry. The mullion clear glass doors mimic the mullions of the nearby windows. The color of the reflective blue glass backsplash below is picked up in the blue and white cushions. The brown of the natural fiber shades is reflected in the brown of the stools. The stainless steel hood has its mate in the stainless steel hardware, and lighting. The white finish of the kitchen cabinetry is what brings it all together

What other applications can cabinetry be used for?

Semi-custom and custom cabinetry can be used for an array of applications. Cabinetry can be used in designed into any room in the house both as built-ins and freestanding furniture pieces. Kitchen designers can design cabinetry for any application, not just kitchens. The limits placed on the use of custom cabinetry are only through the imagination of the designer, the engineer, the craftsman and the client.

Beyond kitchen cabinetry and bathroom vanities, cabinetry can also be used in laundry rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, studies, wet bars, and bedrooms.

Laundry room cabinetry is often designed similarly to kitchen cabinetry. A section of base cabinets can hold a utility sink and create a folding area, while wall cabinets above the sink and over the washer and dryer provide storage for cleaning supplies and linens. Crafting stations are becoming poplar additions in larger laundry rooms, further utilizing the utility sink.

Dining rooms are suitable areas for both built-in and freestanding pieces of custom cabinetry. A freestanding buffet made with furniture legs is easily moved or taken with you if you happen to move. Built-ins in the dining room are often tall custom cabinets recessed into niches. They usually feature glass door uppers for china display. Your electrician can wire these pieces with interior lighting, which combined with glass shelves to catch and reflect the light, makes quite a showpiece. More informal dining areas utilize custom cabinetry in the form of bench seating and even custom dining tables.

Living room built-ins are most often either free standing entertainment units or built-in open bookcases. With today’s open floor plans, these pieces are usually coordinated with the kitchen cabinetry as it is often within view. An overlooked application for custom cabinetry in the living room is secondary free-standing furniture pieces like coffee tables, side tables, and sofa tables. Built-in desk areas are sometimes included in larger great room areas.

Built-in and free-standing desks are also found in studies and home offices. The most formal or traditional of these rooms feature wainscoting or judge’s paneling. The Savannah Cabinet Shop can also furnish molding and paneling for coffered ceilings, as seen in our portfolio.

Wet bars and coffee bars are becoming more and more popular and can be installed in a variety of rooms including great rooms, studies, butler’s pantries, and master suites. Another type of custom cabinetry able to be utilized in almost any room is the window seat or built-in bench. These custom cabinets can be useful secondary storage, either with drawers, doors or lift-up lids. The can be engineered to accept your own cushion topper or left as a wood topped seat.
Basically, custom cabinetry can be installed in any room of the house in many applications.

Freestanding furniture pieces for a variety of rooms and applications can also be designed out of custom cabinetry components. Any kitchen designer should also be able to design cabinetry pieces for all the rooms in your house. Visit the portfolio section of our website for inspiration. Call, email or come by The Savannah Cabinet Shop today and we’ll start the process together.

Sprinter Motorhome in the Making, Part 2!

The Savannah Cabinet Shop is exploring the world of recreational vehicle customization and bringing our own brand of style, beauty and exceptional craftsmanship with us. Our Sprinter customization project is designed to show off the flexibility of our services and the ingenuity, creativity and precision of our design knowledge and implementation, while exploring a niche market we feel could use an aesthetic upgrade. The design of our Sprinter conversion van is an exercise in combining simplicity and flexibility. The materials are a combination or durability, practicality and luxury.


The Cork flooring not only adds elegance and aesthetic movement to the space but is durable, sustainable and naturally hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. Cork also absorbs sound and shock, creating a quieter atmosphere and a softer feel under tired feet.

The cabinet doors, wall panel inserts, and bed platform are made of a Teak and Holly plywood. Along with its beauty, Teak is naturally weather resistant. The natural oils present in Teak make it termite and pest proof. The beautiful white of the Holly wood adds unexpected visual interest as a natural foil to the rich brown of the Teak.


The Corian® countertop provides the look of natural stone and glass embedded in concrete without the weight and maintenance. Corian® is easy to clean and because it is nonporous, stains do not penetrate the surface. Corian® resists the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria and is one of the few countertop materials that can be easily repaired. Shallow cuts, stains and burns can be sanded out and the sheen returned with a Corian® specific cleaner.

The paneling behind the kitchenette and the inserts in the coffered ceiling are a metal veneered laminate in a brushed light bronze aluminum finish. This surface adds glamour and is easily cleaned. The decorative metal surface also makes the most of the Sprinters’ windows, allowing light to reflect and bounce throughout the cabin.


The curtain dividers are made of a PVC oilcloth in a gold lace design to add a funky flare and touch of whimsy. This fabric is waterproof and fade, stain, and soil resistant.

The couch and bed cushions along with the throw pillows are covered in a woven indoor/outdoor fabric in both geometric patterns and bold solid colors. This fabric is resistant to mold, mildew and fading allowing for years of use.

We look forward to begining the installation process. Check back for updates on the project’s status and pictures of our work in progress.

What are my style choices for doors and drawer heads?

There are many choices one must make when designing a kitchen: what goes where, what that what should look like, paint color, counter top material, hardware design, the list goes on and on.Perhaps the most important decision, style wise at least, is door and drawer head style. Door and drawer head styles set the tone of the kitchen. They are a starting point that, once decided, should help you make all your other decisions.

Like with everything in this business, when it comes to door and drawer head style, there are many options from which to choose. But, once you understand the basic types of door and drawer heads you should be able to figure out what style best suits your desired look. There are four basic types of door and drawer heads: raised panel, recessed flat panel, recessed bead board and slab. Drawer heads come in these four styles as well as one more style named profiled.
You can mix and match the styles between the doors and the drawer heads or you can keep them the same. Some clients choose one door style for the top or wall cabinets and another one for the bottom or base cabinets. Others use one style for the top or “A” drawer head and another style for the bottom or “B” drawer heads. However, in order to keep the design from getting too busy if the top and bottom drawer heads are different styles, then the ”B” drawer heads should match style of the base doors. For those of you visual learners you can find pictures of some of these options’ here.

Though there are exceptions to all rules and some of the most exceptional kitchens have broken these rules creatively, certain door and drawer head styles tend to go with certain design looks.Raised panel door styles are generally used in traditional kitchens. Raised panel styles are also used when trying to achieve an old world look- think Tuscan, French or English Country. Recessed flat panel doors generally show up in rustic, contemporary and transitional kitchens. The simple lines of a recessed flat panel door or drawer head appeal to minimalists and those who are generally not fans of fussy or frilly design. Slab doors are often in modern and contemporary styles.This is the most minimal door style and is usually used in a place where other aesthetic features besides door and drawer head styles, like wood choice, finish or design features, should take center stage. Recessed bead board door styles are commonly used in country, cottage, or beachy kitchens.Recessed bead board door and drawer heads create a relaxed look that fits in well with casual decor.

So, does one of those sound like the style for you? Think you’re done? Guess again. Once the door style is decided upon, you then have to decide on box construction and the framing style of the door.Framing style is tied into the construction of your cabinet. Your cabinets will either be framed or frame-less construction. Framed vs. Frame-less is really just a matter of whether your cabinet box has a face frame or not. Again, for our visual learners, you can find a diagram of these options’ here.

When a cabinet has a face frame the door can be attached to this frame in a couple of different manners. The doors can be inset into the face frame. This is called an inset door and is perhaps the most traditional of all the options and generally the most costly. The doors can also sit on top, partially covering the frame. This is called partial overlay and is used in traditional and rustic looks. Lastly, the door can fully overlay the face frame called, you guessed it, full overlay. Full overlay is currently the most popular style. It is used in all types of designs, but most commonly in modern, contemporary or transitional looks. When a cabinet does not have a face frame and is therefore frame-less the door has no choice but to full overlay the cabinet box, resulting in a full-overlay look.

Again, take time with this decision. It will set the stylistic tone of your kitchen and, along with the finish and design, it is the most aesthetic choice you will make. At The Savannah Cabinet Shop we can help. As an on-staff interior designer, I will guide you through the process and help you with all your decisions. Come visit our showroom today or check out our portfolio at http://www.thesavannahcabinetshop.com/portfolio.php.

What are the Construction Options for Cabinetry?

In the wonderful world of cabinetry there are many different construction options to choose from. If you are using a stock line of cabinetry, most of these decisions will likely already be made for you. Semi-custom lines generally have their base construction level with the ability to upgrade certain features. With custom cabinetry you are able to choose the construction style for each individual part. The major construction decision areas are the style of cabinet box, the construction materials for the cabinet box, the construction and material of the drawer box, and the drawer glides.

Construction options have less to do with the look of the cabinetry and more with the structure and moving parts, but they can greatly affect the cost. Between look and construction, there exists a price equilibrium when working within a budget. So, if the look of the kitchen is the most important thing to you, you might consider trading off construction upgrades for look upgrades. Conversely, if construction is the most important thing, you might have to trade look upgrades for construction upgrades. Obviously if the sky’s the limit when it comes to your budget then everything can be upgraded. Your kitchen designer can help you determine what exact combination of give and take results in the perfect kitchen for you.

For the style of the cabinet box you have two options, framed or frameless. As the name suggests, the difference between framed and frameless construction in cabinetry is the presence or absence of a face frame. With a cabinet that has a face frame, the doors and drawer heads can be mounted inset flush into the frame, partially overlaying the frame, or fully overlaying it. With frameless cabinetry, the doors are mounted to the sides of the cabinet box and therefore fully-overlay the box. Once installed, both construction types are of equal stability when made with comparable materials. Framed construction can give a more traditional look to your cabinetry; especially the inset and partial-overlay styles. Frameless construction is often used in contemporary, modern or transitional areas. Frameless cabinetry is also used in industrial settings like laboratories and hospitals. Because of the absence of an overlapping frame, the clear width of the cabinet’s openings is wider with frameless construction, though the box volume remains the same. Stock and semi-custom cabinetry lines generally only make one type of cabinet box, framed or frameless. Custom cabinetry can be either and the construction types can even be mixed throughout your kitchen.

Both types of cabinet boxes can be made with engineered wood, plywood or solid wood. There are pros and cons to each type of box construction, and clients usually have their own biases. Generally speaking, engineered wood is the base construction level, with plywood construction being the upgrade. Occasionally specific projects require a solid wood box, like when using reclaimed wood, but this is rare and very costly.

Plywood is more stable than solid wood and available in many grades and species. Plywood is also relatively economical. Medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, and oriented strand board, all common types of engineered wood, offer more weight, a lower cost and a flatter panel with more surface uniformity. However, the dimensional stability, screw-holding and bending strength of engineered wood is less than plywood’s. Even though engineered wood panels have some advantages over plywood panels, some people just don’t like the idea that the panels are not made from all natural wood. Chemically sensitive clients might also react badly to the adhesives used in engineered wood which emit a greater amount of formaldehyde as they cure than plywood.

The plywood versus engineered wood choice is the same for your drawer box construction with the addition of the solid wood dovetail drawer box option. Dovetailed drawer boxes are made from solid wood stock and are constructed by cutting a series of pins in the end of one board to interlock with a series of tails cut into the end of another board. Once glued, a wooden dovetail joint requires no mechanical fasteners. The plywood and engineered wood drawer boxes are glued and pinned together.

Once you have decided on your drawer box you must also decide on what type of drawer glides to use. You must decide if you want your drawer boxes to extend from the cabinet box ¾ of the way or in full. If you choose to have full-extension glides you will also then have the option to add a soft-close feature that pulls the drawer softly closed once pushed in 90% of the way. Soft-close drawer glides also make it impossible for anyone to slam the drawers. Each type of glide can be installed mounted to the underneath or to the side of the drawer box. Glides mounted to the bottom of the drawer box will take room from the depth of the drawer box. Glides mounted to the sides will take room from the width of the drawer box.

In short, there are many things to consider and decide upon about your cabinets’ construction. At The Savannah Cabinet Shop we can help you navigate through these difficult decisions. When you work with our design staff, our knowledge becomes your knowledge. Check out our portfolio or come in today to start your cabinetry project.

Remodeled Cabinetry Showroom in Savannah

The Savannah Cabinet Shop announces their newly remolded cabinetry showroom. Located in Savannah’s historic district just off the corner of Abercorn Street and Park Avenue in historic downtown Savannah, our cabinetry showroom occupies what used to be the local candy shop. The 1890 building holds The Savannah Cabinet Shop showroom on the street level and SkyRun Savannah Vacation Rentals’ premier rental property on the second floor.
When The Savannah Cabinet Shop first acquired the building, the bottom floor was little more than some plastered walls and a lot of dust. After extensive remodeling and restoration, we are pleased to invite you to the best place to purchase cabinetry. We designed our cozy and sophisticated cabinetry showroom to feel more like a home and less like a store.
We added a full bath, including a floor to ceiling glass tile shower stall and river rock tiles floor. We exposed the original brick wall, added a wide plank, reclaimed heart of pine floor, extensive interior moldings and architectural details and a full gourmet kitchen. There is also a living/sitting area with a large flat screen TV, a dining/meeting area in the front bay window, several large hutches and other assorted cabinetry pieces. We also enhanced the exterior of the building by adding stamped concrete resembling cobble-stone on the walk, black awnings on the ground and second floors, pigmy palms and a whole new exterior paint scheme.
The Savannah Cabinet Shop caters to new home builders, contractors and clients wishing to remodel their existing home in the greater Savannah area. With knowledge and experience in both new construction and Savannah home remodeling, The Savannah Cabinet Shop can handle any and all projects large and small. Our in-house interior design service is available for kitchen and bath design, color consultancy, materials selection and space planning. So, if you are building a new home or remodeling an existing one, come down to our newly remolded showroom and let’s get the project started today. Please visit our portfolio for examples of our work.

What are my options to update my existing kitchen?

When hoping to remodel your existing kitchen cabinets there are a couple of options available to you. You can reface your cabinetry, replace your cabinetry, or undergo a complete kitchen remodel. Each of these options carries with it a certain “downtime” or period of time during which your kitchen will be out of commission.

Also, depending on the size and scope of your project, each option has a specific price range. Generally speaking refacing is the quickest and most cost effective way to update the look of your kitchen cabinets. A total remodel of the space will require significantly more time and money, but will allow for the most change and result in the biggest impact.

When you reface your kitchen cabinets you are keeping the box of the cabinet you already have. Because of this, if the quality or function of your existing cabinetry is a problem for you, this option will not fix it. However, if your cabinet boxes function satisfactorily and your only real problem is with the general aesthetics of your kitchen this is an option you might want to consider.

Refacing can be as simple as hiring a decorative painter to refinish the doors and boxes of your kitchen cabinetry. You might also take the opportunity to change the hardware to match the new look. Refacing can also involve replacing the doors and drawers of the cabinets with a different door style or wood species. If you have framed cabinetry that you are refacing, it will be necessary to match the face frame to the new look, especially if you switch the door’s wood species or finish. It is up to you if you wish to replace the countertops or appliances at the same time, but doing so will add cost and time to the project.

If the function, aesthetics and/or construction of your existing kitchen cabinets is part, or all, of your problem, but the function of your work triangle is not, then replacing the cabinetry is your answer. This allows a total change in the aesthetics to take place without major construction on the room itself. Plumbing and electrical are not moved in this scenario, so if the placement of your appliances or sinks are an issue for you in your current space, then this is not the option for you. Because the countertops are removed in order to remove the existing cabinetry, most of the time they are replaced in this process as well. Of course, this adds to the downtime of your kitchen. If your existing flooring runs underneath your existing kitchen cabinets, or you are planning on replacing the flooring during the process, than the kitchen cabinet plan is open to change. If the floor is staying and does not run under your existing cabinets then the new kitchen cabinetry will have to follow the same general floor plan as the old. The type of cabinet box and organizational features within are still free to change, though, so even when keeping the same outline, function and aesthetics can still be greatly improved.

Lastly, if not only the aesthetics, the construction and the function of your kitchen cabinetry is bothering you, but the function of your work space across the board, or the aesthetics of the kitchen as a room in general are a problem, then the only solution is a complete kitchen remodel. This is obviously the most costly and time consuming of the options, but it also offers the most opportunity for change and improvement.

Plumbing and electrical can be relocated to form a better work triangle. Walls can be knocked down to open up or enlarge the space. New wall, ceiling and floor coverings can be installed during the construction time, as well as extras such as lighting, or even exterior doors or windows. A total kitchen remodel often involves replacing everything from the kitchen cabinets to the appliances to the countertops.

When trying to decide which kitchen update is right for you, consider what your issues with your current kitchen cabinets are. Next, be honest with yourself and your kitchen designer both about your budget and how long you and your family can live with an out of commission kitchen. Together you can decide based on your customized pro/con list, which option is best for you. Call, email or come by The Savannah Cabinet Shop today and we’ll start the process together.