Woods and metals

In terms of wood materials, oak for cabinets is out, local experts say. Cherry still is in, but people are starting to lean toward maple in solid doors and veneers.

Bob McGrath of McGrath Kitchen Bath in Fresno says maple seems to be the top choice right now. "People have had oak for so many years, they're tired of it," he says.

Will Falk, an owner of Cabinet Connection in Fresno, says: "Everybody's had oak, and they like the distinct maple and cherry grains."

Exotic woods, such as zebrawood and wenge, a dark wood, also are available as veneers.

Another popular look is using glass panels with wood- or metal-frame doors. "They might not do a whole kitchen, but a couple doors to stand out," McGrath says. This also gives homeowners places to display items such as dishes and glasses.

Smith has seen an increase in these glass door selections because of the demand. Lowe's used to offer four or five standard styles. Now there are several catalog pages full of numerous designs and styles, she says.

"In the last three years, glass has exploded," she says. "With glass, it opens up your space even more."

If you do opt for glass, Hays suggests staying away from clear glass. "Plain clear (glass) is too plain," she says. "It softens it if you use a slight design (on the glass), and plain is easy to see fingerprints."

Extras

You also may notice a few things missing, such as hinges, on kitchen cabinets. They're still there, but instead of being on the outside of doors, they're placed inside.

The exposed-wood frames around doors and drawers also have shrunk or disappeared. Doors and drawers are covering whole cabinets and, thus, show no wood frame.

Some other extras you might see are drawers that can be fully extended. Standard drawers usually don't open all the way, leaving about 2 inches still in the cabinet.

Pullout spice racks are finding homes in gaps between stoves and cabinets. And for people who don't like the slam of cabinet doors, they can get cabinets that use a spring to softly close drawer doors.

The cost of these new kitchen cabinets will vary widely. Often it will depend on the combination of style, material and the amount of cabinets you need. McGrath prices cabinets by the project, he says. On average, his projects run between $12,000 and $15,000.

Some places, such as home-improvement stores, do have prices you can check out as you browse through cabinet samples.

But they are just starting points, and the cost can change if you add on any extras, such as glass panel doors. If you want one, it can cost you $170 to $375 per door at Lowe's.

Also, depending upon the manufacturer, especially higher-end ones, some features may come standard, such as the drawers being able to close softly, whereas some features might be considered upgrades that will cost extra.

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