Article Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Showplace Cabinetry

Custom Finishes

Posted on July 5, 2022July 6, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

The sky is the limit when it comes to paint colors. Painted Showplace cabinets are very popular, and color trends keep changing. Because we are a semi-custom cabinet manufacturer (read our blog explaining the differences between custom and semi-custom cabinetry), we offer standard paint colors, but also custom paints through our ColorSelect program. We partner with Sherwin-Williams to make their paint collection available in our product offerings; and if you want a paint color they don’t offer, we can work with our Sherwin-Williams local partner to match your requested color for your cabinetry!

But, what about custom stains? We are sometimes asked to match a stain that is not part of our standard selections. So can we do custom stains or match a particular color from a photo on Pinterest or other online sources?

See our stain options!

No, we are unable to offer custom stain colors or match something you’ve seen online. Here’s why:

Many variables go into achieving the proper stain color – from wood species, to sanding, to stain application, to wiping technique. These need to be thoroughly tested to achieve the proper color and this process can take months.
We offer a wide variety of stain color options and strive to add more finishes at least once per year. Keep an eye on our What’s New page to see our latest product additions!

If you don’t see the stain you want on your Showplace cabinetry, what option do you have? You can actually order them unfinished so you can have a local professional finish your cabinets with the color you want. Keep in mind that Showplace is not responsible for any finish issues or damage to cabinets that may arise from our cabinets being finished by anyone else.

So, let’s get started on your new Showplace Cabinetry! Click the button below to find a local Showplace dealer near you.

Custom paint colors!

All these images above include custom paint colors on Showplace cabinetry. Though we offer a wide variety of standard paint colors, our ColorSelect program offers thousands of colors to give you a wide variety of choices.

See our standard paint options!

Cabinet Customization

Posted on June 28, 2022December 19, 2022 by Justin Ehrman

Homeowners often ask us about the cabinet sizes we offer and if we customize our cabinets. Yes! We provide standard sizes and configurations; however, because we are a semi-custom cabinet manufacturer, we can customize the size and look of most cabinets. Read our blog explaining the differences between custom and semi-custom cabinetry.

We build standard sizes in 3-inch increments with widths ranging from 9 to 48 inches, and heights of 12 to 66 inches, to keep our product offering simplified. But in most cases we can modify cabinet widths, depths, and heights to fit your needs. But, there are a few exceptions, including cabinets with installed storage and organization accessories.

And, though we offer a wide variety of products, we may not have standard options in everything. That’s okay! Work with your dealer to see if we can turn your vision into an actual cabinet!

Find Your Local Dealer

Here are some ways we can customize your cabinets to fit your style and space.

Width, depth, and height modifications
Custom cabinet configurations to add/remove openings
Add glass doors (but no custom door profiles or construction)
Add decorative door panels on cabinet sides
Toe space sizing
Angled cabinet modifications
Combining multiple cabinets into one piece
Drawer modifications
Accessories for storage, organization, and convenience
Custom paint colors (no custom stains)
And much more!

Custom options

These are just a few of the many ways you can customize your Showplace cabinetry to fit your style and needs.

Drawer Modification

Add organization to your drawer with a two-tiered cutlery divider drawer.

Glass Doors with Mullions

Don’t settle for plain doors! Add glass and mullions for pizzazz!

Modify for Appliances

Have a special appliance you can’t live without? We can modify our cabinets to fit your appliance and still have functionality.

Kitchen Visualizer: Create Custom Kitchen Cabinetry

Posted on June 21, 2022September 25, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

Are you thinking about remodeling your home, but want to “try on” Showplace Cabinetry before you start the design process with a local authorized Showplace dealer? Good news! We offer a kitchen visualizer which allows you to select from a collection of kitchen images, and then you make them your own – and you don’t have to be a designer!

Learn More

The Showplace kitchen visualizer is a no-pressure, no-obligation place for you to explore a representative sample of available options on your time, in the comfort of your home. Here you can begin to narrow styling options to the choices that best fit your vision of home, perfectly designed just for you.

Using this kitchen visualizer, you’ll begin to discover the styles and finishes that appeal to you, but you won’t have to make final decisions alone. Once you connect with an authorized Showplace Cabinetry dealer, a trained designer will help you finalize your choices. Your dealer will have the resources and expertise to take the ideas you visualize here and make them real.

Keep in mind that the various wood graining and finishes represented in the visualizer are computer generated and may look slightly different than they will in real life. Though we have a large variety of door styles and finishes available on the visualizer, some doors, as well as our vintage, distressing, and glaze options are not included. But, have some fun exploring and beginning your new kitchen style using our kitchen visualizer! When you’re ready, you can save the image to share with your designer during your first visit.

Are you ready to start designing your new kitchen?

Try the Kitchen Visualizer!

Semi-Custom Cabinets vs. Stock Cabinetry

Posted on June 13, 2022May 9, 2024 by Justin Ehrman

You may be wondering how Showplace products differ from cabinets you can purchase from “big box” stores. Their stock cabinets may look similar from the outside, but there’s more of a difference than meets the eye.

Here’s what you get from stock cabinetry purchased from a national chain store or stock cabinet company:

Standard-sized cabinets offered
Standard offering of wood species
Standard selection of finish colors
Standard selection of door styles
Limited or no ability to change cabinet dimensions
May be built-to-order, but often built ahead and sold from inventory
Priced most affordably due to limitations and materials used

Showplace produces semi-custom cabinets. Although Showplace will build custom configurations and offers custom paint colors, we do not offer limitless species or custom door styles and custom stains. Here is a list of generally accepted semi-custom cabinet attributes:

Standard-sized cabinets offered; virtually any dimension of these cabinets may be changed to fit the kitchen or bath design and the available space
Standard offering of wood species with some specialty species offered
Standard selection of finish colors with some specialty finish treatments offered
Standard selection of door styles
Custom sizing and configurations available within standard wood species, color, and style offerings
Cabinets built-to-order for individual homeowner
Mid-priced to reflect flexibility and broad product offerings

Showplace offers many custom features found with other cabinet makers who call themselves custom; since there are no universally accepted attributes to describe custom cabinets, we thought we’d share this list:

Standard sized cabinets may be available; specialty is “you draw it, we build it”
Standard offering of wood species, but will accommodate special requests
Standard finish colors offered, but will accommodate special requests for color matching and specialty finish treatments
Standard door styling offered, but will accommodate special requests
Special configurations of cabinetry are offered without restrictions on species, color and style
Cabinets built-to-order for individual homeowner
Most expensive due to limitless options

Visit gallery — Semi-custom Showplace cabinets were used in this modern kitchen design. Click the image to visit this gallery.

Showplace Flexibility: Drawer Header Choices

Posted on June 6, 2022June 6, 2022 by Justin Ehrman

Flexibility is just one of many reasons why Showplace is the best cabinetry choice for your home or business. A semi-custom cabinet line means that you have many choices for the look and feel of your space. Drawer headers, or “drawer fronts” as they are sometimes called, are one of the many elements of a design that create that perfect look.

Showplace offers several header choices that coordinate with specific door styles to give you plenty of options for your design. Take a look at our various header selections below.

Click to view this gallery!

Five-Piece Headers

The drawer header that looks like a small door is called a five-piece header. The name comes from the fact that each header is constructed with five individual parts: two stiles and two rails to make the header frame, and a center panel that fits inside the frame to attach pull hardware.

Slab Headers

Slab headers are a single piece made of wood or HDM material with an outside edge profile. Often a design will have slab drawer headers because of a few factors: look, price, or because of a pull hardware requirement. We offer several edge profiles for our slab headers that coordinate with a specific door style.

Slim Shaker Edge – for Slim Shaker door styles
Smooth Edge – for Aria, Pendleton and similar door styles
Decorator Edge – for Covington and similar door styles
Notched Edge – for Lancaster and similar door styles
Slant/Raised Decorator Edge – for Covington and similar door styles
Slant/Raised Eased Edge
Radiused Smooth Edge – for Cambridge and Arlington door styles
Square Edge – for Milan door style

So, as you can see, the sky is the limit when it comes to Showplace. Visit your local Showplace dealer to see examples of these header options and start dreaming about your Showplace living or entertaining space!

What are Inset Cabinets?

Posted on May 24, 2022February 13, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

What are inset cabinets and what does inset mean? Inset cabinets are constructed with doors and headers that fit inside the cabinet frames. This type of look is very classy, with tight and consistent spacing. Read more about this type of cabinet construction below.

The gap between doors or headers and the frame is 3/32″ to keep the look tight and elegant.

Inset cabinets are constructed with two types of frame profiles: flush and beaded. Flush frames are standard with square edges (no profile), and create a “flush” look to the face of the cabinet. Beaded frames have a single beaded edge on the inside of the cabinet openings that create a more decorative look.

See more Inset galleries!

Beaded inset vs. Flush inset — Beaded inset (left) – Flush inset (right)

Showplace inset cabinets are offered with a variety of hinge options: concealed or finial. Concealed hinges include soft close functionality. Finial hinges, which are visible from the front of the cabinet, come in a variety of finishes, including Polished Nickel, Satin Nickel, Oil Rubbed Bronze, and Flat Black.

Because of the tight gap between the doors, headers and the frame components, there is a challenge that inset cabinets face. They are very vulnerable to dimensional changes. (Click to read our blog post on the effects of humidity on cabinets.) When such things happen, inset doors and headers can bind, sometimes to the point of ceasing to function at all. It is very important to keep the humidity in your home at an appropriate level for this reason.

compare inset and all our overlay cabinet lines.

ABOVE: Classy, elegant Showplace Inset cabinetry. Click the image to visit this home.

Can I Order Samples Directly from Showplace?

Posted on May 23, 2022March 31, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

That’s a great question. No, we don’t sell samples directly from our website to consumers. We operate a partner network of cabinetry dealerships that operate local small businesses in your community to fulfill customer orders. Think of it like working with a local car dealership when picking out a new vehicle. Auto manufacturers rely on dealerships around the country to stock inventory, offer service and support, and work with the manufacturers on your behalf. In that same way, we rely on locally-owned cabinetry dealerships around the country to work with customers, showcase and explain our products, and to provide that “hands-on” consumer experience.

Click to view this gallery!

Visit a dealer

Most dealers in our network have local showrooms where you can:

View displays of our cabinets so you can learn how they’re built and see for yourself the craftsmanship and quality.
Order sample color chips and doors to help you make decisions on cabinet door styles and colors to fit your home.
Learn about various other product lines from a trained and experienced designer.

If you decide to order color samples through your dealer, we will coordinate with them and will gladly ship them directly to your home, so you don’t have to make an extra trip to the showroom.

Find Your Local Dealer

What is a Character Stain?

Posted on May 9, 2022February 7, 2024 by Justin Ehrman

Some stains mute variations in wood – the darker the stain, the more variation is hidden. Character stains provide a rich, semi-translucent look accentuating the grain and variation found in natural wood. Try it with one of our Showplace specialty woods to make your eye-catching cabinetry all the more noticeable.

Click to view this gallery!

Give it Some Character

Add character stains to your cabinets and bring out the inherent variability, distinctive grain and unique personality of natural wood. This specially formulated finish is only available at Showplace, and for no extra cost.

Character vs. standard

View the comparison between a character stain and standard stain below. Can you see how the graining and markings of the wood varies between the two stain types? That enhancement of the wood brings added warmth to the finish and the look of the space.

Character Stain – Cashew

Red Oak

Rustic Alder

Quartersawn White Oak

Maple

Hickory

Cherry

Standard Stain – Autumn

Red Oak

Rustic Alder

Quartersawn White Oak

Maple

Hickory

Cherry

How Grain Direction Affects Color

Notice from these images above that graining in character stains can affect the appearance of the color. This drawer header was placed vertically to compare with doors on the wall cabinet, then was turned horizontally to show how drawer fronts may not match the doors, even though they are technically the same color. This scenario is acceptable and is not considered a warranty issue.

Pendleton door, Rustic Alder Cashew stain

The Beauty of Character Stains

The above images are examples of some of our beautiful Character Stains. Aren’t they gorgeous?

Explore

Stains

Take a look at all of our standard and character stains to find the hue for you.

See Our Stains

explore

Projects

Need to see stains in an actual home? Look no further.

Stained Projects

How Much Weight Can My Shelves Hold?

Posted on April 27, 2022September 5, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

It depends on the length of the shelf.

The longer it is, the less support there is to hold heavier items. In other words, a 12-inch shelf will be able to hold more weight without the chance of bowing than a 36-inch shelf.

Tips for a stronger shelf.

Add strength to your shelf by adding some decorative support molding to the front of a shelf.
Instead of using a cabinet, add open shelf storage with our stylish floating shelves.

Decorative Shelf Moldings — Veneer Shelf with Single Bead Edge

natural floating shelves — Floating Shelf

Glass Cabinet Door — Standard Veneer Shelves

What is Cabinet Overlay?

Posted on April 27, 2022April 23, 2024 by Justin Ehrman

Overlay (sometimes called “reveal”) refers to the amount of cabinet face frame that is covered by the doors and drawer headers. In the end, the overlay decision is one of personal tastes and budgets.

Most Showplace door styles are offered in two overlays: partial or full overlay. A few door styles are offered in full overlay only. In addition, several styles are offered in elegant inset versions. Full, partial, and inset doors and drawer headers are available on a framed cabinet box.

ShowplaceEVO doors and drawer headers are available ONLY on a frameless (full-access) cabinet box.

This kitchen illustrates our popular full overlay look.

What’s the difference?

Partial Overlay

Partial overlay doors and headers are smaller, revealing more of the frame. Since they’re smaller and use less material, Traditional styles also cost less.

Full Overlay

Full overlay doors and headers are larger, covering more of the frame. The result is a sleeker, tighter look.

Frameless

Frameless, or “full-access” ShowplaceEVO cabinetry is also sometimes called “European-style” cabinetry. The doors overlay the front edges of the cabinet box, and there is a minimal reveal on each outside door edge for very little visibility of the cabinet box.

Inset

Doors and headers are set inside the cabinet frame opening with minimal clearance and full visibility of the cabinet frame.

Here are examples of how the doors and headers are sized on each of our cabinet lines. These images below show a base cabinet with doors and a drawer header.

Partial Overlay

Doors and headers lay over the cabinet to reveal a more of the front frame.

Full Overlay – Framed

Doors and headers lay over the cabinet to reveal a small portion of the front frame.

Full Overlay – Frameless

Doors and headers lay over the cabinet to reveal very little of the front edges of the cabinet box.

Inset

Doors and headers are set inside the cabinet frame opening with 3/32″ clearance. The full 1-1/2″ wide frame components are visible.

Learn more about inset here.

Effects of Humidity on Cabinets

Posted on April 27, 2022January 18, 2024 by Justin Ehrman

Hardwood cabinet components like face frames, doors, and headers are made of a natural material — wood — which has great character and personality. But natural wood also has some inherent limitations that should be understood. This is true of all wood in the home: furniture, millwork and cabinetry.

Learn More

Unlike synthetic material, natural wood is not dimensionally stable, meaning it will expand and contract under certain conditions. Complicating matters further, wood does not expand and contract in a uniform way. It does so more across the grain than along the grain. It can even warp in extreme cases.

Things to Remember

Door Construction

Most cabinet doors are made of five parts: Four pieces that make up the outer frame, and the inner center panel. The notch that the center panel fits into is a bit oversized, to allow some expansion and contraction of the large center panel. This helps prevent warping, but can still open visible joint lines.

Material Matters

Paint grade doors use HDM for the center panel which minimizes expansion and contraction, but joint lines may still appear because paint grade doors have natural wood frames that will expand and contract more than the HDM center panel.

The Best Option

The Showplace HDM door styles are our most dimensionally stable. They are the best choice for painted cabinetry in coastal regions, or other areas of high humidity.

By its nature, wood is “hygroscopic,” meaning it naturally absorbs and releases moisture in its environment. These changes in moisture content may result in dimensional changes that can happen gradually over time, or happen suddenly with seasonal changes or changes in humidity within the home. When these natural dimensional changes occur, joinery lines can appear that were not visible before. For instance: As wood swells and contracts due to seasonal humidity changes, a joint where a stile and rail meet can open up slightly, showing a line that was not previously visible. When exposed to drier air, door center panels will contract, exposing a visible line next to the stile until moisture is restored. These are inherent characteristics of wood, are not considered flaws, and are not covered under the Showplace warranty.

The most important thing you can do is stabilize the humidity in the home. Heating systems dry out the air in the winter, causing wood to contract. Taking steps to maintain proper relative humidity year-round will keep your cabinetry more stable. We recommend 30% to 55% relative humidity.
Air conditioning helps, as it removes some humidity from the air. But additional steps, like a dehumidifier, may still be needed in some locations and climates.
Seasonal homes, especially those near water, should be heated and air conditioned, even when not in use. Maintain a reasonable interior temperature of 40 to 90 degrees F.
If you want painted cabinetry and possible joint lines are a major issue to you, choose one of the Showplace MDF door styles.
Consider one of our slab door styles with solid MDF cores and a veneered surface. They show no joints and are very stable.
Our best recommendation is to accept wood for what it is, and look on dimensional changes as another aspect of the unique personality of a lovely, variable natural material.

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How Do I Care for My Stained or Painted Cabinets?

Posted on April 27, 2022June 12, 2023 by Justin Ehrman

Showplace cabinetry is designed and crafted to stand up to rigorous daily use. No special or unique care is required for your paint or stained cabinets. Simple common-sense precautions and practices will keep your Showplace stained or painted cabinets looking great for years to come.

Things to keep in mind

Darkening: All woods naturally darken with age. There is no way to prevent this process as it is a part of wood’s natural character. Woods subjected to prolonged direct sunlight will darken faster.

Dimensional changes: Since wood is a naturally porous material, it will absorb and release moisture, causing unavoidable swelling and shrinking. Typically associated with switching seasons, this can cause dimensional changes, and in larger pieces, can result in minor warping. We recommend humidity levels in the home between 30% – 55%. Humidity levels outside that range can lead to cracked joints, shrinking center panels and broken mullions in doors with that modification.

Drawers and interiors: Drawer glides and hinges should need no periodic maintenance or lubrication.

Surface damage: Touch up those inevitable nicks and scratches with a Showplace touch-up kit. Kits are available from your Showplace dealer and include instructions.

Curing time: Showplace Cabinetry uses the highest quality Sherwin-Williams paints, SHER-WOOD® stains, sealers and topcoats providing high performance and a long lasting, enduring finish. All SHER-WOOD® finishes require a period of curing to take place, approximately 30 days, so the film can achieve its full performance properties.

Please be aware that the Showplace warranty does not apply to finishes that are exposed for prolonged periods of time to tobacco smoke and/or other smoke sources.

Horizontal surfaces: If your cabinetry uses finished wood for horizontal surfaces, remember these precautions:

Do not slide items across the surface. Rather, pick them up and set them down.

Make sure plants are in pots that will not seep water onto the wood, and take care that leaves do not touch the wood.

Use coasters under glasses, and hot pads under pots and pans.

Never set synthetic materials like rubber or plastic directly on the wood. The synthetic chemicals can damage the finish. Likewise, inks from printed materials can transfer into the finish.

Basic Care Tips

Wipe up spills, splatters and water spots as they occur. Keep cabinets dry.
Clean as needed with a soft, lint-free cloth. Use mild detergent or soap and warm water. Dry surfaces immediately with a soft cloth.
Avoid using a dishcloth or sponge, which could contain remnants of grease or detergents. Do not use products with bleach, ammonia or abrasive additives.
Never use scouring pads, steel wool or powdered cleaners.
Do not allow oven cleaners to come in contact with wood finishes.
Avoid placing small kitchen appliances where heat is directed onto cabinet surfaces.
Avoid draping damp clothes or dish towels over cabinet doors. Excessive moisture can cause permanent damage.
Have fingerprints? Try Murphy’s Oil soap (use as directed).

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