Personalized Storage – More cabinetry choices have made it possible to let the way you cook and your style preferences lead the way when it comes to outfitting your space.
Efficiency Inside – Storage options are plentiful to make your space more efficient and functional, ranging from roll-out trays to trash/recycling bins and tiered cutlery racks.
Display Space – Displaying decorative items has become increasingly popular, and manufacturers’ varied options such as open shelving, glass front doors and plate racks, make doing so easy.
Make Appliances Disappear – Appliances may be more intelligent and efficient than ever, but that doesn’t mean they’re grabbing the spotlight in today’s kitchen. Cabinet manufacturers have made it easy to hide appliances behind panels that match adjacent cabinet doors.
A High-Quality Finish – A good finish can help take a cabinet from a piece of wood to a work of art. Distressed finishes are still popular, particularly when they’re used to add premature age, but today’s look leans more toward worn than crackled.
Decorative Elements – A range of colors and various finishing techniques has made it appear that new and unusual species of wood are taking root in today’s kitchens, but in reality, maple is the No. 1 choice for cabinetry according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. You can dress it up with stainless-steel appliances and dark stone countertops, or make a casual kitchen with white appliances and matching countertops.
Nontraditional Arrangements – Instead of lining up cabinets along the top, bottom, and front face, staggered setups are being used to create more eye movement and intrigue. Bumping base cabinets forward gives that area prominence. Stair-stepping upper cabinets creates the illusion of height, and camouflages awkward or asymmetrical window placements.
The Look of Furniture – Many of today’s kitchens are assigning furniture duties to cabinetry. Some pieces are freestanding, but others simply appear to be.
Embellishments – Add-ons such as crown molding, corbels, and mullioned doors give a standard setup custom appeal. Islands with legs, arched openings and wainscoting achieve a focalpoint status.
Accent Pieces – A cabinet or island in a color or wood that’s different from the rest of the kitchen breaks up the monotony and becomes a pivotal design piece. Today’s most popular example is a colored island surrounded by wood-tone or white cabinets. But it’s also common to see a hutch or one section of cabinetry treated in the same manner.
If you currently have low ceilings try using your wall color at about half intensity. This will give a more consistent look and help give the impression of higher ceilings. If you want to lower the look of your ceiling try using darker shades, the darker the color the lower it will seem. 
