by Christy Heitger-Ewing | photos by Dave Pluimer
Building and remodeling are so much fun, but the selection process can be overwhelming. To help curtail this issue, the ACo team invites clients to their highly curated showroom.
“We made an intentional effort not to jam it full of examples that will overwhelm people,” says Mia Farrell, Design + Sales with ACo. She works with homeowners to identify what’s most important to them, especially when it comes to choosing between the different levels of cabinets: stock, semicustom, and custom.
The stock line is your standard set of cabinets made of particle board construction.
“If you’re just looking for something utilitarian, or if the cabinets are in a secondary room you don’t use very often, your basic line works perfectly,” says Amanda Wagoner, head of the CAD Department at ACo.
The stock line also works great if you’re just looking for a few options of what’s currently in style.
“Whether it’s transitional, traditional, or contemporary, we can typically find something within that standard line that will work,” says Wagoner.
The semi-custom line is your in-between line that offers more door styles and finishes, even wood species. With semi-custom, you can make modifications in order to craft a more customized, unique space. Plus, you have lots of accessories and upgrades from which to choose.
“This is the fun stuff inside of cabinets like pull-outs for your spice drawers and Lazy Susan options,” says Wagoner.
Roll-out drawers can be made deeper and sturdier if you have heavy pots and pans. Some cabinets have peg drawers, an insert that goes into a deep drawer that enables plates to be stacked to prevent chipping or breaking. Cabinet doors can also be modified to include a finished interior such as glass.
When it comes to the custom cabinet line, the sky is the limit in terms of design, function, and personalization.
“I’ve yet to design anything where our custom cabinet manufacturer said, ‘No, that’s not possible,’” says Wagoner. “If we can draw it, they can build it for us.”
In addition, the custom line allows homeowners to get a unique finish or wood species that’s not available in any other line.
“Custom is as unique as you want it to be,” says Wagoner, noting that with custom they can do things that fit a client’s lifestyle, design preferences, and needs. For instance, they recently created arched cabinets for a client who wanted to match her cabinets with her arched doorways.
“She also customized a curved-shaped hood with brass detailing on the bottom,” says Wagoner.
Inspiration photos are a helpful starting point to share with designers, who can then ask what, specifically, draws someone to a picture. Is it the fact that a certain cabinet is white or that the cabinet has an inset door?
“Once we know what attracts a client to a particular item, that tells us which cabinet line is going to get us there,” says Farrell.
Keeping the client’s budget in mind, the ACo team can offer guidance on where to splurge, such as a cool custom cabinet or an amazing backsplash. They can also help with money-saving tactics like mix-and-match cabinet lines, even within the same room.
“We can do a custom island with a semi-custom perimeter,” says Wagoner. “In some instances, we may dip into our custom line for a single cabinet.”
Connect with ACo’s expert team to help guide you to the best cabinet level for you so you can love where you live.
