Learn the craft
Cabinetry Guides
Plain-spoken answers to the questions every cabinetry project runs into — woods, doors, finishes, and the details overhead. Each guide is illustrated with photographs of real AV’s Cabinets work, so you can see the ideas built rather than rendered.
- 01Choosing a Wood Species for Custom CabinetsHow maple, oak, cherry, walnut, alder, and paint-grade woods behave in custom cabinetry — grain, color movement, and how to choose at your design consultation.
- 02Cabinet Door Styles, ExplainedRaised panel, recessed panel (shaker), slab, and glass cabinet doors — how each is built, where each belongs, and how door style drives the look of a kitchen.
- 03Cabinet Finishes: Paint, Stain, and GlazeHow painted, stained, glazed, and distressed cabinet finishes differ — what each does for grain, color, and aging, with examples from real custom cabinetry.
- 04Custom vs. Stock Cabinets: What You’re Actually Choosing BetweenStock, semi-custom, and fully custom cabinets compared honestly — sizing, construction, materials, and fit — so you know when custom is genuinely worth it.
- 05Coffered Ceilings: Anatomy of the Detail WorkWhat a coffered ceiling is, how beams, panels, and crown come together, painted vs stained approaches, and what makes the installation genuinely difficult.
- 06Caring for Finished Wood CabinetryHow to clean and protect painted, stained, and glazed wood cabinets — everyday cleaning, what damages finishes, and habits that keep them looking new.
Consultation & design selection
Reading done — ready to talk about your own project?
The time spent at the beginning of the process is critical — you look at as many options as you want until the design of your new or rebuilt space is right.