What Custom Cabinetry Really Means (and Why It’s Worth It)

“Custom cabinetry...”

Like a custom suit, it’s something tailored just for you: perfectly measured, flawlessly crafted, and unique to your needs and lifestyle. Unfortunately, in today’s market, just about everyone says they offer “custom cabinetry,” from big-box retailers to boutique builders. The term is used so loosely that homeowners often don’t realize what they’re getting (or not getting) until they’re knee-deep in design decisions and bumping into frustrating limitations.

Defining Custom vs. Semi-Custom Cabinets

Just because something has customizable options, that doesn’t make it custom.  If you were buying a new car, and you chose one of five color options, added the stereo package and upgraded to the moon roof, you wouldn’t tell people you got a custom-built car.  When you go to a restaurant and swap soup and mashed potatoes for the salad and fries, you didn’t receive a custom meal prepared with only you in mind. 

Similarly, “custom cabinetry” should mean more than choosing from a pre-set selection of finish options and door styles.  To me, it means cabinetry that is built from scratch to the highest quality specifications, specifically for your space, by skilled craftspeople who treat your home like a portfolio piece, not a production number.

The Limitations of “Almost Custom”

Now you might be thinking, “Okay, but not everyone needs a custom car or a custom prepared meal.”  Do I really need custom cabinetry?  What’s the big deal?” 

That’s a fair question, especially with how often the line between custom vs semi-custom cabinets gets blurred in marketing conversations.

It’s important to note that the level of customization available will vary considerably based on the brand and price point, but here are some of the most common limitations you will find with semi-custom (also called production or manufactured) lines:

This kitchen, designed with a semi-custom line, remains one of our most loved on social media. Clean, fresh, and full of character, but limited by standard cabinet sizes, such that the cabinets don't quite reach the ceiling. A great reminder that beauty is always possible, even when flexibility is not.

• Finish and material options: These lines keep prices down by offering limited wood species, paint colors, and door styles. The lower the price point, the fewer the choices. Higher-end lines may allow customization, often with steep upcharges.

• Sizing restrictions:  Most semi-custom cabinets come in 3-inch increments of width, height, and depth, but maddeningly, they’ll often skip the size you actually need. For example, if you have an 8-foot ceiling, 39" uppers would hit the ceiling perfectly, but many brands only offer 36" or 42". Too short or too tall.  Or perhaps you have 14” left at the end of your wall.  The incremental limitations mean you will have to use a 12” cabinet with a 2” filler, potentially creating an awkward gap and wasting space.  Again, the higher-end lines will custom size to exactly what is needed… for an upcharge on each non-standard cabinet.

• Lackluster details:  The details in your space can really make it shine with personality – the trim molding, the specialty doors, and the range hood that may well be the focal point of your design.  Most semi-custom lines offer just 2 to 4 stock options. Hate them? Too bad. Very few brands will go off-menu at any price.

• Inflexible structure:  It is rare to be able to alter the structure of a particular cabinet, because they would need to produce that item specifically for YOU, which is a major sticking point of the “semi” in semi-custom.  Let’s say you have planned for a tall pantry cabinet, in which you’d like to use the bottom portion as a broom / vacuum closet.  You would need to have at least 60” on the interior to hang your items with easy access.  If your semi-custom brand specifies that the bottom portion of the cabinet is split at 48”, you’ll need to find somewhere else to keep the Dyson, sorry. 

• Limited organizational solutions:  The majority of semi-custom lines will have only the most common interior organization options:  trash bins, lazy susans, roll outs, tray dividers, maybe a cutlery organizer if you’re lucky.  A pull-out for the blind corner that prevents you from having to crawl into the depths of the cabinet to retrieve your items?  Unlikely.  A drawer for your blowdryer and curling iron with an outlet that cuts power when closed?  Definitely not.  A full height cabinet with an appliance rack that swings out for easy access to the Vitamix?  HAHAHAHA you must be joking.

This fully custom kitchen blends mid-century slab walnut cabinetry with a dark charcoal painted shaker finish for a look that’s both warm and architectural. A full-height quartz backsplash and two complementary quartz countertops elevate the palette with texture and contrast.

But Wait, There’s More… Hidden Costs!

Even if you’re okay with those limitations (you can’t possibly be okay with all of that??) there are still unseen risks hiding like a monster, just waiting to leap out of that deep, dark blind corner.

• Field measurements: In semi-custom, your contractor is often responsible for measuring. If there's an error, who pays for the fix?

• Shipping and freight: Cabinets typically ship via national freight lines from a distant factory. How well were they packed? How many hundreds of miles did they bump along the interstate?

• Installation: Installation is usually not included in the cabinetry price, potentially making it appear considerably lower.  Instead, you will find that cost on your contractor’s invoice.  But does their crew know how to properly level doors, adjust hinges, or handle trim gaps at the ceiling or walls?

• Damage or delays: If something arrives damaged, or gets damaged during installation, and the factory lead time was 8–10 weeks, you may very well be waiting 8-10 more for a replacement. Any guess who’s likely to end up footing the bill? The freight company blames the factory. The factory blames the installer. The installer blames the freight line. Meanwhile, your project sits in limbo, and you are the one left holding the bag.

When “Custom” Isn’t Quite

A recent project illustrated some of these points all too well.

My clients, a lovely couple working with a highly reputable builder, brought me in to make sure their layout, functionality, and design goals were truly being met. The cabinetry line their builder uses is high-quality and very attractive. They were told it could “custom build pretty much anything.”  So I designed accordingly.

The key words, of course, were “pretty much.” 

The challenges that we have encountered so far include:

• A significant upcharge for the look and finish they wanted

• We were told they would not provide a particular cabinet size that we needed for function. No workaround offered.  Just “no”

• The hood style we designed not being available in their (upcharged) wood species

• Doubt around whether doors could be hinged the way we intended (no, we weren’t trying to open them diagonally)

• Refusal to install a specific organizer the client requested

• Having to completely outsource two parts of the design that couldn’t be produced

Now, to be fair, everything is being worked through, and the finished result will be beautiful, but at this investment level, my opinion is that any reasonable request should be met with a simple, confident “yes, of course we can do that.”

How Custom Makes the Most of Your Investment

Clients are often surprised to learn that our fully custom cabinetry is priced right alongside mid-level semi-custom brands, and often lower than the high-end ones. You’re not paying for brand positioning, mass production, or upcharges for anything “nonstandard.”

Instead, you’re paying for craftsmanship, flexibility, accountability, and peace of mind. The person who builds your cabinets is the same person who measures your space and installs them, and if something goes sideways, they make it right. Quickly. Quietly. Properly.

When you consider the full scope of what’s included, and how much smoother the process is, the value is undeniable.

The polished nickel strapping on the custom range hood is a detail only available through truly custom cabinetry, and worth every bit of the effort it took to get it just right. We also worked through several iterations of the island finish before landing on the perfect shade for the space. These are the kinds of decisions that make a kitchen feel like you.

The Bottom Line: Know What You’re Getting

Your cabinets are a product you will interact with multiple times every single day.  Not every home needs bespoke cabinetry, but if you’re investing in a renovation designed to elevate your quality of life by creating spaces that reflect your values, support your routines, and will bring you joy for many years into the future, then your cabinetry should match that standard.

True custom is more than simply the merchandise that’s delivered. It’s working with someone you trust to deliver it without cutting corners, limiting your options, or handing the hard stuff off to someone else.

So if you've been told you're getting “custom,” don’t be afraid to ask what that really means. Ask who’s building it. Ask how many options you have to choose from, and if you want something not on their standard selection menu, whether “no” is their final answer.  Ask what happens if something goes wrong.

Fully custom cabinetry gives you the freedom to dream the space you’ve always wanted, and the craftsmanship to bring it to life.