Where To Buy Inset Cabinets Direct

Inset cabinetry with the exposed face frame and flush doors is the classic style we see and love in period homes. These charming cabinets are harder to come by, especially on a budget, but I’ve rounded up 10 cabinet companies you can buy from directly and install yourself!

Kitchen by Natasha Habermann

I shared last week how I ordered inset cabinets from a direct-to-consumer cabinetry company, but then they went out of business and didn’t tell their customers. After they left me without the key part of my kitchen, I had to quickly find a replacement cabinetry option. I ended up finding a local carpenter to build my kitchen storage, but not before doing loads of research to find more cabinetry companies that offer all-wood inset-style cabinets.

For starters, I want to point out the cabinet style I’m after. The image above best demonstrates the difference between inset cabinetry and the full overlay style that’s more popular today. (Note that the inset cabinets above have visible hinges but you can get them concealed.) While the full overlay is more forgiving, easier to install, and allows for a touch more storage, inset with the visible face frame is the way cabinets were built a century ago. Learn more about period home cabinetry design here. Full overlay cabinets are available anywhere cabinets are sold - IKEA, big box stores, etc. but inset are harder to come by.

Inset, or face frame, cabinetry is most often available only through custom cabinet makers. While I’m all for supporting small cabinet makers, there’s often a need for semi-custom options that are more budget-friendly. Semi-custom cabinets come in standard sizes and have limited adjustment options, but they’re perfect when the space doesn’t need unique sizing. And without further ado, here are a collection of direct-to-consumer cabinet companies where you can order a full kitchen online, have them shipped to your home, and installed yourself or by a local handy-person.

Inset Cabinetry Companies

Key:

$, $$, $$$ - average price points of the companies. Their pricing varies based on quality, overhead, name brand, location, and more.

D, ND - Designer vs. no designer. Some of these companies include design services that will help you craft the layout and select options and modifications. This comes at a premium, but it’s super valuable even for DIYers. If you don’t want to pay for this, you’ll need to plan your cabinets yourself using a kitchen planning tool to determine box sizes and options.

O, S - Some companies are only online and mail you samples. Others offer a showroom that you can visit to check out cabinets in person.

Unfinished Kitchen Cabinets

$ ND O

I found this option from designer Jamie Haller when I saw that she used them in this gorgeous kitchen. Their online ordering is a bit tricky and you have to be an expert in knowing how everything comes together and what to order. So, you pay a bit less money but put in more work. Unfinished-kitchen-cabinets.net list all of the product offerings online and you can add each cabinet box to your cart and see all pricing.

iCabinetry Direct

$$ D O

iCabinetry Direct offers inset cabinetry at wholesale pricing. They deliver fully-assembled boxes with the doors pre-installed. You’ll only need to make minor adjustments to the hardware onsite. If I knew of them sooner, I definitely would have ordered my cabinets from them!
2023 update! I used iCabinetry Direct cabinets in a friend’s kitchen and they turned out beautifully - working with the designer and getting pre-assembled boxes made it so easy. Use code GOLD35 for 35% your entire kitchen cabinetry!

Decorá Cabinets & Omega Cabinetry

$$ D S

Blogger Jojotastic used the Diamond Line of MasterBrand cabinets in her kitchen. When I did some digging, I found that MasterBrand offers the Decorá line and Omega line which is a higher-end version but comes in the inset design. I got a bid from Decorá at my local Dixieline store where an in-house designer can build out a design from scratch. They quote $18k for my kitchen.

Shiloh Cabinetry

$$ D S

I considered Shiloh Cabinetry before finding my cabinet guy. They operate like Decorá does with retailers that will help you finalize your design and order the cabinets for you or a handyperson to install.

The Cabinet Spot

$ ND O

The Cabinet Spot offers RTA (ready to assemble) cabinets, meaning you’ll receive the flat pieces, and have to build the boxes yourself. Their pricing is fully transparent online and they even have sales.

Cabinet Joint

$$ D O

I just found out about Cabinet Joint’s inset offerings via Renovation Husbands who are using these cabinets in their new kitchen. These are RTA, so you’ll have to build the boxes, and assemble everything yourself.

Crystal Cabinet Works

$$ D S

I found out about this cabinetry option from Green Building Supply who advertised them as offering formaldehyde-free wood and a zero VOC topcoat. As a bonus, Crystal Cabinet Works offers inset cabinets.

Crown Point Cabinetry

$$$ D S

These cabinet makers do really quality custom cabinetry in historic styles, but they also offer direct sales so you can order online from Crown Point Cabinetry.

Crown Select

$$ D S

Built by the same folks behind Crown Point Cabinetry, Crown Select is more budget-friendly.

Wellborn Cabinets

$$ D S

For these semi-custom cabinets, you do need to purchase through a dealer. But the beauty of it is you have help along the way from design to installation of Wellborn Cabinets.

Stoffer Home Cabinetry

$$$ D O

Popular designer Jean Stoffer offers cabinets as well as her team of designers. Her high-end cabinets from Stoffer Home Cabinetry ship directly to you to be installed by a local carpenter.

DeVOL

$$$ D S

Fan favorite UK-based kitchen makers, DeVOL, offer their cabinetry in the US! Their offerings are curated and beautifully crafted. I had the pleasure of visiting the NYC showroom and didn’t want to leave.

I do want to point out that just because you can buy cabinets online, it doesn’t necessarily make them less expensive than custom nor as cheap as IKEA. For example, Decorá quoted me $18,000 for cabinets that I’d have to install myself. Yet a local custom cabinet maker gave me a bid of the exact same price which includes installation, custom colors, and custom details. So do compare these prices to local cabinetmakers! Some of the companies I listed above are really high end, or come with the markup of having a designer, or a pro name but I wanted to be sure to include them anyway. When budgeting, don’t forget to account for installation and hardware costs!

If you’re looking for options to replace cabinet doors with new ones, Cathy has a full tutorial here and she links to a cabinet door company that she’s used many times.

Did I miss any cabinetry companies that sell inset cabinets and sell directly to consumers? If so, leave them in the comments and I’ll add them to my list.

Not in the market for cabinetry yet? Pin the image below by hovering over and clicking “Pin It” so you can reference it later.

This beautiful kitchen above is by my dear friend Natasha Habermann.