Unsightly appliances can really distract from a beautiful cabinet design. Appliance cabinets, which creates a built-in look, integrate ovens, cooktops, fridges, and other large appliances into the kitchen in a cohesive way.

However, specifying and designing these cabinets can come with its own challenges. A range that sits too proud, uneven gaps around a wall oven, a toe kick that won’t line up with the rest of the run. Most of these issues trace back to decisions that get made, or skipped, early in the specification process.

This guide covers what to think about when you’re specifying cabinets around appliances: the install types, reveals, and the details worth confirming before the order goes out.

Appliance Cabinet Terminology: Three options for your design.

Three terms come up constantly when you’re specifying appliance cabinets. Getting them straight makes every conversation with your manufacturer faster.

Overlay. The cabinet door or frame sits proud of the appliance doors, slightly in front of them. This is the standard approach on our Decor line. It’s forgiving, it works with a wide range of appliances, and it gives you a clean, consistent face across the run.

Inset. The door sits within the cabinet frame, which allows for much tighter reveals. Available on both our Decor and Zonavita lines. Inset is the choice when you want a refined look with minimal gaps, though it asks for more precision in both the cabinet and the appliance specs.

Flush install. The appliance face lines up flat with the surrounding cabinetry so everything sits on the same plane. This is the most exacting of the three and depends heavily on the appliance being built for that kind of integration.

How to Choose Between Overlay and Inset Appliance Cabinets

Two factors usually drive this decision for designers.

The appliance. Some appliances are built for tight, inset-style integration. Others aren’t, and forcing it leads to trouble. Always check what the appliance is designed to accommodate before you commit to a look.

Cabinet size. The dimensions you’re working with affect how reveals land and whether inset is realistic. A tight space might not leave room for the precision inset requires, while overlay gives you a little more flexibility.

Tips for Specifying Appliance Cabinet Reveals

The reveal is the space between the appliance and the cabinet around it. Whichever install type you choose, it’s one of the biggest factors in how finished the installation looks. We have some tips for designers to get this right.

Sometimes the appliance itself dictates the gap, since the manufacturer specifies how much clearance it needs for venting, hinging, or panel mounting. Other times it’s a matter of preference. Some designers like a larger reveal with a more visible gap and a defined line between cabinet and appliance. Others want the reveal as tight as possible so the appliance reads as part of the cabinetry.

Neither is right or wrong, but two things make a real difference.

• Tell the manufacturer your preference. The default may not match what you’re picturing, so say up front whether you want larger or tighter reveals.
• Keep the reveals even. Confirm the gaps are equal on all sides. Uneven spacing around an appliance is one of the first things the eye catches.

Getting Your Cabinet Order Right: Details to Confirm Before You Order

Most appliance cabinet problems can be avoided at the order process. Here are some things to consider and confirm to avoid install surprises and make sure your cabinet plan comes together well.

Countertop thickness. For cooktops, specify the countertop thickness so the cutout and clearances are right. Our drawings default to 1 1/4 inch, so if you’re working with something different, flag it.

Door profile against the overlay frame. Double check that your chosen door profile works with the overlay frame. Some profiles interact with the frame in ways that change the look or the fit.

Toe kick. Some ovens need a specific toe kick height. You have a few options: match the toe kick to the appliance spec, adjust the toe kick (which can’t always line up with the rest of the kitchen), or run the overlay frame to the floor and eliminate the toe kick in that spot.

Electrical location. Find out where the electrical connection sits, whether it’s behind the same cabinet or in the one next to it. This affects drawer depths, so you want to know before you finalize the cabinet box.

Stacked appliances from one manufacturer. When you’re matching an oven and an induction cooktop sitting one above the other, using appliances from the same manufacturer is usually the easiest path. The specs tend to coordinate. But there are pros and cons to choosing all your appliances from one manufacturer.

Finished sides. Cabinets next to appliances should have finished sides that match the exterior, not the interior case color. If anything peeks out around the appliance, you want it to look intentional.

How Your Cabinet Manufacturer Can Help You

You don’t have to work all of this out on your own. A good manufacturer partner should be able to:

• Recommend the right cabinet for your appliance and design
• Create a custom CAD drawing for your specific layout
• Help you dial in reveals, toe kick, depth, and other specs
• Connect you with an appliance specialist if they have one on the team

At Decor, we’ve built cabinets for more than 400 different appliances. For each one, we’ve gone through the appliance specifications, documented them, and kept the CAD drawings. So there’s a good chance we’ve already worked through whatever you’re specifying. If we have, we can save you the guesswork. If we haven’t, we’ll work through it with you.

Last Tips for Before You Submit Your Cabinet Order

When you’re working on a tricky appliance, reach out to our customer service team early. We can help you choose the cabinet, confirm the specs, and get the drawing right before anything is finalized.

If you want to learn more, we have a course in our designer Academy all about appliance cabinets.