Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Unveils A Chic Cabinet Choice For Modern Kitchens

When updating the outdated features of your home to fit with the times, "modern" can have more than one meaning. In design, there is both the modern style and the midcentury modern style, which have similar foundations but distinct characteristics. Colloquially, modernizing your kitchen could simply mean bringing its style and function in line with more current trends. As HGTV's reboot of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" demonstrated in the Washington family's home (Season 1, Episode 5), a kitchen can be modernized with some chic modern design elements such as stylish new cabinetry. Installing frameless European-style cabinets from Cabinets To Go's Charleston Driftwood Collection brings classic modern elements to this updated kitchen.

Modern design can be identified by its sleek lines, lack of embellishments, and its emphasis on function. It originated in the early 20th century, incorporating lots of minimalist Scandinavian inspiration, natural materials, and monochromatic tones, and should not be confused with contemporary design, which refers to trends of the moment and can quickly fall out of favor.

Before the renovation, the Washingtons' kitchen was cluttered and cramped. The old pine cabinets were drab and in need of a facelift — and that's exactly what they got. The whole kitchen was redone with new countertops and updated major appliances, but the cabinets stole the show, emphasizing a drastic transformation.

Charleston Driftwood Collection cabinets have the lightly textured, grayish tone of natural wood that's dried on the beach. They also have the tall, slim profile associated with the Nordic architectural styles favored in modern design, and they reach up to the lifted ceilings of the new kitchen layout. This created a lot more space for all the family's dinnerware and small appliances while seeming to reduce the amount of space the cabinets took up. The open-air feel of the space makes it much more suitable for entertaining. Cabinets To Go has locations across the U.S., and you can order samples or request a quote online. However, there are lots of other options for modern cabinet makeovers as well.

In keeping with the sleek aesthetic and the clean lines, the designers of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" opted to forego cabinet pulls in the Washington family's kitchen upgrade. This is often a personal choice. Drawer pulls and knobs come in all shapes, sizes, materials, designs, and price points. They're easy to install and can add a lot of flair and personality to your cabinetry.

There are also plenty of ways to get new cabinets installed, or you can reface your existing ones. You can hire a contractor for a kitchen remodel, though you should thoroughly research the ones available in your area by reading reviews, checking references, and comparing multiple quotes. There are also budget-friendly DIY options like IKEA, which is highly rated and recommended, even by professionals. There are dozens of IKEA stores across the U.S. and Canada along with several planning centers and pick-up locations. For more hands-on help, both The Home Depot and Lowe's have kitchen design services that can be limited to a single feature like cabinetry or expanded to include a full renovation. And don't overlook specialty dealers in your area that deal with the specific item, such as cabinets, you're looking for instead of seeking a general contractor who may try to sell you more services than you're looking for. All these resources have cabinet profiles in modern designs for you to choose from to give your kitchen a fresh new look.