HGTV's Hilary Farr's Bold Kitchen Cabinet Choice May Not Be For Everyone

In an episode of "Love It Or List It" called "Urban Glam vs. Rural Charm," Hilary Farr gives a dated kitchen a sleek and modern makeover. The designer is all about forward-thinking home design, but her cabinet choices may not be everyone's cup of tea. As part of the renovation, Farr installs new frosted glass cabinets with custom hydraulic hinges that allow the door to lift up vertically instead of outward like traditional cabinet doors. However, as with any custom feature with mechanical elements, these types of cabinets can be more costly to install and harder to maintain than the regular kind.

Hilary Farr's creative storage solution is both stylish and practical. Unique, custom cabinets are a feature that homeowners choose to add a touch of modern luxury to their kitchens. However, modern doesn't always mean better. The investment may not always yield a worthwhile return when it comes to selling your home, and some experts say that soft-close cabinets may not be worth the money. While these cabinets do have several coveted features, you may want to explore the various pros and cons before deciding if they're the right fit for your home.

The cabinets featured in Hilary Farr's kitchen renovation rely on a hydraulic vertical-lift system and open upward, adding modern style and convenience to the kitchen. This system allows the door to lift in a controlled and smooth motion for easy access to the full contents of the cabinet. The vertical lift prevents the door from taking up extra space, making it an especially functional choice in smaller spaces. It also has a soft-close mechanism so the cabinet doesn't slam shut, which will preserve the cabinet's lifespan, reduce unnecessary noise in the kitchen, and prevent accidents such as fingers getting caught in the door. 

Vertical-lift cabinets are a popular and stylish way to create hidden appliance storage in your kitchen. However, outfitting all of your upper cabinets with vertical hinges, as Hilary Farr has done, may be a costly endeavor. You will have to replace all of your hinges and cabinet doors as well, as only lightweight types are suitable, and your current ones likely aren't designed to open upward. You will also have to pay for professional installation if you're not handy, as this can be a complex project. And,once the cabinets are installed, you aren't exactly home free. These hinges require occasional maintenance, such as lubrication, to keep them working properly. With all of this being said, you may want to consider the pros and cons before re-creating Hilary Farr's modern cabinets in your kitchen.