If you’ve been planning your dream home for any amount of time, you’ve likely given some serious thought to customs cabinets. Custom kitchen cabinets have long been seen as the pinnacle of home design, offering personalized craftsmanship, unique detailing, and a direct connection to local artisans. But as technology advances, the need and purpose of fully custom cabinets have shifted. Understanding your new options and the factors that now influence your choices and cost for the cabinets of your dreams requires new legwork.
Today, high-quality factory-made cabinets provide homeowners with a balance of affordability, customization, and precision that was once only possible through traditional custom work. This shift has raised the question: is the era of custom cabinets ending? In this blog, we’ll explore the evolution of custom cabinetry, discuss why technology is reshaping the industry, and help you determine if custom cabinets are still the right choice for your custom home, kitchen, or other remodel.
Custom cabinetry wasn't always a luxury—it used to be a necessity. Long ago, kitchen cabinets were built by hand to fit each space’s unique needs. There were limited sizing options for all materials, and factory-made cabinets in standard sizes didn’t exist. As a result, every home required a custom cabinet maker to design, build, and install storage solutions that worked with the available space. The traditional process involved skilled artisans using hand-crafted techniques, selecting and shaping wood, and meticulously building cabinets that could accommodate irregular layouts.
Factory-made cabinets revolutionized kitchen and bath cabinets while driving the custom cabinet market to more specialized options and features unavailable off the line. During this era of factory-made standardization, cabinets had to be built in pre-set widths—nine, twelve, fifteen inches, and so on—with small filler pieces of wood used to close any gaps between cabinets and walls. This was standard practice for years, as large-scale manufacturing options didn’t yet offer the flexibility to create cabinets in any size.
However, modern technology, precision machinery, and computerized design software have changed the game. Brad, our founder’s experience illustrates this transformation: "Twenty or thirty years ago, only the largest manufacturers had access to the kind of equipment that can now make cabinets to fit any space, no matter the size. Today, smaller shops and major manufacturers alike have the capability to produce cabinets with such precision that the old three-inch rule no longer applies."
The rise of modern manufacturing has revolutionized the cabinetry industry. In the past, custom cabinets were the only option if you wanted something truly unique. But today, advanced machinery and computerized design tools have changed the landscape, making it possible to get highly personalized cabinets without needing to go fully custom.
One of the biggest technological leaps has been the introduction of automated equipment in cabinet manufacturing. These machines can produce cabinets with pinpoint precision, eliminating the need for standardized sizes. It doesn’t matter what size you want; the machine makes your cabinet fit.
Another advantage of modern manufacturing is the consistency it offers. Large-scale manufacturers are equipped to handle production efficiently, unlike smaller custom shops, where delays can occur due to staffing or supply issues. “When I order from Crystal Cabinets, they give me a timeline—nine weeks—and 99% of the time, the cabinets are shipped exactly on that date,” Brad notes. “That reliability is something you don’t always get with smaller custom shops, where even one person calling in sick can throw off the whole schedule.”
In today’s cabinetry market, custom cabinets are no longer the default choice for homeowners looking for a beautiful, functional bathroom or kitchen. Thanks to technological advancements and the rise of “affordable custom” lines, factory-made cabinets are often more than sufficient for most remodels and new homes, even custom ones.
Modern cabinetry manufacturers have learned how to offer personalization without traditional custom work's price tag or complexity. Lines like Crystal Cabinets’ Current collection are designed to meet most homeowners’ needs, with customizable sizes and styles, but without the full range of unnecessary options that drive up costs. Select from different cabinet configurations, such as base cabinets with drawers, tall pantry, and cabinet door options. You can still choose painted cabinets in various colors or natural wood cabinets in a wide range of finishes. Factory-made still means hand-picked, as you select between white oak cabinets, walnut cabinets, or even sleek frameless cabinets, assembling the combination that embodies your space and aesthetic.
That said, there are still scenarios where custom cabinets make sense. For instance, when architects or designers create unique, one-of-a-kind spaces that require non-standard solutions, custom cabinetry is often the best (or only) option. Large, site-built installations, like a 24-foot-long built-in, are not something factory-made options can easily accommodate. In these cases, a custom cabinet maker can create cabinetry tailored to every curve and corner of your home. For homeowners who value local craftsmanship and want to support hyper-local artisans, custom cabinetry provides a personal touch that factory-made solutions will never match.
At Oxland Builders, we help clients strike the perfect balance between customization and practicality. By partnering with high-quality manufacturers like Crystal Cabinets, we can offer semi-custom and factory-made solutions that deliver the exact look and functionality our clients need—without the logistical challenges and higher costs of a fully custom approach.
We understand that the world of custom cabinetry has changed, and we’ve evolved alongside it. Our roots are in custom woodworking, and we still deeply appreciate the artistry involved. After years of crafting our own in-house custom cabinets, we decided to shift away from building everything ourselves and instead partner with high-quality cabinet manufacturers like Crystal Cabinets. This shift wasn’t just about efficiency—it was about ensuring our clients receive the best possible product, delivered on time and within budget.
If you're considering a custom kitchen remodel in Seacoast, New Hampshire, or southern Maine, Oxland Builders is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation, and let’s start building your dream space together!