How Much Does Custom Cabinetry Cost?
If you're researching custom cabinetry for the first time, pricing can feel like a mystery. Unlike stock cabinets with a price tag on the shelf, custom cabinetry involves dozens of variables — wood species, door styles, hardware, finishes, kitchen size and the level of craftsmanship involved.
At Period Designs Company we believe in being upfront about cost. So here's an honest breakdown of what affects custom cabinetry pricing and what you can expect to invest.
The Short Answer
Custom cabinetry from Period Designs Company typically ranges from $12,000 to $100,000+ depending on the scope and complexity of your project.
That's a wide range — and for good reason. A small primitive kitchen addition in a rural Ohio farmhouse is a very different project to a full colonial kitchen renovation in a New England historic home. Both deserve the same quality of craftsmanship — but the variables that affect cost are very different.
What Affects the Cost of Custom Cabinetry?
1. Kitchen Size and Layout
The most obvious factor — more cabinets means more material, more time and more cost. A galley kitchen with simple upper and lower runs costs less than a large open plan kitchen with an island, pantry and custom built-ins.
What we look at:
Linear feet of cabinetry
Number of cabinets and drawers
Island or peninsula requirements
Built-in storage solutions
Any custom specialty pieces
2. Wood Species
The wood species you choose significantly affects both cost and character. At Period Designs Company we work exclusively with solid domestic hardwoods — no particle board, no MDF.
Common choices and their characteristics:
Cherry — rich warm tones that deepen beautifully with age. One of the most popular choices for colonial and formal kitchen styles. Mid to upper price range.
Maple — tight consistent grain, excellent for painted or stained finishes. Ideal for shaker and contemporary styles. Mid price range.
Poplar — stable, takes paint beautifully and historically accurate for painted primitive and 1920s style cabinetry. Lower to mid price range.
Pine — rustic character with natural knots and grain variation. Perfect for primitive and early American styles. Lower to mid price range.
Oak — strong open grain with excellent durability. Works beautifully in craftsman and transitional styles. Mid price range.
Walnut — rich dark tones, premium appearance. Upper price range.
3. Door Style and Construction
The door style you choose affects both the look and the cost of your cabinetry significantly.
Inset doors — doors that sit flush inside the face frame — require precise hand fitting and significantly more time than overlay doors. They're the hallmark of quality handcrafted cabinetry and the construction method we use for all period accurate work. They cost more — and last generations longer.
Door style options and their impact:
Raised panel doors — more material and machining involved
Flat panel doors — cleaner and simpler, slightly lower cost
Beaded inset doors — the defining detail of period accurate cabinetry
Board and batten — simple honest construction for primitive styles
Glass front doors — adds material and glazing cost
4. Hardware
Hardware is one of the most overlooked cost factors in custom cabinetry — and one of the most impactful on the final look.
Hand forged iron hardware — period accurate butterfly hinges, hand forged pulls and wooden knobs used in our primitive and colonial work. Sourced specifically for authenticity.
Period reproduction brass — cast brass latches, rat tail hinges and reproduction pulls for colonial and federal style work.
Antique style pulls and hinges — for 1920s and craftsman style kitchens requiring period appropriate hardware.
Contemporary hardware — clean lined pulls and concealed hinges for transitional and contemporary styles.
Hardware costs can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand depending on the style and quantity required.
5. Finishes
The finish you choose affects both cost and the long term character of your cabinetry.
Milk paint — hand mixed and applied by hand. The most historically accurate finish for colonial and primitive work. Develops beautiful character over time.
Hand rubbed stain — applied by hand to enhance the natural grain of the wood. Multiple coats built up slowly for depth and richness.
Period accurate distressed finishes — hand distressed after painting to replicate the worn character of genuine antique cabinetry.
Contemporary catalyzed finishes — durable modern topcoats for contemporary and transitional styles requiring a cleaner more uniform appearance.
6. Specialty Pieces
Custom cabinetry often includes specialty pieces beyond standard upper and lower cabinets — and these add both cost and character.
Examples from our work:
Handcrafted scalloped range hoods — a signature detail of authentic 1920s kitchens
Custom pantry cabinets and built-ins
Period accurate open shelving with scroll brackets
Custom furniture style islands
Built-in hutches and display cabinets
7. Installation
At Period Designs Company the same craftsmen who build your cabinets install them. Professional installation is available anywhere in the United States.
Installation cost varies based on:
Distance from our Ohio workshop
Complexity of the installation
Whether white-glove freight delivery with local installation support is used instead
Why Does Custom Cabinetry Cost More Than Stock?
This is the question we hear most often — and it deserves a straight answer.
Stock and semi-custom cabinetry is built by machine in large quantities using engineered wood products like particle board and MDF. It's designed to be affordable and quick to produce. Most stock cabinets have a lifespan of 10-20 years before they begin to deteriorate.
Custom handcrafted cabinetry is built by skilled craftsmen using solid domestic hardwood, traditional joinery techniques like dovetail drawers and fitted inset doors, and hand applied finishes that develop character over time. A well built set of solid hardwood cabinets can last 50-100 years or more.
The cost difference reflects:
Skilled labor time — fitting inset doors and cutting dovetails takes significantly longer than machine production
Premium materials — solid hardwood costs more than particle board
Hand applied finishes — multiple coats applied and rubbed by hand
Custom design — every project designed specifically for your home
Quality hardware — period accurate hardware sourced for authenticity
When you invest in custom handcrafted cabinetry you're not buying something that will need replacing in a decade. You're investing in something that will outlast your house.
Getting an Accurate Quote
Every project is different — which is why we don't publish fixed price lists. The best way to get an accurate quote is to start a conversation with us directly.
We'll want to know:
Your kitchen size and layout
The style you're looking for — colonial, primitive, shaker, 1920s or contemporary
Your preferred wood species and finish
Hardware preferences
Any specialty pieces you're considering
The fastest way to get started: Download our Project Planner — fill it in and send it back to us. It gives us everything we need to give you an accurate quote quickly.
Or call us directly at (937) 515-8694 — you'll speak straight with the craftsmen building your cabinets. No sales team, no project managers.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Whether you're planning a colonial kitchen restoration, a primitive farmhouse kitchen or a period accurate 1920s renovation — we're here to help bring your vision to life.
Download our Project Planner → | Call Us: (937) 515-8694 | View our kitchen gallery →