When you start to look at cabinet options for your kitchen, you'll soon realize that many cabinets fall under the umbrella of "5-piece cabinet doors." This means that each cabinet door consists of five pieces: one center panel, two horizontal rails, and two vertical stiles. Yet, not all 5-piece cabinet doors look the same. There are actually a few different sub-styles of 5-piece cabinet doors, and knowing the differences between them will be helpful when selecting cabinets for your home. Here are three key types.

Shaker-Style Cabinet Doors

Shaker-style cabinet doors are very popular and may very well be what you imagine first when you think of cabinet doors. Each shaker-style door has a recessed center panel with four pieces of wood surrounding it. The stiles and rails are usually mitered together, which means they come together at a diagonal angle to the corners of the cabinet door. Shaker-style cabinet doors are pretty universal. You can use them in a traditional, transitional, or modern kitchen. They look great painted or stained, and they coordinate well with simple hardware. Shaker-style doors are relatively easy for cabinet makers to make, which means they are often more affordable than other options.

Raised Panel Cabinet Doors

Raised panel cabinet doors are essentially the opposite of shaker-style doors. They have a top and bottom rail, a vertical stile on either side, and a raised panel in the middle. Raised panel cabinet doors tend to look a little more traditional than shaker-style doors. Because they show off the grain of the wood on the side of the raised panel, these doors are often stained, not painted. However, you can absolutely get painted raised panel doors if that is the look you prefer.

Beadboard Cabinet Doors

This is definitely the most unique and intricate 5-piece door style featured here. The center panel is recessed, and it has vertical beading down its length. Then, the vertical stiles and horizontal rails are layered over the recessed panel. The beaded detail in the middle of these doors gives them a more traditional or even rustic look. You'll often see them in country kitchens. They're often stained to feature the wood grain, but they can be painted, too.

When choosing cabinets for your kitchen, be sure to look at these 5-piece styles. It might even be worth getting quotes for a few different styles from your chosen cabinet maker.

Contact a professional for more information about cabinets.