Glass Cabinets

Glass cabinets add style and dimension while reflecting light into a room. If you're redesigning your kitchen or building new, consider how glass can spruce up your design.

"We're starting to see a lot of glass in the kitchen and bathroom," said David Syvertson, store manager for the Lowe's Brickyard store in Chicago. "There's everything from green glass to glass that looks like it's cracked to decorative stained glass."

There are a two ways to add glass cabinets:

1. Buy cabinets with glass in place of the wooden or laminate door front. This typically is done through a manufacturer.
2. Buy glass that is inserted in the door frame. This is done through a glass shop.

Typical costs for glass cabinets

Glass cabinet prices will vary based on the quality, style of the cabinet and the type of glass. In a $200 wall cabinet, you might spend an extra $50 to $75 by adding a glass insert.

Syvertson recommends keeping an eye out for specials, as manufacturers sometimes will add in a few glass cabinet doors to encourage you to buy their products.

Popular brands and styles

Most cabinet manufacturers include glass door inserts in their offerings. As you shop in home centers and talk with contractors, you'll hear about many popular cabinet brands, such as Armstrong Cabinet Products, American Woodmark Corp., KraftMaid Cabinetry, MasterBrand Cabinetry, Merillat, and Wood-Mode. Among the popular styles are green glass, an entry level glass and cracked glass.

Consider helpful "dos and don'ts" as you shop for glass cabinets:

1. The clutter factor. If the inside of your cabinets cannot pass a visual inspection, use a frosted glass
2. Think proportion. The glass should cover about 25 percent of your cabinet space
3. For visual appeal, put glasses on top in the cabinet - they add less visual weight - and plates on the bottom
4. Add a few focal points, but don't overwhelm the space
5. Clear glass is great for showcasing unique items

There also are many local glass shops that can install glass into the cabinet, like Bendheim Cabinet Glass in Passaic, N.J., who offers a few options, including basic glass without non-safety glass for $10.08 per square foot. As you get into rounded corners or added detail, the price will increase.

Where to buy/how to get started

It's easy to add glass to existing cabinets or buy new cabinets with unique glass inserts. Use the form on this page to get connected with local contractors who can help you with product information and price quotes for installation, as well as answer questions concerning things like how much and what style of glass to use.