Kitchen Cabinet Door Alternatives (16 Stylish Choices)

Cabinets are an essential item in most kitchens. They are a place to store dishes, pots, and pans, as well as pantry items. However, you may be tired of the boring, run-of-the-mill cabinet doors and are looking to give your cabinets a new look.

If this is the case, you probably want to know the best kitchen cabinet door alternatives. Well, you are in the right place! In this article, we uncover some of the best options to use on your cabinets instead of doors and why they are so great!

The Best Kitchen Cabinet Door Alternatives

There are many different options to choose from when it comes to replacing your cabinet doors, and some of these options include replacing your entire cabinet! Here are the 16 best kitchen cabinet door alternatives.

1. Barn Doors

Barn doors are an excellent alternative to standard cabinet doors! This style cabinet door will have a single piece of wood on one side of your cabinet that you can slide from left to right.

This is ideal if you want a little bit of an open concept but still want the option to cover some things up.

Sliding barn doors offer a simple yet rustic vibe and can transform any kitchen into a farmhouse-style kitchen in no time. You could also make a sliding door pantry to match your cabinet barn doors for an extra touch.

2. Lockers

If you don’t mind replacing your whole cabinet, consider vintage lockers instead. This is a trendy alternative to your standard cabinets, especially if you are looking to give your kitchen more of an industrial look.

You can order lockers in the size you need to attach to your wall, or you can just use a locker as a complete replacement for your cabinet.

3. Curtains

If you want to spruce up your cabinet space but don’t have the resources to invest a lot of time or money, fabric curtains are a great option! They can be fairly inexpensive and require little effort to hang.

Curtains instead of cabinet doors will offer a bit of elegance and formality to your kitchen space, so you may want to consider upgrading a few other things so the vibes don’t clash.

This could even be as simple as adding some more elegant pieces to tie everything together.

4. Open Shelving

Open shelves have been increasing in popularity lately, and most people are opting for them as opposed to standard cabinets.

With a minimalistic way of living rising, people are slowly appreciating more of an open-concept style kitchen, which means getting rid of those cabinet doors.

Open shelving allows you to have a place to store your most essential items, especially if you want to showcase your beautiful bowls or stunning gold measuring cups.

5. Glass Doors

Glass doors can be added to cabinets as a door alternative or used in conjunction with open shelving. Glass doors come in different options, such as antique, tinted, or frosted.

You can also choose glass doors that slide or just open with a handle. Although you can use either one with a standard cabinet, you will need to choose sliding glass doors if you are going with open shelving.

Glass doors for your cabinet look ultra-modern and sophisticated, so if that is the vibe you want, then this is the best option!

6. Baskets

Baskets are a great option to use with open shelving and provide a way to hide some of your outdated or unappealing kitchenware.

They also come in a variety of materials, styles, and colors! Because they are so versatile, they are a great option for any style kitchen.

Try baskets with labels for a modern touch that also helps you stay organized! You could also opt for wicker baskets if you have a farmhouse-style kitchen or metal bins for a sleek or industrial-style kitchen.

7. Chalkboards

Chalkboards in place of cabinet doors are extremely modern and ultra-creative! You can write to-do lists, recipes, or even fun messages on them!

Using chalkboards instead of cabinet doors is a great option for kids as well. Just be sure that they are only drawing on the bottom chalkboard doors and not the top ones, as they could lose their balance and fall, resulting in an injury.

You can find or order chalkboards to fit your space, or you can buy chalkboard paint to go over your existing cabinet doors if you are on a budget.

8. Chicken Wire

Chicken wire is a type of wire mesh and is a really cool alternative to standard cabinet doors. It has hexagon-shaped openings and is very flexible.

Repurposed chicken wire has been used as interior decor for a while now, and for a good reason. It offers a unique vibe for any style kitchen, and you can find it cheaply and easily.

9. Lattice

When you think of lattice, you may think of it mainly being used around gardens and decks. However, the lattice is also a great choice if you are looking to upgrade your cabinet doors.

They make a great accent piece, and you can find lattice at any home improvement or garden store.

You can leave them plain for a rustic look or paint them black or charcoal grey if you are looking for a more modern fee.

10. Beadboard

If you want to upgrade your cabinetry but don’t want to change too much, or you simply want more of a traditional feel, you should try beadboard. Beadboards are wooden planks with grooves and small ridges between the planks.

While it is a simple change, it can have a huge impact on the feel of your kitchen. Paint them white for the ultimate country kitchen vibe.

11. Hidden doors

If you are looking for a chic and modern alternative to cabinet doors, you should definitely look into hidden doors. Hidden doors are made to blend in with your wall, so nobody would know there was a door there unless they knew there was.

People are beginning to make more things hidden, such as refrigerators and dishwashers. This will require a remodel, though, so if you are looking for something cheap and easy, this probably isn’t for you.

12. Shutters

You probably wouldn’t think of shutters as an option when it comes to a cabinet door alternative, but you should definitely consider this option for your cabinets! It offers a unique touch to any kitchen and provides full coverage of all your appliances.

The best part is shutters are normally fairly inexpensive, so it would be worth considering if you are on a budget. Try mixing and matching shutters for an edgy vibe.

13. Wire Racks

There are a couple of different options when it comes to using wire racks as storage. The first option is similar to open shelving, where the wire rack is attached to the wall-like shelves. The other option is a standalone wire rack that you can find in most home stores.

If you are looking for a way to ditch cabinets altogether, I would consider this, Especially if you want an industrial kitchen vibe. A lot of kitchens in restaurants use this for storage.

14. Antique Hutch

Another option to consider if you want a cabinet-free space is using an antique hutch. An antique hutch will provide storage space while eliminating the need for bulky cabinets. It will also set your kitchen apart from others.

Alternatively, you can use a bookshelf to store your kitchen items for a similar vibe.

15. Cube Storage

If you like the idea of open shelving but want to stay a little more organized, you should consider a cube storage-style cabinet. Cube storage organizers are generally used in other places, such as living rooms and offices.

However, they would look really cool as a cabinet alternative while offering a way to display the items you want to display and hide the things you don’t.

Plus, you can buy cube organizers that go in the cubes you want them to go into, and they come in many different colors and styles.

16. Skip The Door

If you want to keep your cabinet and don’t like any of the cabinet door alternatives, you could skip the door altogether. This is actually becoming more popular and is a great option if you are limited on time or money or both!

If you want to spruce the space up a little, add wallpaper to the backside of your cabinet.

Conclusion

There are many alternatives to a standard cabinet door, and each one offers its own unique vibe.

Hopefully, this article gave you some great ideas for your next kitchen project! Let us know if you have any questions or concerns in the comments below! We love to hear from our readers.