FAQs

The company started in 1999 with a group of experienced cabinetry professionals and their vision for a better, more versatile cabinetry brand. Since then, we've grown to a nationwide company.

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That's really a loaded question that is difficult to answer quickly. First, we are a semi-custom brand of cabinetry which means we start with predefined cabinet configurations and sizes; if your cabinet layout doesn't require precise fitting cabinets you will find Showplace to be among the most affordable mid-priced North American made cabinet brands available. Feature-for-feature we're confident you won't find a better value in cabinetry.

If your layout would benefit from more precise fitting cabinets, the Showplace cabinet brand is exceptionally suited to fitting the realities of your existing space. Showplace offers many size and configuration modifications that take our brand to levels previously only experienced from true-custom brands, but without the exorbitant pricing typically experienced with custom cabinets. We also build custom-configured cabinets and can match any paint color to satisfy the most discriminating tastes in design.

Our dealers love to sell Showplace for reasons that also benefit their clients. Like industry-leading on-time and complete order fulfillment that is predictable and dependable; this means dealers can complete their projects without cabinet delays. Dealers also depend on Showplace quality to satisfy their clients, bringing joy into their homes and encouraging referral business.

The door style is the fundamental building block of your cabinetry creation. It sets the tone for everything else that follows. Showplace offers a flexible range of styles to express your vision perfectly.

• Raised-panel styles project elegant, traditional dignity in a variety of frame configurations.
• Flat-panel styles are versatile, and can fit well in everything from contemporary to Mission to rustic settings.
• Mitered frame door styles express sophistication and refinement.
• Beaded-panel door styles create a homey, historic feel.
• Applied-molding styles bring added depth and dimension to the look of your cabinetry
• Inset styles place the doors and headers flush with the cabinet frame.

Check out our cabinet door styles to see a higher level of personal expression.

Overlay refers to the amount of cabinet face frame that is covered by the doors and drawer headers, and is sometimes referred to as "reveal." Most Showplace door styles are offered in two overlays: Traditional and International.

A few door styles are offered in International overlay only. International overlay doors and headers are larger, covering more of the frame. The result is a sleeker, more sophisticated look.

Traditional overlay doors and headers are smaller, revealing more of the frame. This look is in keeping with American cabinetry traditions. Since the smaller Traditional styles use less material, they cost less, too.

However, in the end, the overlay decision is one of personal tastes and budgets.

Inset cabinetry is another Showplace option to consider in which the doors and headers don't "overlay" the frame at all. In the case of inset cabinetry, the doors and drawer headers fit inside the cabinet's frame, flush with the face. This creates a very different look -- a look that is both historical and really quite elegant.

When you select a Showplace inset design, you have some other choices to make too. You can choose a concealed hinge style that is completely hidden for a sleek look. Or you can select a finial hinge that is partially exposed, enhancing the antique impression of the cabinets. Finial hinges are offered in your choice of three metal finishes. The cabinet frame can have a decorative bead around each opening, or it can remain a sleek surface that is flush with the doors and drawer headers. You can also choose between elegant five-piece drawer headers or understated and historical slab drawer headers.

Most Showplace door styles give you some choices for drawer headers (some call them "drawer fronts"). All styles have a standard header which is usually a slab header with the appropriate edge treatment for the door style. On many styles you can also choose the slant/raised header or an upgrade five-piece drawer header. On larger drawer openings the five-piece header can have a raised panel when appropriate for the style.

Applied-molding, beaded, and mitered door styles also have upgrade header options appropriate to each style. Sound complicated? It can seem so at first. But this also gives you lots of design freedom. Talk to your Showplace Cabinetry designer to learn which drawer header choices are open to you.

Cherry tends toward elegant warm tones, and also darkens considerably as it ages. Cherry has a fine grain that often exhibits swirls and a flowing, random pattern. Cherry's color varies from nearly white to dark reddish brown. Cherry is our highest-priced standard wood species.

Maple has a fine, uniform grain pattern, and tends toward lighter colorations. Like all woods, maple will darken with age, but to a lesser degree than cherry. Maple takes on a subtle mottled appearance when finished in the darker stains. Maple costs slightly less than cherry.

Hickory is a heavy, dense wood with vibrant, unpredictable grain patterns and wide variation in color. It is the outgoing extrovert of the hardwood family. Lighter stains make this natural variation the most evident, while darker stains tend to mute it. Hickory costs slightly more than oak.

Red oak is a time-honored favorite that has a prominent, distinctive grain character that may show tiny rays and flowing patterns. Red oak tends toward warm tones, and is very hard with a high shock resistance. As our lowest-priced wood species, Red oak is also an excellent value.

The Showplace rustic wood choices create home environments with authentic warmth and natural comfort. Rustic woods display visible knots, mineral, and color variation in the door frame and center panel. The size, number and location of these characteristics will naturally vary. Rustic hickory and rustic alder are offered. Showplace rustic woods are offered in special versions of our most popular and versatile door styles. The natural, timeworn character of Showplace rustics can be further enhanced with optional glazing and distressing.

Quartersawn white oak uses the more difficult and costly quartersawing method to yield material with a distinctive grain pattern and superior stability. It is the perfect choice for Mission-themed creations. Quartersawn white oak is particularly well suited to hand-wiped Showplace glazing. The quartersawing process makes the wood grain very receptive to the glaze. At the same time, a dark glaze like Ebony accentuates the lovely and distinctive grain patterns that quartersawing creates.

Walnut is a luxurious medium density hardwood known for its strength and durability. Distinguished as an authentic premium species, walnut is defined by natural characteristics and rich color that is treasured for its unique visual appeal. The heartwood color of walnut can range from tan to dark brown to purplish-gray while the sapwood color can range from creamy white to blonde. Walnut grain can vary from straight to highly-figured and will have occasional near-black mineral streaks, pin knots and filled knots. These natural characteristics, along with unique color variability and grain patterns, add to walnut's natural beauty and distinguish it as a prized furniture-grade species.

Showplace solid paint finishes are offered on our paint-grade door styles. With Showplace paint-grade cabinetry, doors and five-piece drawer headers have a solid fine-grain hardwood frame. Center panels and slab headers are of High Density Machining-grade (HDM) material, which is an ultra-dense engineered wood.

Face frames and moldings are solid hardwood, and painted end panels are hardwood ply. All other construction details are the same as other Showplace cabinetry. HDM machines and finishes beautifully. It is used by cabinetry manufacturers of all quality levels because it is more stable than solid hardwood and will not expand and contract with seasonal changes. HDM offers significant improvements over the MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) that other brands continue to use today.

A limited number of door styles are also available with doors and drawer headers that are constructed entirely of HDM and provide the most stable choice for painted cabinetry.

Please note that HDM is not generally considered an "all wood" product in our industry.

If you love the look of antique furniture that shows its years of use, look into the Showplace Vintage finish offerings. The Vintage finish is a unique multi-step hand process that includes specialized distressing and finishing techniques. The Vintage process is intended to give a distinctively aged, timeworn look to cabinetry, reminiscent of the most treasured heirloom furniture.

Rather than the crisp edges, sharp detail and uniform finish usually associated with Showplace products, the Vintage finish process creates soft corners and profiles, varied character elements, and a uniquely crafted finish treatment that suggests great age. This beautiful option is offered in select paints and stains on a wide range of woods. In addition to Vintage, we offer three different variations: Refined, Subtle, and Brushed. Visit our Vintage page, to learn more.