Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you might wonder, answered!
Q . What is included with your turnkey services?
We can handle your cabinetry design, fabrication, and installation. In addition, we can take care of your full remodel and construction needs.
Q . What’s included in the design consultation?
You’ll then receive an expert’s recommendation, a rough cost estimate, and a path to move forward.
Q . Do I need my own architect or interior designer?
Not necessarily. If you don’t have one, we are affiliated with professionals who can help you with all of your needs.
Q . What if I only want new cabinets without a full remodel?
We’re happy to help with cabinetry-only projects. Your needs define the scope.
Q . What areas do you serve?
We work across Central Texas, including Austin and it's surrounding cities.
Q . How can I make my home feel bigger without adding square footage?
You don’t always need to build an addition to transform your space. Thoughtful design and structural updates can dramatically improve how open, connected, and functional your home feels.
- Remove or add walls to create better flow between rooms.
- Eliminate soffits (fur-downs/bulkheads) to increase ceiling height and visual openness.
- Vault ceilings where possible, to add volume and architectural impact.
- Expand openings between rooms for a more seamless, open-concept feel.
- Incorporate structural beams (wood or steel) to support wider, open spans.
- Rework closets or underused storage areas to give square footage back to adjoining rooms.
- Replace bulky closets and pantries with custom cabinetry or built-ins for better storage, style, and functionality. (https://www.cabinetcouture.com/)
- Use strategic wall and ceiling colors to influence how spacious a room feels. Lighter tones, cohesive palettes, and thoughtful contrast can make a space feel brighter, taller, and more expansive.
- Create the illusion of a larger space by strategically placing windows and mirrors.
- Brighten the space with overhead lighting or skylights/ sun tunnels
With the right approach, your existing footprint can feel brighter, larger, and more functional without the cost of adding square footage.
Q . How do you balance preserving a home’s original character with modern updates during a remodel/renovation?
Thoughtfully updating a home without losing its original charm requires a careful, intentional approach that respects both history and functionality.
- Identify and preserve key architectural and sentimental elements that define the home’s character
- Maintain original details where possible, based on the homeowner’s vision and priorities
- Introduce modern functionality through thoughtful space planning and updated layouts
- Incorporate transitional elements that help bridge the gap between different design styles
- Use complementary materials and cohesive color palettes to blend old and new seamlessly
- Incorporate cabinetry that enhances both the aesthetic and functionality of the space (https://www.cabinetcouture.com/contact)
- Focus on craftsmanship and quality to ensure updates feel intentional and timeless
The result is a seamless blend of old and new, honoring the home’s character while elevating it for modern living.
Q . What are the different ways to conceal electrical outlets in a kitchen?
At Cabinet Couture, integrating outlets in a design provides an opportunity to enhance functionality and design while ensuring power is always accessible when you need it. Some seamless outlet integration options include:
- Pop-up countertop outlets - These are fully concealed until you press them. Once these pop-up, you'll have access to the outlet.
- Under-cabinet power strips or plug molds - These are always accessible and mounted beneath the upper cabinets.
- In-drawer outlets - These are ideal for hidden charging stations or powering small appliances. These help keep countertops clutter-free and highly functional.
- Appliance garages with interior outlets - These are designated cabinets that house everyday appliances inside. Dedicated outlets are placed inside these cabinets to power the appliances inside them.
- Toe-kick outlets - These are subtly placed at the cabinet toe-kick, at the base of the cabinet near the floor, and are great when wall space is limited.
- Recessed backsplash outlets - Designed to sit flush within tile or slab backsplashes, often color-matched for a near-invisible finish.
These solutions are perfect to maintain clean, uninterrupted surfaces while not sacrificing everyday functionality and access to electrical power.
Q . How to determine if your cabinet company is eco-friendly and uses sustainable materials?
If you want to evaluate a cabinet company’s sustainability, ask them the following questions:
1. Do they use FSC-certified wood, which helps ensure lumber comes from responsibly managed forests?
2. Do they use formaldehyde-free cores and low-VOC or water-based finishes for a healthier air quality?
3. Do they reduce waste by reusing sawdust, recycling wood scraps, and/or reclaiming finish materials? For example, converting paint waste into cleaning solvents or producing engineered materials from recycled content.
4. Do they use solar power, energy-efficient equipment, motion sensors, and better process planning to cut down on power use?
5. Do they leverage local production, suppliers, or vendors to further reduce transportation emissions and make the supply chain more efficient?
6. Do they make durable, repairable, and long-lasting cabinets? When cabinets last longer, fewer replacements are needed, which reduces overall environmental impact.
7. Do they have environmental certifications or metrics for emissions, water use, and recycled content?
At Cabinet Couture, sustainability is not an afterthought; it's embedded in our operation. We only source and partner with vendors and suppliers that use responsibly sourced wood, low-VOC finishes, reduce fabrication waste, recycle or reclaim leftover materials, reduce power consumption, and/or source locally whenever possible.
Q. What are the main types of cabinets on the market?
Cabinetry plays a major role in both the function and aesthetic of a home, and understanding the different types available can help homeowners make more informed design decisions. The main distinction comes down to construction style and level of customization.
By Construction Style:
1. Frameless (European-style): Sleek, modern design with no face frame, allowing full access to the interior of the cabinet box and maximizing usable space. Doors and drawer fronts are most often installed in front of the cabinet box opening.
2. Framed (Traditional American-style): Features a face frame attached to the cabinet box, offering a classic look along with strong, durable construction. Doors and drawer fronts are most often installed in front of the face frame.
3. Inset (Premium framed option): Doors and drawer fronts sit flush within the face frame, requiring precise craftsmanship and delivering a timeless, tailored finish.
By Level of Customization:
1. RTA (Ready-to-Assemble): Pre-manufactured, unassembled flat-packed cabinets that get manually assembled on-site by the purchaser. Cost-effective, builder-grade construction with no customization. Limited selections and sizes based on what's available in a catalog. Often has a short delivery time.
2. Stock cabinetry: Pre-manufactured, where each box is pre-assembled by the manufacturer or retailer. Budget-friendly, typically builder-grade construction with no customization. Limited selections and sizes based on what's available in a catalog. Often has a fairly short delivery time.
3. Semi-custom cabinetry: Mid-range option offering some flexibility in sizing and configurations while maintaining controlled cost and lead time. Finishes are often limited to what's available in a catalog. Often has a fabrication lead-time and delivery time in terms of weeks or months.
4. Custom cabinetry: Fully tailored to the space and client needs. Offers the most possibilities of design, sizes, configurations, finishes, and premium materials. Often has the highest level of craftsmanship and fit for any space or application. Not limited to the content in a catalog. Often has a fabrication lead-time and delivery time in terms of months.
Understanding these categories helps homeowners align their cabinetry choices with their budget, lifestyle, and overall design vision, ensuring a result that is both functional and beautifully intentional.
Cabinet Couture delivers premium custom cabinetry that can be tailored to any design, style, space, and function. Our designs are done with intention, and our cabinets have the highest level of craftsmanship. To explore cabinetry options or collaborate on a custom design vision, contact us (https://www.cabinetcouture.com/contact)
Q. Cooktop vs. Range: Which Is the Better Choice for Your Kitchen?
A Cooktop Is the Better Choice if you:
- Desire a cleaner, more modern kitchen aesthetic.
- Prefer multiple cooking zones with a separate wall oven or double ovens.
- Value additional cabinet storage under the cooktop.
- Want a more ergonomic height for your ovens.
Q. Which cooking appliance is better? Induction or Gas?
One of the biggest decisions today is deciding which energy source is best for you between induction and gas.
INDUCTION can boil water at almost twice the speed of gas, provides instant, precise temperature control, is safe to the touch since the cooking surface does not get hot, consumes less energy, has cooking surfaces that are flat and much easier to clean, and preserves air quality since it produces no combustion byproducts.
GAS is preferred when wanting to judge the heat level based on the flame size, wanting to do direct flame cooking techniques, or wanting to use any pot or pan since induction requires magnetic cookware.
In general, induction is considered the better all-around choice because it's faster, safer, more efficient, and easier to keep clean. But, for serious cooks doing wok cooking, restaurant-style searing, or direct flame cooking techniques, gas is the preferred option.
So, rather than asking, "Which appliance is better?", we ask: "Which solution creates the best experience in your home?" That philosophy defines our kitchen design approach. Every appliance recommendation is evaluated alongside your cabinetry, workflow, lifestyle, and long-term needs so your finished kitchen functions as beautifully as it looks.
Visit the Cabinet Couture showroom in Austin, TX to compare these options in person. Experiencing different cooking technologies alongside thoughtfully designed cabinetry often makes the right choice immediately clear.
Q. What is an "invisible" cooktop?
An "invisible" cooktop is an induction cooktop installed under the countertop surface. The countertop looks completely uninterrupted because it does not require a countertop cutout so there's no visible cooktop.
This is possible because it uses induction heating, which leverages a magnetic field to heat pots and pans without first heating the countertop surface. Induction compatible cookware is required. It only works with certain approved countertop materials, such as 2cm ultra compact, porcelain composite and/or granite natural stone countertops. Sensors detect that the pot or pan is properly placed above the cooking zone. Cleanup is easy since there are no seams, knobs, or grates to clean; just clean the countertop surface.
It is ideal for homeowners seeking a minimalist kitchen, have a small kitchen and want to maximize the countertop workspace, or value a clean, safe-to-the-touch, uninterrupted cooking surface.
Brands like InvisaCook® and other systems from companies like Thermador, Schott or Miele have pioneered this technology in the U.S.
Cabinet Couture is proud to be the InvisaCook® dealer in Austin, TX. Our clients can experience this technology firsthand in our showroom. Our team can manage every detail of your project to ensure all components, including cabinetry, countertop, and the invisible cooktop work together seamlessly.