11 Great Alternatives to Glass-Front Cabinets

Glass-front cabinets are beautiful, but there are times they just won’t work. If you have young, active children in the house, you may be looking for something that’s harder to break. Or perhaps it just feels like too much trouble to keep everything looking neat behind those transparent doors. If you’re looking for something a little different, you’ve come to the right place — these 11 alternatives to standard glass-front cabinets will help you get exactly what you need and want in your kitchen.

1. Decorative wire mesh. Similar to the material used on radiator covers, this wire mesh from Richelieu would work well in an industrial or modern farmhouse setting. It’s strong, sleek and versatile.


2. Corrugated metal. Cheap, easy to find and as tough as nails, corrugated metal can be a unique and inexpensive addition to your kitchen design. Cut to fit, it can replace glass cabinet doors or pantry doors, or even be used as a backsplash.


3. Punched steel. A fresh twist on old-fashioned punched-tin pie safes, steel punched with decorative patterns has a lot of potential for customization. Depending on the design, it could work just as well in a contemporary space as a country-style one.


4. Sliding chalkboard panel. Who doesn’t love a good barn door? In the kitchen, sliding barn doors allow you to choose what to hide and what to reveal — and they are perfect for small spaces, where cabinet doors swinging open can cause traffic jams. Make yours even better by incorporating a chalkboard panel on which you can write messages and grocery lists.



5. Magnetic chalkboard panel. If you like the chalkboard panel idea, why not make it magnetic, too? If you have a stainless steel fridge that is not magnetic, a few sleek magnetic chalkboard panels set into your cabinet doors could be a welcome addition to the kitchen. Just be sure to use superstrong magnets … otherwise they may fly off when you open and close the door.


6. Cork panel. Use cabinet doors with cork panels to keep recipe clippings handy, or let it serve as a family message board. As with magnetic panel cabinet doors, be aware that having too much stuff attached to your door may cause problems when you open and shut it — consider keeping the cork only on less frequently used cabinets.


7. Chicken wire. A classic in country kitchens, chicken wire is readily available, very inexpensive and easy to work with. Once the glass has been removed, covering cabinet doors with chicken wire is a doable DIY project for those motivated to try. Just be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands whenever working with wire — those edges are sharp!



8. Metal mesh. Other types of wire mesh, such as hardware cloth, are stronger than chicken wire and have a more refined appearance. As with chicken wire, applying other metal mesh material is a relatively straightforward DIY job.


You can also apply the metal mesh at an angle instead of straight on to create a diamond pattern, as shown here.


9. Galvanized metal. Durable, tough and affordable, galvanized metal sheeting has rustic good looks that would be equally at home in an industrial space or a modern farmhouse.


10. Fabric. Whether you remove the glass or not is up to you; fabric-lined cabinets can look splendid either way. If the glass is broken or missing on an old piece of furniture, replacing it with a length of pretty fabric is a quick and affordable way to revive it. The fabric can be completely opaque or translucent — before committing to a choice, hold it up to the light to check its opacity and be sure it’s what you want.



11. Mirrored. To get the gleam of glass without putting all of your stuff on display, try replacing some or all of the cabinet doors with mirrored ones. Antiqued-glass doors, like the ones shown here, can be quite beautiful.

Tell us: Would you try any of these cabinet door styles at home? Which appeals to you most?

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