Cabinetry is one of the most utilized, dramatic, and costly finish out items that you'll put in your home and, trust us, the decision making is not easy. Homeowner's are faced with a number of design choices. These decisions need to balance form and function, marrying an aesthetically appealing look with an efficient utilization of space and cabinet functionality.  Cabinetry can be designed in a range of styles from ultra-sleek contemporary to very traditional with array of flavors in between.

Green cabinetry is smarter cabinetry. Whatever style you can imagine, no matter how custom, can be made healthier and smarter. For starters green cabinetry should be made with with NAUF plywoods that won't emit formaldehyde (a suspected human carcinogen) into your home. The composition of your cabinetry can be created using rapidly renewable species like lyptus or bamboo or can incorporate FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified species or use hardwood veneers to give the appearance of natural hardwoods while using only a fraction of the material. Back to indoor air quality: the stains, paints, or clear coats need to be low or completely non-emitting and all finishing should be done OFF-SITE (also called "factory finished") to allow any VOC content to bake off and dissipate before the cabinetry is installed in your home. Smarter cabinetry also means smarter designs. "Frameless" or European-style cabinetry uses less material in construction than does traditional or "face frame" cabinetry.

So the next question you surely have is about price. Is green cabinetry more expensive than traditional cabinetry? The answer is: sometimes but not always. Keep in mind that the material inputs are typically more expensive. NAUF plywood costs more than traditional plywood and high performing, low-emitting stains cost more than solvent based stains. While some of the raw materials run a price premium, manufacturing processes can make green cabinetry just as competitive as traditional cabinetry. Take for instance Executive Cabinetry, a green cabinetry line based out of South Carolina that House+Earth is proud to sell. The Eco-Friendly Cabinets from Executive Cabinetry come standard with Purebond (NAF) plywood box construction, and emit 0% volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 0% formaldehyde, and 0% hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).  The line is semi-custom meaning that their are thousands of options which are capable of being  manufactured quickly and efficiently while still being able to offer custom tweaks. The efficiency of their operation allows for quicker production, shorter lead times, and competitively priced and truly sustainable green cabinetry.