By Grace Holloway · September 14, 2026
Full overlay doors cover the cabinet frame almost completely. They give a clean, modern look and a little more storage space inside.
Inset doors sit inside the frame, flush with the face. They look classic and furniture-like, and they cost more because every door has to be fitted precisely.
Inset cabinets need more care in humid summers, since wood moves. A good cabinet maker allows for that with the right gaps.
Neither is better. Choose the look you love, and let your designer handle the details that make it last.
