The following questions are aimed at clarifying your goals for how you want your kitchen to look and function so that you'll ultimately be satisfied with the end result. Here are some things to consider:
What don't you like about your current kitchen cabinets?
Pin down exactly what it is you dislike about your current cabinet situation so that you'll be specific when looking for solutions in your new cabinets.
Do you not have enough space or maybe it's poorly allocated space (like the 3-ft deep corner cabinet that you can only reach the first 12 inches of)? Maybe your current kitchen cabinets are just the wrong style or perhaps they don't have good organizational features.
The more specific you can be about what it is you want to have or change, the more focused you'll be about targeting the right options from the myriad that are available with new kitchen cabinets.
How long do you plan on staying in the home - are you updating for the purpose of reselling or do you plan on staying long term?
The answer to this question may determine the price you're willing to pay as well as the level of customization and uniqueness and the quality of construction you want to build in. If you plan to stay in your current home indefinitely, you may want to spend more of your budget on durable construction and materials. On the other hand, if you're a real estate investor interested in house flipping for a quick resale, you may want to limit your investment to a functional but more cost-effective cabinet style and construction.
What is the style of your home and your kitchen?
Your existing decor and style of home plays a role in the type of cabinetry to choose. The converse is also true, the style of cabinets you choose will influence the look and style of your kitchen...download the free guide at
http://www.reginakitchencabinets.com
Do you want to stay with the existing style or are you looking to change it? Period cabinets are appropriate for classic antique homes where retaining the style of that era is desired. Updated European style cabinets work well in a contemporary kitchen.
Regardless of which way you go, identifying the style you're looking for will help narrow the focus on cabinet choices and also provide some guidance to kitchen designers or cabinets makers you might work with.