Custom inset cabinetry
Doors set flush inside the frame, built to the exact millimeter of your walls. The most precise — and most labor-intensive — option.
$1,200 – $2,000 / linear ft
Indicative NYC pricing — final scope confirmed at estimate.
About custom inset cabinetry
Inset cabinetry sets each door and drawer front inside the face frame rather than over it, so every surface sits on one plane. It is the oldest and most demanding cabinet style, and the reveal around each door — typically 3/32" — is where craftsmanship shows.
In pre-war NYC apartments where no wall is plumb and no floor is level, inset work has to be scribed on site. That is why it costs more: the shop builds it, but the installer earns it.
Specifier's tips
- Budget 12 – 16 weeks of lead time; inset is never a rush order
- Beaded inset reads more traditional, plain inset more transitional
- Wood movement in humid summers can tighten reveals — a quality shop accounts for it
Frequently asked
Is inset worth the premium?
If you want a heritage, furniture-grade look in a brownstone or pre-war apartment, yes. In a modern condo, frameless usually looks better for less money.
Does inset lose storage space?
Slightly — hinges and frame reduce drawer box width by roughly an inch per opening compared with frameless.