Amazing 15 Top Glass Door Upper Kitchen Cabinets

When you’re picking a style or design for your kitchen, the choice of cabinets is a major decision, and one of your best options is glass door upper kitchen cabinets. Even in the smallest of kitchens, the cabinets are always going to be the main feature so most design concepts are usually centered on the look of the cabinets.

You might think that you only have to ponder the color, finish and size for the exterior and the layouts of the interiors but there is another consideration. Do you opt for plain cabinets or choose kitchen cabinets with glass doors?

 Although you can get base cabinets with glass doors, upper kitchen cabinets with glass doors are more common and more usual. There are practical considerations for not having glass doors in base cabinets – namely safety and security. Also from an aesthetic point, even the most organized of lower kitchen cupboards may not warrant being visible all the time. 

Glassdoor upper cabinets are not just a style statement but are also versatile and practical. They come in plenty of different looks and they also offer that great compromise between open shelving and solid cabinetry. Everything is neatly encased in a unit, yet it is on display at the same time. A great option if you have special kitchenware, crockery or glassware you want to show off yet still keep safe. 

Benefits of Glazed Kitchen Cabinets

For anything that forms part of the construction of your kitchen, you have to think about style, practicality and form. Your kitchen cabinets should not only be functional by providing storage but they should also look great.

Glass is an excellent finish for kitchens. Here’s why you should consider ‘kitchen cabinets with glass doors’ or ‘glass door upper kitchen cabinets.’

• Glazed doors break up the monotony of a span of solid-fronted cabinetry
• They give an impression of a brighter space as they reflect light back into the room especially if they are backed up by a mirror
• They create an illusion of depth and increased square footage, which is a bonus for smaller kitchens
• Upper corner kitchen cabinets with glass doors bring extra light to potentially dark spaces
• Integral lighting can be included which adds additional light but also provides spotlights for your prized crystal or dishware
• Glass-fronted cabinets are a more secure way of displaying your prized pieces than open shelving
• You can see your items without having to look for them
• They keep you organized and tidy on autopilot because you don’t want a mess on display
• You can easily decorate to for holidays and celebrations
• You can do a quick makeover of the kitchen by painting the walls behind the glass doors.

Types of Glass

When you decide you want to go the upper kitchen cabinets with glass doors décor route, you’ll need to consider the various types of glass. Typically, the options are:

Transparent glass: Suiting all styles and all types of kitchens, transparent glass door cabinets and glass door upper kitchen cabinets are the most common and versatile.
 Although it will never look off-trend, you do have to consider that you’ll need to constantly clean off fingerprints and smudges and keep everything in the cabinet neat and tidy.

 Frosted glass: Created by blasting plain glass with grit or sand and has a cool and sleek modern look. Frosted glass may also be etched with patterns and custom designs. It only partly obscures the contents so don’t choose a frosted finish if you want your kitchen upper cabinet’s glass doors to hide what’s inside.

Opaque glass: Also known as obscure glass or privacy glass, this type will not even show silhouettes of your cabinet’s contents. 

Tinted glass: This is most usually transparent glass to which a color has been added. It can give a great accent to a neutral décor. 

Textured glass: If you want to make a real feature of glass top cabinets in your kitchen, there are various types of molded or embossed glass that offer a visual and tactile aesthetic. Types include rain, beveled, grooved, pebbled and ribbed (also called fluted glass). The advantage of textured glass is that it hides streaks, fingerprints and marks very well. 

Seeded glass: A specific type of textured glass, this features tiny air bubbles. With its handcrafted look, it has an old-fashioned appeal that makes it desirable for traditional kitchens such as vintage and cottage styles. 

Leaded glass: With an artisanal look being its charm, leaded glass is elegant and good for a traditional look. Leaded glass kitchen cabinet doors often feature stained glass.

Which Type of Glass is Better for the Glass Door Upper Kitchen Cabinets?

You should note that despite their attractiveness, any glass that features a pattern or color may become outdated. If you want glass door upper kitchen cabinets that stay stylish, choose plain or frosted glass.  

If you want to turn your kitchen cabinets into display cases, transparent glass is the obvious choice.

If you don’t want your contents on show, frosted or opaque glass is better. 

Examples of Kitchen Cabinets with Glass Doors

Shaker Island

Glass can break up the traditional flat look of a classic shaker-style kitchen. This kitchen design demonstrates how you can incorporate a base unit with glass doors – in this case, within the island. 

Open and Closed Two Tone

This kitchen demonstrates how you can successfully mix glass door upper kitchen cabinets with open shelving and also different styles of upper kitchen units.

Contemporary Frosted Glass

Using glazed doors enables the use of dark cabinets yet the room doesn’t look dark or dull. 

Large Kitchen 

A great example of how a very large kitchen can be styled with a mix of solid cabinetry and both lower and upper kitchen cabinets with glass doors. 

Floor to ceiling

In kitchens with high ceilings, a large expanse of solid cabinet doors would be heavy and overwhelming. Glassdoor upper cabinets can cover a large area providing a lot of storage without dominating the room. 

Stylish Display

A clear demonstration of how to effectively create a display of dishware and glassware.

Accent Lighting

Create wonderful aesthetic designs with accent lighting. There’s almost a closet-run effect because upper and base units with glazed doors have been installed.

Give it a swirl

This example has been chosen to show the effectiveness of patterned glass in kitchen cabinets. 

Black and White

A dramatic contemporary look and feel is created by the stark contrast of black and white. 

Smart and Sleek

Another example of monochrome including black upper kitchen cabinets with glass doors. 

Tall Glass Kitchen Units

Lighting ensures the bank of cabinets is not the dominant feature but acts more like an accent wall. 

Mood Lighting

The clever use of lighting can completely transform the look and feel of a kitchen. It can also provide excellent mood lighting if your room is a kitchen/dinette.

Reeded Glass

An example of how to bring textured glass into a contemporary kitchen in an ageless style.

Fancy Not Plain

The glazed area doesn’t have to be the only design feature of glass door upper kitchen cabinets.

Interesting Background

Glass fronted doors present a world of opportunities for materials, patterns, colors and designs for the cabinet interiors. 

These few examples should give you some idea of just how wide the range of lower and upper kitchen cabinets with glass doors can be. Whatever your size of kitchen or style preference, you should be able to find a glass cabinet that suits your decorating flare.