Glossary
Kitchen Remodeling Glossary
Face frame, overlay, waterfall edge, zellige: the words kitchen pros use, explained in plain English. Search or scroll.
- Apron-front sink
- A deep sink whose front panel is exposed and sits flush with the cabinet face. Also called a farmhouse sink.
- Backsplash
- The tile, stone or panel on the wall behind the counter that protects it from splashes.
- Base cabinet
- A cabinet that sits on the floor under the countertop, usually about thirty-four and a half inches tall.
- Bump-out
- A small addition that pushes an exterior wall outward to make a kitchen a little bigger.
- Butcher block
- A countertop made of strips of wood glued together, often maple, oak or walnut.
- Corbel
- A decorative bracket that supports a countertop overhang or a shelf.
- Crown molding
- Trim along the top of the wall cabinets that gives the run a finished look.
- Dovetail drawer
- A drawer box with interlocking joints at the corners, known for its strength and craft.
- Edge profile
- The shape of the countertop edge, such as eased, beveled, ogee or mitered.
- Face frame
- The wood frame on the front of a cabinet box that doors and drawers attach to.
- Filler
- A narrow strip that closes the gap between a cabinet and a wall or another cabinet.
- Frameless cabinet
- A cabinet built without a face frame, so the doors cover the whole box and the openings are larger.
- Inset door
- A cabinet door that sits inside the frame, flush with its face.
- Island
- A freestanding cabinet and countertop in the middle of the kitchen, often with seating.
- Lazy Susan
- A rotating shelf set inside a corner cabinet so you can reach everything.
- Overlay
- A door style where the door covers part or all of the cabinet frame.
- Panel-ready
- An appliance with a front designed to be covered with a cabinet panel so it blends in.
- Peninsula
- A run of cabinets attached to the kitchen at one end, like an island with one side connected to a wall.
- Pot filler
- A tap on the wall behind the range that swings out to fill large pots with water.
- Pull
- A handle on a drawer or door, such as a bar, cup or knob.
- Quartz
- An engineered stone made of crushed quartz and resin, used for countertops.
- Range hood
- A fan and cover above the range that pulls steam, smoke and grease out of the kitchen.
- Refacing
- Replacing the doors and drawer fronts and covering the frames while keeping the existing cabinet boxes.
- Rollout shelf
- A shelf that slides out of a cabinet so you can reach what is in the back.
- Seam
- The joint where two pieces of countertop meet.
- Shaker door
- A door with a flat center panel in a plain square frame, known for its clean look.
- Slab backsplash
- A backsplash made from a single piece of stone or porcelain instead of small tiles.
- Soft-close
- A hinge or slide that slows the door or drawer so it closes quietly.
- Subway tile
- A rectangular ceramic tile, often three by six inches, laid in a brick pattern.
- Task lighting
- Light aimed at a work surface, such as under-cabinet strips or pendants over an island.
- Toe kick
- The recessed space at the bottom of base cabinets that gives your feet room.
- Undermount sink
- A sink mounted below the countertop so the edge is smooth and easy to wipe.
- Upper cabinet
- A cabinet that hangs on the wall above the countertop. Also called a wall cabinet.
- Waterfall edge
- A countertop that continues straight down the side of an island or run to the floor.
- Work triangle
- The path between the sink, the range and the refrigerator, used to judge how well a layout works.
- Zellige
- A handmade glazed tile from Morocco with irregular edges that catch the light.
No term matches that search. Try a shorter word.
Still have a question?
Describe your kitchen and we will explain it in plain English.