Clutter steals time and joy. Poor storage breaks flow. Smart custom cabinet design gives every inch a job and turns daily tasks into simple moves.
We’re Mulanbuild, a George Group sub-brand and a one-stop building materials supplier. We serve overseas clients with coordinated products across kitchens, wardrobes, bathrooms, windows and doors, tiles, lighting, flooring, and wall panels. Our clients include homeowners, renovation companies, designers, developers, and builders. We also support interior and facade 3D design, whole-home style matching, export logistics, and after-sales—without hard promises on timing, only clear actions and deliverables.
Here’s a practical playbook you can use today, written for fast decisions and easy hand-off to a build team.
Plan the Room Like a System
Small layout mistakes become daily pain. Good design puts prep, clean, and store zones where bodies move naturally and tools land without hunting.
A strong plan starts with traffic, tasks, and landings. Keep wet work near water, heat near ventilation, and storage near where you grab it. Map reach zones so heavy items sit between knee and shoulder. For the human-fit basics behind this, see Ergonomics.
Make the plan work harder
- Draw zones first. Prep by the sink, trash within a step, trays near the oven.
- Set landings. Give hot items and grocery unloads a safe counter spot.
- Protect walkways. Keep ≥36 in around islands; avoid door clashes.
- Use drawers below counter. They bring contents to you, no crouch.
- Tame corners. Prefer wide drawers and tray dividers over deep blind spaces.
Quick sizing guide
| Element | Typical US dimension |
| Base height (with top) | ~36 in |
| Toe-kick | 3–4 in H × 2–3 in D |
| Wall-to-counter gap | ~18 in |
| Pantry shelf depth | 14–16 in |
| Island clear path | ≥ 36 in |
Choose Door Styles That Set the Mood
Door style leads the eye. Slab feels modern, Shaker reads timeless, inset looks like furniture. Pick one idea and repeat it on purpose.
Simple rails and clean reveals make small rooms feel bigger. Glass fronts break up long runs and let light bounce. Keep hardware aligned to the door grid so panel-ready appliances disappear into the composition.
What the styles do for you
- Slab. Minimal, fast to wipe, pairs with finger pulls.
- Shaker. Flexible classic; shallow groove keeps detail low-maintenance.
- Inset. High craft look; set consistent reveals and adjust hinges well.
- Glass-front. Airy; reserve for neat storage or display pieces.
Style × care table
| Door | Visual vibe | Cleaning |
| Slab | Modern, sleek | Easiest |
| Shaker | Classic, calm | Light groove dust |
| Inset frame | Furniture-like | Precision alignment |
| Glass-front | Light, open | Needs tidy interiors |
Materials and Box Construction That Last
Materials define strength, weight, and finish quality. Pair durable boxes with faces fit for paint or grain. Know what each option brings before you order.
Boxes often use furniture-grade plywood or high-grade board; faces can be solid wood, veneer, or paint-grade materials. Paint loves a smooth substrate like MDF (see Medium-density fibreboard); wood veneer delivers natural grain without full-thickness cost. Joints and drawers matter just as much; a good dovetail drawer can outlast trends (see Dovetail joint).
Build choices, simplified
- Boxes. Plywood resists sag and humidity swings; high-density board gives ultra-smooth paint faces.
- Faces. Paint for color control; veneer for real grain; laminate for hard-wear zones.
- Edges. Seal all cut edges in wet areas; quality edge banding matters visually and for durability.
- Drawers. Full-extension slides, soft-close, and right load ratings—especially for wide drawers.
- Hardware metals. Favor corrosion-resistant grades near coastlines or wet rooms.
Material comparison
| Part | Good | Better | Best |
| Boxes | Melamine board | Furniture-grade plywood | Plywood + premium banding |
| Doors | Paint-grade MDF | Veneer over stable core | Select solid wood |
| Drawers | Melamine | Birch ply | Solid hardwood dovetail |
Storage Systems That Solve Daily Problems
Storage wins when it fits what you actually own. Deep drawers for pots, narrow pull-outs for oils, vertical slots for trays—no space wasted.
Start with a quick inventory: count tall bottles, pans, and boards you reach weekly. Drawers beat doors below the counter. Pull-outs beat blind corners. Divide large drawers so contents do not slide and chip.
Room-by-room playbook
Kitchen
- Pot and pan drawers (24 in deep), tray dividers, 9–12 in spice/oil pull-out near the cook zone.
- Trash/recycle pull-out by the sink; shallow top drawers for tools; panel gaps aligned for integrated appliances.
Laundry
- Tall broom cabinet; slide-out for detergents; counter space for fold-and-sort.
- Optional pull-out hamper and drip-dry rail inside a tall unit.
Closet
- Double-hang sections, drawers at hip height, shelves for knits.
- Optional jewelry trays, pull-out mirrors, and soft lighting strips.
Living/Media
- Vented bases for devices, clean cable management, lift-up doors for controllers.
- Hidden charging inside shallow drawers; venting around components.
Organizers that earn their keep
| Use | Best fit | Why |
| Pots & pans | 24 in deep drawers | Handles weight; easy reach |
| Spices & oils | 9–12 in pull-out | Narrow gaps become useful |
| Baking trays | Vertical dividers | No digging |
| Cleaning gear | Tall cabinet + hooks | Floors stay clear |
Sizing, Ergonomics, and Clearances
Beauty fails if the body hurts. Put what you touch often between knee and shoulder. Leave room to stand, open, and pass without bumps.
Standard sizes save budget and keep installers happy. Counter heights near ~36 in fit most adults. Wall cabinets typically sit ~18 in above counters. Walkways around islands should clear 36 in or more in busy kitchens.
Simple rules that prevent regret
- Reach zone. Heavy items between ~24–60 in from the floor.
- Toe-kick. 3–4 in high, 2–3 in deep to avoid shin hits.
- Appliance checks. Test door swings in drawings; avoid clash with adjacent cabinets.
- Pantry depth. 14–16 in so goods stay visible; use pull-outs if deeper.
- Closet hanging. Double-hang at ~40/80 in; long-hang ~65 in.
Finishes and Color Strategy That Age Well
Finish controls mood and cleaning speed. Satin paints hide fingerprints, matte laminates resist scuffs, woodgrains add warmth and depth.
Test large samples in your actual light; sun shifts color over the day. Keep darker tones low for visual gravity, lighter up top for lift. Two-tone schemes—light uppers, darker bases—add structure without noise.
Choose with intent
- Paint. Satin/low-sheen hides prints; prep quality shows on edges.
- Veneer. Real grain, repairable; protect with UV-stable clear coats.
- Laminate. Durable for rentals and heavy-use areas; clean edges matter.
Finish + care
| Finish | Strength | Watch-outs |
| Satin paint | Hides prints | Needs good prep |
| Wood veneer | Warm, repairable | UV fade near windows |
| Matte laminate | Tough, easy clean | Edge banding quality |
Hardware Feel: Hinges, Slides, and Pulls
Hardware decides how the room feels every day. Soft-close hinges, full-extension slides, and ergonomic pulls reduce strain and noise.
Specify hardware early so hole spacing stays consistent. Choose pull lengths around 1/3–1/2 of drawer width. Use higher load slides for pantry pull-outs; tune inset reveals with hinge cams.
Small choices, big impact
- Slides. Full-extension shows the back; under-mount cleans the interior look.
- Hinges. Concealed, soft-close, 3-way adjustable for perfect reveals.
- Metals. Satin/brushed finishes hide prints better than mirror polish.
- Kids’ rooms. Rounded pulls reduce snags; stronger coatings handle bumps.
Design-to-Delivery: Actions → Deliverables
Clear actions beat time promises. We move from a floor plan to approved visuals, then to production with QC and safe packing.
What happens and what you receive
- You send a floor plan.
Deliverable: Spec proposal with Good / Better / Best paths.
- Design development.
Deliverable: 2D layouts, 3D models, and rendered views until approved.
- Spec lock.
Deliverable: Final list of doors, finishes, hardware, and organizers.
- Shop drawings.
Deliverable: Manufacturing drawings for sign-off.
- Production & QC.
Deliverable: In-process checks and pre-shipment QC photos.
- Packing & shipping.
Deliverable: Flat-pack or pre-assembled kits with export docs.
- After-sales.
Deliverable: Dedicated follow-up; send issue photos + order info.
Walk Our 30,000 m² Showroom (Video Tours Available)
A large, multi-category showroom helps you coordinate finishes across rooms—cabinets, windows and doors, bathrooms, tiles, stone, flooring, wall panels, lighting, furniture, and more.
What you can expect
- Full cabinet runs to compare door styles and finishes side by side.
- Storage demos: deep drawers, spice pull-outs, tray dividers.
- Finish walls for paint, veneer, and matte laminates.
- Remote video call tours on request if you cannot visit.
- Color swatch samples available on request.
Budget Tiers and RFQ Checklist
We don’t publish fixed prices. Instead, we show how choices affect budget, then quote against your plan.
What drives cost
Door style complexity, finish type, hardware load rating, organizer count, and site conditions.
RFQ—what to send for a fast spec & quote
- Required: Floor plan (PDF/JPG/DWG).
- Optional: Room photos, appliance list, preferred door style, finish direction, hardware preference, budget tier, destination city/port.
Trade & Logistics (Country-Smart Terms)
We support multiple Incoterms depending on destination and shipment type—DDP often works for U.S., Canada, Australia; CIF is common for many full-container routes (South America and others). For LCL in parts of Africa/India, DDP can apply; many full containers use CIF. We recommend terms after reviewing your plan and route. (Learn the basics at Incoterms.)
Packaging: Flat-pack for freight efficiency; pre-assembled for speed on site. Reinforced options available.
Scale & experience: 500+ projects per month across 144+ countries, with cross-category coordination through a supplier-led, cooperative factory matrix.
After-Sales—How to Trigger Support
Send issue photos and your order info. A dedicated specialist will follow up and arrange the solution path. We also support third-party inspection and live video before shipment for extra confidence.
Conclusion
Design from tasks outward. Pick materials that match wear, sizes that fit bodies, and hardware that feels right. Lock specs with 2D/3D views, then produce with clear QC and safe packing. Your rooms will work better and look calmer every day.
Share Your Plan, Get Ideas
Upload your floor plan and we’ll map Good/Better/Best configurations you can compare in one glance—materials, door styles, hardware, and storage. 想开始了吗？把户型图发给我们就行。
