Doors and Cabinets: What Is “Sticking” Anyway?

Doors and Cabinets: What Is “Sticking” Anyway?

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If you’re picking new interior doors or cabinets for your home, you may be surprised by how many decisions you have to make! (Spoiler alert- one of them is the”sticking” detail! And we don’t mean when your door gets stuck closed- that’s a totally different thing lol!)

These decisions may include…

– what door style will fit your aesthetic?
– what wood species is right?
– what stain or paint color do you want?
– what finish should you choose for the hinges and hardware?

If you’re choosing a paneled door, you may also have to choose what “sticking” detail you want. Did you even know there was a thing called “sticking?!”

Sticking is the little detail between the door stiles & rails (think of that as the structural frame of the door) and the inset panel or glass. Here’s a photo pointing out the small detail.

It comes in lots of profiles, like the rounded-edge “ovolo” sticking below:

What profile you choose can make a simple shaker door look either more classic or more modern, enhancing the overall vibe of your home.

An Ovolo, Ogee, or Bevelled sticking will push the look more traditional, while a Square sticking will push it more modern. Meanwhile, a quarter round will feel comfortable in any transitional room.

sticking

 

Less common, but very cool, is “quirk” sticking, a very clean (and quite fabulous) detail that would elevate any modern home without having to resort to simple slab doors (slab doors are the most common choice these days for modern homes):

Here’s that “quirk” detail from the side:

sticking

So if your designer or architect is suggesting a “quirk” sticking for your doors or cabinets, don’t worry! There’s nothing “quirky” about it – they are just asking if you like that aesthetic detail for your home.

Feeling a bit of decision fatigue with all these tiny decisions you have to make? That’s what we’re here for! Sign up for a Design Helpline and share your project progress with us, and we can help you sort through those tiny decisions with the big picture of your project in mind. Even if you’re DIYing it, you don’t have to go it alone!

 

May your home always make you happy!

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Author Rebecca West holding design psychology book Happy Starts at Home

HI, I'M REBECCA WEST! I’m the founder of Seriously Happy Homes, the author of Happy Starts at Home, and a business coach for residential interior designers.

I believe our homes have a huge impact on our happiness and well-being, but I don’t care if you buy a new sofa or remodel your kitchen. I just care that your home supports your goals and feels like “you.”

May your home always make you happy! 💛