A 10×10 kitchen is the industry’s standard “test kitchen” — roughly 10 linear feet of cabinets on two adjacent walls, laid out in an L‑shape. It’s the benchmark cabinet makers use for apples‑to‑apples pricing, and it’s the fastest way to estimate what your own kitchen will cost. Below you’ll find the typical cabinet count, three fully itemized example builds with live pricing straight from our store, and a step‑by‑step guide to measuring and planning your space to NKBA standards.
The short answer: how many cabinets?
Most 10×10 kitchens use 10 to 12 cabinets, plus fillers, molding and finishing pieces. A typical breakdown looks like this:
| Cabinet type | Typical count | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Base cabinets | 4–6 | Floor storage & countertop support |
| Wall cabinets | 4–6 | Upper storage, no floor footprint |
| Tall / pantry cabinets | 0–2 | Full‑height food or utility storage |
The exact mix depends on your appliances, whether you add a pantry, and how much of the run is lost to corners and appliance gaps. That’s why the three examples below range from a lean essentials build to a fully loaded U‑shape.
The three cabinet types you’ll be working with
Base cabinets
34½″ tall, 24″ deep. They carry your countertop and provide the primary storage — sink base, drawer bases and standard door/drawer combos.
Wall cabinets
12″ deep, hung 18″ above the counter. Available in 30″, 36″ and 42″ heights — taller boxes add storage without taking floor space.
Tall / pantry cabinets
84″–96″ tall. A single pantry dramatically increases capacity and is the most common “upgrade” in a 10×10.
Three example 10×10 kitchens (with live pricing)
Each build below is itemized with real Faircrest White Shaker cabinets. Every SKU links to its product page (opens in a new tab), and the totals update automatically from our current store pricing — the numbers you see are today’s ready‑to‑assemble (RTA) prices. Fillers, molding and hardware are additional (see the accessories section).
1. The Essentials L‑Shape
Budget12 cabinets + toe kick · 30″‑high uppers · diagonal corners · over‑range microwave. A real, buildable L‑shape from one of our designs.
| Cabinet | Qty | Price |
|---|---|---|
| BER36 – Base Easy‑Reach Corner | 1 | $427.51 |
| SB36 – 36″ Sink Base | 1 | $316.62 |
| B24 – 24″ Base | 1 | $283.50 |
| B18 – 18″ Base | 1 | $231.37 |
| WDC2430 – Wall Diagonal Corner | 1 | $278.93 |
| W2430 – 24″w × 30″h Wall | 2 | $355.26 |
| W1230 – 12″w × 30″h Wall | 2 | $220.64 |
| W1830 – 18″w × 30″h Wall | 1 | $157.59 |
| W3012 – Bridge cabinet (over microwave) | 1 | $126.44 |
| W3612 – Bridge cabinet (over fridge) | 1 | $150.36 |
| TK8 – Toe Kick (one 8′ strip covers all base fronts) | 1 | $36.88 |
Appliance openings (not cabinets): 30″ gas range, 24″ dishwasher, 36″ refrigerator, plus an over‑the‑range microwave/hood.
2. The Standard L‑Shape + Pantry
Most popular10 cabinets · 36″‑high uppers · drawer base · one pantry. The best‑balance build most customers land on.
| Cabinet | Qty | Price |
|---|---|---|
| SB36 – 36″ Sink Base | 1 | $316.62 |
| BBC36 – Base Blind Corner | 1 | $346.74 |
| B36 – 36″ Base | 1 | $388.29 |
| DB18 – 18″ Drawer Base | 1 | $399.02 |
| B15 – 15″ Base | 1 | $225.14 |
| UC1884 – 18″ Pantry (84″h) | 1 | $561.57 |
| W3036 – 30″w × 36″h Wall | 1 | $233.26 |
| W3636 – 36″w × 36″h Wall | 1 | $263.33 |
| W2436 – 24″w × 36″h Wall | 1 | $200.63 |
| W3012 – Bridge cabinet (over sink) | 1 | $126.44 |
3. The Fully‑Loaded U‑Shape
Premium12 cabinets · 42″‑high uppers · two corners · drawer bank · tall pantry. Maximum storage in the same footprint.
| Cabinet | Qty | Price |
|---|---|---|
| SB36 – 36″ Sink Base | 1 | $316.62 |
| BBC36 – Base Blind Corner | 1 | $346.74 |
| LS3612 – Lazy Susan Corner | 1 | $450.01 |
| B36 – 36″ Base | 1 | $388.29 |
| DB24 – 24″ Drawer Base | 1 | $459.31 |
| B18 – 18″ Base | 1 | $231.37 |
| UC2496 – 24″ Pantry (96″h) | 1 | $691.97 |
| W3042 – 30″w × 42″h Wall | 1 | $267.40 |
| W3642 – 36″w × 42″h Wall | 1 | $304.93 |
| W2442 – 24″w × 42″h Wall | 2 | $482.34 |
| W3012 – Bridge cabinet (over sink) | 1 | $126.44 |
How wall‑cabinet height changes the price
The single biggest lever on your upper‑cabinet cost is height. The same 30″‑wide box comes in three heights, and stepping up buys you a full extra shelf of storage:
| 30″‑wide wall cabinet | Best for | Live price |
|---|---|---|
| W3030 – 30″ high | Standard ceilings, soffit above | $202.76 |
| W3036 – 36″ high | 8′ ceilings, extra shelf | $233.26 |
| W3042 – 42″ high | Ceiling‑height look, max storage | $267.40 |
Our 36″ and 42″ wall cabinets are competitively priced, so going taller for the storage rarely breaks the budget.
Don’t forget the finishing pieces
Cabinets are the headline number, but a finished kitchen also needs the pieces that tie it together. Budget an extra 10–20% for:
Fillers & panels: BF3 base filler, WF342 wall filler, REP9624 refrigerator end panel and DP2430 decorative end panel for exposed cabinet sides.
Toe kick & molding: TK8 toe kick, LCM8 crown molding, LRM8 light rail and SHM8 shoe molding.
Storage upgrades: universal roll‑out trays for base cabinets, plus door and drawer hardware.
How to measure your kitchen — step by step
Accurate measurements are what separate a smooth install from a pile of returns. Here’s the professional sequence. Work in inches and measure twice.
- Sketch the room. Draw a rough overhead floor plan of each wall. Mark doorways, windows, the sink, and where each appliance sits.
- Measure wall length, corner to corner. Record the full length of every wall at the height cabinets will sit (about 36″ for bases). Note both walls of your L or U — a “10×10” means two 120″ walls.
- Mark windows and doors. Measure from the corner to the edge of each opening, the width of the opening, and its height off the floor. Cabinets and trim can’t block them.
- Locate utilities. Note the center of the sink drain, gas or range outlet, and any electrical or plumbing that fixes an appliance in place.
- Measure ceiling height. This decides whether you use 30″, 36″ or 42″ wall cabinets and whether crown molding will fit.
- Record appliance widths. Range/stove (usually 30″), dishwasher (24″), and refrigerator opening (36″–39″). Leave these as gaps in your cabinet run.
- Add it up and subtract the gaps. Total your wall inches, subtract appliance openings and corners, and you’re left with the linear inches to fill with cabinets.
How to plan the layout (NKBA guidelines)
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) publishes the planning standards professional designers use. You don’t need all 31 — but these are the ones that matter most in a compact 10×10:
| Guideline | NKBA recommendation |
|---|---|
| Work triangle (sink–range–fridge) | Each leg 4–9 ft; the three legs together no more than 26 ft. |
| Walkway width | At least 36″ for a path through the kitchen. |
| Work aisle | At least 42″ for one cook; 48″ if two people cook. |
| Landing beside the sink | 24″ of counter on one side, 18″ on the other. |
| Landing beside the cooktop | 12″ on one side, 15″ on the other. |
| Landing beside the refrigerator | At least 15″ on the handle side. |
| Total countertop frontage | At least 158″ of usable counter (24″ deep). |
| Prep zone | A continuous run at least 36″ wide next to the sink. |
In a 10×10, the L‑shape naturally puts the sink, range and refrigerator on a tight triangle. If you go U‑shaped, keep the open aisle to at least 42″ so drawers and the dishwasher door have room to swing.
Let us build your 10×10 cabinet list
Send us your measurements or a rough sketch and our team will identify exactly what you need, confirm the fit, and send you a competitive quote — usually the same day. No design fees, no pressure.
Save 5% on your order with code REBUILD
Prefer email? Reach us at sales@thewhiteshaker.com.
Pricing shown updates live from our store and reflects ready‑to‑assemble (RTA) cabinets. Discount is applied with the promo code at checkout on qualifying items; your final total and exact savings are confirmed at checkout. Example layouts are representative — your final cabinet list depends on your exact measurements, appliances and finishing selections.