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Give Ikea a second look. If you are looking for frameless cabinetry, all manufactures use some form of MDF/particleboard, etc. for the boxes. Ikea uses 3/4" dense particleboard with a very strong plastic covering. The hardware they use is now all Blum, which is the same hardware found in the high-end German and Italian lines (and yes, sometimes Arclinea uses Blum.) The only difference I can see is in the doors. I actually went with Ikea this time around (this is my third kitchen remodel) but had they not come out with the color I wanted, I was going to have the doors manufactured by Scherrs in PA. Scherrs will custom make any species of wood door to match any manufacturers boxes at literally a few (read, less than 10) dollars more per door.

Hi Elzbietka, I also had the same question months ago when I was preparing to do my kitchen. Unfortunately, there isn't anything that I found viable. The traditional American kitchen styles (Kraftmaid and the like) are kind of in between but they don't have the clean modern look that I wanted. I considered doing a semi-custom with standard bases and custom doors but for logistic reasons decided against that. I do have some resources for custom cabinet makers in NY that are probably not very convenient for you but I am sure you can find similar ones in MA.

I ended up going with Abstract ikea doors that looked and felt least cheap (and are more pricey) and the kitchen looks quite good -- modern clean look that does not feel plasticky.

we went with Kerf designs out of seattle:
http://kerfdesign.com/index.html

Substantially more expensive than ikea, but excellent modern craftsmanship out of sustainable plywood. Totally customizable, and a the company is a pleasure to work with.

They now have a DIY system, which is flatpacked and shipped to you. It is easy to install yourself or by a local contractor.

Ikea is also one of Consumer Reports' top rated kitchen systems. If I had the budget for Kerf I definitely would keep it in mind, beautiful stuff but $$.

venicia line from kraftmaid - at your lowes or home depot.

http://www.kraftmaid.com/venicia/venicia.cfm

There are local kitchen cabinetry shop that display several different lines - even Expo by Home Depot have a number of lines.

You really need to do some legwork on your own.

I guess Henrybuilt is 1/2 way between a $10k IKEA kitchen and a $100k one from Arclinea. They have a showroom in NY, although I have only seen the one in Seattle.

Somehow this seems to reflect the lack of "mid-price" modern furniture, in between IKEA/West Elm/CB2 and real furniture from Vitra, B&B Italia etc. The range of options in Europe is certainly much larger, while here the middle ground is occupied by "faux traditional".

I like my Medallion Cabinets from a local kitchen shop in Brooklyn. Perhaps a shop by you offers this line.

http://www.medallioncabinetry.com/

Good luck!

I have heard that Kraftmaid/Venecia is mid range.

If you can find a local cabinet company as JL suggested I would recommend exploring that--ask to see some pictures of some modern/contemporary projects that they have done.

Pretty much any imported cabinet company including Henry built (last I checked you still have to buy fixtures and countertops on your own) is going to be premium price. The imported companies will most likely be raising prices at the beginning of the year.

How big is your kitchen and what kind of layout is it?

Elzbietka,

Actually, IKEA cabinets got a GREAT review from Consumer Reports two years ago, when we were looking for cabinets ourselves. From their site:

"You'd think that ready-to-assemble basic cabinets would be less durable than pricier units. But two we tested from Mills Pride and Ikea withstood our wear tests better than some more expensive brands."

So, I wouldn't discount IKEA yet. Especially since once you get a better idea of how other brands are made, like the KraftMaid Valencia line, you'll see there isn't much difference in their construction.

Visit ConsumerReports.org for some really great advice:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/kitchen/kitchen-remodeling/cabinets/cabinets-804/features/0708_intro_pick_1.htm

Our IKEA cabinets have stood up incredibly well. We sold the house to a friend with a very high energy child, and despite the bumps and crashes, they still look great. I don't love all IKEA but the cabinets are truly an object of value.

We had the same question last year when we remodeled our house.
We were concerned about Ikea quality (maybe their kitchen cabinets are great, but many of their products we bought aren't really of the best quality), but above all we were worried about resale value.
Following our architects' advice, we installed Veneta Cucine (distributed in NYC by Chelsea Kitchen): it was surprisingly affordable and - after almost a year of use - we are very satisfied with it (we put the white lacquer Extra)
The website (www.venetacucine.com) is irritating and not very easy to navigate but you can see they have a very european look.

By the way, hinges and hardware are - like in many other kitchens - by Blum and Salice and are of renowned quality. They look identical to the ones I've seen on the Ikea cabinetry but I know for a fact that other hardware manufacturers produce a (cheaper) dedicated line when they deal with Ikea.

Try the Boston Building Materials Co-op. They have two kitchen designers on staff and cabinets are custom ordered. They can do modern or other styles and also refer you to a reputable contractor for installation. 617-442-2262 or http://www.bbmc.com.