What is an Arch?

In cabinetry terms, the word arch is used to describe a cabinet door shaped like a half-circle or upside-down "U." Arch designs are most typically found embossed or engraved into the top doors of a cabinet set, though they are also used more rarely as a decorative arc added to the design of a cabinet run in order to grant it a striking, old-world style.

One of the main features of the arch design is its ability to create the appearance of additional height within a kitchen. By arcing the bend of the the topmost cabinets, the length of their doors appears extended while in reality possessing the same dimensions of cabinets without arches. Typically, an arch is created either by beveling it into the surface of the door or by attaching carved pieces of wood to it. Either way, the effect can help lend a kitchen the feeling of being spacious and airy, which is the main reason why the element has proven so popular in recent years.