UltraCraft celebrates its 40th anniversary.
The Beginning
Forty years ago, UltraCraft chose a different path.
Founded in 1986, UltraCraft became one of the early American companies to manufacture and distribute European-style full-access cabinetry. At a time when face-frame cabinetry dominated much of the American market, UltraCraft introduced a different way of thinking about cabinet construction, building its reputation on frameless engineering, efficient use of space, and clean, modern design.
Over the next four decades, tastes changed, materials evolved, and technology advanced, but the idea behind UltraCraft remained remarkably consistent: precision engineering paired with modern design. As homeowners embraced cleaner architecture, open living spaces, and increasingly personalized interiors, UltraCraft expanded its capabilities while remaining true to the full-access philosophy that defined the brand from the beginning.
Our 40th anniversary is more than a celebration of our past. It is an opportunity to recognize how far the brand has come and to look confidently toward what comes next.
Designed From the Beginning to be Different
At the heart of every UltraCraft cabinet is full-access construction. By eliminating the traditional face frame, more of the cabinet opening becomes usable space while creating the clean, uninterrupted lines that have become synonymous with modern cabinetry.
One of the easiest ways to visualize the difference is to compare two same-width base cabinets. The drawer box from the framed cabinet is smaller because it must fit through the narrower face-frame opening. So small, in fact, that it can fit inside the drawer box of the frameless cabinet. That’s the practical advantage of full-access design: more usable storage within the same footprint.
Behind that simplicity is the European 32mm construction system: a precise, repeatable engineering method that provides consistent alignment, flexible configurations, and exceptional fit and finish. Because every component is based on the same engineering system, cabinets, drawers, shelves, and accessories work together with remarkable precision. It’s one of the reasons designers have trusted UltraCraft for projects where precision matters.
Living in a Modern World
As design evolved, so did UltraCraft’s approach to materials.
While UltraCraft continues to offer an extensive collection of stained and painted wood door styles—including sought-after species like Walnut and Quartersawn White Oak—the definition of “modern” has continued to expand. Textured melamines, acrylics and metal-framed doors have broadened the design palette available to today’s designers and homeowners.
UltraCraft isn’t simply a cabinet line with modern door styles. It is a design resource that gives professionals the freedom to mix materials, personalize spaces, and create kitchens and baths that reflect the people who live in them.
That evolution reflects more than changing design trends. It reflects the way people live today. Kitchens have become gathering places, workspaces, entertaining spaces, and family hubs. Designers now blend warm, stained woods with painted finishes, textured surfaces, acrylics, metals, and lighting to create spaces that feel personal rather than predictable. UltraCraft’s expanding material palette gives designers the freedom to mix these elements with confidence while maintaining the engineering, flexibility, and quality that define UltraCraft.
Kinston and the Future
As UltraCraft begins its fifth decade, the next chapter is being written from MasterBrand’s manufacturing facility in Kinston, North Carolina. This investment provides the capacity to continue advancing the engineering, product innovation, and modern materials that have defined UltraCraft for decades.
For forty years, designers, dealers, builders, homeowners, employees, and valued partners have shaped the UltraCraft story. Every innovation has been built on craftsmanship, engineering, and trusted relationships.
As we celebrate this milestone, we celebrate everyone who has been part of the journey—and everyone helping write the next chapter.
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Thinking about a new kitchen or bath?
Visit an authorized UltraCraft dealer to experience new materials, finishes, and door styles in person. Your designer can help you discover which combinations best reflect your home, your lifestyle, and your unique vision.
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UltraCraft Designers
Have a completed project you’re proud of? We’d love to see it.
Professional photography of your UltraCraft kitchens and baths can be uploaded to the MasterBrand Media Hub, where your credited work may be featured in future articles, literature, social media, and on the UltraCraft website. Your projects inspire fellow designers, and every shared image helps demonstrate the creativity and craftsmanship of the UltraCraft community.
Thank you for sharing your work—and for inspiring what’s next.
