What’s small, metal and in nearly every room in your house? No it’s not screws, but that is close. The answer is cabinet door hinges. Often taken for granted these beauties are considered by some to be the second greatest invention after the wheel. Hinges were first seen in 1600 B.C. used in a city gate. Eventually it was the Romans who adapted hinges for home use in such things as cabinets. They even had a goddess of the door hinge whose name was Cardea. She had the power to open and close things. Fast forward to now and everyday life hinges on hinges. Whether we reach for our breakfast cereal in the kitchen or grab an Advil from the medicine cabinet before we head out the door we use cabinet door hinges every day. And the best way to see the variety of cabinet door hinges available today is by shopping online. Rather than trekking from hardware store to hardware store you can shop the finest hinge collections from the comfort of your living room and buy what you need with a click of the mouse. Cabinet door hinges can vary in size, style, thickness and finish. Besides personal preference the type of cabinet door you have will also dictate what type of hinges you need. There are three types of door; lipped, flush and overlay. A lipped door has a lip cut around it, a flush door sits inside the frame and an overlay door rests over the frame. One of the most common types of cabinet door hinges is the butt hinge which can be used on any of the three door types. This type of hinge includes two flaps or leaves with screw hole. These flaps are joined together by a rod or a pin. All you need to do is remove the pin to take the door down. One flap is recessed into the door the other into the frame. When the cabinet is shut these flaps butt together leaving only the pin showing. Another common type of cabinet door hinge is the pivot hinge. It is for overlay doors only. One hinge is mounted to the top and the other to the bottom. Parts of each are folded over and mounted to the door and frame resulting in a concealed hinge. One of the more popular cabinet door hinges today is the spring loaded hinge which can be used on all three door types. A small spring inside the hinge allows the door to close on its own. Yet another way hinges make your life easier. Available in several finishes including chrome, copper, brass, oil rubbed bronze, black and white it is easy to find some that will blend well with your décor. Some are even decorative like butt hinges with finials on the ends or butterfly hinges (for flush doors only) that vary in style from colonial to art deco. Finding the right hinges for you will be a challenging and fun adventure. And once you do you’ll truly believe that real beauty is in the details.