Choosing your kitchen furniture

Kitchen furniture can be made from a variety of materials – solid woods, natural or synthetic veneers, man made boards – even stone or steel! All have their advantages and understanding a little more about the products used can help ensure you choose the product most suited to you.

Apart from the differences in materials and finishes, the most important things to consider when choosing your kitchen furniture are the purposes for which you need the items, taking into account their size, strength, durability and after care requirements.

Cabinets

Cabinet doors are something you will have to live with for some time so be careful to pick a design and style that you like. Surprisingly, the doors and drawer fronts are often more expensive than the cabinets to which they are fitted. Durability and ease of maintenance are also factors that you need to think about.

Solid wood

Veneer will generally be less expensive and is often more stable than solid wood, as it is less likely to be affected by heat and damp. If your preference is for consistency then a run of cabinet doors may look better in veneer since there may be less variation between different pieces in terms of grain, texture and colour. Solid wood being a natural material will vary from piece to piece – door to door. Kitchen cabinet furniture in wood can come in a range of colours and finishes; gloss lacquered, painted, colour washed, waxed, and stained to name a few. It is not unusual for the cabinet colour to be different from the door as they use different materials.

Laminate

Plastic laminates are synthetic surfacing materials manufactured in sheets using layers of resin-impregnated papers. The top surface can have any decorative effect and it is extremely hard-wearing, making it ideal for hard working kitchen furniture.

Melamine (MFC – melamine faced chipboard) is manufactured using a single layer of resin-impregnated paper similar to laminate and provides a durable surface for doors, carcasses etc. The laminate or melamine is bonded to chipboard, MDF (medium density fibreboard) or plywood. Laminates offer numerous possibilities in terms of colour, texture, style and finish. Combined with a choice of handles, worktops and other accessories, they offer many exciting options for finishing off your kitchen. Laminate doors are also virtually maintenance free, needing only occasional cleaning to maintain their fresh appearance.

PVC foil is a thermostatic foil bonded to MDF or chipboard, the flexibility of foil combined with inherent durability makes it particularly suitable for profiled doors. Paper foils are a single sheet of printed paper sometimes impregnated but usually overlacquered and then bonded to MDF; these can be also be used for doors and provide an economic alternative to MFC. Both PVC and paper foils are available in numerous decorative effects.

Other materials

Whilst wood or laminate (MFC) doors are often the most likely choice, there are other materials that can be used to introduce some variety into your kitchen. The same type of cupboard and cabinet material can lookbland, especially in a long run of cabinets, and options include using glass doors (clear, plain, patterned or frosted), open shelving or contrasting colours/materials to add interesting features.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is also becoming increasingly popular. Arguably this is the easiest material to clean and maintain, and is of course extremely hygienic and durable, but it can give your kitchen a 'clinical' look. Stainless steel doors are also expensive. High gloss acrylic or lacquered doors are available in a multitude of colours and are surprisingly easy to keep clean.