blogChoosing the Right Kitchen Cabinets

If you’re in the midst of remodelling your kitchen or just looking to do something small to make it feel new and fresh, choosing your kitchen cabinets can help tie the whole room together. It’s also surprisingly difficult because you have to choose from the materials, the colours, the patterns and more. If you keep reading, this guide will give you a helping hand in making your kitchen the best it can be.

#1 What do you use your kitchen for?

For cooking, obviously. But how much time do you spend there? How many people walk through it every day? Do you want a special space for your baking goods or your spices? Your cabinets are there to make your life as easy as possible by keeping it organised and accessible, and that doesn’t work if your two-year-old is running into wooden handles.

#2 What does your kitchen look like?

If your kitchen already has a particular style or colour choice, make sure that you keep those aesthetics in mind as you continue to read. You want your kitchen to feel like a cohesive whole, of which the cabinets are only a part. If you’re looking to remodel the entire kitchen, you can look through our blog for more inspiration and tips.

If you have a small kitchen you might want to look into space-saving cabinets, such as carousel corners or storage hidden behind other doors. Perhaps a small spice rack to save those last few inches between your counter and the fridge?

#3 Materials

Like kitchen floors or your kitchen counters, there is a huge range of materials to make your cabinets out of. Perhaps even more, as they don’t have to be as hard-wearing. Contact us if you want to get some expert advice, but here is a list of the usual contestants :

Wood – The most popular material, it is timeless and versatile and can be painted every colour under the sun, or just stained for dramatic effect.

Stainless Steel – Often used in professional kitchens, it does lend a more clinical feel to the kitchen, and fingerprints and scratches are harder to clean off.

Plywood – This is an engineered wood made of sheets of veneer and resin. Because it’s engineered it is made to be more resistant and can be customised to what you need.

Laminate – Enduring and clean, laminate is heat and moisture-resistant and often the perfect choice for kitchens, though it doesn’t look as professional.

Acrylic – A very modern material with a glossy finish, it’s often used with contemporary colours for a stunning look. However, it is more expensive and less forgiving of dirt and stains.

Glass – An unusual choice, but excellent if you’re always forgetting where you put things away and can make your kitchen look much more expansive.

#4 Colour

Depending on what material you chose, you may be inclined towards a certain colour. Try to make it fit with your current kitchen’s colour scheme, and you can look here for some ideas. Darker colours are better to hide fingerprints and messes that might occur, but light colours can make your kitchen feel airy. Neutral shades in soft colours can also bring a lot of character to the room.

#5 Patterns

Are you going for a plain slab for your cabinet doors or a simple recessed square with its decorative edge? Depending on how many doors you plan on having, the patterns that are already present and the material that the cabinets are made of, the pattern of the door can vary. Browse our range or Pinterest to get some ideas.

#6 Furnishings

Finally, chose how you want the cabinets to feel in the kitchen. Do you want a kickboard to hide the cabinet’s legs? Make sure that the drawer runners are full-extension so you can reach the items in the back of drawers and cabinets. Choose from the different handle sizes to suit your needs and abilities, whether you want a bar, a knob, or none.

You can also decide whether you want add-ons like soft-close hinges to make sure that your cabinet doors don’t slam shut if you let go accidentally. There are lots of accessories but choose depending on your style and budget.