Selecting Your Kitchen Cabinets

Crafting a particular aesthetic in your kitchen is largely influenced by your choice of kitchen cabinets. If you’re steering towards a modern look, a flat door design without any intricate profiles typically hits the mark.

Planing your kitchen cabinets for storage

For efficient storage solutions, think about incorporating kitchen cabinets with deep drawers for convenient access to your cookware and tableware. Alternatively, the open shelving approach is not only practical but also serves as a stylish display of your kitchenware. When you explore our Nouvelle showroom, you’ll encounter a multitude of ideas and choices. However, you may want to consider the following key factors:

Laminates and Melamine

These are prevalent materials for residential joinery due to their durability, resistance to scratching, chipping, and moisture. Comprising resin-soaked decorative paper bonded onto particleboard, these materials offer a cost-effective yet quality finish. The laminate world has evolved since the 70s; now, you can expect robust 1mm solid colour ABS edging resistant to knocking and peeling. With a diverse palette of colours, textures, and wood grains available in matt, satin, sheen, and gloss, you can create a bespoke kitchen style. For an interesting contrast, consider using different materials for your overhead and base kitchen cabinets or for decorative shelving and trims.

Polyurethane or Two-pack

This painted finish option allows for complete customisation in colour choice, in either gloss or satin. Its popularity is attributed to its aesthetic appeal, robustness, and versatility. Primarily used for panels and doors, the medium density MDF core ensures a smooth and stipple-free finish when painted with polyurethane.

Advantages of this finish are the ability to profile and contour design elements into any pattern, and the seamless edges that are free of joins. However, it’s essential to ensure a high-quality polyurethane is used to prolong longevity and resist scratching and chipping.

Vacuum formed

Thermolaminated vinyl or vacuum-formed doors and panels utilise an MDF board that’s wrapped with a vinyl surface. These offer a range of colours, profiles, and surface finishes, including a tactile timber grain feel. Their non-porous nature makes cleaning easy.

Vacuum-formed doors with plain texture finishes are affordable options. However, they have limitations in finishes, profiles and colours, and over time, the vinyl may peel off.

Timber kitchen cabinets

The timeless appeal of timber, such as Tasmanian or American oak, can be a valuable addition to classic or country-style kitchens. However, solid timber cabinets can be pricey, so if budget constraints apply, consider featuring timber in specific areas like the benchtop or shelving.

French Provincial kitchens often feature intricately carved or hand-painted detailing on timber cabinets, with glass doors showcasing treasured display items. A painted poly finish is often preferred nowadays over unpainted solid timber.

Timber veneer

Perfect for Mid-Century Modern kitchens, timber veneer brings warmth and the appealing visuals of timber without the hefty price tag. Here, thin timber slices are applied to boards and sealed with a clear two-pack coating, offering a choice of high-gloss, semi-gloss, or matte finishes.

Don’t forget the ‘hardware‘ components of your cabinets – the drawer runners, hinges, and handles. High-quality hardware may cost more initially but will ensure the longevity of your cabinetry. Be sure to ask about and personally test these components when requesting a quote, along with any other included features like bin systems and cutlery dividers.

Selecting Your Kitchen Cabinets

Planing your kitchen cabinets for storage

Laminates and Melamine

Polyurethane or Two-pack

Vacuum formed

Timber kitchen cabinets

Timber veneer

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