Whether you are just sprucing up your kitchen or completely remodeling it, cabinets and countertops play a key role in giving your kitchen the aesthetic you desire. However, the key point for spot-on cabinetry and countertop is upon kitchen design, i.e., traditional, modern, or eclectic.
If you are more inclined towards a traditional kitchen design, you could go for ornate and fancy cabinets and countertop to elaborate the design details of a traditional kitchen.
On the other hand, a modern kitchen design calls for a sleek and minimalistic approach to these two kitchen essentials to ensure cohesiveness with other design elements.
Last but not the least, an eclectic kitchen design is more relaxed and best for individuals with a knack for creativity – it allows you to play around with colors. It gives you a go-ahead to play with any type of cabinetry and countertop design, whether modern or traditional, and is the most suited design for those who want to follow their own flare.
If you are in the process of finding the best cabinetry and countertop design to bring your vision of an ideal kitchen to life, we are here to help you out. To get you going in the right direction, we have compiled a list of some amazing in-depth guidance tips to help you out in the process.
Choosing the Right Material for Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinets play a key role in achieving the ultimate desired final kitchen appearance. A carefully selected cabinet design does not only do justice to most of the remodeling budget that it eats up but can also make your kitchen look unique and classy.
However, you must keep four things in mind when choosing cabinet material – functionality, style, maintenance, and budget. Arriving at the right decision can be a pain sometimes. That is why we decided to present you some amazing guidelines about different cabinetry options available in the market:
Solid Wood Kitchen Cabinets
Nothing can match the classiness and natural texture solid wood cabinetry brings to a kitchen. But as the furniture in the kitchen, comes with a disadvantage – solid wood expands and contracts. Therefore, if you live in an area where the weather is extreme, having solid wood cabinetry is not a good idea. Apart from this, solid wood can be pretty heavy on your pocket too! Solid wood cabinets need continuous care and usage to prevent pests, cracking, and mildew.
Engineered Wood Cabinets
An ideal alternative to solid wood is engineered wood – it functions splendidly and is easy on the pocket too! Here are some of the best and widely used engineered wood cabinetry options that you can opt for:
Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
People prefer MDF as cabinet material by most because it is dense, durable, and heavy. This high-quality engineered wood is made by milling recycled wood fibers & resin under high pressure which makes it extremely smooth. Hence, it is easy to paint over. Moreover, its smooth surface retains paint in the long run since it is resistant to paint peeling and cracking.
Plywood Cabinets
Plywood is a great choice for cabinetry if you live in an area with humid weather. This is because Plywood consists of woodpiles attached to each other with glue, and these are then encased from both sides with plastic laminate or other moisture-resistant materials. This manufacturing process not only lowers the cost of Plywood but also imparts high stability to it.
Aluminium Alloy Kitchen Cabinets
Compared to solid wood and MDF, aluminum alloy might be the best kitchen cabinet material on the market. Because the aluminum alloy is lightweight, durable, and anti-rust, most importantly, it is non-flammable and waterproof.
Not only are there beautiful patterns on aluminum alloy kitchen cabinets, but the material and coating can withstand moisture and heat in the kitchen. A damp cloth can easily wipe off the dust and grease on cabinets with a non-porous surface.
They don’t release chemical odors like resin wood cabinets. Even though the price of a full aluminum alloy cabinet may be a bit higher than a common wood cabinet. It can last for decades with no worry about using the environment and pest infestation such as termites.
Furthermore, aluminum alloy cabinets are eco-friendly. The material is 100% recyclable.
Although aluminum alloy cabinets have so many advantages, you cannot neglect some problems they may have. To avoid edge indentation and noise of open & close, you’d better choose thicker panels and better hinges and nails.
Choosing the Right Countertops
There is a multitude of options available in the market when it comes to choosing the material for kitchen countertops. The most overwhelming question is – which one to go for?
Well, you can narrow down your hunt for the right kitchen countertop by evaluating your requirements beforehand. Based on these needs, you can go for one of the following options:
Granite Countertops
You should opt for this natural beauty if you are willing to invest a hefty amount in your countertops. However, you need to be ready for its maintenance every 10 to 15 years. This is because it is porous and hence requires resealing. Moreover, it is also susceptible to staining. Therefore, it is crucial to talk to your vendor in-depth about the granite’s type and characteristics before purchase.
Quartz Countertops
Coming under the category of the hardest minerals on Earth, Quartz can serve you well both in terms of durability and low maintenance. It is not susceptible to staining especially in darker colors and does not require resealing or any other maintenance procedure because it is non-porous – therefore, it is an amazing option for high traffic kitchen. However, it’s still a must to avoid direct contact with hot items. You need to pay close attention to buy the right Quartz for your kitchen countertop – make sure to get one that consists of 93% natural quartz and 7% of binders to ensure extremely high durability.
Marble Kitchen Countertops
Although marble will give your kitchen an extremely luxurious finish, it will give you a hard time especially if you have a high-traffic kitchen. This is because marble is the most porous, susceptible to staining, and sensitive to abrasion countertop options available in the market. Moreover, it is also extremely expensive not only to initially install in the kitchen but also in the long-run continuous maintenance.
Solid Surface Countertops
Solid surface is the best option for those who have plans for customizing their kitchens in the distant future i.e., changing a sink, installing new appliances, etc. Although this is a synthetic material, it is still expensive. Because it has high durability, a non-porous surface, heat-resistant quality, and no need for maintenance. Apart from this, the best part is that is available in a wide array of colors for you to choose from to match the aesthetic of your kitchen.
Solid Wood Kitchen Countertops
Solid wood is only suitable in a small area in the kitchen designated for chopping. Using it throughout the kitchen as a countertop material is not recommended. Because even steam and water can easily damage solid wood. It is hard to maintain a solid wood countertop in the long run.
Although it might seem like we have completed the guide, we are not! All of this does not end at choosing the right cabinet and countertop material and design.
The spot-on hardware maintains cohesiveness with other design elements. If you miss out on choosing that, you might have to give up turning your ideal kitchen into a reality!
Therefore, you need to be extremely careful when it comes to choosing hardware for your kitchen. Here is how you can do that:
Choose Hardware Carefully
It is imperative to maintain cohesiveness between your kitchen’s finish and hardware design. Therefore, choosing the right hardware i.e., cabinet hinges, drawer slide, faucet, sink, etc. is of utmost importance. Moreover, it is essential to determine your kitchen’s color and finish before selecting the hardware. Because all design elements need to complement each other.
For example, if you are going for a distressed nickel, bright brass, aged bronze, or antique brass finish, ornate and embellished hardware will complement the end look. Hence, your choice of hardware should be more inclined towards the vintage and traditional sides.
On the other hand, if you favor finishes like bright chrome, satin chrome, polished nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, or matte black, more of a sleek and modern hardware option will be more suited. This is because it will not only complement the final appearance of the kitchen but will also seem cohesive with the finish.
