A GUIDE TO KITCHEN CABINETS
What could possibly be the most important element of your kitchen design? The worktop, appliances or maybe even the lighting? If you stumble across this question whilst seeking inspiration for your new kitchen, then we may have the answer for you. Kitchen cabinets, or more importantly the cabinet finish — arguably creates the biggest impact on the overall style, feel and quality of your kitchen. In this blog, we’ll run through The Kitchen Partners’ selection of five different styles that you’ll be sure to love.
Slab it out
Flat-panel kitchen cabinet doors, better known as ‘Slab’ doors — are simple but stylish. The flat-panel kitchen cabinet style offers hard lines and minimalist form and lacks any ornate detail. The appearance of the simple flat-panel cabinet makes it a great fit for both contemporary and modern kitchens.
Flat-panel cabinets can be constructed in many different ways. A consistent feature of this style is the fact that the slab doors do not have any frames. Rather, they are simply solid slabs, reflecting their name.
An additional modern approach to the kitchen design, with flat-panel cabinets is to strip away the handles. Minimalism is proving popular within kitchen design. We believe it all comes down to the Scandi-inspired interior styling trend, that we’re seeing more frequently. Taking away as many unnecessary elements to the visual of the kitchen as possible to create simplicity. This makes for a simple backdrop to add personality with accessories and natural materials.
We are in partnership with Leicht and Brigitte, both German luxury kitchen specialists. We showcase their modern flat-panel kitchens in our showroom on the Whiteladies Road in Bristol.
Let’s shake things up
The most traditional style for kitchen cabinets today, is known as the Shaker-style. The Shaker style door is the panelled ‘country farmhouse’ look. It’s far more prevalent in Britain than the rest of the world. The Shaker style is a warm, homely look, that thrives in the ‘rustic and vintage’ kitchen design trend. Shaker cabinets consist of five pieces of flat-panel. Creating a frame with four pieces, then a single flat centre panel as the fifth piece.
Now you may have heard of the term ‘In-Frame’. Which is the most traditional method of making the Shaker door. It has a panelled door within a frame on the front of the cabinet, giving it more stability. More quality and time is required in the manufacturing and installation process of this version, but it provides a timelessly luxury and classic appearance.
Our traditional British suppliers are Sheraton and Mereway. Using the finest quality materials and hand painting all cabinets, they provide our customers with bespoke and handmade kitchens.
No matter which you choose, a traditional solid wood, hand painted kitchen is the successful outcome. You can be sure of one thing — your kitchen will be built to the very highest standards, by British craftsmen who pride themselves on a craft exceptionally well executed.
It’s time to open up
Open shelves look beautiful in the magazines, but not necessarily a “must-have” for most homeowners. Let’s face it — you have to have a matching set of dinnerware, or speciality pieces you want on display. But with good organisation and the right kind of shelves, you can create a really unique style for your kitchen. — Whether it’s contemporary charm, or a traditionally classic design.
As a replacement to wall based closed-cabinetry, open kitchen shelving is becoming a unique alternative design trend.
While you may find it hard to imagine, open shelving has it’s benefits. It provides a light and airy feel, offering the illusion of more space, which is especially great in smaller kitchens. It’s efficient since you can see and grab what you need, without taking the time to open cabinet doors to look inside. Considering everything is out in the open, be thoughtful about whatever you place on the shelves. Every utensil, bowl or glass has an impact on the overall aesthetic of your kitchen’s look and feel.
Showcase some accent-coloured utensils that provide a uniform of character for your kitchen. Recycle those empty wine bottles from your dinner party, aligning them on your open-shelf. Display luscious organic herb plants and spice-filled mason jars. For small kitchens, be careful not to overload the wall shelving. Keep only the bare essentials and place the rest of your items in the base cabinets. Not only will it make it easier to keep everything well organised, but it will also help you maintain a sharp and simple look.