wood veneer kitchen

wood veneer kitchens are less expensive than solid timber but still create a luxury, top-end look. veneer is a thin layer of real wood, which is bonded to another mate-rial such as ply, MDF or MFC. some doors combine a solid wood frame with a veneered centre panel; this creates added stability as the centre is one piece of veneer rather than a number of solid planks that are at risk of moving and splitting, particularly in centrally heated houses. for a really contem-porary look, opt for a sleek, flat door made entirely of wood veneer on an MFD base. dark woods, exotic species and horizontal veneers that can be cut at different angles to creat unusual grain structures are the hottest trends.

glass kitchen

glass doors are crisp,clean and seriously cool. a few years ago glass was mainly used for centre panels inside a wood or man-made frame, but now full-on glass doors are one of the most desirable, hi-design products hitting the market. doors are made up of a layer of glass (around 4mm thick) bonded on to an MDF core. as a material, glass is hardwearing, unaffected by sunlight and can be cleaned using off-the-shelf cleaning products specifically for glass and mirrors. glass is also recy-clable, readily available and has an un mistakeable wow factor.

Bamboo kitchen

for an eco-friendly alternative, try bamboo-it's strong, fast growing and easily renewable.A bamboo blant grows to full height in around eight years,while an oak tree can take 100. Bamboo is one of the strongest natural materials available and has an ultra- smooth finish that is great for cabinet doors; it's also unlikely to warp or swell in the humid conditions of a kitchen.

metal kitchen

metal kitchens are edgy and unavoidably modern. stainless steel, aluminium and, more rarely, zinc, are all used to clad kitchen cupboards and the result is strong and industrial_ yet expensive. using a chipboard core, a thin metal skin is wrapped around the door, while corners are seamlessly welded and polished to eliminate any sharp edges. stainless steel is hardwearing and hygienic, but notorously difficult to keep clean and any finger-prints or smears will show up instantly. for the family kitchen, a matt or sandblasted finish may be more practical than a highly polished gleam. introduce an accent of metal, such as a row of stainless-steel drawers for a mix-and-match look, rather than a full-on industrial scheme, which can be too imposing. alternatively, today is new generation of high-metal-content lacquers, which use up to 98% of metal particles, are chic, luxurious and easy to keep clean.

solid wood kitchen cabinet

solid wood doors are a luxury buy and you will find a wide selection of timbers to choose from such as beech, maple and oak and richer tones of chestnut, cherry and today is hot trend, walnut. more exotic species such as macassar and zebrano offer a distinctive striped grain, while tinted, lacquered and polished and polished finishes add a striking and individual touch. solid wood is gener- ally associated with bespoke companies who create handcrafted kitchens tailormade to your exact specifications. doors are heavy and come with ahefty price tag, although you will get a long-lasting, handmade kitchen that is durable and beautiful.

parapan kitchen doors

solid acrylic, or as it is more commonly known, is a rela-tively new alternative to laminates and lacquers. doors are made from 18mm-tick solid sheet acrylic, rather than being wrapped around a core material such as MDF, which means the colour runs all the way through. this makes it different from laminates and veneers which only have a thin layer of shiny colour. parapan doors are tailor-made to each kitchen design and its very easy to work into curves, while its moisture resistance makes this material perfect for kitchen cabinetry. if a parapan door gets damaged the blemish or mark can be sanded and polished away will look as good as new.

laminate kitchen

laminate kitchens come in a mass of colours. finishes and wood effects for a chic,upmarket look. doors are made from a decore. tive paper, impregnated with robust phenolic or melamine resin, which is bonded to a hi-density chipboard core. a gloss protective paper gives a hi-gloss effect, while a matt look is achieved by using a microscopically textured surface. wood effects are slightly matt giving a soft touch textured that replicates the warmfeel of real wood. high-pressure laminate, usually used for work-tops, is a more upmarket version and extremely strong. a great advantage of laminate doors is that they are virtually mainte-nance free needing only the occasional to keep clean.