Kitchen furniture set - how to choose and not regret

A kitchen set should not only be beautiful, but also comfortable and functional. And in order for it to really be like that, you need to know some rules by which it is better to arrange furniture. There are also a lot of other points that "get out" only during use. So that you do not fill cones (in the literal and figurative sense of the word), read the tips that are prepared based on the experience of operating many kitchens. And the kitchen furniture you have planned will delight you, and your stay in the kitchen will be comfortable and safe.

Correctly arranging furniture in the kitchen is not easy

What are they made of

Typically, a kitchen set consists of floor-standing and hanging (wall) cabinets, there can also be a pencil case. They are made from different materials - from inexpensive to elite. All of them are not ideal for the kitchen. They have not yet come up with such a material that tolerates high humidity, temperature, the effects of acids, alkalis, abrasive and detergents, while still serving for a long time, easy to clean and looks attractive. Some of the components have to be sacrificed, and sometimes several.

Chipboard kitchen set

Chipboard - chipboard... This material is the cheapest. It is made from shavings and sawdust, which are held together with a special binding agent, and pressed in the form of plates or parts of kitchen furniture - facades. The resulting board and edges are then pasted over with finishing materials. This could be:

• PVC film;
• plastic;
• veneer.

The cheapest type of finish is PVC film, the other two types are slightly more expensive. In any case, such kitchen sets are the most budgetary option. But they don't have a very long service life. Most often, the chipboard begins to warp near the sink and stove or oven. This type of material does not react well to high temperatures and humidity. Therefore, a kitchen set made of chipboard with various finishes is bought most often for a summer residence, in a hostel or in other temporary housing.

As you saw in the photo, the appearance and style of a chipboard kitchen set can be anything. And this is only a small part of how you can do it. For example, combinations with glass look very unusual.

Glass inserts in wall cabinets

Facades with an aluminum frame are suitable for a modern or minimalist kitchen. They will no longer be quite cheap, but reliability will increase: the most problematic places will be made of aluminum, and it tolerates moisture and temperature normally.

Chipboard in aluminum frame

If we talk about the latest fashion trends, today kitchens are made in two colors: the bottom is darker, the top is lighter by several tones. This technique allows you to visually make not very elegant cabinets lighter.

Two-tone kitchen sets - the latest fashion trends

What else do you need to know when buying kitchen furniture made of chipboard? That the binder, which is used in production, contains formaldehyde, the fumes of which are harmful, in large quantities - toxic, and besides, they stimulate the development of cancer.For this reason, the amount of formaldehyde emitted is controlled and, depending on its amount, is marked. Before buying or ordering furniture, take an interest in the documents for the chipboard, from which it will be made. The certificate must contain the emission class: the Latin letter E and numbers. So chipboard with E1 emission class is no more harmful than natural wood. Suitable for use in residential premises of class E2. The rest are only in non-residential ones.

This part in most kitchen sets is made precisely from laminated chipboard.

One more point: in almost all kitchens, except for the "elite" class, the cabinets themselves are made of Chipboard... So a kitchen set with a facade made of MDF in 95% of cases it has "insides" made of chipboard. This is also worth knowing.

Kitchen set made of MDF

As already mentioned, only facades are made of MDF. These are wood waste compressed under high pressure, ground into flour. With this technology, binders are not added: at high pressure, they are released from the wood (lignin) and stick together the particles. Therefore, this material is considered safe.

As a result of processing, a dense structure is obtained that tolerates high humidity well. The surface is painted, pasted over with PVC film or veneer. According to the combination of price and quality characteristics, it is the MDF kitchen furniture that is optimal. It is durable, easy to maintain (if the surface is not covered with veneer), and has an average cost.

Painted MDF kitchen sets are a great choice. The modern variety of paints allows you to get very beautiful surfaces, and the super-durable varnish coating applied on top extends the service life. For example, the facade painted in blue with a metallic effect can be seen in the photo below.

Kitchen set from painted MDF color "blue metallic"

If you prefer more calm, classic colors, you can do this: light, milky, beige, white - all possible shades of the palette.

Calm tones are also possible

For fans of hi-tech or minimalism, this material is also suitable. A smooth surface, with a light or bright gloss, matte - it all depends on your desire and the equipment available from this furniture company.

Wood kitchen sets

Wood is the most expensive material: almost no furniture is made from pine and spruce, since they are very soft, while other species are expensive. Cheaper wooden kitchen sets are made from furniture boards - glued boards, from which parts are then cut to the required shape. Furniture made of solid wood is a very, very expensive pleasure. But the price is not its only drawback: the wooden surface requires special and careful care, otherwise it loses all its gloss. If you are not ready to rub it with special products on a weekly basis, look for other options.

Solid wood island kitchen set

Since the furniture, to put it mildly, is not cheap, it is designed mainly for large kitchens. Probably, you can order for a small one, but such material requires volume and space. Only then is all its charm visible. In a small room, it will "crush" because the furniture set will turn out to be solid and bulky.

Wood looks beautiful with an abundance of space and light

One more point: wood kitchen sets are made mainly in a classic style. Sometimes - the modern style or some of the ethno-trends. Others are practically excluded: wood does not fit into the concept.

One of the thematic options for wood kitchen furniture: a nautical kitchen

A cheaper option is the so-called paneled facades. This is when only a frame is made of wood, and one of the cheaper materials is inserted into it: the same MDF, glass, mirror, cheaper wood (for example, pine or spruce).

Paneled kitchen furniture: one example

As you can imagine, the choice of colors is also scarce: natural wood, darkened or lightened. It makes no sense to paint with opaque paints (creating an opaque film): it is the texture of the wood that is important. If you need colored furniture, MDF is better.

Now a little about the features of operation. The wood constantly swells, then dries up, therefore cracks appear in the furniture. Another point: it requires careful care using special products. Conventional detergents are not suitable. They destroy the structure, impairing the appearance. Wood periodically needs to refresh its color. There are also special methods and means for this. So it is difficult to care for.

Read about choosing a kitchen apron here.

Types of kitchen sets

Now about how furniture is arranged in kitchen sets. It can be located:

• linear (linear kitchen) - along one wall;
• two-line (two-line or two-line kitchen) - along two opposite walls;
• corner - in the form of the letter "G" (corner or L-shaped kitchen) - on two adjacent walls;
• in the form of the letter "P" (U or U-shaped kitchen) - on three adjacent walls;
• with an island (island kitchen) - a stove, table or sink taken out separately;
• in the form of the letter G or peninsula.

Types of arrangement of furniture kitchen set

The type of location is determined by the size and configuration of the room, as well as the location of communications - sockets, water supply and drains. You can put furniture on two opposite sides only if there is at least 80-90 cm of free space between them, in extreme cases 70 cm may be enough. Otherwise it will be too cramped and inconvenient.

On small kitchens the most common two types of kitchen sets: linear and angular - L-shaped. Peninsular ones sometimes fit well. This "peninsula" can be made in the form of a bar or a small table. This is often a good opportunity to make a dining area in a small space. The other three types of kitchen sets are for medium or large kitchens, but this does not mean that furniture cannot be arranged linearly or at an angle on them.

How to arrange

In their studies, scientists have gotten to the behavior of women in the kitchen. They noticed that almost half of the time - 45% - the hostess is at the sink. You don't need to be a scientist to say that besides the sink, she often pays attention to the refrigerator and stove. These three items are key when planning a kitchen set. It makes sense to install the sink in the center, and the refrigerator and stove on the sides. This trio forms a triangle, and work surfaces are placed between these objects. This arrangement allows you to spend less time on movement, and it is more convenient this way.

An example of the location of the main devices in the kitchen: stove, sink and refrigerator

As you can see in the photo above, in the previous paragraph, for any configuration of the kitchen set, furniture is arranged based on this triangle (painted over in yellow). But these are not the only options, arrange everything the way you think is more convenient. It is advisable only to observe the triangle principle.

There are some rules to follow.

1. The stove and sink are not placed in the immediate vicinity. Water and fire close by is a bad idea. There must be a work surface between them, and preferably 60 cm or so.
2. It is advisable to plan at least 40 cm of working area on both sides of the stove.
3. The distance from the stove to the upper cabinet (if any) should be at least 50 cm.
   

   Rules for placing a stove in a kitchen set

4. The stove is not placed near the window. If they do, then curtains for the kitchenyou need to think so that under no circumstances they could get on the stove. The choice in this case is not the largest: roller blinds, Roman blinds, horizontal blinds and classic kitchen curtains.
5. The dishwasher is best placed near the sink. It will be easier to place and clean up the dishes, and the drops will be in one place.
6. If one of the cabinets is adjacent to the wall, it is better to make a small panel on the side of the door. Then the door can open completely, which is important if there are drawers inside.
7. An oven installed at eye level is not only convenient. This arrangement is safer for children.
   

   Some tips on how to arrange furniture more conveniently in the kitchen set

8. Do not install the sink in front of a window, the sash of which opens inward. In any case, make sure that the flap does not touch the mixer.
9. Placing a stove near a wall is not the best choice. Firstly, the wall will always be smoked and splashed with grease, and secondly, an additional working surface is lost.
10. Do not place a cabinet with drawers in a corner. If they are open or not fully pushed in, they will not allow the doors of the cabinet located on the adjoining wall to be opened.
    

    Recommendations for placing furniture in the kitchen

11. A stove, dishwasher or oven should not be placed in a corner - their body will block access to the end space.
12. It is undesirable to make drawers next to the stove: children can use them as a ladder. It is dangerous during the operation of the stove.
13. In the closet next to the stove or hob, you can make a drawer for kitchen utensils. This is really convenient.

It is very important to arrange furniture in the kitchen set correctly.

Another little tip - make as many drawers as possible. They can be large - for pots, medium - for cereals, small - for cutlery or kitchen utensils and other small things. Everything is much faster in them, pulled out and folded. This is really more convenient than looking for what you need on the shelves.

Drawers are much more convenient

They do not have to be made of wood or chipboard. More practical from metal wire coated with chromium or a polymer layer. Only the front part is made of MDF, chipboard or wood.

Another tip applies to cabinets located at the ends. If they are rectangular, then passing by, you will not once or twice stumble upon a corner, bruises will remain. And children, whose head will be at this level, can get more serious injuries. For this reason, it is better to make the side part multifaceted, or rounded. This will slightly increase the cost of the cabinet, but it is much safer this way.

The side surfaces of the outermost cabinets are best made multifaceted or rounded.

The choice of wallpaper for the kitchen is described here a what paint will be optimal read here.

We equip corners optimally

If the kitchen is angular - L-shaped or U-shaped - you need to correctly organize the corner: there is a lot of space, but it is difficult to use it. You can put a corner cabinet. Moreover, the doors should open on the sides and have a width of at least 40 cm. This will make it possible to get to the farthest corners.

One of the options for a corner cabinet in the kitchen

Please note that with this design, the entire area is available. They differ only in the location of the second shelf, although it is possible to put moving swivel boxes there.

Another way to use corner space

This version of the corner cabinet is not so convenient: it is very difficult to get to the far corner: you have to almost completely "dive" inside. The way out is to make corner shelves (approximately in the shadow, which is in the photo) and store rarely used things.

The most inconvenient use of the angle: there is almost no way to get into this appendix

This version of the corner cabinet is one of the most unfortunate. When the doors are hung and the countertops are completely installed, it will be very difficult to get to the corner.

It is far from always possible to follow all the recommendations, but you need to try. They are based on experience and really make being in the kitchen more convenient.

Cabinet dimensions

If we talk about commercially available kitchen sets, the dimensions of the cabinets are calculated based on the average growth. For example, the height of the floor cabinets is within 80-90 cm, their depth is most often about 60 cm.

Height of base cabinets in a kitchen set

But it is more convenient to carry out different operations at different heights. Therefore, recently there have been cabinets with different table top heights - just for different operations. Such kitchen sets are called multi-level. It is also an opportunity to choose more comfortable furniture for people with non-standard height, and also the possibility of more rational use of space (example in the photo above).

Multilevel countertops

But different levels are not only a plus. The downside is that a part of the side surface turns out to be open, which does not have such operational properties as the table top. She can quickly lose her attractiveness. The second minus is the gap into which the remnants will be hammered. But this, by the way, is not so critical: you can seal it with a transparent sealant. It is only important to choose the right one: it should not be acidic.

Another example of kitchen furniture with worktops at different levels

The depth of the base cabinets as standard is 60 cm or so. But it can be more or less and depends only on the dimensions of the worktops produced. They are maximum 1.2 meters wide. More than this value can only be made on an individual order, and less - cut - always welcome. You just need to understand that a microwave or oven will not fit on a countertop 50 cm or less. But sometimes, in narrow kitchens, such a kitchen set with a cut countertop is the only possible option, at least on several tables.

The depth of the wall cabinets is determined based on the width of the countertop - approximately 65% ​​of its width is taken. So the furniture looks harmonious. But these cabinets also do not make less than 30 cm: even a standard plate will not be in them. Wider cabinets in the kitchen can be made at the request of the customer: suddenly you need to install something more voluminous.

Sizes of wall cabinets for the kitchen

The distance from the countertop to the bottom edge of the wall cabinets is at least 45 cm. The maximum is 60 cm. Most often they make 45-50 cm. The shelves in the hanging cabinets are positioned so that at least two of them can be reached. If you plan to make them right up to the ceiling, you will need a stepladder, or a stepladder stool (there are some).

Step stool

You may be interested in reading "How to make a bar counter in the kitchen with your own hands»

What are the best cabinet doors in the kitchen

Hinged (No. 1 in the photo) and hinged doors (No. 2) in the open state can be traumatic. Therefore, they must be constantly closed. In the case of folding ones, the opening angle can be made not 90 ° but 110 °. It's much safer this way.

What mechanisms for opening the doors to choose

Doors parallel to the facade going upwards (No. 3) are safe, but if the cabinet is divided horizontally and has separate doors, then the open lower one blocks access to the one above. The hinged front (No. 4) is convenient, but the sash that has risen up overlaps or knocks over the items placed on the cabinets. Often there are decorative utensils or other items for decoration. The most convenient are the upward-opening facades (No. 5). To save space, they can be in two parts.