Budget kitchens generally offer less choice in terms of style and range of cupboard sizes, which may leave space-wasting gaps in your plan. However, more and more manufacturers are devising flexible approaches, allowing you to mix and match door fronts and create special features such as an angled breakfast bar or stepped island unit. Remember that stock kitchen cupboards are less expensive and readily available. If you aren’t keen on any of the door styles, consider buying off-the-peg carcases and commissioning doors from a carpenter This way you can get the look you desire, yet still keep costs down. Mid-range kitchens offer a broader choice of units, usually in 10cm increments with varying heights to make best use of space. Bespoke kitchens offer the ultimate in customisation – at a price. A tailor made kitchen isn’t limited by any size or precedent, so you will get custom-made units to accommodate you and your kitchen requirements – whether it’s a base cabinet with a special silverware drawer or a huge, robust chef’s pantry. Wall cupboards can be built to the proportions of the room while difficult or small spaces can be utilised with ‘specials’ such as wine racks, spice drawers, tray slots or even window seats.
Behind closed doors
The quality of the material behind the door front is just as important as what you see on the outside. It’s less a question of style and visibility than of stability and rigidity. Kitchen carcases (the boxes behind the doors) vary in thickness depending on quality and price. A carcase that is made from 18mm-thick melamine-faced medium density (fibreboard IMDF) is a good standard to aim for, and is more suitable than solid wood, which can warp or move. Carcases should have solid, rigid backs and fully adjustable legs that can take account of uneven floors and protect units from penetrating damp. Look out for coloured carcases that match the colour of your doors or pale grey versions that merge ‘invisibly’ into the background (as opposed to a gleaming bright white), which will also suit the trend for steel and aluminium door fronts. Drawer boxes need to have solid sides, made of either wood or metal, with strong bases and smooth-action roller runners. The best drawers can glide shut with a push from your hip or foot, and close silently. The most expensive are made of wood with dovetailed joints and waxed wooden runners. Full-extension drawers that extend the entire length of the drawer allow complete access to the contents, with everything immediately to hand. A kick-board or plinth can be installed to conceal the legs of base units or they can be left bare to become part of the kitchen design. This space can also be utilised in small kitchens for extra storage (shallow drawers can hold baking trays, frying pans or tea towels) or a plinth heater. Cupboards are either framed or frameless. With a framed face, a rectangular frame outlines the carcase, strengthening it and providing a mount for the door to fit into. In-frame doors are better suited to more traditional, bespoke designs. A frameless door is cheaper to make. It fits flush with the carcase, is easy to hang and creates a simple, streamlined look. Metal hinges are stronger and more enduring than plastic and also allow for adjustment; clip-on versions allow greater flexibility as doors can be removed quickly and simply.
