As inviting as it is functional, your kitchen is the heart and hub of your home. A daily meeting place where everyone in your family comes together. Not only to cook and eat, but to hang out, catch up, and connect.
But it doesn’t happen by accident. Achieving a perfect balance between form and function is what makes a great kitchen an awesome gathering place. And nothing plays a more critical role in achieving that balance than your kitchen cabinets. Especially, the traditional solid wood cabinets that have long been a favorite design approach.
Fortunately, modern advancements in raw materials and technology have led to even more kitchen cabinet possibilities today than ever before — with Wood Veneer topping the list of design approaches. As amazingly cost-effective and eco-friendly as it is versatile, you’ll find wood veneer offers a near limitless list of options for transforming the ambience of your kitchen.
Creating Your Dream Kitchen with Wood Veneer Cabinets
In this Log Blog, we explore the myriad benefits of using wood veneer to create the perfect kitchen cabinets for you, including a rundown of some of the most popular – as well as overlooked – wood species to help you design a truly unique kitchen.
Benefits of Wood Veneer Cabinets
From a practical design/application standpoint, wood veneer has evolved tremendously in recent years. In fact, compared to solid wood cabinets, the benefits of using natural wood veneer for your kitchen cabinets are considerable, including these key advantages:
- Cost-Effectiveness: Wood veneer offers the classic “wood look” without the high cost associated with solid wood cabinets.
- Diverse Species Selection: Wood veneer gives you, literally, hundreds of wood species to choose from, allowing you the widest variety of colors and designs to consider.
- Resistance to Warping: Unlike solid wood cabinets that can “move,” warp, or bend over time, wood veneer plywood is less prone to moisture release, ensuring greater stability.
Ease of Installation and Maintenance: Wood veneer cabinets are easier to install and maintain, making them a convenient choice for updating your kitchen, now and in the future.
Most Common Wood Veneers for a Kitchen
With over 200 wood species to choose from, GL Veneer is, hands down, your go-to source for endless kitchen cabinet possibilities.
Of course, due to their wide availability, White Oak, Walnut, Maple, Hickory, and Cherry are among the most popular wood veneer choices for kitchen design applications. But there are some other exceptional species you might want to consider as well, so we’ve added them alongside the household names in the list below:
Rift White Oak: A versatile favorite with timeless appeal, White Oak’s light and bright veneer provides diverse cabinet possibilities and the flexibility to complement a wide range of colors and textures.
Walnut: Renown for its rich color and premium appearance, Walnut inspires truly elegant cabinet options that span a vast spectrum of stunning shades and beautiful grain patterns.
Maple: A smooth-grained wood that stains and finishes easily, Maple’s versatility makes it a popular choice for achieving a wide variety of design aesthetics.
Cherry: A classic choice for kitchen cabinets, Cherry wood veneer ages beautifully, reaching warm tones and timeless beauty.
Hickory: Combining durability with contrasting natural streaks that create beautiful eye appeal, Hickory makes a traditional yet attractive option.
Paldao: A distinctive darker brown wood infused with signature black veins, Paldao adds a touch of luxury and visual impact to any kitchen.
Koa: Known for its natural island beauty, Koa wood veneer combines striking grain patterns and warm colors to create a cozy tropical atmosphere.
Ebony: The epitome of luxury, Macassar Ebony’s rich dark color adds both sophistication and depth to your kitchen, while hiding stains and scratches.
Santos Rosewood: Classically warm and wonderfully durable, Santos Rosewood’s dense grain patterns create captivating cabinets that elevate the beauty of any kitchen design.
Refacing Kitchen Cabinets with Wood Veneer
Among the more common practices in kitchen design today is cabinet refacing. Easier than it sounds – even for the novice – refinishing kitchen cabinets with wood veneer allows you to quickly modernize your current cabinets while instantly expanding your design options. Taking this money-saving DYI approach to give your kitchen an amazing facelift is an approach that will impress even the most experienced woodworker.
Final Thoughts for a Top Shelf Kitchen
A primary focal point of your kitchen’s design, the look and feel of your kitchen cabinets will make all the difference. Whether you prefer a classic look, a modern design, or something unique and exotic, real wood veneer can help you achieve the kitchen of your dreams.
Before building or remodeling your kitchen cabinets, explore the world of wood veneer, its breadth of beautiful options, and the amazing versatility it brings to your kitchen design choices.
