Kitchen Vastu and Laminate Designs

Now that you have bought your dream apartment in the favourite part of your city, it is time to give some serious attention to your kitchen. You would be spending a considerable part of your waking hours in the kitchen so it is important that this area is designed keeping in mind your comfort and aesthetics. If yours is a modular kitchen its cabinetry needs to be designed in a manner that adds to your pleasure, and flexibility of use. Another thing to be kept in mind is that your kitchen cabinets should be durable and have a high shelf life.

Kitchen Vastu Has Come To the Fore!

In recent times, Kitchen Vastu has become a popular phenomenon, more than what you’d like to imagine. And if you didn’t know it existed, voila! Not just for furniture or home décor, Vastu is applicable in the kitchen as well. Which side should the stove be facing? Which colour do you want on your walls? Should there be black curtains donning kitchen windows? What part of the house should the kitchen be situated in? Which room should be next to the kitchen? What’s the first thing you look at when you step outside your kitchen? These are some of the questions that are answered when it comes to Kitchen Vastu. Might not seem like it, but the believers are very finicky about all this. To each his own, as they say.

There are several kinds of finishings available for kitchen cabinets but the ones that are most popular are the laminates finishings. Now you can choose your favourite laminates for kitchen cabinet from a wide variety of designs. Before we move any further, let us understand what are laminates? 

Laminates

These substances are composite artificial materials made by pressing together thin layers of flat paper and plastic resins. A very high pressure is used to bring and stick these two layers. The outer layer of a laminate- which is visible- is printed with decorative designs and patterns.

Since the shelf life of these substances is very high, many people use laminates for kitchen cabinets.

Advantages of kitchen laminates

Laminates are used for cabinet design and furnishing for several reasons. In recent times, laminates have garnered a worldwide fan base owing to a variety of perks that they offer.

• Firstly, kitchen laminate designs provide visual space to the users. This means that when you install laminates on your almirahs and other cabinets, you get a feeling that your kitchen has expanded and has become bigger.
• Secondly, nowadays, many home makers prefer laminates for their wide range of colour, variety and texture. Some of the varieties available are matt, gloss and ultra high-gloss. Step up your glam quotient by picking those laminates whose finish complements your personality.
• In terms of texture, kitchen laminate designs come in wooden, metallic, stone, cloth, and paper textures. Hence, you get multiple options to choose from depending on your taste.
• As far as colours are concerned, the sky is the limit. Choose a combination of shades so that you remain happy and peaceful as long as you are there in your kitchen.
• Many laminate companies also keep the tastes of kids in mind while designing their products. Since several home makers have small kids, these companies understand the importance of these children in the kitchen design process.
• Another important point that goes in favour of the laminates is that these substances are heat and moisture resistant. When you use your kitchen for long hours, then the gas flame throws up a lot of heat which gets trapped within its four walls. This heat can damage your costly cabinets unless their materials are durable and heat resistant.
• If you are using a lot of cooking oils, then the air within the kitchen will mostly be laden with humidity and moisture. If your laminate designs for kitchen are not sturdy and durable, then your cabinet will erode away quickly.
• One of the biggest USPs is the fact that laminates are easy to clean. Given the amount of dirt in our country, keeping our house clean becomes imperative, which is why home makers pay important attention to this aspect.
• Lastly, kitchen laminate designs are cost effective in comparison with other finishes. You can expect value for money when you buy these products. So the next time when you are thinking of buying a snazzier and more glamorous product as your laminate for kitchen cabinet, give the value for money equation a thought.

 Tips for your kitchen laminates

Tip #1

While designing your cabinets, you can buy pre-fabricated custom or semi- custom kitchen laminate designs. Pre-fabricated products are really very cheap and all you have to do is to consult your guide book and install the design with a simple hammer and some nails. Semi-custom laminated designs are somewhat expensive and the custom made products are definitely more expensive. If you are planning to stay in your current house for a good many number of years, then go in for custom made laminate designs for your kitchen.

Tip #2

Are you worried about how to maintain and clean your expensive kitchen cabinet? Don’t worry. Modern kitchen cabinet laminates are easy to clean and maintain. All you need is a bit of water based cleaning solution and a sponge. Dip the sponge in the cleaning solution and clean up all the crevices and corners of your cabinets. It is that easy.

And just in case you are wondering whether your kitchen laminate would get spoiled by water, then don’t worry. Remember, these products are water resistant.

Kitchen cabinet ideas

One thing that goes in favour of the laminate designs for kitchen is that they can be refurbished, re-painted and re-done. If you think that your kitchen cabinet is losing its sheen, then you can apply some fresh paint on its outer surface. Just make sure that the shade of your paint is compatible with the original colour.

Another great idea for your kitchen cabinet is that you can still customize your pre-fabricated laminated design. All you have to do is to buy the right kind of door handles, drawer pulls and other organizational systems of your cabinet from a nearby hardware store. Before choosing your various options, do a little bit of research on the products that will add pleasure and value to your kitchen.

Another kitchen cabinet idea is related to the optimal usage of glass. If you want to flaunt your cutlery to your visitors, then use glass strategically. Doors of your kitchen cabinets can be fitted with glass and a little light bulb can be placed inside them so that the cutlery inside gives a glamorous effect.

How to install kitchen cabinets?

Installing your kitchen cabinets has never been so easy. All you need is cabinets, metal screws, shims, ½ “, plywood, screwdriver, carpenter’s pencil, and clamps.

There are several YouTube videos that help homemakers install their kitchen almirahs, drawers and cabinets.

Cabinet doors that you can choose

Since doors are the most visible parts of your kitchen cabinets, you should pay special attention to your door options.

1. Slab doors- These are made of MDF or flat pieces of plywood. MDF stands for medium-density fibreboard.
2. Plank doors- Made of solid wood, these doors have decorative designs on their outer surfaces.
3. Frame and panel doors- These doors are framed inside a panel. You may buy a door whose panel is either recessed or that which has a raised panel.
4. Frame –only doors- If you are looking for doors that emit light then go for this kind of doors. 

Kitchen Cabinet finishes

These days, kitchen cabinets come in various finishes like painted, stained, glazed, antiqued and distressed surfaces. Many home-makers prefer glazed surfaces on their kitchen laminate designs. This is so because glaze adds depth and contrast to the laminate. Dark corners and crevices are highlighted by using this kind of finish in upscale kitchens.

Opting for laminates will always make you end up on the winning side, without one shadow of a doubt. Since laminates are made of pressed wood, they’re very resistant to scratches which helps them to retain their original look for years to come. Not only do you get a range of options to choose from, laminates are more resistant to wear and tear. Also, the fact that they stay unaffected in moisture-prone areas makes them tailor made to be used in kitchens; a win-win situation, isn’t it?

Conclusion

To conclude, kitchen laminate designs are available in various options. These choices are not just limited to shade, finish or texture. You can buy pre-fabricated designs for your kitchen cabinets. If you can afford, then you may think of buying semi-custom or custom made kitchen drawers and almirahs. Cabinets made of laminates are durable and inexpensive in comparison to other finishes.