Whether you’re getting a brand new fully fitted kitchen or a stylish makeover with made-to-measure replacement doors, your new kitchen will be a sizeable investment, one that means you’ll need to take time to make the right decision.
One of the hardest choices is deciding on the style of kitchen doors you want to install. With so many on the marketplace nowadays, it seems like the choices are endless. With recent manufacturing processes coming a long way, it’s possible to get practically any look, style or colour you like without blowing the budget. With so much choice on offer, where do you start?
By following this guide, you should be able to make an easier decision through a simple process of elimination and of course, personal preference!
Existing Worktops & Hardware
If you do not plan to change the worktops, this will hugely influence the type of doors that will either compliment or clash with the existing counter. Older melamine worktops tend to cheapen the final finish, so if you can stretch the budget to replace them, got for it as this will give you far more options. Quartz overlays are a great way to improve existing worktops dramatically and do not cost the earth.
If however you only want change the doors, make sure the style and doors colours you pick work in harmony with the countertop pattern and colour. An older traditional style kitchen cannot be transformed into a sleek modern glossy design if the countertop simply doesn’t fit the style.
Likewise, if the worktops are a plain white, cream or beige tone, going bold won’t look good at all. Find a door that is essentially a more contemporary version of the style that you previously had – one that is timeless, simple and elegant.
Existing Floors & Tiling
Many homeowners forget just how much impact flooring has on the final finish in a kitchen. Some of the older lino’s date very quickly and rarely look good in any type of kitchen, especially if they’re in poor condition.
Ceramic or porcelain tiles are more timeless and with careful colour and style choices, can help to compliment the finished look. If you have classic terracotta tiles then you’ll be surprised how many colour choices work. A classic white shaker kitchen looks great contrasting against the tiled floor, as does natural wood grain or even greys or sage greens. Country style or traditional doors tend to work best here. Flat glossy doors simply do not belong with terracotta tiles.
If your flooring is more neutral in colour then consider yourself lucky as your door style options are far more broad.
Existing Colour Scheme
If you are going to change your kitchen doors, surely a fresh coat of paint is in order right? If not, choose your doors carefully.
Neutral coloured walls such as whites, greys or pale pastel shades should work with most styles as they are less likely to clash but if your walls are bright or have rich tones, you want to find a door style and colour to compliment the existing decorating. But really, if you are going to invest in new kitchen doors, surely a little extra expense on paint and a few hours of your time is well worth the investment in giving your kitchen the fresh lease of life is deserves?
Age of Property
It should go without saying that any kitchen you install should compliment the era and style of property you own. A quaint country cottage deserves a country style kitchen whilst a modern city apartment must have a contemporary kitchen for entertaining and impressing guests.
When it comes to your home and its age, there’s no special secret formula when it comes to kitchen style choice. Square pegs don’t fit in round holes, so go for a door style that befits your home. Trying to force a style into a space that doesn’t belong simply won’t work.
Interior Lighting
One common mistake homeowners make is a lack of consideration for the lighting in the kitchen area, whether natural or artificial. The style of doors you choose can impact how light reflects around the room so make sure you choose a door style and colour that reacts to the light in the room correctly.
A brightly lit kitchen might feel too bright if everything is white or fitted out with garish colours, on glossy flat doors. Oppositely, a dark and dingy kitchen will desperately need as much light it can get so avoid dark colours and flat painted doors that will only absorb light and make the whole room feel dark and small.
What You Like
At the end of the day, it’s your kitchen so have what you like!
One way of seeing how your kitchen may look is to have a specialist designer produce a 3D render of your kitchen, just to give you a better idea of how the space will look when finished. By doing so, you’ll instantly be abel to visualise the space and make an informed decision as to whether the doors styles you’ve chosen will work wonders or be a potential disaster.