Laminate cabinets versus wood shaker style?

Amarante

Sat, Dec 18 2021, 11:54 pm

I have wood cabinets - quarter sawn oak with rift sawn trim - in what is more of an Arts & Crafts/Prairie style than Shaker.

I love mine especially since I carried the cabinets into the back wall of my dining area where it serves as both additional kitchen storage/utility storage as well a a "buffet/counter" for dining. The upper cabinets in this portion of the cabinet line have glass doors so that are used for display purposes as I have a selection of vintage Fiesta.

My doors in this area are a inset instead of full overlay because it makes them look more like furniture. However most of the doors and the drawers are full overlay so that interior storage space is maximized.

My cabinet boxes are frameless - again because it provides a bit more interior storage for drawers.

I had no desire to have a white plastic kitchen although I could imagine myself very happily living in a MCM home with a fabulous walnut slab doors.

Functionally my wood stained cabinets have held up beautifully so functionality isn't an issue.

zaq

Sun, Dec 19 2021, 8:04 am

Solid wood or plywood is light years better than laminate over particle board, which is junk and won’t last. Especially if it ever gets wet. A good deal of laminate is just thick paper encased in polyurethane or similar resin. Ideal is genuine Formica , not generic “laminate” which can be anything, over plywood or solid wood. Formica lasts and is easy to clean.