If you have been thinking of incorporating natural wood in your kitchen for design aesthetics, you are not alone. In contemporary interior design, natural materials are held in high esteem by both designers and homeowners.
Indeed, natural wood cabinets are trending topic in interior design this 2023. While there are countless types of hardwoods used to design furniture, oak is the most commonly used hardwood in the design of kitchen cabinets.
In this article, we will review oak kitchen cabinets; their distinguishing features, pros and cons, as well as their latest design options.
Explore everything about oak cabinets and learn how you can use them to give the interior of your kitchen a facelift.
Tips on How to Identify Oak Kitchen Cabinets
Besides their strong oak hardwood component, oak cabinets can be distinguished by the following features.
- Natural Beauty
Whether you go for cabinets with the original pale honey color oak stain or you opt for glazed or polished oak cupboards, you will find out that, oak cabinets are naturally beautiful. Because oak tones are amazingly neutral, all varieties of oak cabinets can be mixed with other colors for design aesthetics.
Whether you install these drawers in a traditional or modern kitchen, they will perfectly stand out as the true definition of your kitchen’s interior design, thanks to their glamorous appearance. Therefore, if you want to tell whether or not cabinets are oak, examine their outlook.
- Versatility
If you are attracted to vintage-looking, farmhouse, or modern-designed kitchen cabinets, you will always find your perfect design if you choose from oak kitchen cabinet varieties. This should explain to you why oak cabinets can be found in varying multiple kitchen designs. Regarding color, oak kitchen cabinets vary, from varieties with the original honey color of oak to polished and glazed varieties.
- Ease of Use and Maintenance
Apart from visual attractiveness and multiplicity of design varieties, you can also distinguish oak cabinets based on the ease of using and maintaining them. Due to their natural wood structure, these drawers can not only resist impacts and scratches but also dust and spillages.
Moreover, all oak cabinets have been designed for lifetime use. Whether you pick stained or painted oak cabinets, you will enjoy their extended lifespan unlike other expensive varieties of cabinets with laminate material structure. Therefore, functionality is one feature that can help you distinguish oak kitchen cabinets.
- Open-Grained Wood Finishing
Compared to hardwoods like maple and mahogany, oak has a coarse open-grained finish that provides a basis for its strength properties. You can tell cabinets are made with oak simply by touching their surfaces.
If the cabinet surfaces are coarse or open-grained and are marked by tones that shift from pale to glazed or polished honey color tones, then chances are that they are oak. It is because of the visible hard-grained finishing that oak cabinets are globally adored for their scratch and water-resistant properties.
Pros and Cons of Oak Kitchen Cabinets
Oak cupboards, like all other cabinet designs, have their positive and negative side. It is only by knowing, their ups and downs, that you can know how to effectively use them. In this section, we will review the pros and cons of oak kitchen cabinets. First, the benefits;
- Pros
#1: Oak Cabinets Come with Possibilities for Multiple Design Options
As I observed earlier, oak cabinets can fit in all types of kitchens simply due to their neutral color features. In this regard, they can provide you with many design choices, from traditional to contemporary designs if you choose them for your scullery.
#2: Oak Kitchen Cabinets are Easy to Style
With oak kitchen cabinets, you don’t have to be professional in interior design to come up with the most fashionable style. Because of the neutrality of their oak tone, these cabinets can mix with almost everything, from colourful kitchenware to stylish cabinetry hardware.
#3: Oak Cabinets have a Longer Lifespan
As opposed to melamine-based types of cabinets, oak kitchen cabinets can stay with you forever, thanks to the strength of oak hardwood. Due to their coarse finishing, they can resist scratches, which is welcoming, in terms of sparing you from wasting time and money on frequent cleaning and repairs.
#4: Oak Kitchen Cabinets are Readily Available
Compared to artificial materials, natural materials are very easy to access. Because they come naturally from the environment, their availability is to some extent, a guarantee. Hence, natural wood cupboards, including oak cabinets are in most cases readily available in furniture showrooms, both online and land-based.
Cons
- Oak Cabinets Can Make a Kitchen Appear Small
With the subtle dark oak tone, oak cabinets come with an air of warmth. If they are not paired with implements adorned with lighter colors, cabinets designed with oak can make your kitchen hall not only feel extra warm but also appear dingy.
The solution to this problem is pairing oak cabinets with colors, from kitchen walls to ceiling, floor, and hardware. You can also stain or paint oak cupboards with one light tone or a mixture of dull and bright tone for color contrast.
- Oak Kitchen Cabinets are Expensive
Whereas oak kitchen cabinets are most readily accessible, their price is what may prevent you from purchasing them. Fortunately, regardless of how much money you spend on them, oak drawers will never disappoint you in terms of their capability to last long.
- Oak Kitchen Cabinets Look Classic
Based on their dull appearance, oak cabinets-specifically varieties with the indigenous oak stain-have a tendency to look classic, especially when they are not paired with brighter colors. Hence, to make oak kitchen cabinets look modern, you should always blend them with colors, just as I observed earlier on.
Are Oak Cabinets Ideal for My Kitchen?
Because oak cabinets outnumber their disadvantages, it is justifiable to assert that oak kitchen cabinets are ideal for your kitchen. Regardless of design aspects, these drawers can fit in all kitchens, all because of their neutral color tones.
Moreover, oak cupboards are the types of cabinets that give greater value for money. Although they are costly, you can stay with them for many years without spending a cent on repairs or maintenance.
Conclusion
Oak wood is pristine, luxurious, and strong, in terms of physical appearance. With the many countless gorgeous-looking oak cabinet varieties on sale online and in land-based showrooms, just beware that you will never miss finding oak kitchen cabinets whose features align with your kitchen interior design
Ready to start remodelling your kitchen? Talk to us today. We will be happy to introduce you to highly cherished ideas that will help you achieve your dream design.
