The kitchen is the heart and soul of a home, as we don’t just use it for cooking; it also serves as a communal space. Many families eat together there, discuss the day’s events, have coffee with friends, and guests often take a seat there too. It therefore matters how we furnish it and what timeframe we have in mind – in other words, what kitchen furniture we choose. In this article, we compare kitchen furniture based on size, customisability, durability, price and ergonomics.

 

There is already a wide range of attractive kitchen furniture available on the market, with a vast array of colours, shapes and materials to choose from so that we can find the right one for us. However, in many cases, this kitchen furniture comes in standard sizes, leaving the buyer with relatively little flexibility. To find the perfect kitchen furniture for us, it’s worth comparing the two options to see which is better: buying standard-sized kitchen furniture or having a bespoke set made? Don’t assume that the solution which initially seems cheap will actually turn out to be cheaper.

 

The kitchen’s dimensions and features

If you are buying kitchen units made up of standard-sized components, you need to measure the kitchen very carefully, taking into account all the details you might not think of at first (where the drain is, where the main sockets are, which way the door opens, whether all the units will fit, etc.). With bespoke kitchen furniture, however, it becomes possible to achieve a comfortable and unique layout.

It is the expert designer’s job to assess, in line with our requirements, which of our ideas can be utilised and implemented in our kitchen, and in which areas we will have to make compromises.

Unfortunately, with standard-sized furniture, what you see is what you get; there is very little flexibility. If your kitchen isn’t standard-sized, its walls aren’t perpendicular to one another, pillars interrupt the wall’s plane, or you simply have your own unique ideas, it’s better to have bespoke kitchen furniture made.

 

The customisability of kitchen furniture

In both cases, we can choose the material and colour of the furniture, and we can even combine the chosen material with another, making our kitchen furniture even more unique. More unique, but not one-of-a-kind, as the scope for customisation is limited with mass-produced, standard-sized kitchen furniture. If, however, we have our kitchen furniture custom-designed, the design possibilities are virtually limitless – for example, with corner units, extendable worktops and uniquely shaped doors. Whether your kitchen is a separate room or an open-plan living space combined with the living room, the range of finishes, colours and textures is sure to offer a solution that ensures your kitchen furniture becomes a stylish and harmonious part of your home.

 The durability of kitchen furniture

Cutting, pounding, mincing, washing up – these are just a few of the activities that can damage surfaces and structures, both mechanically and aesthetically.

When we buy mass-produced furniture, we often end up with pieces made from low-quality materials and poorly assembled, which do not stand up well to everyday use. What’s more, in many cases the furniture is delivered flat-packed, and we have to assemble it ourselves.

Custom-made kitchen furniture, on the other hand, guarantees a sturdy, durable structure that will retain its attractive appearance for many years to come.

 

The price of kitchen furniture

At first glance, one might think that standard-sized kitchen units are cheap. This is generally true – until you look beyond the figures. Whether or not the units are fitted with built-in appliances affects the price. The price of any standard kitchen furniture is almost doubled if you wish to purchase it with built-in appliances, and any small extras (the shape of the handles, the material of the worktop, the size of the sink, storage capacity, locking mechanism, etc.) will cost extra.

The price is also determined by the size of the furniture and the materials used, as it does make a difference whether the kitchen units are made from MDF, pine, laminated chipboard or other types of wood. In both cases, the price may vary depending on whether you would like built-in lighting, special designs or combinations of materials in your kitchen furniture.

Viewed in this light, a design that comes close to meeting our needs but is, in many cases, of poor quality costs almost as much (or even more) as bespoke, high-quality kitchen furniture that is fully tailored to the space and our requirements, which is designed and crafted by professional specialists solely according to the specifications of our kitchen.

 

The ergonomics of kitchen furniture

Ergonomics, in the strict sense of the word, refers to design – that is, design that is useful to people. It involves a logical, well-thought-out layout and practical workflows, combined with optimal use of space. If you don’t have to keep moving from one task to another whilst cooking, and all the utensils and cookware you need are always to hand, exactly where you need them. In such cases, cooking is not only much less tiring but also safer, as mistakes or accidents caused by fatigue can be avoided.

Even with standard-sized kitchen units, attention is paid to a practical layout; however, the most ergonomic layout can only truly be achieved with bespoke kitchen units.

If we want our kitchen units to blend in with our kitchen, reflect the style of our home, have an ergonomic layout tailored to our needs, and serve as an important communal space for our family for many years to come, then it’s worth having bespoke kitchen furniture made.