Thread: Kitchen Styles

Speaking of old furniture.
When I moved into the house I am in now aout 8 years ago there was an old cupnoard in the shed. It was painted in that really bad old green paint which seems to be half an inch thick.

Anyhow I decided to strip the paint off. It was a really nicely built cabinet. The frame was mainly made from pine. The rest of the frame was made from jarrah. The door frames were made from jarrah and the face of the doors are masonite. Somebody really spent some time on this piece.

The base and top were both jarrah but were really rotted. I put a new base and top on it about 2 years ago. I then just threw a few coats of polyurathane (i cant spell) on it and it looks magnificent.

All of the inlaws fight over who is gonna get it when we dont need it anymore.

I would post a picture but I do not have a digital camera.

Having spent some considerable time grazing on American kitchen design websites for ideas for the upcoming kitchen reno, I came to the conclusion that "traditional" referred to the method of cabinet building using 2x1 (or similar) framing for the carcase - as used in Australian fitted kitchens of the 50's and 60's (anyone else old enough to remember when doors were painted in a variety of colours?). The doors do not completely cover the frame.

Our "normal" box construction seems to be referred to as Euro style or Frameless, and an in-between hybrid, "traditional style" involves facing the Euro style with frames to make it look as though it is framed construction.

Whatever - the fun starts when you try and decide what style of doors to use, and the styles of trims you can use to tie it all together.

There's a bit of discussion on this at -
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...onal_Look.html

And for a discussion on how to join the face frames to box construction -
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...echniques.html

And more on American kitchens - I'm quite impressed with the use of pressed metal ceiling panels as splashbacks. Pity they aren't available here in the same range of finishes. http://www.americantinceilings.com/i...splash8-3i.htm

involves facing the Euro style with frames to make it look as though it is framed construction

That's the sort of thing I'm looking at. Saves having to edge band and I like the look of it.

Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

Ian,
I've worked with poy gelcoat white ply and also hardwood ply with a liner laminate on one or both faces. They're all a bugger to work with compared to melamine board. It takes almost twice as long to assemble a ply carcasse as you've got to fight to get everything straight and true. The ply pieces usually get a twist in them. The sheet has a twist in it as you pull it out of the pack and as you cut it each individual piece gets a twist in it too.
Mick

Mick - thanks for the warning! I have enough trouble keeping big sheets square and aligned while assembling as it is, so I reckon I'll stick with the particleboard option.

Yes, it is reallly only the sink cupboards I worry about, but with dishwasher connections and mixers that decide to weep (usually when you're away for a couple of weeks), they inevitably come in for some wet times in their service lives.

And thanks, Silent, for the temporary hijack of your thread!

Cheers,

No problem, that's what we're all here for

I've thought about using the HMR stuff, but I got the ply cheap ($30 a sheet).

If I dwell on it long enough, SWMBO will put the foot down and we'll end up with one of the kitchen mobs doing it instead. Then I can get on with some other bits of procrastination I've got to do.

Originally Posted by silentC

If I dwell on it long enough, SWMBO will put the foot down and we'll end up with one of the kitchen mobs doing it instead. Then I can get on with some other bits of procrastination I've got to do.

Actually, Silent, that's a perfectly sensible idea. I did the doors and drawers for my sister's kitchen, after they had the carcases done by a joinery. The cost was minimal, since most of the boxes fitted their standard module sizes. But because she wanted Silky-oak framing and miniorb panelling in the doors, it was going to cost a small (large?) fortune to have a commercial joinery do it - just waaay too hard :eek: . So I agreed to do it for her (at least she says I did, all I remeber is thinking how good the wine they were pouring into me was). I grumbled and mumbled all the way about the stupid, kitschy miniorb bits, but it did look ok when done. Ten years later, it screams 'mid nineties architect follies' at you , but I did warn her! Fortunately, the panels are secured by tacked-on beading, so they can be replaced when the next fad strikes. Although silky oak will be sooo out of fashion by then, anyway, so I imagine the whole thing will be trashed.

Anyway, the point of all this, before I got off on my tirade, is that having all those boxes made and ready to go, made it dead easy. I've done a few kitchens from scratch, on my own, and it's a PITA even with jigs, keeping everything square when assembling the larger boxes. And near enough just isn't good enough if you want full overlay or inset doors to look decent. At least with solid wood framed doors you CAN trim them a bit. It's rather more challenging with pre-edged melamine doors....
Cheers,

The thing is, I'd been threatening to make a new kitchen for the old house right up until we sold it and I'd used it as an excuse for buying lots of expensive machinery plus the acquisition of a healthy stack of ply for it. Now with the new house being built, there are two kitchens to be done. I've conceded that one of them will be a boring old melamine and laminate job but I'd like to see some solid timber in ours.

Not that any of it will go to waste if I decide to get someone else to do it. Only thing is it puts me back in the frameless style and I was trying to be different. Oh well, it's only a kitchen

Silent,
The road to hell is paved with good intentions, they say. In my case it's true!

Expediency now rules when it comes to making 'fixed' furniture - put the main effort into what's seen. And get good drawer hardware!

I long ago decided that only 'real' furniture is worth valuable time and wood. At least you can take it with you when you move.....

Avagooday...

Tis easy nuff to use face frames and framed or panel doors on frameless carcasses. That way the insides are fast to make, easy to clean and the outsides give you the styles.

The choice of style is yours but I have found 2 essential items for any kitchen.
1. Somewhere to put the cook books that is readily accesable.
2. See the pic.