The cabinets are one of the most important parts on a kitchen island besides the counter tops. They comprise the entire base of the island and help to provide you with much needed storage space. Because of this it is important that you choose the right materials that will make it durable and that will match the rest of the kitchen.
Wood
Even after all these years people still look to wood when making kitchen island cabinets. This can be an expensive choice depending on what type of wood you will use. They are versatile and help to add something that is natural and warm to the kitchen. You can choose from several different types of woods that range from how durable they are and if they are light or dark. The most common to use is Maple and Birch.
Oak is also very popular – but the more affordable of these is Pine. This has a more rustic appearance and is considered to by the softest wood to use for your cabinets. The only downside to this is that after a few months or years you will begin to see scratches and dents. All you have to do to cover these blemishes is to sand them down and repaint them.
Wood Veneer
This is a more affordable option for people who want wood kitchen island cabinets – but don’t want to spend the money to get them. These have the appearance of wood – but are of lower quality. They are made using a thin sheet of wood that has been glued over a thick piece of plywood. The downside to these is that while they might look like wood they do not have the durable qualities of it. They can be easily damaged and might need replacing after only a few years.
Glass
More and more people are seeing the advantage to using glass when designing their kitchen island cabinets. This is best used on islands in open kitchens and help to bring a type of decorative theme to the whole piece. This option can be very expensive and is usually bordered by wood edges.
You can use clear glass – which will allow you to show off your favorite dishes or you can use frosted or tinted glass. These are some of the easiest to clean although if you have young children you may have to clean them every day to remove any fingerprints.