If it’s time to redecorate or fully rehab your kitchen, keep wood on your mind. Wood offers natural beauty, variety, sustainability, and durability—four perfect reasons why you should consider it for the general construction and equipment you’ll need for a fully equipped gourmet kitchen. Here are a few more specific reasons why wood is the best material for kitchens.
Cabinets, Cupboards, and Drawers
If you have the means, investing in hardwood or even softwood for your cabinetry is wise. Hardwood lasts longer and can handle more rugged use than plywood, particleboard, and other substances that emulate solid wood. Softwoods, such as cedar, pine, and others are less expensive than hardwoods. Softwoods provide some amount of beauty and protection. But for extra durability, strength, and richness, hardwoods like maple, cherry, hickory, and oak are a better investment.
Floors
Tile is the standard choice for kitchen floors, allowing for ease of cleaning when the inevitable spills and splashes occur. But if tile isn’t your style, consider a hardwood floor. Hardwood can handle plenty of foot traffic and even the occasional dropped item. Some people shy away from hardwood in the kitchen because of the previously mentioned spills and splashes. Wood is prone to warp and crack when exposed to moisture. However, people treat hardwood to resist this with a periodic polyurethane coating.
Tables and Chairs
If you do most of your eating in the kitchen instead of the dining room, a well-chosen hardwood table and chair set is a necessity to match the wood-themed kitchen. Hardwood tables resist scratches, nicks, and other damage as well. They are built and treated to withstand a thousand meals or more! Artfully crafted hardwood tables can add an elegant, rustic ambiance to modern settings, which is a big reason why wood is the best material for kitchens.
Tools
Plastic is tacky and metal is cold. Wood isn’t just one of the loveliest materials for your kitchen tools and utensils, but it can also improve the quality and appearance of your dishes. A natural wood cutting board, when properly cared for, is helpful for chopping and cutting, and it is also a displayable work of art. A freestanding butcher block makes a great statement and offers another food prep surface. Bamboo or olive wood serving spoons in a wooden salad bowl makes food look extra delicious. And, of course, no haute cuisine kitchen is complete without a wooden wine bottle rack against the wall. Yes, for homeliness, refinement, and an aura of comfort, wood is your best choice.