In order to create a functional kitchen, certain furniture pieces are essential, both to provide storage space and to offer work areas for preparing your meals. However, it is not enough to choose just any furniture piece to successfully create a practical kitchen that meets your needs. Additionally, the kitchen is a room where you can also express your personality by selecting from the numerous designs, materials, Colours, and finishes of furniture available in the market. Find the furniture to install and determine their arrangement to create visual and functional harmony through our overview of kitchen furniture and their various functions.

The storage furniture that makes up a kitchen

Base kitchen cabinets

Base kitchen cabinets are furniture elements placed at floor level. They are somewhat the foundation of your kitchen, as they are where the countertop is placed.

Base kitchen cabinets are typically made from durable materials that are resistant to moisture, as kitchens are often exposed to humid conditions. Also known as base kitchen units, they can have drawers for storing cutlery and other small kitchen items. Some have doors behind which there are usually shelves where you can store pots, pans, pans, and kitchen appliances.

When choosing a base kitchen cabinet, it is important to determine the type of storage you need, taking into account the layout of your kitchen to create a functional space.

Sink cabinet

The sink cabinet is also a base kitchen unit that nevertheless has a particularity that its name certainly hasn't hidden from you: it is specially designed to be placed under a sink. As a result, its size may vary to fit the different dimensions of sinks that can be recessed into the upper part of the unit. Furthermore, it has a special space for the piping needed for the proper operation of your sink, while providing easy access to it.

Kitchen corner cabinet

Installing a corner cabinet in your L or U-shaped kitchen allows you to Optimise the space at the junction of two standard base cabinets and provide even more storage areas. Most corner cabinets are L-shaped to fit into the corners of your room. Entry-level models are equipped with simple shelves, while higher-end models may have rotating or sliding shelves for easier access to your kitchen items.

Upper kitchen cabinets

Upper kitchen cabinets are key elements of your room both functionally and aesthetically. Specially designed to be hung on the walls of your kitchen, these units allow you to utilize the height of your room, providing you with additional storage spaces without taking up floor space.

These upper units are composed of shelves to allow you to Organise your plates, glasses, or even your provisions if you don't have a pantry. Most upper kitchen cabinets have doors to protect the dishes from dust. These doors can be glazed to showcase your finest plates and porcelains.

Moreover, they contribute to the harmony of your kitchen by dressing its walls. Without them, a kitchen can sometimes seem unfinished.

Before buying your upper kitchen cabinets, make sure that the wall on which you plan to hang them is strong enough to support their weight as well as that of the dishes and other kitchen items you may need to place inside.

Hood cabinet

Here is another kitchen cabinet whose name does not hide its functionality: the hood cabinet is a kitchen element whose purpose is to house a hood. This piece of furniture, attached to the wall at your stove or cooktop level, comes in different models to be able to adapt to both types of hood: the built-in unit or the canopy hood. The built-in unit, which can be aspirating or filtering, does not have a standard dimension and therefore requires adapting the cabinet to their width, height, and depth. As for the canopy or visor hood, it can be placed under a cabinet whose height is generally shorter than that of a standard upper cabinet to offer greater comfort when using the cooktops.

Oven cabinet

Built-in ovens require specially designed kitchen cabinets to accommodate and support them. Since most ovens have a standard dimension, you should have no trouble finding the cabinet you need. However, make sure that the cabinet is suitable for the type of oven you plan to install. You should be able to open the door of your oven without any hindrance and the energy that powers it (gas or electricity) should be constantly delivered to it.

Buffet and kitchen cabinet

Buffets and kitchen cabinets are perfect pieces of furniture to increase the storage capacity of your kitchen at a lower cost. In addition to its drawers and cupboards, the kitchen buffet offers you an ideal flat surface to place your dishes before serving them to your guests. On the other hand, the kitchen cabinet has an open middle space for placing the kitchen appliances you use most often (microwave, coffee maker, etc.) and easily accessing them. Less deep than a base unit, the kitchen cabinet is particularly suitable for optimizing the space in small kitchens.

Kitchen island

Placed in the center of your kitchen, the island provides you with additional storage spaces, but that is not its main function. Indeed, it is mainly useful for having an additional work surface higher and better lit than a standard base kitchen cabinet. Furthermore, the kitchen island can serve as an informal dining area thanks to a space under the countertop that allows you to add high chairs.

The cart: the kitchen auxiliary unit

The cart is one of the kitchen furniture pieces that offers the most versatility: in addition to its storage shelves and drawers, the cart may have a tray that can serve as an additional work surface in your kitchen. However, its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is mounted on wheels to allow you to transport your dishes to all rooms of your house.

The elements that will give personality to your kitchen

Kitchen cabinet fronts and finishes

The choice of the fronts and finishes of your kitchen cabinets is crucial in defining the style and ambiance of your space.

The fronts can be made of wood, melamine, laminate, or lacquered. Wooden kitchen cabinets are perfect for creating a warm space with traditional accents. For a modern and more affordable kitchen, you can opt for melamine, laminate, or lacquered cabinets.

Kitchen cabinet fronts are available in a range of Colours, textures, and finishes. These structure the overall character of the kitchen by dressing the cabinets and drawers. The finish can be solid, matte, or glossy.

Kitchen cabinet handles

The choice of your kitchen cabinet fronts goes hand in hand with the selection of the handles that will be attached to them. In addition to allowing you to easily use your kitchen furniture, they accessorize and complement the aesthetics of your room.

Custom Kitchen or Complete DIY Kitchen Kit

When designing your new kitchen, you will be faced with this dilemma: Custom kitchen or DIY kitchen kit? These two ways of creating your kitchen space differ on several points: design, assembly, and especially budget. Here's what you need to know to make your choice.

As for the custom kitchen, its design generally requires the help of a kitchen designer to create unique furniture pieces that will adapt to the particular configuration of your room. As for the installation, it is done by a professional who ensures that the framing of your furniture is perfect.

In the case of a DIY kitchen kit, you design your kitchen using furniture with already established dimensions: it is up to you to find the furniture pieces that will fit into the configuration of your room. The installation is your responsibility in this case. You must also acquire the essential tools for installing your DIY kitchen: drill, screwdriver, circular saw, jigsaw, hammer, stepladder, ruler, square, bubble level... However, you have the option of calling on a professional service for the installation.

The significant differences between custom kitchens and DIY kitchen kits are reflected in their prices: the former will be the most expensive option while the latter will be the budget-friendly solution.