Plinths for the kitchen: varieties and tips for choosing

To make the interior of the kitchen look laconic, when arranging the room and arranging furniture, additional components of the headset may be needed. Such attractive and functional components include kitchen plinths, which stand out for a number of features.

The decorative strip located at the bottom of the kitchen unit is called the plinth. This additional element allows you to hide legs, communications or free space between the bottom of the cabinet and the floor. This component has a positive effect on the appearance of the general decoration of the room, since with it the furniture set takes on a finished look.

The presence of a basement strip for furniture is not a prerequisite, in addition, not all models and varieties of headsets and floor cabinets for the kitchen are sold complete with it. Each owner of a living space is guided by personal taste preferences, considering the purchase or use of such a constituent element.

Plinths for the kitchen are presented in a wide variety of colors and designs, they can be made from different raw materials, have several shapes, therefore, in each case, the planks are selected individually for the furniture or room design. Installation and dismantling of a furniture basement is not particularly difficult, so all work related to an additional element can be done by hand. As a rule, the strips are additionally equipped at the edges with a special rubberized seal, which ensures the tightness of the joints on all sides.The features of the materials used for the manufacture of slats exclude their deformation from thermal exposure or contact with a humid environment, therefore, during the cleaning process, such components retain their original attractive appearance.

There are several types of plinths on sale based on their shape. The most popular is the standard direct option. There are also radius products, thanks to which you can protect and decorate the space between the cabinet and the floor. in the case when the furniture set has an unusual shape with rounded parts. Products can be smooth or grooved, some varieties are made with ventilation grilles.

As for the size range, each manufacturer sells its products with individual parameters. That is why the height of the products can vary from 100 mm to 150 mm. The most popular is a bar with a height of 120 mm, some brands offer products with a non-standard height of 200 mm. This feature allows the buyer to choose the most appropriate option for himself based on the design of his furniture.

Plinth trims for kitchens today made from the following materials:

• PVC;
• Chipboard;
• MDF;
• aluminum.

Plastic elements stand out for their affordable cost, in addition, they do not lose at all in their appearance to products made from expensive materials. The products are notable for their color variety, in light of which they are quite often purchased for use with different types of kitchen furniture. Polymer elements are quite easy to install, the strips are distinguished by moisture resistance and do not fade. PVC products are perfectly combined with other materials.

Chipboard plinths are also distinguished by their resistance to moisturehowever, in comparison with plastic products, planks made from chipboard cannot be installed with maximum adherence to the floor surface. Such elements do not stand out for their durability, in addition, in comparison with PVC, chipboard plinths will be heavier. Decorative strips made of MDF are in demand due to their visual appeal, they are in perfect harmony with kitchen furniture of different types and raw materials.

The aluminum version of the furniture strip is considered the most expensive.however, the quality of the proposed products justifies their cost. Such strips will have increased strength, therefore, they will be resistant to mechanical damage, in addition, aluminum has a minimum weight and an attractive appearance. The raw material does not fade from contact with ultraviolet light, it stands out with high moisture resistance.

In light of the demand for such elements for decorating lower cabinets in the kitchen, manufacturers of such products offer a wide selection of colors and shades of planks. This is due to the variety of raw materials and colors of modern kitchen furniture. Usually, they try to match the basement in the color of the entire headset or the decoration of the room... Some design ideas involve the use of products that are contrasting in color, in harmony with individual decorative elements of the kitchen.

Plastic panels can have a matte or glossy finish, these products are made in colors from pastel white and beige tones to shades of wood surfaces in walnut, oak or cherry. Sometimes the lower tier is decorated with combined elements, using red and brown strips together, making the base yellow with gold. There are options in gray-blue or black and white. A competent approach to this issue will make the combination and play of shades as harmonious and attractive as possible. There are also aluminum mirror or chrome strips on sale, which are appropriate not only in the classic kitchen design, but also in the modern high-tech interior.

By examining the proposed range of furniture plinths for the kitchen, it is recommended to take into account the following nuances.

• In light of the fact that this product is considered universal, that is, the bar can be successfully combined and matched to a headset made of any material, it is worth dwelling on products made of polymers or metal. This is due to a large selection of colors and shades in plastic products, which will make it easier to find the right option in cases with a non-standard kitchen color. As for metal products, they stand out with a large operational resource in comparison with other types of plinths. In addition, alloys will have an environmental advantage.
• In cases where the decorative component is selected after the purchase of the kitchen itself, it can be difficult to find the ideal tonality. That is why interior designers recommend choosing a play of contrasts in shades with the main color, or considering the available variations of tones based on their compatibility with any individual elements in the design of the kitchen. As practice shows, metal plinths are in harmony with almost all types of kitchen furniture.
• To use such a functional element as an extraordinary idea for arranging a kitchen space, the plinth can be turned into a bright design accent. This concerns the possibility of organizing illumination of the bottom of floor-standing cabinets. Installing the LED strip to the bottom will create the feeling of floating furniture in the kitchen. Such an idea will be perfectly combined with glossy facades or other options for zone lighting in the room. If the base will have non-standard dimensions, instead of a tape with diodes, you can consider lighting variations using spotlights, which will provide brighter lighting.
• If the installation of basement furniture planks is carried out in small rooms, then it will be possible to visually expand the space with the help of mirror or reflective elements, chrome-colored metal strips at the bottom of the cabinets. This technique will not only have a positive effect on the interior of the kitchen, but also make it easier to choose products that are ideally suited to the color of the facade. Mirror options can be combined with any headset in style, design and color scheme.
• It will be possible to add functionality to the slats with the help of the competent use of the free space between the drawers and the floor. For these purposes, one or more boxes equipped with runners or small wheels for movement can be placed inside the area hidden by the base / plinth. If the front side of such structures will consist of a cut of the basement strip, the kitchen owner will be able not only to decorate the area under the cabinets, but also rationally use it to store various objects or things. Based on the height of the basement, there are options for placing small things in this space, household chemicals or even kitchen utensils, stocks of products with a long shelf life, etc.

For an overview, recommendations and useful tips for installing the base, see the video below.