Chests of drawers for the kitchen: types and subtleties of choice

Chests of drawers are most often located in hallways and bedrooms for storing home textiles and clothes. However, initially such products were created for the kitchen, they were used to store dishes and various kitchen utensils. Today they are chosen most often for kitchens with a small set, in which it is difficult to fit everything you need. Consider what materials this furniture is made of, talk about the types of models, the rules for choosing and a good location.

A dresser for the kitchen is a convenient storage for various utensils, as well as an elegant piece of interior decor. Furniture is designed to store:

• dishes and various kitchen utensils;
• crystal and tea sets (relevant for models with open shelves or glass transparent doors);
• towels;
• different cleaning products;
• small household appliances;
• bulk products, vegetables.

The main advantage of a chest of drawers is its spaciousness.

Kitchen chests of drawers are distinguished by increased functionality - depending on the model, the design may include special sections for alcoholic drinks, jars of spices. Some solutions have a countertop, which housewives often use to cut food when cooking.

Modern chests of drawers are comfortable, graceful and solid. Their only drawback is their large dimensions, which will require a lot of space when placing furniture. However, there are also miniature options on sale, created specifically for small kitchens.

Various raw materials are used for the production of chests of drawers. The most popular materials are wood, MDF, plastic, metal, glass. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

For the manufacture of furniture items are used beech, pine, cherry and other types of wood.

Wood is a strong, reliable and durable material. However, products made from it are not affordable for everyone.

Chests of drawers made of these materials are inexpensive, which is why they are loved by consumers. Products made of MDF and chipboard can be covered with a special "shell", visually imitating natural materials (wood, stone) or having a variety of tones.

The material used in the production of budget models. Plastic dressers are short-lived. They are afraid of mechanical damage. Even under light power loads, these products can break.

The advantages of plastic models include them financial affordability, a wide selection of textures and colors.

Full metal chests of drawers are very rare. Most often, a frame is made from this material, and the shelves are made of wood or glass. Metal chests of drawers are practical and reliable. The disadvantages include their high weight and demanding care.

Glass chests of drawers can be matte, glossy, transparent or colored... They bring lightness and airiness to the interior of the room. Glass products look sophisticated and unusual, but they will require careful maintenance.

On sale there are often models in the manufacture of which several types of materials are used.

The kitchen is a room with difficult conditions. High humidity and high temperature conditions are often observed here.

Different types of coatings will reliably protect the furniture base.

Coloring of products is carried out with compounds for internal work.

Most often, chests of drawers made of solid wood and materials containing wood are varnished. Thanks to this coating the durability of products is significantly increased.

This coating can be applied either to the countertop or to the entire base of the furniture. It makes the case resistant to various mechanical influences.

Covering the product with decorative plastic. Such a shell is durable, resistant to high humidity, the effects of chemically aggressive compounds.... Basically, such coatings are applied to furniture made of chipboard or MDF.

Stucco molding, glass and metal decorative inserts, hand or hardware carving can be used as a decor for dressers. In this case, the glass is often processed with laser engraving or a pattern is applied to it using sandblasting.

The modern market offers an abundance of models of chests of drawers for the kitchen. All of them have their own design features, internal content, dimensions, configuration, color schemes. On sale there are wide models (width indicators - 1 meter or more) and narrow options (width ranges from 40 to 60 cm).

Chests of drawers can be straight or angled depending on the design. The first can be:

• wall-mounted - they are installed close to the wall, due to which their back wall has an unattractive appearance;
• insular - suggest a circular view (such models often serve as the basis for zoning or delimiting space into a working and dining area).

Corner chests of drawers can be hanging or floor-standing. Their configuration assumes placement in one of the corners of the room.

Products can be mobile, stationary and suspended. Mobile solutions are equipped with casters for easier movement around the kitchen. As a rule, these are small-sized options.

Hanging models are designed to be hung at the optimal height for the hostess. They are installed using special fixing hardware. The design of such solutions does not provide for the presence of legs and wheels for movement. Typically, these options are compact and lightweight.

The table top can be made of natural or artificial stone (durable and reliable solutions), wood, MDF. It is important that the upper working part of the chest of drawers is resistant to high humidity, mechanical damage, acidic and alkaline solutions.

Most dresser models include 1, 2 or 3 box, intended for cutlery. They are usually located at the top of the structure. Drawers can be divided into narrow sections used for storing forks, knives, spoons, shovels, scissors and other kitchen utensils. There are also chests of drawers equipped with grates and drying trays.

Manufacturers also provide compartments for storing pans, cauldrons, pots, saucepans and other utensils... The most ergonomic solution is high drawers with metal grilles. They are distinguished by good spaciousness, due to which they can accommodate all the utensils in everyday life.

Closed compartments are used for dinner plates, cups, mugs and saucers.

Depending on the model of the chest of drawers, their inner content may include narrow shelves, grids for placing bottles, racks for lids, shelves for storing vegetables. If you plan to store food in the chest of drawers, it is important to make sure that the furniture is environmentally friendly and safe.

Choosing a dresser is not an easy task. For a successful purchase, it is important to pay attention to several important parameters.

1. Opening systems and fittings. When choosing furniture, it is important to check the reliability of all mechanisms - the drawers should be pulled out without much effort, and the doors should not emit extraneous sounds when opening. Expensive and high-quality dressers are often equipped with special closers.
2. Product appearance. The chest of drawers should not have a gap between the front parts and the drawers. The whole structure must be solid.
3. No defects... Before purchasing, it is worth carefully examining the product for various damages: potholes, cracks, chips, peeling decorative layer and other flaws. It is highly likely that such furniture, due to its unreliability during operation, may lose its aesthetics.
4. Back wall... Most of the models of chests of drawers are attached, which is why few people look at the appearance of their back wall. However, this part of the design should not be overlooked. If the back wall is thin (less than 6 mm), it may soon bend.
5. Material reliability. Of course, it is best to choose a chest of drawers made from natural wood. However, if the budget is limited, you can purchase models from chipboard, MDF or plastic.In this case, you should choose furniture from solid-looking materials. If it is plastic, it must be thick; if it is MDF or chipboard, then the material must be laminated or postformed.
6. Optimal performance and functionality.
7. Facade system opening option. Depending on the model, it can be retractable, hinged, sliding or folding. Which type is more convenient - everyone chooses for himself.

If a dresser-table is chosen, it is important to pay attention to the materials for the manufacture of its countertop. Stone products require careful maintenance - to maintain aesthetics, they will have to be constantly rubbed to a shine. The same goes for glass countertops.

And also the chest of drawers should be chosen in accordance with the dimensions of the kitchen. For spacious rooms, you can choose bulky furniture, for small ones - a classic-style corner structure or stylish narrow models. The material, color and texture of the purchased chest of drawers must correspond to the products already in the kitchen.

For a kitchen decorated in classic style, light or dark chests of drawers made of natural wood are suitable.

For minimalism furniture made of metal and plastic, which has strict forms and clear lines, is suitable. For kitchen in style provence a white painted chest of drawers made of natural wood is suitable.

There are several ways to arrange the chest of drawers - everything will depend on the configuration of the product and the personal preferences of the owners. Corner options are located in the corner of the room. This solution will be most successful for a small kitchen. Corner structures allow you to save maximum usable space. Often, dressers are located next to the kitchen set.

Sometimes dressers are located in the center of the kitchen. With this arrangement, it is important to choose furniture with an aesthetic back wall. The island layout is mainly suitable for spacious rooms.

Due to the long dressers, you can visually delimit the space, separating the cooking area from the resting place and eating. When arranging furniture, it is important to show imagination in order to find a suitable place for it in the interior.

For how a Provence style dresser looks like for a kitchen, see below.