A kitchen is an integral and probably the most used space in a home. It does not matter if you are a novice in a kitchen or a seasoned chef. A well-designed, spacious and glamorous kitchen will automatically uplift your mood, which is sure to translate into the food you dish out. While several material options are available today, wood is undoubtedly one of the oldest and most trusted materials in interior design. Wood is durable, adds warmth to your decor and comes naturally with beautiful grain patterns. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when designing your wooden modular kitchen.

Basic Kitchen Layouts
When designing your modular kitchen, the first step is to visualise your desired layout. You would have to consider the space available, the functionality and the budget. In the graphics given below are six primary layouts widely used in kitchen designs.Single wall, Galley, U-shaped and L-shaped modular kitchen layouts work best for smaller spaces. These layouts utilise the entire wall to maximise your kitchen storage space. The Peninsula and an integrated Kitchen Island layout are best suited for larger kitchens. With step one of the design phase complete, let’s look at a few ideas on how to finish your wooden modular kitchen.

Wood Finish Options
There are multiple ways that you can finish your wooden kitchen cabinets. It all boils down to your personal preferences, what works best for your kitchen and your home’s overall design theme.

All-natural
Different species of wood naturally have different hues and distinct grain patterns. Nothing beats the beauty and warmth of natural wood. If you prefer lighter colours, go with Steamed Beech, Mahogany or White Oak. If you prefer darker colours, you could go with Teak Walnut or Wenge.

Timeless, old school and solid, these are mostly made from sheesham (Indian rosewood) teak, mahogany or balut (oak). Even today, it doesn’t matter what your kitchen style is — modern or traditional — natural wooden cabinets fit any kitchen like a pair of gloves! Sadly, yet understandably, with the advent of modular kitchens, the demand for natural wood has gone down significantly. To bring out the natural colour and increase the durability of the wood, finish them with multiple coats of a transparent topcoat, such as varnish or touchwood. Make sure that you choose a waterproof finish for the kitchen.

Wood Stains
Staining your cabinets an unexpected colour is a terrific way to put a custom touch on your kitchen cabinetry. It’s also a great option for those who want to be able to see and appreciate the grain and texture of wood, but like to have a little fun with the colour. If custom-built and -stained cabinetry is out of your budget, and you have some experience staining wood, this could be a good DIY project.


Paint
If you still wish to have all the benefits of wood in your modular kitchen, but a natural wood finish doesn’t appeal to you, consider painting over the wood. This will give you access to millions of colour options to play around with and add a durable protective layer over the wood.Painting is also a great idea if you want to spruce your existing wooden modular kitchen design, especially if your current wooden cabinets are beginning to seem dull and worn out.

Wood Finish Laminates
Using natural wood in construction comes with its own set of challenges. Natural wood expands and contracts with changes in the moisture in the air. You would have noticed your wooden doors opening freely during the summer while they appear to be grinding against the frame during winter.
Experienced craftsmen build wooden cabinets to accommodate this wood movement. If you feel that this is not something you can live with, you can have your modular kitchen’s woodwork done entirely out of plywood or MDF finished with wood-grain laminates.Laminates are highly durable. They are scratch and impact resistant and last for years. Now that you know the basics of modular kitchen layouts and the various wood finish options available, given below are a few wooden modular kitchen design ideas to inspire you.

1. Experiment with an All-white Theme
White stained, or whitewashed, cabinetry has been around a long time, but it’s getting a fresh look in decidedly more modern spaces, such as in this rustic modern beauty. White is a colour that signifies cleanliness, freshness and simplicity. A wooden kitchen that is done up with an all-white theme will make your kitchen feel airy and spacious.

An all-white modular kitchen can be a bit tedious to keep spic and span, but the pros outweigh this one little con. Fresh fruits and veggies stored neatly in trays on your counter will instantly make your kitchen look even more appealing while adding a pop of colour as well.

2. Go for a vintage look
A timeless classic, this design has been around for ages and is evergreen – a superb idea for small kitchens. This design theme for your modular kitchen will blend in better in older homes which will inherently be built with the design theme of yesteryears.

If you are planning to go with a vintage design for your modular kitchen, please do some research beforehand to check if the necessary vintage-themed hardware, such as handles for the cabinets, decorative accessories and so on, are available locally and in sufficient quantity. The old-school, classic, polished wooden cabinet in a deep brown tone is never going out of fashion! You must have seen this wooden cabinet design in a lot of sitcoms and TV shows back in the day. And the best part? You can still see them in modern homes. This retro-inspired cabinet design features a mix of wall and base cabinets, and drawers with a granite countertop to seal the look. This cabinet design is an excellent pick if you wish to design a rustic or traditional kitchen.

3. Fusion of Finishes and Designs
You can also experiment with a fusion of vintage and modern designs and with a combination of finishes. You can choose to have certain areas of the kitchen finished in raw natural wood and a few solid paint finishes. Spend some extra time during the design phase to ensure you get the balance of textures and the colour theme just right.

4. Embrace the Darkness
Experiment with dark wooden colours if you fancy a dramatic and eccentric modular kitchen design. This design may not be for everyone, but it can be a mesmerising space to be in when done right.Accent lighting in the right places can add a touch of class. Note that this colour theme will work only for large spaces with loads of natural light.

5. Bottom Line
Wood-finished modular kitchens look fantastic and can be built to suit your budget. There are a host of design options and colour schemes for you to choose from.