Materials library

Material cards

• 

  Fronts

  Matt lacquer

  A velvety, non-reflective front sprayed onto MDF, in any colour from the RAL or NCS charts.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The surface is smooth and even, with no grain and no reflections. The lacquer wraps round the edges too, so they match the face and carry a slight radius: a sharp arris would chip far sooner. In time, dark colours can pick up a sheen where you grab the door most often. Some white lacquers yellow slightly after years in strong sun.

  Pros

  • You pick the exact shade and also choose how matt the finish is.
  • We spray the edges along with the face, so there's no edge banding to lift.
  • MDF can be machined, so the door can have a routed finger pull, fluting or a frame detail.
  • A damaged door can go back to our finishing room to be sanded and resprayed.

  Cons

  • A knock from a pan or a chair can chip the lacquer on the edge.
  • Greasy fingermarks show on dark colours, and rubbing the same spot again and again polishes it to a sheen.
  • A single door resprayed years later may not quite match the doors that have aged around it.

  Care

  Day to day, a microfibre cloth dampened with warm water and a drop of washing-up liquid does the job; dry the door off afterwards. Wipe greasy marks near the handles before they dry on. Cream cleaners, scouring pads and melamine sponges all polish matt lacquer to a shine, so keep them away from the doors. Avoid acetone, solvents and steam cleaners.

• 

  Fronts

  High-gloss lacquer

  A deep, mirror-like lacquer finish that brightens a room and shows every fingerprint.

  Cost within the group

  higher

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The door reflects the room like a mirror, and the darker the colour, the deeper the reflection. Getting there takes several coats of lacquer, sanding between them and polishing at the end. Reflections expose any misalignment between neighbouring doors, so we adjust gloss fronts more carefully than matt ones when fitting. After a few years, the doors you touch most develop a web of fine scratches that you can see against the light.

  Pros

  • It bounces light around, so a narrow kitchen or a dark hallway feels brighter.
  • A smooth face has no texture for dirt to settle in.
  • Colours come from the same RAL and NCS charts as matt lacquer.
  • A sprayer can polish out light scratches without respraying the door.

  Cons

  • Fingerprints, dust and streaks show, most of all on black and navy.
  • A ring, a button or a cloth with a grain of sand in it leaves scratches you'll see against the light.
  • A chipped edge is harder to hide than on matt, because the repaired spot catches the light differently.
  • It costs more than matt: the extra coats and the polishing add to the work.

  Care

  Wash with a soft microfibre cloth and a little mild detergent in water, then buff away streaks with a dry cloth moved in one direction. Kitchen roll, cream cleaners and melamine sponges leave micro-scratches on gloss. Don't use anything containing alcohol or solvents. Scratches near the handles can be polished out; ask us which polish suits your lacquer.

• 

  Fronts

  Natural wood veneer

  A layer of real wood, usually thinner than a millimetre, laid on a stable board that doesn't move like solid timber.

  Cost within the group

  higher

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  Up close you can see the pores and the grain, and no two leaves are alike. We lay out doors cut from one bundle of veneer in the order the leaves were sliced, so the grain runs from door to door along the whole run of units. Wood reacts to light: oak darkens and warms up, while American walnut turns paler. Anything that covers part of a door for six months leaves a patch in a different tone, which evens out over the following months.

  Pros

  • Real wood on a core that holds its size and won't warp the way a solid board can.
  • The grain can carry on across several doors, because they all come from one bundle of leaves.
  • You can finish it with lacquer, which is easier to look after, or with oil, which feels more natural.
  • It takes on a patina over the years, as wooden furniture does.
  • Dull or scratched lacquer on veneer can be lightly sanded and refreshed.

  Cons

  • Light changes the shade, and anything left against a door for months leaves a lighter or darker mark.
  • Water left standing on an edge can swell the board underneath and lift the veneer, so by the sink and dishwasher it needs mopping up as you go.
  • The wood layer is thin, so a deep scratch or dent can't be sanded out.
  • A door added a few years later, even in the same species, will differ in tone and figure from the rest.

  Care

  Wipe along the grain with a lightly damp cloth and dry it, paying most attention to the edges next to the sink, dishwasher and basin. A little detergent in water takes off greasy marks. Avoid steam cleaners, cream cleaners and silicone furniture polish, which leaves a film that makes refinishing harder later on. Once oiled doors start to look dull, refresh them with the oil or wax the finish manufacturer recommends.

• 

  Fronts

  Solid wood

  Doors in solid oak, ash or walnut that can be sanded back and refinished years later, like an old table.

  Cost within the group

  higher

  Where it works

  Kitchens, built-in furniture, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The timber runs through the full thickness, so the edge and any moulded profile show the same grain as the face. Each door is either a frame with a floating panel or a glued-up board made of narrow staves. Oiled, it's matt and warm to the touch. Over the years it darkens, and in winter a panel can shrink and reveal a thin paler strip along the frame.

  Pros

  • Scratches, dents and stains can be sanded out and re-oiled, even after many years.
  • Edges and profiles are solid timber too, with no veneer or banding to come away.
  • It allows frame-and-panel doors, moulded profiles and hand-cut details that board can't take.
  • It darkens and gains a patina, and everyday wear doesn't read as damage.

  Cons

  • It moves with humidity: it shrinks in the heating season and swells in summer, and wide doors can cup slightly.
  • Fresh plaster and swings in humidity don't suit it, so we fit it only once walls and screed have dried out.
  • Oiled wood needs regular re-oiling, mostly around the handles and near the sink.
  • It's dearer than veneer and heavier than board, so tall doors need extra hinges.

  Care

  Pick up dust and crumbs with a dry or lightly damp cloth, and wipe up spills at once. When drops of water stop beading and start soaking in, wipe on a wood oil and remove the excess as the tin instructs. Keep indoor humidity at around 40–60%, especially in winter. Don't put a kettle or coffee machine where its steam hits a door, and keep silicone polishes off the wood.

• 

  Fronts

  Anti-fingerprint matt laminate

  A deep matt, soft-touch surface on board that doesn't hold greasy fingerprints.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The matt is deeper than lacquer and soaks up light, so colours read darker and calmer. You choose from the board manufacturer's range, Fenix NTM for example, rather than from a RAL chart. We band the edges in a matching colour: there's a fine joint line where the banding meets the face, and in side light the banding can have a slightly different sheen. Years on, the face looks much as it did on fitting day, and the edges are what change.

  Pros

  • It doesn't hold fingerprints, which suits doors without handles.
  • It copes with daily wiping and rubbing without the shiny patches matt lacquer can develop.
  • Some boards, Fenix NTM among them, let you reduce shallow micro-scratches with heat, following the maker's instructions.

  Cons

  • Colours are limited to the manufacturer's collection, with no custom matching.
  • A deep scratch or a chipped edge can't be repaired, so a damaged door has to be replaced.
  • Decorative routing is out, because the cutter exposes a core in a different colour.

  Care

  Warm water with a little washing-up liquid is enough for everyday cleaning. For marks that won't shift, use whatever the board manufacturer's care sheet recommends; some allow a melamine sponge. Waxes, polishes and pastes leave shiny patches on the matt, so skip them. Mop up water along the edges straight away, especially next to the dishwasher.

• 

  Fronts

  Textured melamine board

  Board with a wood decor and a grain you can feel: the most affordable front, and one that won't fade.

  Cost within the group

  lower

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  From a metre away it passes for wood, but up close you can tell the grain is printed and repeats on neighbouring doors. In boards with synchronised texture, such as Egger Feelwood, the pores under your fingers line up with the printed grain. The colour stays put, and as the board ages the edges wear first.

  Pros

  • The cheapest front, and quicker to make because there's no spraying.
  • The melamine surface is hard-wearing and stands up to household cleaners.
  • It won't fade, so a door added later matches the rest for as long as the decor stays in production.
  • The same decor can go on doors, cabinet sides and shelves.

  Cons

  • A repeating print gives it away once you're standing next to it.
  • The chipboard core swells if water gets under damaged edge banding, and a swollen door can only be replaced.
  • A cutter or sandpaper would expose the core, so the door stays a plain slab.

  Care

  Wash with a mild all-purpose cleaner on a damp cloth. Dirt in a deep texture comes out with a soft brush, since cream cleaner dries in the pores. Around the sink, dry the edges after every splash and never point a steam cleaner at them.

• 

  Fronts

  Glass in aluminium frames

  Slim aluminium frames with clear, satin or reeded glass: a light front for display units and wall cabinets.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The frame is slim, anodised or powder-coated in natural aluminium, black or bronze, and the glass can be clear, smoked, satin or reeded. Clear glass puts the inside of the cabinet on show, so tidy shelves and interior lighting matter. The glass keeps both its colour and its shine; it's the hinges and gaskets that wear with time.

  Pros

  • On a tall run of units, glass doors at the top make the wall of cabinets look lighter.
  • Glass doesn't absorb water, grease or smells.
  • A cracked or scratched pane can be replaced in the same frame.
  • Satin and reeded glass hide clutter but let through light from an LED strip inside.

  Cons

  • Fingerprints show, and on satin glass a greasy mark appears as a darker patch.
  • A hard knock on a corner can break the pane; toughened glass then crumbles into small, blunt pieces.
  • The doors need hinges made for aluminium frames and cost more than melamine board.

  Care

  Clean the glass with glass cleaner and a microfibre cloth, and give the frame a wipe with a wrung-out cloth. On satin glass, avoid anything with silicone or wax, which leaves marks that are hard to shift; warm soapy water takes off greasy prints. Keep descalers and oven cleaners off the frame.

• 

  Worktops

  Sintered stone

  Minerals pressed and fired at very high temperature, with no resin, so hot pans and sunlight don't harm it.

  Cost within the group

  higher

  Where it works

  Kitchens, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The surface is as even as a good tile: matt, satin or polished, patterned like marble, concrete or stone, or in a single colour. In many slabs the pattern sits only on the surface and the body is a different shade, so edges stay square with a small chamfer, or the stonemason mitres them at 45° to make the worktop look thicker. The surface doesn't fade or absorb stains, so it looks the same for years; chips on the edges, if you get any, stay visible.

  Pros

  • A hot pan put straight down on it leaves no mark.
  • Water and oil can't soak in, so there's nothing to seal.
  • Its colour holds in the sun, which makes it a good choice by big windows and outdoors.
  • Thin slabs, 12 mm for example, make a slim worktop, and the same material can clad the wall behind it.

  Cons

  • A heavy pan knocked against an edge or corner can chip it, and a resin repair usually stays visible.
  • Fabrication is expensive: cutting, sink and hob cut-outs and edge finishing take a stonemason longer than with quartz.
  • In slabs with a surface-only pattern, the edges and cut-outs show a body in a contrasting shade.
  • On such a hard surface, glasses and plates break more easily.

  Care

  Clean with warm water, a mild detergent and a soft cloth. Grey streaks from the bottom of a pan are usually traces of metal, and a gentle cream cleaner takes them off. Keep anything containing hydrofluoric acid away, and don't bang heavy pans against the edges. Use a chopping board: a knife won't scratch sintered stone, but it will blunt quickly on it.

• 

  Worktops

  Quartz composite

  Quartz aggregate bound with resin, with a predictable pattern and a surface that resists stains.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The pattern is even and repeats: a plain colour, a fine grain or marble-style veining. The colour runs through the whole thickness of the slab, so a rounded or chamfered edge looks the same as the top. Looked after well, the worktop will look much as it did on the day it was fitted, but heat marks and sun fading are permanent.

  Pros

  • Coffee and red wine don't get into the material, so a spill wipes off with a cloth.
  • A sample gives a fair idea of the whole worktop, because the pattern repeats across the slab.
  • Edges can be rounded or chamfered without revealing a different colour.
  • It's less brittle than sintered stone, and a stonemason can fill a small chip with resin tinted to match.
  • With an undermount sink, drainer grooves can be routed into it.

  Cons

  • A hot pan put down without a trivet can leave a permanent pale mark or even crack it.
  • Years of strong sun change the colour of the resin, so quartz isn't suitable for a terrace or an outdoor kitchen.
  • Oven cleaners, drain unblockers and solvents dull and discolour the surface.

  Care

  Wash with warm soapy water and a sponge, and lift dried-on food with a plastic scraper. Always use a trivet for hot pans and baking trays. Avoid oven cleaner, drain unblockers, solvents, bleach and metal scrapers. Cut on a board so you don't leave knife marks on the worktop.

• 

  Worktops

  Natural stone

  Granite, marble or quartzite straight from the quarry: every slab has its own pattern, and every stone its own needs.

  Cost within the group

  higher

  Where it works

  Kitchens, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  Granite has a grainy pattern with visible crystals; marble has soft veins that run through the whole slab. You see the slabs at the stone yard before they're cut, because a small sample can't show how the veins will fall across the whole worktop. Granite stays unchanged after years of use. Marble dulls where you cook most and picks up small marks: some people mind, others like it that way.

  Pros

  • You choose the slabs for your worktop in person, so you know what pattern you're getting.
  • Granite takes the heat of a pan straight off the hob and is hard to scratch.
  • A stonemason can grind out dull patches and scratches and repolish them on site.
  • The pattern goes all the way through the stone, so the edge can take any profile.

  Cons

  • Acids etch dull marks into marble and limestone: lemon, vinegar, wine and tomato sauce.
  • Stone needs sealing, and porous types soak up oil and coloured liquids without it.
  • It's heavy, so the cabinets under a long run or an island need to be built for the load.
  • The price depends on the stone: common granites cost about the same as quartz, while rare marbles and quartzites are among the most expensive worktops.

  Care

  Clean with a pH-neutral stone cleaner diluted in water. Wipe up lemon juice, vinegar and wine immediately, and stand oil bottles and glasses of juice on coasters. Don't clean with vinegar, descaler, anything containing chlorine or cream cleaners. Reseal when a drop of water leaves a dark patch after a few minutes.

• 

  Worktops

  Solid wood worktop

  Staves of solid oak, beech or walnut glued into a worktop that's warm to the touch and can be restored years later.

  Cost within the group

  lower

  Where it works

  Kitchens, built-in furniture, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The strips of the staves and the grain are easy to see; full-length staves look calmer than short pieces finger-jointed together. Oiled, the worktop is matt and doesn't chill your hands the way stone does. It darkens with time and collects small marks from knives and pans, and near the tap it loses its oil first and turns grey.

  Pros

  • Pans don't clatter on wood the way they do on stone, and a dropped glass stands a better chance.
  • Scratches, stains and scorch marks come out with abrasive paper and fresh oil, and you can do it yourself.
  • It costs less than stone, quartz or sintered stone.
  • A fitter can adjust it on site like furniture: trim it and cut the openings for a sink and hob.

  Cons

  • It needs oiling: several coats to start with, then regularly, most often around the sink.
  • Puddles by a sink or dishwasher soak into the wood, darken it and can eventually cause cracks.
  • Hot pans leave a dark scorch, and a wet cast-iron pan or a tin can leaves a black stain on oak.
  • It moves with humidity, so we fix it in a way that lets it expand and leave a gap along the wall.

  Care

  After cooking, wipe the worktop down and dry it; don't leave wet sponges or cloths lying on it. When the wood near the sink turns pale and stops repelling water, sand the area lightly with fine abrasive paper and apply a thin coat of worktop oil. Dry oily rags flat outdoors or keep them in a sealed container of water, because they can catch fire on their own. Stand hot pans on a trivet and avoid bleach.

• 

  Worktops

  Stainless steel

  A steel worktop like the ones in restaurant kitchens: it takes heat and water, and fine scratches settle into a patina.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, built-in furniture

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The steel is usually brushed, with fine lines running in one direction. The sink and drainer can be welded into the worktop, with no grout lines or silicone. Within months a web of scratches covers the steel, and with time it blends into an even matt patina. The first scratches stand out the most, and after a while you stop noticing them.

  Pros

  • It copes with high temperatures, water and grease.
  • It's non-porous and easy to disinfect, which is why restaurant kitchens use it.
  • A sink welded into the worktop has no gaps for dirt to collect in.
  • New marks from heavy cooking disappear into the patina, so you don't have to treat it gently.

  Cons

  • It scratches from day one, and a dent from a heavy dropped object stays.
  • Fingerprints, hard-water marks and streaks after cleaning all show.
  • Pans and cutlery sound louder on metal than on stone or wood.

  Care

  Clean with a sponge and soapy water, working along the direction of the brushing, then dry the worktop. Limescale marks come off with diluted vinegar or a steel cleaner; rinse and dry afterwards. Don't use wire wool or scourers made of ordinary steel, because they leave iron particles that rust on the steel. Keep chlorine bleach and hydrochloric acid away as well.

• 

  Worktops

  Compact HPL laminate

  A thin, self-supporting board of paper layers and resin pressed under high pressure, waterproof all the way through.

  Cost within the group

  lower

  Where it works

  Kitchens, built-in furniture, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The worktop is usually a little over a centimetre thick, with a clear line of core along the edge, most often black. The decor can be a plain colour or imitate concrete, stone or wood, with a matt or textured surface. The face holds its colour, but knife scratches stay, and they show most on dark plain decors.

  Pros

  • Water can't get into it, so an undermount sink and routed drainer grooves won't make it swell.
  • It's thin and far lighter than stone, and it needs no chipboard underneath.
  • It works out cheaper than stone worktops and sintered stone.
  • It takes knocks well and doesn't chip as easily as sintered stone.

  Cons

  • The edges and cut-outs show a dark core; some manufacturers offer decors with a pale core if you want that line less visible.
  • Hot cookware can leave a permanent mark, so a trivet is a must.
  • Scratches and scorch marks are there to stay, because the core starts right under the thin decor layer.

  Care

  For everyday cleaning, a mild cleaner and a soft cloth are enough. Abrasive creams and hard scourers dull or polish the finish, and oven cleaners can discolour it. Don't cut directly on the worktop, and put hot pans on a trivet.

• 

  Interiors, fittings and handles

  Full-extension soft-close drawers

  The drawer runs out to its full depth, and a damper closes the last few centimetres without a bang.

  Cost within the group

  higher

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  From outside you see only the front. Open it and you'll find metal drawer sides, usually white, grey or anthracite, or a wooden box on runners hidden under the base. A damper in the runner catches a pushed drawer a few centimetres before it closes and draws it in without a knock. Good runners work the same after years, and at most the front needs adjusting now and then.

  Pros

  • You reach things at the back of the drawer without bending down or lifting out what's at the front.
  • The soft close protects the front and what's inside, even when someone gives the drawer a hard shove.
  • Drawers keep base units tidier than shelves behind doors.
  • The front can be adjusted in several directions without taking the drawer out.

  Cons

  • A unit with drawers costs more than the same unit with a door and a shelf, especially with metal-sided systems.
  • Runners have a rated load, and an overloaded pan drawer wears out the runners and damper faster.
  • They need carefully levelled cabinets, because on an out-of-square carcass the fronts start to rub.

  Care

  Every few months, take out the inserts and wipe the base and runners clean; crumbs in a runner cause drag and knocking. Don't oil or grease the runners, as dust sticks to them. Load pan drawers within the limit given by the hardware maker, Blum or Hettich for example. If a front starts to rub, adjust it with the adjustment screws or let us know.

• 

  Interiors, fittings and handles

  Lift-up mechanisms for wall units

  A mechanism that raises the door of a wall cabinet and holds it open while you take things out.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The mechanism sits inside the cabinet sides and only shows when the door is open. Depending on the type, the door tilts up, rises parallel above the cabinet or folds in half, as in systems such as Blum Aventos. It stops at whatever height you leave it and closes gently. In time the tension may need a tweak, especially if you swap the door for a heavier one.

  Pros

  • An open door doesn't swing out at head height, so you won't walk into its corner.
  • Both hands stay free, because the door stays up.
  • One door can close a wide cabinet, with no post in the middle.
  • The mechanism is set to the weight of the door, so a light door and a heavy one take much the same effort to open.

  Cons

  • A door raised high can be hard for a shorter person to pull down; a folding version or electric opening helps.
  • Depending on the type, it needs space above the cabinet, so we plan it together with the height of the units and the ceiling.
  • It's pricier than ordinary hinges, and changing to a heavier door, solid wood for example, means resetting or replacing the spring.

  Care

  Dust the mechanism cover from time to time; it needs no oil and shouldn't be taken apart. Don't lean on an open door or hang tea towels from it. If the door drops by itself or springs up on its own, adjust the tension with the screw on the mechanism following the maker's instructions, or tell us.

• 

  Interiors, fittings and handles

  Handleless opening

  Plain fronts with no handles, opened by a recessed profile, a routed edge or a light push.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, bathrooms

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  With recessed profiles, often called a gola system, horizontal and vertical channels run between the doors in aluminium, black or the carcass colour. A routed pull is a narrow groove along the top edge of the door. With push-to-open systems such as Blum Tip-On, the doors form one flat surface with narrow gaps. Over time, fingerprints build up where you press most often, and matt lacquer can pick up a sheen there.

  Pros

  • Nothing sticks out, so you won't catch clothes or a hip on a handle in a narrow walkway.
  • Plain fronts have no nooks around handles for grease to collect in.
  • A recessed profile gives a firm grip along the full width of the front.
  • Electric opening, Blum Servo-Drive for example, pushes a drawer out at a light touch, even with a knee, when your hands are full.

  Cons

  • Fingerprints collect where you press, so anti-fingerprint surfaces work best.
  • Push-to-open mechanisms also open when bumped by accident, by a child or a dog for instance.
  • Recessed profiles take up a little space inside cabinets and drawers.
  • Electric opening needs power inside the units, which has to be planned before the electrics go in.

  Care

  Clean the pressure points as recommended for the front material. Wipe aluminium profiles with a damp cloth, without cream cleaners or rough sponges that scratch the anodised surface. Clear crumbs out of the horizontal channels regularly. Close doors that open on a push with a light press rather than slamming them.

• 

  Interiors, fittings and handles

  Handles, profiles and knobs

  Bar handles, knobs and edge profiles in aluminium, steel or brass. The simplest way to open a front.

  Cost within the group

  lower

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  A handle is the part of the furniture you hold most often, so its weight matters, and so does whether its edges dig into your fingers. Anodised aluminium and brushed steel look the same years later. Unlacquered brass darkens and develops a patina where hands touch it, and cheaper plated zinc-alloy handles can lose their colour where they're handled most.

  Pros

  • It works with any front and needs no extra mechanism.
  • You get a firm hold even with wet or greasy hands, without pressing the door.
  • A handle can be swapped years later without changing the doors, as long as the new one has the same hole spacing, 128 or 160 mm for example.
  • Profiles fitted along the top edge of a door give a look close to handleless units, without touch-release mechanisms.

  Cons

  • Projecting handles catch on clothes and hips in narrow walkways.
  • Dirt collects around handles, and the lacquer or veneer beside them shows fingermarks over time.
  • The plating on cheap zinc-alloy handles can wear through to the metal underneath.

  Care

  Clean handles with a wrung-out cloth, then dry them. You can leave unlacquered brass to darken, or polish it now and then with brass polish, taking care not to get any on the door. Keep rough sponges away from coated handles, such as black or gold finishes. Tighten a loose handle with the screw on the inside of the front.

• 

  Interiors, fittings and handles

  Integrated LED lighting

  LED strips in aluminium profiles under wall units, in shelves and inside wardrobes, planned along with the furniture.

  Cost within the group

  mid-range

  Where it works

  Kitchens, wardrobes and dressing rooms, built-in furniture, bathrooms, offices

  Appearance, pros, cons and care

  How it ages

  The strip sits in a profile with an opal diffuser, so you see an even line of light rather than individual dots. Under wall units the light falls straight onto the worktop, and in wardrobes and drawers a sensor switches it on when the door opens. With age, LEDs lose some brightness, and cheap strips can drift towards a greenish or pinkish tint.

  Pros

  • Ceiling lights shine from behind you, while a strip under the wall units lights the worktop without the shadow of your head.
  • A door sensor switches the light on in a wardrobe or drawer only when you look inside.
  • You match the colour temperature to the room: warm white of about 2700–3000 K for living spaces and kitchens, neutral white of about 4000 K for work areas.
  • LEDs with a high colour rendering index, CRI 90 or above, show the true colour of wood, fronts and food.
  • They use little power, and the aluminium profile draws heat away, so a strip can be tucked into a shelf or plinth.

  Cons

  • They need planning before the first-fix electrics: power, cables and an accessible spot for the driver.
  • On a polished worktop or gloss lacquer, the LEDs show up as reflections if the profile has no opal diffuser.
  • Cheap strips and drivers flicker, which shows up on phone videos, and change colour sooner.
  • A driver sealed inside the units with no access means taking furniture apart every time it fails.

  Care

  Dust the diffuser with a microfibre duster, without alcohol or solvents, which cloud the plastic. Switch off the circuit before replacing a strip or driver. In a bathroom, use only strips and fittings with an IP rating suited to the zone around the bath or shower.