When you think of kitchen furniture, you may think of tables and chairs, but there is much more

We need our kitchens. They are an essential part of our lives. In them we feed our families, in them we work, in them the children do their homework and they are laundry rooms and offices. Kitchens are often the hub of the home and the place we go for family gatherings and parties. When you consider the things we do in our kitchens, it’s no surprise that kitchen cabinets are crucial in our lives. The right kitchen furniture will enhance the room and also give it the functionality it needs. There is no doubt that kitchen furniture has to be functional, but that function should not dominate it.

Functionality is a good word, but it makes things sound boring and only suitable for certain things. However, good kitchen cabinets can’t just be functional, they can be beautiful, well-crafted, durable, and something you’ll treasure. Think of an old battered pine kitchen table, the things it’s been used for over the years, seating the kids to eat, sharing dinner and wine with friends and family. The tables are even used as office space and you can sit and sort your bills and household expenses at your table.

It’s not just tables that are useful in kitchens. You can get butcher blocks, wine racks, dressers, sideboards, and even freestanding cabinets. Built-in kitchens can be very popular, but some people are turning to all freestanding items as they give the kitchen a more eclectic and fresh look. You can go very modern and contemporary with your kitchen furniture. You can even mix in some Venetian-style mirrored cabinets to give a dull corner a wow factor. Our kitchens have to be everything for the whole family and not just where we cook and eat.

You may not sit at a table and eat dinner every day, but I’d like to bet that any quality time you spend with the family will be at the table. We all have extremely busy lives, school careers, work, clubs and extracurricular activities as well as hobbies all reduce the time we can spend together as a family. Spending time going over what has happened in the family during the week can be a special time, and what better place to do it than sitting at the table in a cozy kitchen with the children catching up.

Kitchen cabinets that accommodate a sink or cooker and hob can be purchased as stand-alone units. Similarly, all of your storage needs can be purchased as stand-alone units. If you don’t want to go for the unfitting look, you can add a piece or two, perhaps to match a table and chairs, a spice rack or dish rack can free up cabinet space and allow you to keep things on display instead of hidden. Mix and match your kitchen cabinets with your built-ins for a great look that gives you extra storage.