Economy class modular kitchens: types, choice, set of elements

To equip the kitchen, it is not at all necessary to look for a ready-made kit or order it according to an individual project. It is possible to equip everything faster and cheaper: assemble it yourself from ready-made modules. In fact, kitchen furniture consists of a set of cabinets. There are not so many varieties of them – a couple of dozen. They differ in materials and finishes, and the dimensions and materials of the “base” are the same. Based on this, someone came up with the idea to make a set of cabinets in the same style and color, but different models and sizes. Due to the fact that the details are standard, the cost of such a kitchen is slightly less than the finished one and much lower than “to order”. The idea gained popularity, and this furniture began to be called “modular kitchens”. The factory pre-produces a number of modules, and you collect the ones you need. Though for a small-sized kitchen, at least for a spacious one. There are modular kitchens of economy class, there are middle ones. The only thing you won’t see is the exclusive. 

What materials are made from

Modular economy class kitchens are a great way to quickly and inexpensively furnish a kitchen. But “cheap” is a relative term. The price tag may be different. Some collections really cost a little, others seem to be similar, but have a much higher price. It’s all about the materials that are used in fittings. It also significantly affects the cost.

What are the hulls made of?

Economy class kitchen furniture is made of laminated chipboard (LDSP). It has one advantage: low price. But this material does not respond well to high humidity. After a few years near the sink, stove, oven, microwave, it begins to swell and flake off. To slow down the process, all problem areas can be smeared with a neutral silicone sealant (not acrylic). It is obligatory to seal the countertop in those places where you will cut holes for the sink and the installation of a faucet, the outlet of the filter faucet for purified drinking water. Your kitchen will not be ideal for long, but such processing will extend this period of time.

Modular kitchens of average cost are made with MDF facades. Please note that in this case the body of the cabinets is also made of chipboard and only the facades are made of MDF. So, too, one should not flatter oneself about the durability of such furniture. There may be another problem: inexpensive MDF facades are finished with a thin material, very similar to paper. At joints in places of intensive use (frequently opened doors), this material begins to peel off. It’s also not a very bright prospect. But, if you can choose, MDF is still better. It does not swell from moisture and does not warp, due to the elasticity of the material, the facades can have more decorative forms.

What are facades?

Facades of cabinets can be finished with different materials:

• Laminated with a film that imitates the surface of wood of various species. These are just economy class modular kitchens. This finishing method is the most inexpensive. This design is good for classic interiors.
• Lined with veneer. A more expensive type of finish that completely imitates wood products. It goes well with classic and ethnic interiors.
  

• plastic facades. Plastic is glued to the SDP or MDF. This type of finish is the most easy to care for and durable. The only thing worth considering is that the glossy plastic of dark or saturated colors will have to be rubbed all the time: all traces are visible on the shiny surface. Therefore, matte or semi-matte is better, in extreme cases – semi-gloss. Such kitchens are combined with modern modern style, minimalism, and other areas where a smooth plain surface is welcomed.
• Frame facades with fired plastic inserts. Modular economy class kitchens with such facades are not made. The frames are made of aluminum alloy, the glass is tempered. All this is not cheap. But beautiful and durable. Just need to take into account a couple of subtleties. First, glass requires frequent cleaning. The second is that there should be order in the cabinets, since even objects that are inside are visible through the frosted glass.
  

In general, these are all types of facades that are equipped with modular kitchens. Some are used in budget sets, some in medium prices. The only material from which modules are not made is wood. It’s almost always custom made.

Types of cabinets in modular kitchens

Modular kitchens are distinguished by a large variety of cabinets of different sizes and types, but decorated in the same style and color. From them, as from a designer, you can assemble kitchens that differ in appearance and size. This is convenient, because at minimal cost it allows you to choose furniture that meets your needs, fits in size to your kitchen, no matter what size they are.

By installation type

First of all, kitchen cabinets are divided according to the type of installation. There are wall (suspended) and floor. These are traditional modules that everyone has long been accustomed to. When compiling your headset, it is better to immediately look for a pair – floor and hinged of the same width, since only with the same width they look normal.

Please note that some modular kitchens have a line of floor cabinets without countertops. This allows you to assemble the cabinets, fasten them one to the other, and only after that cover them with a common worktop without seams. Agree, it is much more convenient and practical – there are no cracks in which dirt clogs.

Situations where there are only floor cabinets are rare. Basically – under the window or if household appliances are fixed on the wall – a microwave oven or something similar. Situations in which only hanging cabinets are needed are more frequent. This is usually above the stove if the kitchen hood above it does not need to be connected to the ventilation system. In this case, long hinged cabinets are needed. They have a smaller than usual height and a greater width. The height is “reached” by the hood, and the width is needed large, since the standard width of the stove and hood is about 80 cm.

There are also cabinets, pencil cases and free-standing cabinets. They belong to more modern types of furniture. The cabinet-pencil case is installed on the floor, but it is so high that it ends at the same level as the mounted wall cabinets. Due to the large number of shelves and drawers, it has a large capacity, it can stand next to the refrigerator or on the opposite corner, balancing the composition.

Freestanding cabinets are needed in modular kitchens for island-type suites. They are joined to each other, covered with a common countertop. Can be a work or dining table. Often the island table serves as a separator between two zones when combining the kitchen and living room.

By sight

Modular economy class kitchens are made up of elements of different designs. Linear sets are made up of ordinary cabinets. They come with drawers and doors. Drawers can be different in height: wide and narrow. In one cabinet, one above the other, there can be two, three or four drawers. The old combination – a box on top and a door at the bottom – is not very common today, but you can find it if you wish.

For kitchens in the form of the letters L, T and P, corner elements are required. They are of two types: trapezoidal and L-shaped. Trapezoidal have a great depth in the corner, but to use this space, retractable structures are needed, otherwise, in order to get into the corner, you will have to almost completely “dive” inside. but retractable designs are not cheap. If the budget is limited, this area can be used to store overall items that are not used very often.

Corner L-shaped pedestals are distinguished by an unusual folding door. Access to the farthest corners is easier here, since the depth is less. There are two types of such cabinets:

• Of two separate cabinets that simply move one to the other. One of them has a “blind” half, closed with laminated fiberboard and both are equipped with hinged doors that open each in their own direction. This option is again not very convenient to use: one of the parts is inaccessible.
• One cabinet with a worktop in the form of the letter “G”. These models are equipped with a folding door. It is one, but consists of two halves, which are movably fastened together. When opened, they simply fold, resembling the pages of a children’s book.
  

Extreme kitchen cabinets are called end cabinets. They are open type – with shelves, or closed – with doors. Modules with shelves do not look as “heavy”, but you can’t put anything functional on them. They are rather decorative. If there is enough space in the kitchen, you can take end open wall cabinets and put decorative elements on them.

If the kitchen is small and you need to gain space, it is advisable to put cabinets with doors and use them for their intended purpose. Another plus of this solution is that you have to clean less. All horizontal surfaces in the kitchen have to be wiped often, and in the open version there are a lot of them.

Types of door opening

On hanging cabinets, the doors can be hinged or lifting – on elevators. Lifting ones are safer – you won’t hit your head on an open door. But the mechanism costs a lot, so cabinets with lifting doors are more expensive. So you will rarely meet economy-class modular kitchens with such doors – their cost is above average.

In floor-mounted kitchen cabinets, doors can be ordinary – hinged, or sliding, which move to the side when opened. They are good if the distance between two parallel lines of cabinets is small. But the guides along which the doors move need regular maintenance – they become clogged with dust and debris. In addition, only half of the cabinet is accessible at one time. To get to the second, you need to move both doors to the opposite side.

Dimensions of cabinets in modular kitchens

Modular economy class kitchens are distinguished by the fact that the elements are made in different sizes. The same cabinet can be in several sizes. This is precisely what this form of release is convenient for: due to the large number of variations, you can assemble a headset of exactly the length or depth that you need.

The width of the cabinets are:

• Narrow – 150-300 mm;
• Standard – 520-600 mm;
• Wide – 650-800 mm.
  

There is no single standard, because manufacturers make the width different. Some sizes are more common, some less common, but you can dial the desired length of the kitchen wall. You just need to arm yourself with a piece of paper and a pencil, put the required dimensions of kitchen furniture. Having chosen a cabinet, subtract its length, choose the next one. And so on until the required set is reached.

The depth of the cabinets is not very diverse. Basically there are such instances:

• Floor – 500, 550, 600 mm;
• Mounted – 300-350 mm;
  

There are also different cabinet heights. As a rule, she is selected according to the growth of the hostess. It is convenient if the countertop is 20-30 cm above the level where the hands of the hands lowered down end. Floor cabinets in modular kitchens come in the following heights: 700-750; 800-850; 900-950 mm. Occasionally you can find intermediate options.

Economy class modular kitchens: cabinet selection procedure

Kitchen furniture is changed in two cases: during a major overhaul or, if necessary / desired, to replace the old one. What would seem to be the difference? Big. If repairs are to be made, you can first choose a kitchen, then change the layout of the water and sewer pipes for it, move the sockets to the right place, rearrange the stove, etc. In this case, you can select the functionality you need from the elements of a modular kitchen, without being particularly attached to anything.

Another approach to the selection of modules if the repair does not provide for global work. No one will carry a sink and a gas stove. And this must be taken into account. First of all, then a kitchen plan is drawn with dimensions, the installation location of the sink is determined on it, you draw a stove, a refrigerator. All that you are not going to move. Draw all elements to scale. For example, you can use a leaf in a box and take two cells as 10 cm. It will not be difficult to draw, to put down dimensions too. After devices that no one will move are plotted on the plan, the algorithm for selecting modules is as follows:

• Select a sink table.
• If available, choose corner cabinets.
• Decide on the dimensions of cabinets for built-in appliances.
• Decide if you need end cabinets and what sizes they will be.
• The remaining free space is filled with line cabinets, choosing their width and functionality.

This algorithm allows you to assemble a piece-by-piece modular kitchen according to your size in just a few hours. Only you will need to first measure how long along each wall.