Advantages:
- Attractive
- Alternative options to defer cost
- Offers original texture
Disadvantages:
- Cost
OVERVIEW of Walnut Cabinets:
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home, and the right choice for kitchen cabinets is key to the successful execution and ongoing use of the space. Now more than ever, you can choose from a diverse range of kitchen cabinet materials and finishes. For each aspect of home design and remodeling you can also strive to make choices that are 1) Functional, 2) Stylish, 3) Cost-Effective, and 4) Environmentally Sustainable. These are the four key guiding principles in the GREENandSAVE strategy. You will find that in certain cases, one or two of the criteria take precedent over others. However, as you review the home improvement options that are right for your home, you may be surprised to learn that reaching all four is more achievable than you thought.
Selection Tip: In choosing a kitchen cabinet material and finish make sure to think through the countertop and backsplash that will work best for your design and installation. Solid surface and natural stone materials typically need to be precut prior to installation versus tiles that can be cut and set right on the job site. Kitchen countertop backsplashes sometimes look great when they match the countertop material, but you can alternatively enhance the countertop material by choosing a different tile to run from the top edge of the counter all of the way up to the underside of the head cabinets. If you decide on the tiles, also take care in choosing the right color grout and look for new tile grouts that are stain resistant. Think of the kitchen cabinets, countertops, and backsplashes as an integrated kitchen design system, so try to avoid buying one before you get perspective and price out the materials, finishes, and installation implications for all three.
DETAILS on Walnut Cabinets:
Walnut cabinets are a great option if you are looking to transform your kitchen into a beautiful, elegant haven. Walnut is considered a great choice for cabinetry as well as furniture and flooring. Not only is it an extremely attractive wood, it is also very durable and will easily withstand the everyday wear-and-tear of a kitchen.
You are offered a variety of options when choosing your walnut cabinetry, from how it is dried (which affects the color) to how it is constructed (which affects the cost).
Your first decision is whether you want walnut veneer or solid walnut. This drastically affects the price, as designing your kitchen with all solid walnut can cost up to $6,000, where using walnut veneer will take thousands of dollars off of that price.
Walnut is a scarce wood, and solid walnut cabinets can only be obtained through custom cabinet makers, adding to the expense. Walnut veneer, on the other hand, is a cheaper way to achieve a product that is still beautiful. If you choose to use walnut veneer, the veneer will be glued to a cheaper wood, giving your kitchen that rich appearance at a much lower cost.
How walnut is dried will affect the look of your kitchen. Older walnut trees produce colors that range from creamy white to dark brown. If the wood is dried in a kiln, the color is a duller brown, and if it is air-dried, the color is a purplish-brown. Whichever color you prefer, your walnut wood will have an original, apparent texture as a result of its open grain.
GREEN Considerations:
If you are considering walnut to completely remodel your kitchen, do not fall into the habit of thinking everything has to be brand new. Are you simply updating your existing walnut cabinetry? Good! Can any of it be reused? Even better!
If you decide to supply your kitchen with all-new mahogany, make sure to use FSC-certified or reclaimed wood. A Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification guarantees that wood is grown and harvested in a sustainable manner. Many companies also use reclaimed wood, meaning they use salvaged wood to produce beautiful products.
Columbia Forest Products is the largest manufacturer of hardwood plywood in North America. They have transformed their business to supply only formaldehyde-free products, an extremely beneficial factor for the environment, as well as your home. If your search for walnut takes you outside of North American companies, be sure to use a company that only uses reclaimed wood. Some companies, like Villa and Hut, have established timber plantations specifically for the wood industry. These plantations are set up under Fair Trade standards, meaning every worker is paid a fair wage and your purchase benefits an entire village or family in need.
Checking to be sure that the products you are placing in your home are manufactured and sold in eco-friendly ways is half the battle of keeping your home environmentally-friendly.
