Low maintenance kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets which are easy to keep clean.

Low maintenance is the top priority for my kitchen renovation; I don’t care how pretty it looks in the showroom, it ain’t coming into my house if it requires any more than a (teeny-tiny) bit of elbow grease.

I’ve made several design ‘mistakes’ during my renovations and they boil down to one thing: cleaning.

Especially when it comes to the kitchen, aka the messiest room in the house – eating, cooking and hanging out in there is a dirty business.

There are colours, textures and materials I certainly won’t be using again because they always look unclean.

photo: Vincent Erhart

If you’re after a low-maintenance kitchen then, my friend, you’ve come to the right place, here is everything I know:

what cabinets are easiest to maintain?

An easy-to-maintain kitchen cabinet has a simple design – kitchen cupboards and doors should be fuss-free with minimal grooves and trims.

Grooves and trims may look nice, but they add extra places for dust and dirt to land on and get stuck.

Wood stain, especially on grainy wood like oak, is easier to keep clean than a fully painted kitchen unit, particularly if the stain is dark – the textures will camouflage fingerprints and splashes.

If your units get knocked or scratched then the wood stain is easier to repair than a block paint colour; it only requires a touch-up – you can even use a wood marker pen.

photo: Bluewater Sweden

what is the most durable type of kitchen cabinet?

If you want a durable kitchen cabinet then anything made from solid hardwood is going to be very difficult to damage; they’re pricier than plywood or MDF, but could be worth it in the long run.

what colour kitchen cabinets show the least dirt?

A natural wood finish is going to show the least muck; the textures, colours and patterns in the wood camouflage splashes and scratches.

If a wood finish isn’t your bag, but you still want it to be clean-friendly then opt for a medium-ranged colour rather than white or black.

what kitchen cabinets don’t go out of style?

There are some traditional kitchen cabinets which have stood the test of time, such as the shaker kitchen – I would hedge my bets on these being around for light years.

photo: Dan Burton

what colour kitchen cabinets don’t go out of style?

Light-coloured kitchen cabinets have been popular for a long time and it don’t look like they’re going anywhere anytime soon!

My parents put a cream-coloured IKEA kitchen in their home ten years ago and it looks as fresh and modern now as it did when they installed it.

If style longevity is what you’re after, then it’s best to use a simple design in a light colour with hardware you can switch up later down the line – it’s amazing what changing door handles can do.

what colour kitchens are in for 2023?

I can’t see grey, white or beige kitchens going out of fashion anytime soon, however, we are seeing more people experiment with colour in their homes. Wren, for example, has a stunning coral kitchen which has proved to be very popular.

If you want colourful kitchen cabinets, but don’t want anything too bold then soft blues and greens are going to be very popular, too.

When it comes to low maintenance kitchen cabinets, colourful cabinets are going to be your friend.

photo: Precious Plastic

what colour cabinets to avoid?

Very dark and very light colours are more tricky to look after than medium colours; they display dirt, dust and smudges like they’re pictures in a museum.

which finish is best for kitchen cabinets?

Matt finish is better than gloss for kitchen doors and cabinets; as well as fingerprints and grease, a gloss finish will draw attention to scratches and imperfections. Despite this though, gloss is great for bouncing around the light and making your kitchen look brighter and airier, so it depends on where your priorities lie.

Do dark kitchen cabinets show up dirt and fingerprints?

Black or extremely dark kitchen cabinets will show up fingerprints, dust and dirt. If you have a busy household, then medium-coloured cabinets are easier to look after.

are glass kitchen cabinets a good idea?

As well as being a great way to show off your styling skills, glass cabinets can break up a kitchen by adding light and different focal points. Despite being durable and easy to clean though, they do show fingerprints and dirt very easily, especially when sunlight hits them.

If you’re looking for low maintenance kitchen cabinets then maybe glass doors aren’t going to be the one.