New fashion for kitchen interior design
Modern man strives to surround himself with a laconic space in which there are no unnecessary details. That is why the minimalism style and all its bold interpretations have been in demand lately. Furniture manufacturers are rushing to meet the demand of their consumers and are releasing new lines with very simple designs. Is it convenient to use such pieces of furniture? You can answer this question by highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of a kitchen set without handles.
Complete absence of the usual handles Source komandor-kuban.ru
Smooth facades visually lighten a small room. Where owners are forced to save every centimeter of free kitchen space, furniture fittings protruding beyond the doors pose a certain danger. When it is difficult to turn around indoors, it causes bruises and bruises. Its absence makes narrow passages more comfortable.
Narrow passages are completely safe Source noip.access.ly
When the furniture is arranged tightly, the fittings, parts of which protrude in front of the facades, may catch or rest against the walls when the doors are opened. In such a situation, it often damages the finish and leaves visible scratches or chips on it. Such defects cause even more irritation if they appear on the surface of the façade of a corner-shaped kitchen or refrigerator. When a cabinet has no handles, you shouldn’t expect such “surprises”.
Densely arranged furniture Source pinterest.com
In the kitchen, the handles of the facades constantly get dirty, housewives have to constantly wipe them, and this takes a lot of time. The absence of protruding fittings when using modern systems does not cause difficulties in operating the furniture. Therefore, when there is an opportunity to refuse to use handles, many go for it and purchase kitchen sets without them.
There are several options for solving this problem. The most popular of them are the following.
Corner kitchen without handles Source meblife.ru
Profile false handles “Gola”
This is the simplest, and therefore the most affordable solution. Manufacturers build a special profile into the façade frame. It can be installed on the top or bottom edge, and can be mounted in the side end of the door. Thanks to it, the facades themselves play the role of a handle. The photo shows how this technique works.
Profile false handles “Gola” Source rys.povaxy.ru.net
This choice has its pros and cons. The positive aspects include:
- No vertical seams between adjacent facades. Due to this, the furniture looks neater and neater than a kitchen with mortise profiles.
- Fingerprints on the profile are not so noticeable.
- In order to open the cabinet, you need to hold on to the edge of the facade.
- Profiles with built-in LED lighting are available for sale. It allows you to create original effects.
- Depending on the type of installation, the described fittings vary. This helps furniture designers use different design options for sets. Typically, a vertical profile is used to ensure the process of opening and closing the facade of the upper cabinets, as well as for the pencil case. Horizontal profiles (L-shaped, C-shaped) are used to equip facades located under the worktop.
Convenient handle profile Source mebkuh.ru
The main disadvantage of the false handle “Gola” is the need to pull the door hard. Doing this when your hands are covered in dough, for example, is not very convenient. The profile always has a simple design. Most often these are aluminum inserts with an additional steel coating, black or white inserts that look like plastic, or chrome trim. They are striking in any case. And if the set is incorrectly positioned, any curvature immediately becomes noticeable. To install profiles, you need to make special cuts. They “eat up” the useful space of the storage system. This must be taken into account when choosing fittings of the described type.
Aluminum false handles “Gola” Source www.makdistribution.co.uk
Integrated profile handles type UKW or C
They have a certain similarity with “Gola” profiles, but during installation they cut into the upper ends of the façade rather than into the frame. Visually it looks more aesthetically pleasing. And the next photo only proves this. This profile initially has a length of up to four meters. When making furniture, the craftsman cuts it to the required length. Horizontal and vertical profiles are available for sale. The first ones are used to decorate the lower drawers of the set, the second ones for the upper ones.
Integrated profile handles type UKW or C Source meblife.ru
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in interior redevelopment.
This choice has its advantages.
- Installing UKW or C type profile handles allows you to open cabinet doors without contacting them. This means they will get dirty less.
- The described fittings are an order of magnitude cheaper than the “Gola” profile.
- This option is more practical; it is ideal for glossy facades or dark-colored kitchens.
Practical and convenient design Source hafeleshop.com.ua
The downside is the limited range of designs. Most often, manufacturers produce aluminum fittings with a steel effect. Black, white and chrome profiles are very difficult to find. Therefore, it is not always possible to match the color of the product to the color of the kitchen cabinets.
Note! Products from different manufacturers have different appearances. This feature can influence the design of the kitchen. Therefore, before choosing fittings (if the furniture is made to order), you need to study in detail the entire available range.
Products from different manufacturers have different appearance Source tehace.ru
Push-open mechanism
Using it, you can open kitchen facades by simply pressing the doors, and close them by lightly pressing them with your hand against the cabinet body. The process is very smooth and almost silent. The mechanism can be installed on any cabinet system. Its use helps you completely stop using pens.
Doors close with the touch of a hand Source alvaline.com
Doors without traditional fittings are easier to clean; there is no need to keep the chrome parts clean and shiny. Using a push mechanism, you can open the facades without using your hands. You can press with anything: with your elbows, palms, and even your knee. These are the main advantages.
There are also disadvantages. The main one is that when pressed, the cabinet door only opens slightly and does not open completely. To get the right thing from inside, you will have to perform not one, but two actions. This takes some time.
The practice of using “Push-open” has shown that the set gets dirty even more than when using conventional handles. Their presence takes a toll on itself: when pulling the handle, a person does not touch the facades themselves. Here, in order to open the door, you need to touch it. This is why facades quickly become dirty. When installing the “Push-open” mechanism, it is important to consider that kitchen fronts without handles will open even if pressed accidentally. When the system is installed on a cabinet that slides out, it will take some time until it closes on its own. During this entire period he will be unable to walk. If a person is in a hurry, it will bother him.
To open the facade you need to lightly press on it Source selektor.hettich.com
Handle-free headset options
Model "Nature" (Nolte).
Nature kitchen set without handles (Nolte)
Model "Alpha Lack" (Nolte).
Laconic Alpha Lack (Nolte) set with a bright insert on the facades
Model “Glas Tec Satin” (Nolte – German kitchens).
Glas Tec Satin set in monochrome colors (Nolte)
There are two hidden opening systems: TIP-ON - from Blum and Push-to-open - from Hettich. The Push-to-open system can be of two types: electrically driven and mechanical.
Minimalism in the kitchen 8 sq. m with mortise built-in handles.
Kitchen without handles
The interior is in gray and white tones, strict lines of furniture, mortise type handles.
furniture with mortise handles
The mortise option is a recess on the facade, which can repeat the color of the surface, merging with it or, conversely, contrasting (as in this case).
Black and white kitchen with recessed handles
Cutouts for opening can be not only classic rectangular shapes, but completely different. It all depends on your wishes and the technical capabilities of the furniture workshop.
A hidden opening mechanism was installed on the upper cabinets, and chrome rails were installed on the doors of the lower tier. This decision is explained by the fact that the lower modules are used more often, and customers wanted to maintain the visual appeal of the headset for as long as possible.
Straight kitchen without handles
TIP-ON for opening facades without handles: standard – 289 RUR, long – 325 RUR. (approximate price for 1 piece).
By installing a push-to-open system, items in the lower drawers are much easier to reach.
Corner set without handles
The absence of fittings on the facades allows you to delicately emphasize the minimalism of the kitchen-dining room, despite the bright turquoise tone of the upper cabinets.
Kitchen furniture without handles
Slate wall in the kitchen
A Push-to-open opening system was installed for the upper tier.
Push-to-open opening system in the kitchen
TIP-ON for opening TANDEM-BOX drawers without handles: full or partial extension – RUB 779/piece.
Discreet facades in a gray shade with hidden opening fittings.
Minimalism in the kitchen interior
Kitchen doors without handles
Modern style in the kitchen. The strip of the upper modules is replaced by an apron, so the composition of the set looks complete.
Kitchen modules without handles
General recommendations
From all of the above, it is clear that the lack of familiar fittings gives rise to one significant problem: the facades of the furniture quickly become dirty. To solve this problem, experts advise choosing light-colored sets and purchasing kitchen cabinets without handles in white, blue-gray or light gray with a semi-gloss texture. Satin facades with a matte, slightly rough surface are easier to clean.
The most impractical variation is gloss black. You will have to constantly take care of this model. Any fingerprint will spoil the appearance of the product. You can buy such furniture if you can pay for the services of a visiting housekeeper or an apartment cleaning assistant.
Not everyone is mentally ready to completely give up their usual pens. In such a situation, experts advise using a compromise: making the upper cabinets without fittings and equipping only the lower tier with handles. Photos of such headsets show how successful the proposed solution can be.
The top has no handles, the lower cabinets have an integrated profile instead of handles Source twgram.me
Modern kitchen furniture manufacturers like to combine and use several opening and closing systems at once. For example, they equip the upper cabinets with a “Push-open” mechanism, and the lower ones with “Gola” profiles.
On the verge of fantasy
Interesting, although less common, options for kitchen furniture without handles are kitchens in which the doors are opened using sensor devices that are controlled by just touching them.
An even more unusual and advanced solution is the use of “smart open” technology, which responds to voice commands or hand waves. But such examples of kitchen sets are still found mainly at exhibitions.
Kitchen set with hinged doors without handles
Kitchen set with touch-sensitive door opening
Kitchen set without handles in Scandinavian style
Selection of material for the body and facade
The kitchen is characterized by sudden temperature changes, high humidity, steam and soot. Therefore, buildings and facades must be made of durable materials:
- Solid wood. Expensive material, has an attractive appearance and durability. With proper care, a wooden set will last 50 years, while maintaining its functionality. Wood is pleasant to the touch, has a beneficial effect on the atmosphere in the house, and is suitable for families with small children. An environmentally friendly and safe kitchen made of wood does not fade under the sun and is not deformed due to water.
- boards . The environmentally friendly material is not inferior in physical qualities to wooden models, but costs an order of magnitude less. Durable MDF boards come in matte or glossy, veneered or enameled. The service life of an MDF kitchen is 10-15 years. Not only straight, but also radius curved facades are made from slabs. Such options are suitable for interior design in futurism style.
- Chipboard boards. Laminated particle boards look attractive, shine in the sun and are easy to clean. However, over time, due to water and steam, the facades swell and become faded. Exposure to the sun causes white surfaces to turn yellow. Despite this, laminated chipboards are actively used for the production of economy class sets.
Attention is paid to the choice of edges for facades. It protects the set from water and prevents damage to the facades. Plastic edging is popular. There are edges with a thickness of 2 mm, postforming, and edges with a 3D effect.
For a white kitchen without handles, postforming is ideal. It smooths out right angles, creating smoother and more attractive lines. Another edge option is aluminum. It protects against mechanical stress and damage, harmonizes with white and its shades.
Glossy or matte kitchen set
Matte models give the room coziness, but visually reduce the space. If the kitchen is large and the windows face south, then they prefer matte surfaces. If they are furnishing a small apartment, then glossy ones.
Glossy facades are easier to maintain; they can be cleaned with sponges and a glass cleaner. A matte set, on the contrary, needs careful cleaning using cleaning products without abrasives.
Important ! If a white kitchen without handles is used to decorate a space in a minimalist or high-tech style, then preference is given to gloss.
