Your kitchen cabinets will be the most visible and functional part of your kitchen providing both storage and style. Given its prominence, it’s no wonder that kitchen design experts advise spending 50 percent of your design budget on your cabinetry. Kitchen cabinets and drawers should have the durability to withstand not only the kitchen’s heat, mess, bumps and scratches, but also the act of frequent opening and closing.

The materials your cabinets are made of will affect its durability and longevity, so consider your options carefully before making a selection. Durable wood cabinets including birch, cherry, hickory, maple, oak, and pine, are popular choices, as is long lasting and affordable laminate. To ensure the long life of your new kitchen, it is best not to cut corners in cabinet construction.

The materials used in the construction of Merillat cabinetry, like those listed above, are made to stand up to the harsh treatment they receive, resisting scratches, bumps, stains, bangs and dents. And they look great too! A beautiful array of finishes, multiple glazing options and top-of-the-line technology are all incorporated in our cabinetry products.

The effects of UV light on wood cabinetry.

Although it’s not something you might think about, did you know that ultra violet (UV) light rays found in natural sunlight could affect the appearance of your wood cabinets over time?  Here at Merillat, we’ve already thought of it!  In addition to finishes that enhance strength and durability, smoothness, and general protection, Merillat applies UV inhibitors to all wood cabinetry as part of our finishing process. The finish on your cabinets will not change, but the wood may, depending on its natural characteristics. Factors that impact UV exposure include the amount and direction of light exposure and the portion of the cabinet that receives light.

We’ve tested our wood species and finishes so that you’ll be able to determine the approximate effect that UV rays may have on the cabinetry in your home. The tests we use follow the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standards for quartz ultra violet light (QUV). The actual results in your home will vary depending on these three factors:

1. Exposure to light (for example, direct from the south, east or west, or indirect from the north).
2. The portion of the cabinet that receives the light (top, base, etc.).
3. The wood itself. While the finish does not change in color, the wood itself will.

Examples of UV Exposure

Below are examples of wood cabinets in several finishes and the effects of sunlight on the unfinished and finished products. These images demonstrate the tested effect of 24, 175 and 400 hours of UV exposure equal to that experienced at noon. The differences are quite noticeable!

The effect of UV light on Merillat hickory wood cabinets in Cider and Natural finishes.

The effect of UV light on Merillat cherry wood cabinets in the Cider finish.

To ensure that you are pleased with the long term look of your cabinetry, be sure to discuss the unique characteristics of each wood species and the natural daylight exposure of your room with your kitchen design specialist before making your selection. UV exposure on Cherry wood species will yield the quickest changes.  While it is difficult to protect cabinets from the effects of UV, please keep in mind that this is the natural aging of wood and it also affects other furniture, flooring, and wall coverings.

Here are a few simple steps to help maintain and keep your wood cabinets in tip-top shape:

Dusting: Dust cabinets frequently with a soft lint-free cloth. You can dampen the cloth slightly with water or a spray-type dust remover.

Spills & General Cleaning: Clean spills immediately. Use a clean cloth and mild soap if necessary. Wipe dry with a clean soft cloth.

Cleaning: There are a number of products available for your wood cleaning needs. We recommend Guardsman. Their products are available at many stores nationwide including Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart and Ace Hardware.

Polishing: We recommend that you wash and polish cabinets once or twice each year. Use a light coat of quality furniture polish. Avoid spray type polishes containing petroleum solvents, as they are flammable and toxic if swallowed.

Don’t: Use detergents, soap pads or steel wool on your cabinetry. These harsh abrasives will mar the wood finish. Additionally, we recommend that you avoid the use of paste wax and polishes that contain silicone; the wax buildup is difficult to remove and will leave a residue that attracts dust.

Recently, we celebrated the ‘Good Life’ kitchen remodel with an unveiling of the Driehorst’s new kitchen during a party with over 100 guests, and a private cooking lesson with Elias Hajjar (executive chef and owner) from Poco Piatti in Toledo.

The transformation was amazing! I can’t believe the before and after results. The overall size of the kitchen didn’t change, but with the improved Merillat design and storage features, it became so much more functional. This project is a great example of how you don’t have to have a massive space to have a functional kitchen.

Special thanks to KSI (Kitchen & Bath showroom in Toledo, Ohio), one of our dealer partners, for providing the design expertise and project oversight to The Good Life Kitchen.

It was wonderful to be a part of this project, and I’m sure the Driehorst’s had a much different Thanksgiving holiday this year in their new kitchen. For the Driehorsts, the ‘Good Life’ isn’t over, but just beginning as they’ll enjoy their new space for years to come.

Thanks for following this project. We’ll be kicking off another kitchen remodel project soon so stay tuned!

From Mark Ayers, Vice President of Marketing

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and online communities are the heart of the Internet and a great place to learn and share ideas. That’s why I’m excited to welcome you to our new blog, Merillat Round Table. We’ll be using this space to talk about the kitchen – the one room in the house that everyone can relate to.

We hope that by participating in our online community you can learn a little more about Merillat, great tips for kitchen design and the latest trends. But most of all, we want you to be inspired! On our side, we’re looking forward to hearing your kitchen stories so that we can continue to bring you products, ideas and insights to make your kitchen the best it can be.

One of our most recent “kitchen connections” was inspiring homeowners in our ‘Good Life’ video contest on Facebook. We produced a music video that showed one of our ideas about living the good life in a Merillat kitchen. The contest encouraged homeowners to create and share their own videos depicting what ‘The Good Life’ means to them.  On July 28, 2009 we awarded the Driehorst family of Temperance, Mich., the grand prize $30,000 dream kitchen makeover. The Driehorsts’ winning video creatively showed what the ‘Good Life’ means to them … a kitchen that accommodates their busy family of six.

The Driehorst family recently embarked on their kitchen remodeling adventure at the Toledo, Ohio KSI Kitchen & Bath showroom where they met with designer Amy Wuest. We’ll be following their kitchen story in this blog. I hope you’ll check back with us often to see the Driehorsts’ kitchen makeover progress. Along the way you’ll hear some tips from kitchen design experts, get a glimpse behind the scenes of cabinet manufacturing, and of course, see the dramatic Before & After reveal.

Come back again, you won’t be disappointed!