Sophisticated woodwork

With a range of new modern designs, wood veneer fronts are having a bit of a comeback in urban, minimalist kitchens. WORK shows you just what this could look like.

The longing for things that are authentic, real, alive, is deeply human. With our everyday lives determined by digital, technical, hectic and unmanageable things, many people like to come home to their own four walls – including, of course, their kitchen – and enjoy an atmosphere that is real and tangible. An atmosphere that lives with them. Manufacturers like Häcker have noticed this, in particular, with the steady demand for kitchen fronts made from wood. People love their warmth, structure and vitality. They’re pieces of furniture with soul and their own individual character. Each veneer is slightly different because every tree grows differently. This helps customers to create an identity and a connection to their own kitchen.

Wood has a long history at Häcker

Häcker actually started out as a joinery that made kitchens by hand to order. The company has never forgotten their connection to craftsmanship, even today, as a major industrial company. And you can really feel it in the kitchens with wood fronts that they produce.

Nature in the living room

“By using wood veneer, you can bring a natural material into your home that brings with it a radiance and value that is truly unique,” explains Michael Dittberner, Head of Product Development and Product Management at Häcker. “The fronts aren’t a reproduction with a printed image that is repeated but a natural material.”

AV 6065 AV5065 — The kitchen from the systemat range with its new fronts in black-stained oak looks great with the ‘Climber’ cabinets in black glass.

Sealing the veneer

The majority of the wood fronts in Häcker’s range are covered with veneer in different designs, including oak or walnut. The veneers go through several processing steps that seal the wood to protect it against the demands of the kitchen and make it more durable without impacting its aesthetic and sensory properties. This might include varnishing or staining; the surfaces then end up being brushed or smooth.

Solid wood cabinets as a speciality

In keeping with their history, Häcker also has a kitchen in their range made from solid ash and with a solid colour varnish. Michael Ditt¬berner: “This is a very highquality product. The grain of the raw wood is visible through the varnish, so you can really see the natural structure of the material. It just looks fantastic. The front is stunning and has been a big hit with customers – and not just with those who want farmhousestyle kitchens, but also with those who opt for modern versions of our framed fronts.”

Classic and modern oak

Michael Dittberner has discovered that oak still seems to be the wood of choice for the majority of customers. “Consumers are really focused on this. It’s probably a matter of habit. You see it everywhere. Oak isn’t even really a cheap option because it’s quite hard to get hold of at the moment, but it can be dyed a whole host of different colours and it just looks great. It has a really lovely grain to it. And it can be interpreted in both classic and very modern ways. This is why oak really is everywhere – both in Germany and overseas.”

Ash — With the wood veneer fronts, the varnish is applied so that the grain of the wood can be seen and the feel of the natural material maintained.

Slatted natural-wood fronts

A particularly popular variant made with the oak veneer is the slatted naturalwood fronts that Häcker introduced two years ago. These fronts look very homely and reinforce an effect that all kitchens with wood fronts have: they create a closer connection to the living spaces in the home. They establish a visual and aesthetic link between the kitchen and living area, thus eliminating any separation which may have existed previously. The slatted fronts are particularly effective at this. They are made from four layers of poplar wood plus a top layer of oak or walnut. The slats are pressed deep into the material with heat and massive amounts of pressure. Michael Dittberner: “You have to be careful that the edges don’t break here. It’s a very long and complicated process that requires a lot of expertise.”

100 years old is the wood of the oak veneer that Häcker offers to customers who want a more rustic look. The fronts made from it are really unique pieces.

[Translate to English:] AV 7080 — [Translate to English:] Die gezinkten Massivholzauszüge, gerne auch in Kombination mit den neuen Linoleumfronten, verweisen auf die Handwerkstradition bei Häcker. Sehr beliebt sind die gerillten Holzfurnierfronten, die Häcker seit zwei Jahren im Programm hat.

Rare veneer, 100 years old

At Häcker, most high-quality wood veneers are used in more elegant-looking kitchens, even though there are still some consumers out there who prefer a more rustic look. “We have a range where we use veneers that are guaranteed to be 100 years old,” explains Michael. “The fronts made with these veneers are really quite rustic and so really special. Every front is completely unique.”

Combining wood and colour

Anyone who is unsure about ordering a full wood-look kitchen can choose a different option that often comes up during the plan-ning of kitchen studios: the combination of wood fronts and smooth, often coloured surfaces. “We regularly design stunning kitchens with wood and plain fronts in a range of different versions,” found Michael when looking at orders. “There are no limits on the creativity of the in-store planners when it comes to creating new kitchens. Whether it’s a row of tall cabinets, an island block or a wood wall unit – you can go in so many dif-ferent directions.” You could combine them with high-quality glass or stone veneer fronts or opt for more affordable fronts from the entry-level range and visually enhance them with some wooden elements. This is entirely up to the creativity of the designers. Häcker provides the tools, so to speak, and the planners use the different options available to create one-off kitchens in line with the Häcker motto ‘Be unique’.

Easy to maintain

Now there is one question that customers ask time and time again when it comes to kitchens with wood fronts – how are you supposed to maintain them? For Michael, the answer is simple: “There isn’t really any difference between veneers and painted surfaces. When we manufacture our veneer surfaces, we add a protective UV varnish which more or less prevents any damage. UV light is the biggest enemy of surfaces, and we make sure that the resulting change process happens very slowly. It’s normal for natural materials to change a little over time, and I think that’s really beautiful. They’re living materials and you should be able to see that even after many, many years.”