Carpenters' tricks for fitting a luxury kitchen
Build a luxury kitchen – carpenters' best tips
From dead space to a bespoke solution
Swedish carpenter Tim Jaederfeldt, owner of TK Inredningssnickeri, recently built a Ballingslöv kitchen for a customer in Eskilstuna. The kitchen was expensive, but Timpa felt that the filler panel planned next to the wall spoiled the overall impression.
– A filler panel really does feel like wasted space. The same goes for the cover panels on tall cabinets, base cabinets and kitchen islands. When we built a champagne rack with angled shelves instead, a dull dead space became bespoke luxury.
With the right lighting, Timpa took the impression up another notch.
– A good trick for pleasant lighting is to rout in LED strips. In this project I routed a 10 mm deep groove into both the carcass and the plinth and pressed a silicone LED profile into it. Once connected to the Plejd app, the owners can control the lighting straight from their mobile – even when they are away, Timpa advises.
Good products for a similar installation
Well-thought-out screwing – the details make the difference
For those of us who build bespoke bookcases or kitchen carcasses, precision is everything, says Rille from the Swedish company Lindö Snickeri och Design.
– We use the ESSVE furnishing screw to fit all the cabinets. Thanks to its double thread, the screw pulls the materials together and the joint is neat and gap-free.
Because the screw is made with a bright zinc-plated, a white lacquered and a black lacquered head, Rille gets neat results without compromising on function.
– In most cabinets the screw is almost invisible. When I work with other colours or with solid wood, I hide the screw behind a shelf support or a hinge.
Leave a luxury signature
A great tip for carpenters who want to add an extra touch of refinement to their work for a customer: finish your fine joinery with a signature mark, just like Timpa from TK Inredningssnickeri.
– I used to burn my logo into drawers and cabinets, but that is fiddly work. Now I have had a brass plate made with my logo, roughly the size of a coin. I fit it in well-chosen places – I drill a 4 mm deep recess and glue the plate into it. I have also designed cover caps and hinges with my logo, which make even a less expensive kitchen look exclusive.
Tip! Besides the exclusive impression, it is of course also good advertising for a joinery company. Timpa keeps this in mind in everything he does. Besides a nice logo on the kitchen furniture, he of course also has a great logo on his van... and even on his waste bags – so that the company is clearly visible in the neighbourhood where he is working.
Video by the manufacturer ESSVE, without English subtitles.
Herringbone pattern on a kitchen island and table
Herringbone parquet has been a classic status symbol since the 17th century, when it made its way into the grander French salons. For Timpa it has become more than just a choice of flooring.
– Laying parquet blocks in a herringbone pattern is a fairly simple way to create a unique table or kitchen island. With the right finish it will last for generations.
Timpa's guide to a herringbone kitchen island
- Use plywood as the base. For the table in the picture we used a 35 mm thick board measuring 90 × 240 cm, edged all round with a thin oak moulding.
- The easiest option is to use solid oak parquet blocks left over from the floor. Glue the blocks in a herringbone pattern with an adhesive that has a moisture barrier. Then glue on the oak moulding with a water-resistant wood adhesive.
- Sand the table surface and oil the table with a white-pigmented oil.
If the herringbone pattern has caught your imagination, we have a whole article in which carpenter Andreas explains how to build a beautiful deck with a herringbone pattern:
Good products for interior joinery
Wood adhesive Snabb is suitable for all interior work, the furnishing screw joins cabinets, ESSDRIVE is great for all woodwork and the white WAF screw is invaluable when you fix carcasses to the wall.
ESSVE Wood adhesive Rapid 475 ml
ESSVE Furnishing screw 4.2 x 28 mm EZP white, pack of 250
ESSVE Furnishing screw 4.2 x 28 mm EZP, pack of 250
ESSVE Furnishing screw 4.2 x 28 mm EZP black, pack of 250
ESSVE Wood screw ESSDRIVE 5.0 x 60 mm FS EZP, pack of 100
ESSVE Sealant ESS Seal ESS1 300 ml
ESSVE Wood screw with full thread, half-round head TX20 4.0 x 20 mm EZP, pack of 200
Construction screw W (WAF) with large white lacquered head, FZB
ESSBOX+ Organiser case for screws and tools
Wood adhesive for fine joinery
An adhesive that grabs in less than 30 seconds, fills gaps and does not run? It exists! Read how carpenters use wood adhesive Snabb.
Choose the right sealant
A simple guide to help you choose the right product for sealing indoors.
