Are Formica kitchen cabinets passe?

18 years ago

We're getting quotes on kitchen cabinets and one is from a guy who does custom cabinets in Formica. I like the layout he proposed and he comes highly recommended. The Formica itself looks nice. It doesn't have the shiny finish and comes in a lot of colors. This is a small NYC kitchen - we have 23 linear feet of cabinets. He can build in 2 weeks and install in 2 days.

DH also thinks it'll be easier to deal with this guy rather than buying from Lowes/HD/small shop where they have to order cabinets and wait 4-6 weeks for delivery plus we have to find an installer and wait for replacement cabinets in case of any problems.

We plan to stay in this apt for 5 years. We've been to a lot of showrooms in NYC with imported cabinets which are basically glorified Formica IMHO. A lot of high-end new construction here also has these very modern imported cabinets which still look like Formica to me.

Are Formica cabinets outdated or are they coming back? Would the kitchen be an issue for resale?

Featured Answer

jakkom

18 years ago

I think you mean laminate cabinets - yes they are passe, people are hooked on wood cabs so it is going to take quite a few years before the fashion trend changes (cabinets being one of those things where 'trends' move pretty slowly).

I love them - my Kraftmaid Euro6 frameless cabs are easy to take care, durable and strong. But I know they are no longer 'fashionable' and would get 'style debits' if we wanted to sell the house.

IKEA doesn't use laminate, does it? I thought they were thermofoil. It's glossy compared to laminate, which has a more matte appearance.

The other advantage that no one seems to talk about, probably because the craze for big windows is so recent: laminate is highly UV resistant. After 20 years, the beechwood and mahogany trim on my cabs has bleached terribly in specific areas where daily sun hit them. And of course, the sun doesn't hit evenly inside any home, so if I'd had wood cabs I'd be faced with some really unevenly faded, awful looking cab doors.

And believe me, 20 yrs goes by REALLY fast.....even though it seems like the original remodel took half your lifetime and gave you all your gray hairs, LOL.

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Comments (7)

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modern life interiors
18 years ago
No they are not. I have been looking for white formica cabinets to make an all white galley kitchen.

You are lucky you found someone in NYC.

For an apartment it would not be an issue for resale. Several people like the clean look of white.

White is very easy to work with no matter what your taste is.

Please email me the name and phone number of the guy who does custom formica cabinets I need to do the same type of work you described.

I own a condo in manhattan

Thank you.

bebop.bentley@yahoo.com
astridh
18 years ago
I don't think that formica cabinets are "coming back", but there will always be people who like them for their practicality. Have you looked at Ikea? It might be worth it to do a search for them on this site and to look at their website. You can request a kitchen catalog online. They have some inexpensive all-white cabinets that others on the forum have thought were a good value. They have wood and other colors, too. You have to put them together, but it is apparently not that difficult. A custom cabinet maker will probably be more expensive but might also be able to make better use of your space since the Ikea only comes in stocks sizes.
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evaperconti
18 years ago
Since the latest issue of Domino featured a kitchen with Formica fronted cabinets (they actually refaced IKEA's Applad doors) I'd say it's still in fashion!
igloochic
18 years ago
But...personally, I wouldn't give you a nickle for them if I were buying your place. But really, they're one of a number of extreems that either work or don't work. Folks who love them, love them :) But many don't. Given that you're going to sell in a few years, I wouldn't put them in, I'd go with a clean lined wood cabinet if that's the look you're going for, before I did formica. Just another opinion. :)
sophie_blue
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for everyone's replies. I am worried about resale and the current preference for natural wood but I also see these types of cabinets in million-dollar condos here.

I'm not up on the non-wood cabinets lingo, so I call Formica every pressed wood/mdf covered with another material. Just to be clear, the finish on these custom cabinets will look similar to Mia Panna or Mia Acero in the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Italian cabinets
edlakin
18 years ago
it's easy to knee-jerk and say they're passe, but look around at the super-high end italian cabinet companies, and what are they using? laminate cabients.

so, it really depends on what type of style you're going for. in a modern or contemporary kitchen with a real minimalist feel to it, laminate cabinets will work quite well and won't hurt (they might even help) your resale value.

if you're doing a traditional feel kitchen and you use them, it'll look cheap and schlocky.

as long as you decide to go with them and design accordingly, you should be fine. they might even end up being a selling point.

(oh--just clicked on your link and that bolsters my point even more.)