Consumers are increasingly demanding kitchen cabinets in natural wood tones that are light, yet dirt-resistant, scratch-proof, and easy to maintain.
Transparent finish
The United States leads the world market for kitchen cabinets. We anticipate that the demand for kitchen cabinets in the United States will increase in the coming years, driven by improvements in the housing market. As a global leader in consumption, trends in the U.S. significantly impact international preferences. Prakash Kumar, Regional Marketing Manager of Wood Finishes, APAC at AkzoNobel, notes that American customers tend to prefer traditional transparent finishes, which showcase the natural wood grain. However, younger consumers are drifting towards more modern furniture aesthetics, favoring brighter pigmented finishes and contemporary colors.
Dang Vu Tuong, Country Technical Service Manager at Wood Finishes Asia for AkzoNobel, echoes these observations, stating that while natural tones remain popular, preference for paler shades is picking pace. The inherent color variations in wood present challenges for achieving consistent surface finishes. “Our technical team explores ways to maintain a natural pale tone across the entire product surface while ensuring uniformity,” Tuong explains.
For opaque finishes in kitchen cabinets, traditional hues like white and grey are becoming less popular, giving way to black or green options, which require new paints with higher color concentrations. Unlike other products, kitchen cabinet trends evolve slowly, sometimes taking years to establish. Tuong anticipates that metallic colors, such as gold, silver, and bronze, could gain popularity in the coming years.
High technical requirements
In addition to premium colors and surfaces, kitchen cabinet manufacturers must meet stringent standards for scratch resistance, fingerprint resistance, and ease of cleaning. Chris Lee, Regional Sales Manager at Wood Finishes Asia for AkzoNobel, states, “AkzoNobel has made significant investments in developing ideal surfaces for kitchen cabinets that offer anti-scratch systems, low dirt retention, and fingerprint resistance.”
Due to their exposure to environmental factors like grease and cleaning agents, kitchen cabinets require higher finishing standards compared to other types of furniture. The kitchen environment’s fluctuating temperature and humidity, especially during cooking, demands adaptable coatings. Additionally, products bound for the U.S. must be self-assembled by consumers, underscoring the importance of consistent color across all units. AkzoNobel’s technical team regularly visits factories to aid manufacturers in meeting these stringent requirements, ensuring smooth production lines, color uniformity, and high quality.
More than just a supplier, AkzoNobel acts as a strategic partner throughout design, production, and post-sales processes for kitchen cabinet manufacturers. Over the years, AkzoNobel’s development lab has created numerous unique finishes for interior manufacturing businesses in Vietnam. With a color research center based in the U.S., AkzoNobel stays abreast of consumer trends in the American market. “Our U.S. lab is adept at complying with chemical regulations, ensuring banned substances are excluded from furniture and cabinet products, mitigating risks for manufacturers exporting to the U.S.,” says Chris Lee.
Regarding materials used in paints, AkzoNobel caters to customer requirements while adhering to its sustainable development goals. The product development team selects materials that fulfill client needs. All AkzoNobel paint products meet stringent import standards in the United States. “With UV paints, we ensure the painting process is user-friendly, quick drying, energy-efficient, time-saving, and minimises emissions.”
