One of the most appealing features of high-gloss cabinets is how simple they are to clean: all you have to do is wipe away stains with a moist, non-scratch cloth, and you're good to go! There are no additional cleaning supplies or costly cleaning solutions required.
While gloss kitchens are easier to clean, they also need to be cleaned more often as those dirty marks and fingerprints will show up more easily. Another downside, particularly with acrylic gloss units, is that they're quite easy to scratch. While they will buff out, it takes time and effort to buff out scratches.
Disadvantages of high gloss kitchens
Since marks are more visible, you may need to wipe them a little more regularly. This can be annoying if you're constantly leaving fingerprints on the doors, but it's quick and easy to fix – especially if they're handleless.
Satin Finish
A satin sheen is easy to care for and will show the least amount of dirt, grime, and imperfections on the face of your cabinets, compared to gloss and semi-gloss finishes. This type of finish is ideal for a busy kitchen.
Like any cabinetry, high gloss kitchen cabinets can easily scratch if you're not careful. This is why it is best to clean with a microfibre cloth and be cautious about furniture and other objects coming in contact with your cabinets.
The larger the space, the more likely it is that a glossy finish will help reflect light and provide an overall brighter feel to the room. On the other hand, if your kitchen is on the smaller side, then matte paint can be a great choice to add some texture and depth to your cabinets.
Advantages. A high gloss kitchen cabinet finish will reflect light and make the room feel more spacious and open than it is. A high gloss kitchen cabinet finish is ideal for compact or smaller kitchens. Lighter colours reflect more light, so the lighter the colour, the higher the reflection of light.
If you have young kids in the house who are always tracking in mud and other outdoor debris, or if you simply don't want your kitchen cabinets looking dingy all the time, a darker neutral shade like grey can help to mask some of that dirt. Just be sure you're still cleaning them on a regular basis!
An angled or bullnosed (rounded) outside edge, angled inside edge and flat panel are easiest to clean because there are less crevices to trap dirt, and dust can't settle easily on the vertical surfaces.
Unlike white cabinets, dark cabinets hide dirt and grime pretty well, making them a great choice for kitchens with heavy use or small kids running around.
Natural light: Gloss cabinetry will magnify the natural light in your kitchen. Matte finishes soften the appearance of the cabinetry while adding depth and dimension. High-gloss cabinetry can make the room feel brighter and larger than it really is; in rooms that don't have great natural light, this can be a plus.
Kitchen Trends to Avoid: Gloss Kitchen Finishes
Today they are more often overlooked in favour of matt or textured surfaces. The main reason for this is that gloss kitchens can quickly look dated; their appearance is often less fresh and modern compared with matt kitchen doors which provide timeless, lasting elegance.
They were used in modern kitchens with a space-age aesthetic – but it was a style that fell out of fashion for the flattest, most-matte cabinetry styles which are, by in large, still in fashion today. However, we're now starting to see high gloss return to kitchen design, albeit in a different form.
Regardless of the time of day or the season, high gloss kitchen units will amplify whatever natural or artificial light is available to make the room feel more vibrant. Another effect of bouncing more light around the room is that your kitchen will look and feel larger.
While high gloss cabinets have many benefits, they do come with a few trade-offs. High-gloss cabinets are more prone to showing fingerprints and smudges. However, if you're willing to put in the extra effort to maintain them, they can be a great choice for your kitchen.
Wipe gently with a damp cloth and soap
'Try using a soft cotton or microfibre cloth with only water and soft soap, containing a maximum 1% of liquid soap,' advises Ruth Lavender, design expert, Benchmarx Kitchens. The concentration of soap must be small, as gloss is so fragile that even soap can potentially damage it.
Steer clear of stainless steel and chrome hardware. They show fingerprints and water spots and are harder to clean. Oil-rubbed bronze, satin bronze, polished nickel, brushed nickel and white hardware are the cream of the crop as far as easy maintenance goes. Choose the look that best suits the style of your kitchen.
Solid Wood Cabinets
Solid natural wood cabinets are the gold standard when it comes to strength and longevity.
Simple styles of kitchen cabinets, such as traditional Shaker, sleek contemporary or flat panel are far easier to clean and keep clean. Opt for a stain or paint that has a glaze. This fills in any wood grain cracks and corners that attract dust.
Even softer tones of yellow in a kitchen space can give the appearance of your cabinets being “aged” or “tarnished” which isn't likely the goal for your newly painted cabinets. The next color I would avoid in cabinet painting is the color red.
She says light neutrals are generally the best colors for resale because they appeal to most people, but she advises against painting cabinets taupe or beige. “There's the tendency for people to accidentally go too warm—with golden or tan overtones—and then that would be a mistake that's hard to correct.”
Arguably, the most timeless kitchen cabinet color is white. Bright white cabinets suit a variety of beautiful kitchens, including modern, contemporary, and farmhouse styles. Brilliant whites work to give kitchens a light and airy feel, and off-white options, like the White Dove shade, provides warmth.
This is why a high-gloss finish is often applied on higher cabinets because the reflection of light is more noticeable in cabinets that are at eye level. A high-gloss finish is more expensive than other finishes because they are more popular with homeowners.
Kitchen walls and especially kitchen cabinets require a paint finish that's tough, easy to wipe down, and attractive. Satin and eggshell paint finishes work well for kitchen walls, while semi-gloss proves best for kitchen cabinets.
The Best Finish for Kitchen Cabinets
Semi-gloss or satin: Semi-gloss is the best finish for painting kitchen cabinets. Because it has some sheen, semi-gloss paint will help reflect light and be more durable in the long run, which is essential in a kitchen environment.