Timeless and elegant, wood kitchens are a popular choice for those looking to create warm, welcoming spaces in their home. Whilst wood kitchen units have often been used in traditional styles, these days wood kitchens are increasingly appearing in refined, contemporary designs. The versatility of wood makes it an outstanding choice for a range of kitchen styles, whether you’re after a rustic, trendy or minimalist kitchen.
The very nature of wood results in one-of-a-kind kitchens with unique finishes, ensuring that your kitchen won’t be found anywhere else. Its natural, authentic feel makes it ideal for kitchens where aesthetics are as important as functionality.
Wood: a high-quality material with unique finishes
If you’ve been dreaming of a wood kitchen but are deterred by the idea of solid wood, we completely understand. At Santos, wood finishes are made using panels and sheets of wood to retain the quality, look and properties of the original material whilst avoiding the inherent problems that come with solid wood, such as reactions to moisture and the need for very specific care.
All natural wood veneer kitchen units are made from high-quality, sustainably-sourced wood. Santos holds a PEFC certification, which guarantees sustainable forest management. Santos not only selects the raw materials, but supervises their treatment and processing until the sheets become panels, to ensure an unparalleled, long-lasting finish. They are also responsible for the finishing of each piece of ash, walnut or oak veneer before its assembly, from the cutting to the packaging, to ensure they are protected from any damage.
Creating the best finish for our wood kitchens
Each piece of wood used for the fabrication of a Santos kitchen is unique. Each tree, even two of the same species, will have different characteristics – different colours, different grains. Because of this, you will never find two identical wood kitchens.
On top of this, wood is a living material, which will change over time. As it ages, the shade and texture of the wood used in your kitchen will evolve, adding character to your space.
If you’d rather a high-quality material that is uniform and won’t change with time, we'd recommend you opt for materials like laminate or melamine with a wood effect finish.
Natural wood veneer finishes from Santos
Santos offers several natural wood veneers finishes for their kitchens. They apply a treatment to the wood, brushing it to open its pores and make it smoother to the touch. Just as with other materials offered by Santos, the real wood veneer is submitted to very strict quality control to guarantee its resistance and durability.
Olive Ash veneer
This material comes from sections of Ash with patterns of dark brown-grey tones at the heart of the grain, resembling the tones found in olive trees. The white part of the wood, verging on yellow, is particular to ash. It’s a thick, textured wood with marked pores.
Santos combines different sheets of Olive Ash to create contrasted unit fronts with character.
Rustic Oak veneer
Santos’ Rustic Oak veneer is made with European Oak. At Santos, unit fronts are made from alternating sheets with different cuts, displaying small knots, buds and imperfections in the wood. Its brown colour with glimmers of yellow and its rough texture make it a warm, authentic material.
Smoked Oak veneer
Just as with Rustic Oak, the Smoked Oak veneer is made from European Oak. Its smoked tone, created with a specific treatment, results in a colouring that oscillates between light brown, dark brown and black.
To create unit fronts, Santos chooses the part of wood with the most visible grain, alternating lighter zones with darker ones. The final matte finish reenforces the appearance and feel of the real oak veneer.
American Walnut veneer
Made using wood from north east United States or Canada, American Walnut is recognisable by its colour, mixing grey-brown with purple-brown and a white sapwood that’s almost yellow or light brown. It has contrasting grains and characteristic irregularities like areas of dark heartwood.
Santos’ American Walnut veneer unit fronts are made by combining sheets with different cuts and patterns. Like Smoked Oak, its finish is matte, which gives it a very natural feel. American Walnut evolves over time as it oxidises rapidly when exposed to sunlight, becoming lighter with warmer, more contrasting tones.
It's a very popular wood in high-end interiors, largely because of its fine texture.
Advice on cleaning and caring for wood kitchens
Natural wood veneer is more delicate than laminate or melamine, which is why Santos only uses it for unit fronts and kitchen sides. It is not recommended to choose this type of material for worktops.
Although wood veneer is covered in a protective varnish, it is essential to treat it with care in order to avoid any damage that could be caused by knocks, heat, aggressive cleaning products or spillages.
It is extremely important to avoid any contact with liquids, whether from direct spillages or condensation. We recommend always turning the extraction fan on when using kitchen appliances that create steam, as this will help protect the wood. In the same vein, it's best not to open the dishwasher straight after a cycle has finished.
To correctly look after natural wood veneer, avoid abrasive sponges or aggressive products like waxes, solvents, bleaching products, alcohols or ammonia products. Steam cleaners are also not advised. No special products are needed to clean wood; simply wipe it with a damp cloth following the direction of the grain. If the wood is still dirty, use a sponge soaked in water and natural soap. Always make sure to dry the surface with a soft cotton or cellulose cloth.
Inspiration and Ideas: Our Wood Kitchen Projects
An elegant Silk Mink Grey and Smoked Oak Kitchen
This dark oak kitchen demonstrates how wood can be used in contemporary designs. The unit fronts in Smoked Oak veneer bring depth and character, contrasting with the smooth Silk Mink Grey units. The built-in wooden shelving enhances the space by showcasing both every day and decorative objects.
A bright kitchen using American Walnut veneer
In this kitchen American Walnut takes centre stage, accentuated by clean lines and white stone countertops. Its rich, warm grain gives a natural elegance to the kitchen, enhanced by the abundance of natural light entering the room.
This kitchen demonstrates how to balance warm wooden tones with cooler, brighter stone to create a refined, timeless space where each detail is both aesthetically-pleasing and practical.
A minimalist kitchen using Rustic Oak veneer
This small oak kitchen with a peninsula looks simple and bright, with design decisions based on how best to optimise the space. Whites chosen for the walls and the worktop help to make the space feel open, whilst the Rustic Oak veneer unit fronts bring a natural, warm feel to the kitchen.
The peninsula, also made in Rustic Oak, creates a link between kitchen and living areas as well as providing additional storage space.
A bright kitchen with natural wood and white
This kitchen pairs light wood and Pearl White to create a space that is minimalist and welcoming. The Rustic Oak veneer brings a natural feel to the room and highlights its clean, simple lines, whilst the white unit fronts help the room feel brighter.
At eba, we pride ourselves on making wood kitchens that are both functional and aesthetically-pleasing, meeting the needs of our clients whilst accentuating the beauty of wood.
If you would like to know more about our wood kitchens and help designing your space, get in touch with our expert team.
