Scandinavian Kitchen Cabinets: Styles, Colours & Materials

Scandinavian kitchen cabinets focus on simple fronts, practical storage, and finishes that suit your room’s light and materials. Begin by choosing your cabinet layout and construction, then compare door styles, colours, and handles.

A pale oak might look beautiful in the showroom but could clash with your floor at home. Bring the sample into your kitchen, stand it up, and check it under your own lighting.

Table of Contents

Which cabinet styles are right for a Scandinavian kitchen?

Flat slab fronts are a good choice because they highlight the grain, timber colour, or the character of your worktop. Simple framed doors also work well, especially if you have an older table or painted furniture. Decide how much detail you want to repeat in your kitchen.

Consider the entire cabinet layout. Three drawer units next to a tall cupboard look different from several equal doors. Try to align useful divisions. Focus on your storage needs instead of aiming for perfect symmetry, which often includes prep space and appliance door placement. Make sure you know where the appliance doors will go before choosing the fronts. Even the best-looking cabinet and handle combination won’t work if the doors aren’t in the right place.

Use these combinations to narrow down your showroom choices. Test how the handles feel on both a low drawer and a tall door before you decide.

Front style	Handle direction	Where it can work	What to test
Plain painted slab	Small knob or simple bar	A quiet run beside a patterned floor or worktop	Grip, projection and space for fingers
Timber veneer slab	Slim metal bar or timber pull	A kitchen where grain provides the main detail	Grain direction and the handle’s position across it
Simple framed door	Uncomplicated knob	A softer scheme with painted furniture	Cleaning around the frame and hardware
Integrated-pull front	Built-in finger recess	A continuous run with little visible hardware	Comfortable opening with damp hands and access to clean the recess

Visible handles can give a plain front a finished look. If you’re replacing them, match the existing hole spacing and make sure the new handle covers any marks left by the old one. For a new door, decide where you want the handle before you drill.

What colours work with wood and daylight?

Begin with the largest surface you plan to keep. A honey-coloured floor, grey tile, or dark worktop will affect your cabinets more than a small accessory. Whenever you can, compare full-size samples of the basin or sink finish and splashback together.

Warm white fronts work well in a light scheme, but you should compare the white with your other surfaces. Cream cabinets with a blue-white splashback can look very different together than they do separately.

Muted green or blue is a good way to add character to a plain cabinet without adding another pattern. If colour is your main feature, choose a plain worktop. In a darker kitchen, try a deeper tone on the base units first, then see how the upper part of the room looks.

If you want a more earthy feel or a stronger timber contrast, our Japandi kitchen palettes offer several combinations to try. It’s fine to repeat one wood direction instead of matching every piece of wood exactly.

What are the cabinets actually made from?

Check the specifications for the box, the front, and the exposed edges separately. A cabinet called oak might have an oak box and a veneer door, which is usually fine. The specification should tell you exactly what you’re getting.

Three IKEA examples to demonstrate the difference. VALLSTENA is particleboard with plastic foil and edging. HAVSTORP is acrylic painted fibreboard. SINARP oak veneer is particleboard core with oak veneer and solid oak edging, lacquered. The linked items in the price list have the full specification.

Veneer is real wood on a core, while a printed wood finish is the alternative. Ask what happens if an edge chips or a door is damaged, and whether matching replacements are available.

For these products, IKEA recommends mild cleaning and wiping dry. Follow the finish instructions carefully, especially near the sink and dishwasher. Also, check the appliance installation requirements for the panels next to them.

How much are the Scandinavian kitchen cabinets for per linear metre?

The comparison below is of three versions of the same IKEA METOD shelf unit (60cm wide, 60cm deep frame, one door, hinges and shelves) with UK advertised prices as at 4 November 2026.

To get the equivalent metre rate, divide the unit price by 0.6. This compares those specific base units. A fitted kitchen would have its own itemised quote.

Front on white METOD cabinet	Listed 60 cm unit price	Equivalent base-cabinet cost per linear metre
VALLSTENA white, foil-covered front	£75	£125.00
HAVSTORP beige, painted front	£82	£136.67
SINARP oak veneer front	£123	£205.00

Rails, legs, plinths, and handles are extra. The prices don’t include worktops, end panels, wall and tall cabinets, appliances, delivery, or installation. Drawer units and corner fittings will also affect the comparison.

For example, three of the listed units make up a 1.8m cabinet run at £225, £246, or £369 (before extras). You buy the complete units, so the per metre rate doesn’t mean you can get a one-metre cabinet at that price.

Can we just go with the existing cabinets?

Keep your cabinet boxes if the layout still works. Check the door sizes, hinge positions, opening angles, and appliance panels before ordering replacement fronts. If you plan to paint, find out what the current coating is and use the right preparation system.

Awkward handles, unreachable shelves, or drawers that won’t fit your pans are common problems. Our Scandinavian interior design guide focuses on everyday functionality. Try one front and one handle sample to help you decide, then price your full cabinet list.

Sources

Parker

Parker is a home and lifestyle writer at The Scandi Home, where they share a love for Scandinavian design, cozy living, and thoughtful interiors. Their writing focuses on simple, functional spaces that feel calm, warm, and lived-in.