Bringing nature indoors with woodgrain cabinetry

In one of its biggest releases ever, Prime Panels has launched a new melamine finish which is almost indistinguishable from a timber veneer. Its launch is supported by the addition of eight new woodgrain decors. We spoke to the team about the benefits of melamine cabinetry and what the new offering means for kitchen design going forward.

The surface finish on a melamine panel is created by overlaying a plate on top of the décor paper when the board is pressed.  This creates a range of textures that can vary from gloss to embossed and up until now the finishes have appeared only lightly textured. While the colour ranges have provided a lot of choice, surface finishes for melamine in New Zealand have not moved forward over the last five years.    

By contrast, the clarity and photo-realism available with melamine décor designs has improved dramatically over the same period and there has been a large and comprehensive increase in patterned and woodgrain designs vs solid colours.

The missing textural element changed in June with the release of a new Timberland plate finish which provides a deeply textured and realistic timber structure.  When combined with woodgrain decors, they are virtually indistinguishable from timber veneer says Prime Panels’ Marketing Manager Desiree Keown. 

With a heavily textured surface and contrast between gloss and matt, the grain appears as if it has incredible depth – a level of realism that wasn’t previously possible with melamine.

“It’s no surprise that our colour update focuses entirely on woodgrains and patterns,” Desiree says. “The use of timber and wood grain surfaces in interiors is growing exponentially, driven by a desire for more authentic and natural surfaces as the world becomes more digital.”

“These types of natural surfaces and environmentally friendly products are continuing to grow in popularity as we find ourselves more and more in unnatural surrounds,” Desiree says. “People are drawn to authentic and natural textures, surfaces and materials. Increasingly, people are spending the majority of their time in front of screens and devices so when they come home at night, they want to cocoon themselves within an environment that is warm and inviting.

“For most of us, that’s achieved with a range of natural surfaces and materials that provide us with a connection to the outside world and nature. So much of the time we miss that vital connection so incorporating it in the home is an appealing way to create calm and restful spaces.”

Prime Panels’ new woodgrain decors added to complement the Timberland finish include Oak, Pine and Walnut designs.

“Oak is the most popular timber when it comes to veneer so it also features heavily in the newly introduced melamine decors with the rustic-styled Oiled Oak and Smokey Oak together with the more classically styled Original Oak and Black Forest Oak,” Desiree says.  “With a huge demand for walnut, there are three new decors covering the spectrum from light to dark – Ashen Walnut, Charred Walnut and Hickory Walnut. Nordic Pine covers the rustic/Scandi look.”

Prime Panels is part of New Zealand Panels Group, the country’s leading independent manufacturer and distributor of interior decorative panels and stone benchtops. Make sure you visit Prime Panels on ArchiPro here to see the latest collections including Timberland.