Kitchen remodels often call for the refacing of cabinet doors as a cheaper solution to a new installation. But the downside is that the old panels often get dumped in landfills simply because they no longer fit the bill. That’s seriously wasteful, even if your designer argues otherwise.
But the recently launched San Francisco-based M8 storage system is taking a new direction in the construction of greener cabinets, allowing front panels of its own design (wood veneers, low-toxic metallic lacquer or LCD screens) to be switched out while the solid foundation endures for at least two decades.
The eco-friendly structural frames are made of recycled aluminum while the internal shelving is comprised of a green MDF material made by Sierra of Arreis. The wood design is the brainchild of husband and wife team Steven and Joan Livingston, kitchen design veterans who sought to create high-quality sustainable material for their modular front panels.
“We’ve been in the industry for a decade with an Italian cabinetry showroom and we were tired of seeing perfectly serviceable kitchens ripped out because the designer didn’t like the aesthetic,” company president Joan Livingston explained to me. “Now, we can give a fresh look to clients looking for some flexibility but afraid to take risks.”
Livingston told me at her Snaidero showroom those fearful clients almost always opted for cherry wood, despite their infatuation with clean lacquer and color. What if they grew tired of color? What if high gloss lacquer slowed down a home sale?
-People are hungry for contemporary European styling with clean lines and fun finishes and now they can enjoy it without feeling they’re taking a huge risk,” explains Livingston.
M8 will be available in kitchen showrooms in 2009 and now can be ordered by your design professional at the company’s showroom in San Francisco (415.992.5022).