Choosing the Right Materials for Your Fitted Furniture: A Guide to our Finishes

When it comes to bespoke fitted furniture, the material and finish you choose will shape not just how your furniture looks but how it feels, performs and ages over time. Whether you’re planning fitted wardrobes, a media wall, or a full room of cabinetry, choosing the right finish is a key part of the design process.

At Just Wood Furniture, we work with three main finish types: melamine, real wood veneer, and spray painted. Each comes with its own benefits, considerations, and cost. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Melamine: Affordable, Durable & Stylish

Melamine is our most cost-effective option, but that doesn’t mean it lacks style. We offer 32 stunning finishes from the FINSA 12Twenty range from soft neutral tones to bold woodgrains, all of which you can see in our finishes here.

It’s a hard-wearing, low-maintenance surface that’s perfect for internal cabinetry and clean, modern designs. The boards are 18mm thick and finished with a tough, wipeable surface ideal for everyday use.

Perfect for: clients looking for a clean, modern look that is priced competitively without compromising on quality or style.

2. Veneer: Real Wood Warmth & Character

If you’re looking for a more natural, tactile feel, veneered finishes are a beautiful choice. Veneers are made from thin slices of real wood - Oak, Walnut, Cherry and more, bonded to high-quality boards. Each veneer is unique, with grain patterns, colour variations and warmth that only real timber can offer.

Because veneer is raw wood, it needs to be treated with a finish, whether that’s a clear lacquer, tinted stain or oiled finish, all of which we apply in-house. Veneered furniture sits in the middle in terms of price, and the result is a timeless look that ages gracefully.

Perfect for: clients who love the natural look and feel of real wood, and want something with lasting character.

3. Spray Painted: The Ultimate in Colour & Customisation

For a refined, painted finish with near-limitless colour choice, spray painting is the way to go. We can match any colour swatch from brands like Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Dulux and more, allowing you to perfectly coordinate with your interiors.

Spray painted doors also allow for decorative detailing such as shaker profiles, tongue and groove patterns, and mirror inserts. These effects cut into the surface of the panel, which rules out melamine or veneer, so if you’re looking for this kind of detail, spray painted is the only route.

We outsource this finishing work to Sprayco, who deliver a flawless, furniture-grade finish. And whenever we go down the painted route, we take the opportunity to upgrade the door thickness to 22mm for a more substantial feel. In certain cases (like single-panel shaker doors), we’ll even increase the thickness to 25mm to help prevent any risk of warping.

Perfect for: clients who want complete colour freedom, classic profiles like shaker doors, and a premium finish throughout.

Mixing & Matching Finishes

One of the advantages of going bespoke is the freedom to combine different finishes for a balance of style and practicality. Within the melamine range you can use contrasting colours for the interior and exterior to add interest. For spray-painted projects, we often recommend a durable melamine interior, which stands up brilliantly to daily use while allowing you to match your exterior doors to your favourite paint colour. With real wood veneers, interiors are usually veneered too, but once treated with a PU spray, the surfaces become durable and long-lasting. That said, pairing veneered exteriors with melamine interiors is also an option worth considering if you’d like the warmth of real wood with a more cost-effective hidden finish. You can see more about our finishes here.

So… Which One Is Right for You?

There’s no single “best” finish, only what’s right for your space and your style and the amount you want to invest. During your consultation, we’ll talk you through all the options, show you samples, and explain the price differences clearly so you can make an informed decision.

• Melamine: cost-effective, stylish, and modern

• Veneer: mid-range, natural, warm and characterful

• Spray painted: high-end, colour-matched, customisable, and perfect for decorative designs

  
  

We’re always happy to explain the differences in more detail and help you choose the right material for your project.

Ready to start your fitted furniture journey? Get in touch to request a quote and let’s explore the possibilities — in style, detail and finish.