Quick answer: At Little Giant Interiors we build our custom cabinetry from Melteca, Dezignatek and Decorpanel boards, paired with Häfele, Blum and Hettich hardware. Each is chosen for durability, finish quality and how well it holds up in a real Auckland kitchen.
The materials and hardware inside a kitchen matter as much as the design on paper. They decide how a drawer feels on day one and whether it still runs true in year ten. Here’s the shortlist our design team keeps coming back to, and the honest reason each one earns its place in our builds.
Cabinetry materials we build with
The right board changes the whole feel of a kitchen, along with how it wears. We work mainly with three: Melteca, Dezignatek and Decorpanel. Each suits a different brief, and here’s how we choose between them.
Melteca
Melteca is our workhorse board. It carries a wide range of colours and textures, stands up to scratches, stains and moisture, and it’s made here in New Zealand, which keeps lead times short and freight down. For most family kitchens it’s the sensible, hard-wearing choice.
Where it shines: broad colour and texture range, strong durability in high-traffic kitchens, good value, locally made.
Worth knowing: as a board product it doesn’t offer the same one-off detailing you’d get from a fully custom door, so we pair it with our own joinery where a project needs something more tailored.
Common ranges:
- Melteca Standard Range (wide colour and texture choice)
- Melteca Compact Laminate (thicker, harder-wearing option)
- Melteca Matt Finish (modern, low-sheen surface)
- Melteca Gloss Finish (high-gloss reflective surface)
Website: melteca.net
Dezignatek
Dezignatek is a thermoformed door and panel brand we reach for when a client wants a smooth, handleless or profiled look with no visible joins. The finish is contemporary and consistent, and it holds up well in a busy kitchen.
Where it shines: thermoformed doors with a smooth, join-free surface, a strong contemporary range, good durability.
Worth knowing: it sits above standard board on price, so it’s a considered choice rather than the default.
Common ranges:
- Dezignatek Classic Collection (timeless styles)
- Dezignatek Urban Collection (modern, contemporary designs)
- Dezignatek Timber Veneer Collection (natural wood finishes)
Website: dezignatek.co.nz
Decorpanel
Decorpanel brings real timber warmth, with panels sourced sustainably from New Zealand forests. It’s the pick for clients who want natural grain and a genuine timber look. It asks for a little more care than a laminate board, but the character it adds is hard to fake.
Where it shines: natural timber warmth, sustainable NZ sourcing, a look that laminate can only imitate.
Worth knowing: natural timber needs a bit more maintenance and sits higher on cost than standard board.
Common ranges:
- Decorpanel Natural Plywood Panels (various wood species)
- Decorpanel Premium Veneer Panels (high-quality veneers)
- Decorpanel Architectural Panels (for architectural applications)
- Decorpanel Decorative Panels (decorative interior finishes)
Website: decorpanel.co.nz
Hardware that makes cabinetry work
Hardware is what you feel every day: the drawer that glides shut, the door that never slams, the lift-up cabinet that stays where you leave it. We build with three brands here, and each has a job it does best.
Häfele
Häfele is our broad-category hardware brand: hinges, storage fit-outs, sliding and folding systems, and cabinet lighting. If a project needs a clever corner solution, a pull-out pantry or integrated LED lighting, Häfele almost always has it, and the quality is consistent across the range.
What we use it for:
- Soft-close hinges for quiet, controlled doors.
- Drawer organisation such as cutlery trays and dividers.
- Storage solutions like pull-out pantry units and corner fittings.
- Loox LED lighting for cabinets and wardrobes.
Common products:
- Moovit drawer system with integrated soft close.
- Loox LED lighting for cabinets and furniture.
- Aerofix wall mounting for floating cabinets and shelves.
Website: hafele.co.nz
Blum
Blum is our first choice for drawer systems and motion hardware. The engineering is precise, the soft close is reliable for years, and the runners carry weight without sagging. When a kitchen lives or dies on how its drawers feel, we specify Blum as standard.
What we use it for:
- Soft-close motion that stops drawers and doors slamming.
- SERVO-DRIVE and TIP-ON for touch and electric-assisted opening.
- AVENTOS lift systems for overhead cabinet doors.
- TANDEMBOX and LEGRABOX drawer systems for stability and smooth running.
Common products:
- BLUMOTION soft close for quiet, controlled closing.
- AVENTOS HK-XS lift system for compact overhead doors.
- TANDEMBOX Intivo drawer system with customisable interior organisation.
Website: blum.com/nz
Hettich
Hettich pairs German engineering with a strong drawer and hinge range, and it’s our reliable alternative to Blum on the motion side. Quiet runners, soft-close hinges and space-saving sliding systems, all built to run smoothly over the long haul.
What we use it for:
- Quadro drawer runners for smooth, quiet operation.
- Sensys and Intermat soft-close hinges.
- WingLine and TopLine sliding door systems for tight spaces.
- InnoTech and AvanTech drawer systems with flexible design options.
Common products:
- InnoTech Atira drawer system, modular with diverse design options.
- Sensys soft-close hinges for smooth, silent doors.
- Sliding door fittings for stylish, functional cabinets.
Website: hettich.com
What our design team values in each brand
Ask our designers and the same themes come up. Häfele for the sheer breadth of its range and reliability across almost any cabinetry job. Blum for drawer and motion hardware that feels precise and lasts. Melteca for durability and a colour range that makes it easy to match a client’s taste. Dezignatek for smooth, contemporary door fronts without compromising quality. And Decorpanel for the natural timber warmth it brings to a design while meeting sustainability goals.
Our most-specified brand
Across our projects, Häfele is the hardware brand we reach for most, thanks to the range and consistency across everything from soft-close drawer systems to Loox LED lighting. On drawer systems specifically, Blum remains our first pick. It’s less about one brand beating another and more about the right fit for each project.
Our shortlist of Melteca, Dezignatek, Decorpanel, Häfele, Blum and Hettich reflects what we’ve learned building custom cabinetry in our Rosedale factory: these brands deliver the finish, durability and running quality our clients expect. Which ones end up in your kitchen comes down to your brief, your budget and how you want it to feel to use. Explore the custom kitchen cabinetry we design and build in Auckland, or see how everything comes together on our 6-step design and build process.
What cabinetry materials does Little Giant Interiors use?
We build mainly with Melteca, Dezignatek and Decorpanel. Melteca is our hard-wearing, locally made workhorse board, Dezignatek gives a smooth thermoformed door for a contemporary handleless look, and Decorpanel brings real, sustainably sourced New Zealand timber warmth. The right one depends on the look you're after and your budget.
Why is Melteca a popular cabinetry choice?
Melteca carries a broad range of colours and textures, resists scratches, stains and moisture, and is made in New Zealand, which keeps lead times and freight down. It's a durable, good-value board for most family kitchens.
Is Melteca made in New Zealand?
Yes. Melteca is a New Zealand-made laminate board, which is one reason we specify it so often. Local manufacture keeps lead times short and supports lower freight, and the range of colours and finishes suits most Auckland kitchen designs.
What hardware brands does Little Giant Interiors use?
We build with Häfele, Blum and Hettich. Häfele covers the broad category, hinges, storage fit-outs, sliding systems and cabinet lighting. Blum is our first pick for drawer systems and motion hardware. Hettich is our reliable German-engineered alternative on drawers and hinges.
What's the difference between Blum and Hettich?
Both make excellent drawer runners and soft-close hardware. We specify Blum as our standard for drawer systems and motion hardware for its precision and long-term reliability, and use Hettich as a strong German-engineered alternative with its own quiet runners, Sensys hinges and flexible drawer systems. The choice comes down to the specific project.
What makes Dezignatek different from standard cabinetry board?
Dezignatek is a thermoformed door and panel product, so it gives a smooth, join-free surface that suits handleless and profiled designs. It sits above standard board on price, so it's a considered upgrade rather than the default choice.
Which hardware brand does Little Giant Interiors use most?
Häfele is the hardware brand we specify most overall, for its range and consistency across hinges, storage and lighting. For drawer systems specifically, Blum is our first choice. Most kitchens end up with a mix, matched to the job.
Do these brands come with a warranty?
Warranties vary by product, but the hardware we specify is built to last: Blum and Hettich back their mechanical hardware with a lifetime warranty, and Laminex offers up to 10 years on its premium ranges. Our own installation carries a 5-year workmanship warranty. We'll confirm the specifics for the products in your design.
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