It is fairly commonplace throughout kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture to find products where the carcass, doors and shelving of each item is made from a composite material such as fibreboard or MDF which is then finished off by applying or"wrapping" a manmade lacquer, paint or PVC foil layer to the outside surfaces.

Don¡¯t be fooled into thinking that because manmade finishes are often a less expensive option than real wood, that the quality is inferior. The hardwearing finishes that are used are incredibly durable, made to withstand any amount of knocks and scrapes, as well as being water-resistant and very easy to keep clean.

The Harvard range of bathroom furniture from Heritage Bathrooms is a good example of this type of furniture material. The style is available in two of their lifestyle finishes; the white gloss finish is shown here.

The fact that it is manmade also gives you so much more flexibility in the colours that are available. The spectrum ranges from the popular wood effect finishes such as birch, beech and cherry to the more individual greens, reds, blues and so on, and don't forget the high gloss white finish available in so many designs. For some bespoke ranges, you can even apply photographic-quality veneers depicting just about anything you want!

There are, however, some other points to bear in mind. The quality of the chipboard carcass could cause you problems if the bare edges are not sealed well and if the applied surface does not adhere properly then it may start to lift and chip. An excessive water spillage could also damage the furniture irreparably if left unchecked.