How to Order Téchne Material Samples
Why physical samples matter, what they include (laminate chipboard, painted MDF), how to order from Téchne, comparison tips in natural light, and the extended palette of 49 RAL/NCS colors.
You choose your furniture color looking at a screen. But your screen does not display colors the same as ours, and neither shows the color exactly as it appears in reality. This difference between digital and physical is why material samples are essential before placing a custom furniture order. At Téchne, we encourage every client to order samples before the final decision — it is the simplest way to avoid disappointment.
Why Screen Colors Are Not Enough
Every screen — laptop, phone, desktop monitor — displays colors differently based on technology (IPS, OLED, TN), calibration, brightness, and settings. A grey that looks warm on a MacBook may appear cool on an external monitor. A natural oak that seems light on a phone may be two shades darker in reality.
Factors that influence color perception on screen:
- Screen color temperature — Night Shift / Blue Light Filter modes shift the entire image tonality
- Ambient brightness — the same color looks different in a bright room vs. evening with artificial light
- Color profile — sRGB, DCI-P3, Adobe RGB render color gamuts differently
- Viewing angle — on TN screens, color shifts dramatically if not viewed head-on
Even with the best professionally calibrated monitor, the surface texture — which significantly influences color perception — cannot be digitally reproduced. A matte grey looks completely different from a glossy grey, even if the RAL code is identical.
What Téchne Samples Contain
Téchne samples are physical pieces of the actual materials used in production — not paper prints or simulations. Here is what you can receive:
Melamine chipboard samples
Melamine chipboard chips approximately 10 x 15 cm, with ABS edging applied on one edge, exactly as on the finished furniture. Available in all decors from the configurator — oak, walnut, grey, white, concrete, and other textures. The sample includes both panel faces, so you can see both the exterior and interior surfaces.
Painted MDF samples
Painted MDF swatches in similar size, in the requested color. The finish (standard matte, Soft Touch ultra-matte, or High Gloss ultra-glossy) is identical to the final product. You can request multiple colors for direct comparison. For details about finish differences, see the complete painted and ribbed MDF guide.
Ribbed MDF samples
For ribbed doors (milled grooves), samples include the actual groove texture — you can feel the depth and rhythm of the milling, something impossible to evaluate from a photograph.
How to Order Samples from Téchne
The process is simple and direct:
- Explore materials in the configurator — open the Téchne configurator and navigate to the materials/colors section. Note the codes or names of decors that interest you
- Contact us — send a message via the contact page specifying: desired materials (decor code or name), sample type (chipboard, painted MDF, ribbed MDF), finish (matte, Soft Touch, High Gloss), and delivery address
- Receive the samples — shipped within a few business days. Compare them at home, in the space where the furniture will be installed, before finalizing your order
We recommend ordering samples for all materials you are considering — especially if you are hesitating between two similar colors (for example, Nebraska Natural Oak vs. Halifax Oak) or if you want to combine chipboard with painted MDF.
How to Properly Compare Samples
Once you have the samples in hand, how you evaluate them makes the difference. Here are our tips:
1. Compare in natural light
The most important rule: evaluate samples near a window, in natural daylight. Artificial light (neon, warm LED, incandescent bulb) dramatically alters color perception. A white that looks clean near the window may appear yellowish under neon or pinkish under warm LED.
If the room where the furniture will be placed has little natural light, evaluate samples in that room's lighting conditions — this will be the actual usage context.
2. Match with wall paint
Place the sample directly against the painted wall. Colors that look good individually can clash when brought together. A furniture grey next to a wall grey can create a flat effect or, conversely, an unwanted contrast if tones differ (warm vs. cool).
Tip: if the wall is not yet painted, choose the furniture material first and then match the paint — it is easier to adjust paint than to change the chipboard decor.
3. Check the texture
Run your fingers across the surface. Melamine chipboard comes in different textures — from smooth (liscio) to textured (synchronized pores, wood structure). Texture influences the overall furniture appearance as much as color. An oak decor with smooth texture looks modern, while the same decor with synchronized pores looks rustic.
4. Check the ABS edging too
ABS edging is visible on every shelf and panel edge. Make sure the edging shade matches the surface — at Téchne, edging is matched to the decor, but some complex decors may have edging with a slight texture simplification.
5. Compare in real context
If you have existing furniture pieces you want to coordinate with the new ones, place the sample next to the existing furniture. The human eye is extremely sensitive to subtle shade differences — two similar but different greys can look worse than two completely different colors (intentional contrast).
Téchne Extended Color Range
Téchne offers one of the most varied color ranges in the online custom furniture market:
Melamine chipboard
Over 30 available decors — from whites and greys to oak, walnut, concrete, marble. Each decor comes with matched ABS edging. All decors are from Egger and Kronospan collections, top European manufacturers with guaranteed long-term availability.
Painted MDF — 49 RAL/NCS colors
This is the premium range. 49 colors from RAL and NCS palettes — from classics like pure white (RAL 9010) and deep black (RAL 9005) to accent colors such as:
- Neutral tones — light grey, anthracite grey, greige, taupe
- Warm tones — cream, cappuccino, terracotta, caramel
- Cool tones — pastel blue, ocean blue, sage green, abyss green
- Bold colors — bordeaux red, mustard yellow, terracotta orange
Each color is available in standard matte finish, Soft Touch (ultra-matte, velvety), or High Gloss (ultra-glossy, mirror effect). The color x finish combination opens nearly unlimited personalization possibilities.
When You Do Not Need Samples
Samples are essential for critical decisions, but not necessary in every situation:
- Reordering the same materials — if you have ordered from Téchne before and want the same decors, no new samples needed
- Pure white or black — these are universal colors with minimal variation between screen and reality
- Furniture in hidden spaces — a wardrobe in a storage room or pantry, where aesthetics are secondary to functionality
Common Mistakes When Choosing Without Samples
Based on experience with hundreds of orders, here are the most common mistakes clients make when choosing materials exclusively from screen:
1. White shade confusion
White is not just one color. There is pure white (cool, with a slight bluish undertone), cream white (warm, with a yellowish undertone), and grey white (neutral, with a grey base). On screen, they all look similar. In reality, a pure white wardrobe next to a cream white wall creates a visible and unpleasant contrast — as if one of the surfaces were dirty. Samples completely eliminate this risk.
2. Underestimating texture
Two oak decors can have the same color but completely different textures — one smooth (modern, minimal), the other with synchronized pores (rustic, tactile). On screen, the texture difference is hard to perceive. To the touch, the difference is enormous and significantly influences the final furniture style.
3. Combinations that do not work
A client chose online a dark walnut for the carcass and light grey for the fronts — on screen, the combination looked elegant. In reality, the walnut had a reddish undertone that clashed with the cool grey of the fronts. With samples in hand, the incompatibility would have been obvious and a warm grey or different wood could have been selected.
4. Painted MDF can surprise
RAL colors are standardized, but the finish (matte, Soft Touch, High Gloss) dramatically changes perception. The same RAL 7016 (anthracite grey) looks sober and discreet in Soft Touch but dramatic and reflective in High Gloss. Without samples, it is impossible to anticipate the real visual impact of the chosen finish.
Samples for Multi-Room Projects
If you are furnishing multiple rooms simultaneously — bedroom, living room, hallway — material coordination across rooms is critical. An oak chosen for the bedroom must match the one chosen for the hallway, and the living room fronts must complement the rest of the house.
Our recommendation for large projects:
- Order all samples simultaneously — place them on a table side by side and evaluate the complete combination, not each material in isolation
- Walk samples through the house — check how each material looks in the room where it will be used, under that room's specific lighting
- Choose maximum 2-3 different decors — too many different materials create visual chaos. A home with coordinated furniture (for example, the same carcass everywhere, with 2 different front finishes) looks professional and harmonious
- Photograph samples in situ — place the sample against the wall, photograph it with your phone, and compare the result with what you see in the configurator. Adjust if needed before ordering
The Téchne sample service is designed to eliminate any uncertainty. The time investment (a few days of waiting) and attention (30 minutes of comparison) protects you from a decision you would regret for years.
From Samples to Final Order
After comparing samples and choosing materials, the process is simple: return to the configurator, select your chosen materials, finalize compartmentalization and dimensions, and place the order. Production time is 2-3 weeks, and the furniture will look exactly like the received samples — same materials, same colors, same finish. The configurator automatically checks the compatibility of chosen materials — it won't let you combine options that don't work together structurally or aesthetically.
Do not let the screen decide for your eyes. Order samples, compare in real light, and choose with confidence.
Explore available materials: Open the Téchne configurator | Order samples: Contact us