Birch Plywood
Exposed laminated edge, lacquered or oiled face. The material that reads as honest rather than as furniture-shop furniture.
Two practical advantages in a flat: it's lighter than solid timber and much lighter than MDF, which matters on a third floor with no lift, and it holds a screw better than MDF does, so it survives being taken apart and put back together.
The visible edge is the point and also the vulnerable bit — raw ply edge absorbs moisture, so touch up chips early and keep it out of a steamy bathroom.
