If you’re planning to have a new kitchen in 2023, one of the options you may be considering is a Shaker kitchen. They are certainly a consistently popular choice of kitchen. But what exactly is a Shaker kitchen, and why do so many people love them?
In this article we take a quick look at:
- What is a Shaker kitchen?
- What are the advantages of a Shaker kitchen?
- What does a Shaker kitchen look like?
- How to choose the best Shaker kitchen for your home
What is a Shaker kitchen?
Shaker kitchens date back to the mid-18th century. The name derives from a religious community called the Shakers, an offshoot of the Quakers. As part of their beliefs, Shakers believed in keeping everything in their homes very simple and functional. The original Shaker kitchens were created to the highest standards using top quality wood. They were also very minimalist with no decorative features, as the Shakers believed these to be unnecessary and a vain distraction from the necessities of daily life.
What does a Shaker kitchen look like?
Shaker kitchen cabinets have very distinctive doors, which consist of a flat recessed central panel with a raised frame around the edge. They are also likely to feature handcrafted features such as wooden or brass knobs and handles, and dovetailing inside the drawers.
As you can see from the image above, the overall effect of a Shaker kitchen is minimalistic and uncluttered. However, as we will see later, one of the advantages of a Shaker kitchen is that behind the sleek external design there can be a wealth of concealed storage features to bring a bespoke practicality to your kitchen. The images below show two examples of plentiful storage concealed by Shaker doors in the same kitchen as above.
What are the advantages of a Shaker kitchen?
There are many advantages of a Shaker kitchen, including:
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- They have universal appeal. The simplistic design appeals to all ages, and the timelessness of the finish means that it never goes out of style. So not only could a Shaker kitchen look wonderful in your home now, it is also likely to appeal to potential buyers in future;
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- The design of Shaker kitchens lends itself to using sustainable wood, which is an increasingly important consideration for. many homeowners, and something we fully buy into at Stone and Chrome. So a Shaker kitchen can be an extremely planet-friendly kitchen choice;
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- Shaker kitchens are practical and functional. The simple design can easily incorporate additional storage solutions, for example in drawers or cabinet doors. As we saw in the images above, the design also adapts well to any configuration of shelving or built in appliances.
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- Shaker kitchens are also easy to maintain, as the flat design of the cabinets reduces the opportunity for dirt, dust and grease to build up. So your Shaker kitchen will continue to look as good as new for years to come.
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- Shaker cabinets can be personalised to your own design needs by staining or painting. This means that you can have the exact shades of cabinets that work in your kitchen. The images below show a stunning Shaker kitchen painted in Farrow & Ball Dimpse. The kitchen features a bespoke handmade pantry unit, and also beautifully crafted dovetail natural oak drawers with additional storage facilities such as the cutlery insert shown here.
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How to choose the best Shaker kitchen for your home
So if you do decide to have a Shaker kitchen in your home, where is the best place to look?
We would suggest that you start by browsing through our kitchen gallery to see some of our wonderful Shaker kitchen installations. Then, come and see us at our Camberley showroom to find out more about how we could make a beautiful Shaker kitchen a reality in your home.