Shaker kitchen ideas for every style of home and budget

(Image credit: Higham Furniture)

Shaker kitchen ideas seem to be eternally popular with homeowners of traditional and contemporary properties alike.

When designing a kitchen, getting the very most from your budget is important and what that often means is that choosing a kitchen style that won't date any time soon is a priority. It is perhaps because of this that the Shaker kitchen never seems to fall from favour — it's simple, timeless appeal means that it looks as fresh now as it did when it was first invented back in the 18th century.

Shaker kitchens are perfect partners for both Belfast and Butler sinks, well matched to the simple, practical form of these chunky ceramic fittings. Firstly though, what is a Belfast sink and what makes it different to a Butler sink? in short, the difference comes down to the presence of an overflow — Butler sinks, common in London during the Victorian era, were designed without overflows to conserve water, while conserving water in Belfast was not so important at the time.

More and more people these days are choosing to stick to a selection of base and full height units rather than a combination of base and wall units as was the norm for some years. The Shakers tended to keep their walls muted and white and often included hanging peg rails and shelves into their designs so this actually works very well in this instance. Minimising the use of wall units is a great one for those after small kitchen ideas as it can make a space feel less cramped.

After some beautiful wooden kitchen ideas to marry up with your dream of a Shaker kitchen? The good news here is that the Shakers very often left their kitchens unpainted, so if the bare wood look is one you like, then you will be in good company. By leaving the natural grain of the wood exposed, you not only get to appreciate the detail in the grain, but there is also no competition for the design of the kitchen itself, meaning it really can shine.

The main difference here is whether there is a ‘face frame’ — a visible frame that runs around the outside of the doors and the drawer fronts. In-frame kitchens have a visible face frame and are generally considered to have a more traditional, hand-crafted look, whereas frameless kitchens tend to feel more sleek and contemporary. Shaker kitchens are almost always in-frame, although some modern versions take the frameless route.

Melissa Klink

Designer Melissa Klink is Head of Design for Harvey Jones.

Looeeze Grossman

Looeeze is an expert in all things related to second hand and used kitchens. In 2005 she started The Used Kitchen Company, responsible for introducing the concept of recycling kitchens from showrooms and private homes, saving 1000s of tonnes of waste from landfill, promoting sustainability and introducing an ethical choice to the kitchen industry.

Natasha is Homebuilding & Renovating’s Associate Content Editor and has been a member of the team for over two decades. An experienced journalist and renovation expert, she has written for a number of homes titles. Over the years Natasha has renovated and carried out a side extension to a Victorian terrace. She is currently living in the rural Edwardian cottage she renovated and extended on a largely DIY basis, living on site for the duration of the project. She is now looking for her next project — something which is proving far harder than she thought it would be.