Designing Kitchens with Modern Shaker Cabinets

Cabinetry is one of the essential elements that define the functionality and style of a kitchen. You can upgrade your kitchen design and maximize the functionality even by changing your cabinets. 

If you plan to redesign your kitchen, you might have already encountered the Shaker style. Shaker-style cabinetry is one of the most popular cabinet designs thanks to its timeless and simple beauty that works nearly for every kitchen, from traditional to modern. 

Keep reading to learn why the Shaker-style might be the one that perfectly meets your expectation from kitchen cabinetry.

What is the Shaker Style Kitchen?

Even if you have some opinions about a Shaker-style kitchen, you may need to extend your knowledge to decide whether it is the right option for you. Although it is still a trend in today’s kitchen design, the Shaker design has its origins in 1770s’ America. The word Shaker defines a Protestant group whose religious practices were grounded on the principles of simplicity, precision, and honesty. As being inspired by these thoughts, the Shaker style follows the rules of functionality, minimalism, and qualified craftsmanship. 

While avoiding exaggeration in the design, Shaker-style focuses on pure aesthetics and utility. High-quality materials, fine craftsmanship, and sturdy structure reflect the flawless aesthetic of a Shaker-style kitchen. 

Durable and quality woods are generally paired with elegant countertops in the design. Shaker cabinets can be left with the wood’s natural color or painted with dark and light colors. Steel pieces are also preferable as complements of Shaker-style cabinetry. Since the simplicity of the form is adopted instead of fanciness, Shaker-style reflects the pure beauty of the design.

Shaker-style is also a perfect choice for modern designs because of its motto that beauty comes from simplicity and utility. 

Modern Shaker Style Kitchen

Contrary to its long history, Shaker-style dies hard even today, thanks to its elegance and practicality. In this sense, it is no surprise that Shaker-style is a popular choice for modern kitchen designs. One of its features that makes Shaker-style timeless is its openness to renovations. You can quickly deepen the contemporary interpretation of Shaker-style with simple adjustments. For instance, you can add modern elements to your Shaker-style cabinets with colors and patterns. Moreover, although Shaker-style was originated long ago, its maxim of simplicity and functionality is still definitive for today’s world. It seems it will never get old as long as we continue to desire elegance. 

If you want to make sure that your Shaker-style kitchen reflects your modern vision, you should follow some of the following tips. 

Modern Shaker Style Cabinets

Since Shaker cabinets are probably the essential part that defines the Shaker-style, you can modernize your Shaker-style kitchen with a contemporary interpretation of cabinetry design. You may create a more modern look by matching different colors, patterns, and materials for your Shaker cabinets. For instance, you can make a color contrast by using darker colors with the lower cabinets and lighter colors with the upper ones. You may even consider going further with your modern Shaker cabinets by choosing glass-fronts for your upper cabinets. Additionally, you may use metal pulls and handles such as chrome and steel with a minimalistic design on your Shaker cabinets. Combining solid-surface countertops with the cabinets is another option for a modern interpretation. You may prefer granite or quartz as countertops material. 

Storage and Working Areas

Well-functioning is a must for Shaker-style kitchens, but this feature should also be compatible with the minimalistic design. To ensure both perfectly, the Shaker-style achieves successful organization in the kitchen by having everything in the right place. For Shaker-style kitchens, it is essential to have enough storage area without overwhelming the room with excess. You may consider adding shelves that perfectly blend into the background colors. Or, if you have enough space, you may add an island with cupboards and drawers to gain extra storage and a working area. A kitchen island will also turn your kitchen into a living space where you enjoy spending time with your loved ones. 

Flooring and Wall Tiles

A perfected kitchen design does not contend with organizing storage and working areas. That is why other elements such as flooring and wall tiles should be included to complete the Modern Shaker-style look in the kitchen. You may add some interest to your design and ensure a modern look with wall tiles with bold colors that you can match with cabinets’ colors. For the flooring, you may again prefer tile to create harmony in the place. Tiles are also preferable for being easy to clean. After all, Shaker-style aims for functionality in every sense. 

Appliances, Furniture, and Other Decoration Elements

Kitchen devices should be integrated with the rest of the design for a flawless aesthetic. Having embedded appliances within cabinetry ensures a minimalistic look. Consider that you may deface your kitchen’s modern Shaker-style with standard white color devices. Instead, you may think about having appliances with gray tones for your modern Shaker-style kitchen. Other than appliances, furniture placed in the kitchen is also an inseparable part of the overall design. For instance, you may use your kitchen island as a dining table with modernly designed chairs. If you have an open kitchen, you should mainly prefer a modern design for the rest of the area to have consistency. Finally, you may want to personalize your kitchen’s design with some pieces. For instance, consider having plants in your kitchen to bring some joy and color to the place. Or, you may use a modern area rug to partner with flooring. Also, do not forget the lightning, which successfully brightens the elegance of your modern Shaker-style kitchen! 

This blog post has explained Shaker-style in general and specifically focused on how it is interpreted in today’s world with modern Shaker cabinetry. Plus, we have shared some tips to reflect your modern vision into your kitchen design with some other elements than Shaker-cabinets. Now that you have all the information you need, you can decide whether Shaker-style is the best alternative for your dream kitchen design. If you have already decided on Shaker-style, check Hillside Kitchens’ collection of Shaker cabinets to find which one suits best for your kitchen.