If you are looking around for a style of kitchen which will meet the requirements of being sturdy and of high quality while still offering a certain simplicity, the Shaker style is certainly worth looking at. Not only does it follow the tradition of handmade artisan quality, it is stylish and a look which can either be traditional or modern. In particular you could use replacement kitchen doors from one of our Shaker styles to improve your kitchen and at much less than the cost of a handmade kitchen.
Travelling from England to America in the 18th century, the Shakers were a protestant sect originally called the Shaking Quakers because of their unique dancing style. Despite this obvious exuberance, their design style was much more reticent. Once established in America, the Shakers soon learned that their members needed a trade and often that was furniture making.
The Shaker religious beliefs meant that they craved purity, cleanliness and order. In fact they remained celibate throughout their lives and new members were recruited rather than being born into the religion. This purity was reflected in the furniture which was function over form and rejected materialism and decoration. It was this simplicity which made it so popular and it was soon being sold across the United States. The Shakers can also be credited with the invention of a number of time saving gadgets such as the clothes pin and automatic washing machine!
Above all, the Shakers wanted perfection in everything they built, a quality which is carried over into the work of kitchen renovators the world over. Here at Kitchen Door Workshop we believe that our Shaker style kitchen doors reflect this ideal perfectly.
Our Shaker style doors are shown by the basic shape of the Shaker and Wide Framed Shaker doors from the Cambio style range and by the more elaborate but still simple Eden with its grooves and inset panel.
Shaker doors are characterised by sturdy looking panels top, bottom, left and right which house a plain centre panel. Sometimes extra detailing is added by the inclusion of a vertical line or groove to indicate where the outer frames meet. These grooves can be chamfered to add a slight shading effect or left plain.
Shaker doors can be both modern and traditional. The plainer the door frontage, the more likely you can get away with contemporary colours. Certainly, the Shakers themselves would not have seen the need for bright colours in the kitchen and would even have preferred to keep their kitchen cabinets free of paint. However, Shaker doors lend themselves to a great colour scheme.
Another way to make your Shaker doors more contemporary is to add a worktop which is either high gloss or made of a composite material with colour added. Try bright worktops in blue or green for a thoroughly unique and interesting look.
If you prefer to go down the traditional route you can choose a style similar to the Fairlight and indulge yourself with a little more of a unique style. This works well with a wood finish such as oak or beech. When teamed with a solid wood worktop, you will have a traditional kitchen which will stand the test of time. After all the Shaker style has been popular for 300 years.
So you can see that the Shaker style is not just for American kitchens. It is perfect for you and can be easily achieved by just replacing your kitchen doors with one of our many Shaker options. Now comes the hard bit – choosing which style is best for you.