Contemporary Shaker kitchens – how a traditional cabinet style can look very modern

Written by Andrew Published May 16, 2024 Category The Kitchen Expert

Think Shaker is just for traditional kitchens? Think again! To prove just how contemporary the style can be, here’s an illustrated guide – including six clever ideas to inspire you…

The Shaker cabinet is the most instantly recognisable ‘traditional’ kitchen door style. Named after a 19th century American religious movement which placed a premium on craftsmanship and simplicity, the distinctive framed panel doors have become associated with farmhouse and country style kitchens – especially when they’re finished in a simple white colour or an exposed oak effect.

But the beauty of the style is that it’s incredibly versatile. When painted in the right colours or used in combination with other styles, Shaker kitchens can look very modern indeed.

Rather than being old-fashioned, Shaker is timeless. That’s why it has proven so durable: never going out of style even as countless other kitchen trends have come and gone.

And with its emphasis on sustainability, the conscientious use of materials and the minimisation of waste, the Shaker ethos really chimes with today’s values.

Here are some examples of just how cool and contemporary Shaker kitchens can look – along with a whole lot of ideas to inspire your own kitchen design…

See also: What is a Shaker kitchen?

Idea 1: Traditional Shaker cabinets in contemporary colours

The most obvious way to bring Shaker bang up to date is to choose a contemporary paint colour. Shaker’s simplicity – essentially a large flat recessed wooden central panel, surrounded by a raised frame with square edges – means that it works with almost any colour.

The Chepstow Villas kitchen above uses a bold contemporary blue in the island (Night Sky) along with an eye-catching pop of turquoise in the glazed cabinets.

Idea 2 – Classic Shaker cabinets with modern handle styles

Traditional Shaker cabinetry typically included simple handcrafted features like round wooden knobs and handles. Replacing the wooden handle with a distinctive alternative can have an instant modernising effect – as shown in the Westward Ho kitchen: visible grain Shaker doors in a striking Sandringham Pine green, finished with long brass handles.

Idea 3: Classic Shaker style incorporated into a contemporary kitchen design

The proof of Shaker’s timelessness is the way it works so well in very modern kitchen designs and layouts. The Saint Giles kitchen features Gaggenau appliances, and an island cleverly broken up and divided into zones by an oak breakfast bar… And the Shaker cabinets in three shades of green – a very contemporary approach to colour – work just beautifully.

Idea 4: Shaker meets luxury

The essence of traditional Shaker is its humble simplicity – so it’s surprising how well it handles a bit of bling! The Georgian Hall kitchen is a riot of sumptuous materials and finishes, including walnut worktops and white marble splashbacks, as well as Shaker doors fitted with stunning mesh glass inserts by Armac Martin – proving that the style can do luxury as well as modesty.

Idea 5: Shaker in pastels

A softer take on the contemporary colour idea is to try pastel shades. In the Dulwich kitchen the mint colours give the Shaker cabinets a lovely fresh feel, while the marble effect quartz worktop enhances the crisp, light feel of the space.

Idea 6: Combine Shaker cabinets with other door styles

Strange as it may seem, two of the most boldly contemporary kitchens in our portfolio include at least some element of Shaker. The vividly coloured, somewhat decadent Houghton kitchen (above) contrasts Shaker cabinets in purple and pink with walnut J-Groove units.

And the Ryburgh (below), incorporates a frankly sensational Shaker bar amongst the deep black V-Groove cabinets...

At Naked Kitchens we love the versatility of the Shaker style and often recommend it for contemporary as well as traditional looks.

Our Shaker doors are crafted from solid oak or walnut frames and can be finished in the way that works for you: painted in any colour lacquered to show the natural timber, or glazed.

See more Shaker styles in the Naked Kitchens portfolio here.