Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
The original Shaker kitchen cabinets design comes from way back in the 1700’s when colonies from a Shaker movement developed a basic, box-like design principal.
The Shaker look has become more and more popular as a design choice in today’s kitchens. Why has it become so popular? Because, generally speaking, it is important to choice a kitchen design that is simple and timeliness. The kitchen is used far more than any other room in your home. It is a gather place for the family and friends. You want it to stand up to the test of time.
Shaker kitchen cabinets are functional as well as efficient and work very well with all kinds of home design themes. Because of their simple look, Shaker cabinets allow for a great amount of design flexibility and easy access. Many people use these cabinets as a boundary with a straight line of cabinets from the sink to the stove and then to the fridge and back to the sink again. The simple square design of the cabinets combined with this arrangement makes for a great eye-line and wonderful visual appeal.
When it comes to Shaker kitchen cabinets functionality and neatness are important as the style. The Shaker design calls for neatness and a lack of clutter. This design allows for ample room with a storage place to pack everything out of sight. Like most cabinet styles, there are many options available including spice drawers, plate racks, cutlery drawers, pull out trash bins, and sliding racks designed for pots and pans. These accessories can help to make your kitchen design fully functional as well as very neat. You can include tall upper cupboards which extend to the ceiling to maximize your use of vertical space and provide great storage to reduce clutter.
You can be rest assured of quality craftsmanship when choosing a Shaker style kitchen. By the nature of their very design, they are sturdy cabinets that will withstand wear and tear. You kitchen will look as good as new many years down the line. The most common woods used to make these cabinets are cherry and maple. These are still the traditional materials used by the Shaker community. The original design calls for doors made with recessed panels. Around the edges are a simple framing which create a sleek and straight line across the entire cabinet faces. This look is quite traditional while still having a slightly clean and modern flair.
One can choose from many different styles as well as colors. You can select a natural wood finish or a painted finish. Color is important since these cabinets are made without beading or other fanciful adornments. The Shakers themselves often painted the exterior in light colors such as cream. Occasionally they used darker colors like blue or green. All the door knobs and draw pulls were nickel, which is also very traditional.
Selecting a style for your kitchen is an important decision. You want to pick something you like, but not something that will quickly look dated. Shaker kitchen cabinets are classics and will never go out of fashion. They provide for a clean and uncluttered look that is basic and yet still elegant and warm.
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