On an in frame kitchen the door sits inside a visible timber frame rather than on the front of the cabinet. It is how furniture was made before kitchens were mass produced, and it is the most traditional construction you can buy. It also costs more, for reasons worth understanding before you decide.
What is the actual difference from shaker?
On a shaker kitchen the door sits proud on the front of the carcass. On an in frame kitchen a frame is fixed to the carcass and the door sits inside it, flush.
Look at the gaps. On a standard kitchen the doors are separated by a shadow gap and the carcass behind is hidden. On an in frame kitchen you see a continuous frame around every opening, and the doors sit within it.
That frame is why it reads as furniture. It is also why it is more work: the frame has to be made and fitted to each cabinet, and each door has to be hung with an even gap all round.
Why does in frame cost more?
More material, more making, and far less tolerance for error.
An in frame kitchen starts at €12,000 fitted, including VAT, like every kitchen we make, and a typical family kitchen with a quartz worktop comes to €15,000 to €25,000. Our cost guide explains what moves the number.
A shaker door can be adjusted on its hinges to sit level against the cabinet front. An in frame door has to sit inside an opening with a consistent gap on all four sides, and any inconsistency is visible immediately because the eye has the frame to compare it against.
The frame itself is additional timber, machining and finishing on every cabinet. That is the honest reason for the difference, and it is a real one rather than a badge.
Whichever construction you choose, everything we make is premium and made to the highest spec: made to measure, built on a melamine faced 18mm plywood carcass rather than chipboard, designed in 3D and fitted by our own team, and it is priced to that standard. Quality at this level is not a budget purchase, and we would rather say so here than after you have waited for a quote. If you are working to a tight budget, we are honestly not the right fit.
Where does in frame belong?
In period houses, in rooms with existing fine joinery, and in kitchens meant to look like furniture rather than fitted units.
It suits a Georgian or Victorian house particularly well, and it suits a kitchen with freestanding elements such as a dresser or a larder. In a modern open plan room it can look overdressed, though a painted in frame island in an otherwise plain kitchen is a combination that works.
If you like the traditional look but not the cost, shaker gives you most of the character. We will say so rather than pushing the dearer option. See our shaker kitchens page.
Does in frame lose you storage?
A little, and it is worth knowing. The frame reduces the size of the opening into each cabinet.
The carcass behind is the same size, but the frame narrows the opening you reach through, so wide items and large appliances need checking against the clear opening rather than the cabinet width.
It matters most on drawers and on any cabinet meant to hold something bulky. It is accounted for at design stage, which is another reason the 3D drawing is worth spending time on.
How does it work?
Send us photos, a short video and rough sizes of the space and tell us what you want. Our designers draw it in 3D so you see the finished piece in your own room, and you get one complete itemised quote. Nothing is ordered and nothing is charged until you say yes.
Can one team do the rest of the job too?
The same team that makes this fits it, and we also do kitchens, fitted wardrobes, internal doors and windows. If more than one thing needs doing, it is one contractor, one schedule and one point of contact rather than four. See the rest of our work.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do in frame on just the island?
Yes, and it is a good way to get the look where it shows most. Mixing constructions is fine as long as the finishes agree.
Is in frame more traditional than shaker?
Yes, in construction. Shaker describes the door style, in frame describes how the door meets the cabinet, and the two are often combined.
Does it need painting or can it be timber?
Either. Painted is the more common choice in Ireland, and a natural timber in frame kitchen is a very different, warmer look.
Do you only do kitchens?
No. The same workshop makes our fitted wardrobes and media walls and fitted furniture, and we supply and fit windows too, plus internal doors as part of a bigger order, so one contractor can cover the whole job with one 3D design, one quote and one schedule. Wardrobes ordered with a kitchen come on the same delivery and are fitted on the same visit.
Why do in frame kitchens cost more?
Because every door sits inside a visible frame, tolerances are tighter and each cabinet is built like furniture. The extra time is in the fitting. Like every kitchen we make, it is premium and made to the highest spec, so it is not a budget purchase.