Shaker is a five piece door: four frame pieces around a flat centre panel. It has been made that way for well over a century, which is the strongest argument for it. It sits comfortably in a Victorian terrace and in a new build, and it is very hard to make it look wrong.
Why does shaker suit Irish houses so well?
The framed panel echoes the joinery already in most Irish homes: panelled doors, architrave, skirting with a profile.
Walk into a house built before 1970 and there is almost always a moulding somewhere. A flat slab kitchen sits in that room as a deliberate contrast, which can work but has to be intended. A shaker door simply agrees with what is already there.
It also handles the awkward geometry of older houses better, because a framed door carries a shadow line that disguises the small inconsistencies a perfectly flat surface would highlight.
What paint colours actually work?
Muted greens, greys, off whites and deep blues carry the style best, and the wall colour matters as much as the door.
The safest approach is a quieter colour on the run of units and something stronger on the island if there is one. That gives the room a focal point without committing the whole kitchen to a colour you may tire of.
Worth thinking about in Irish light specifically. North facing rooms take the warmth out of cool greys, and a colour chosen from a chart in a shop can look quite different on a wet Tuesday in Dublin. That is one of the things the 3D design is for.
Shaker or in frame?
On a shaker kitchen the door sits on the front of the cabinet. On an in frame kitchen the door sits inside a visible frame, flush with it.
In frame is the more traditional and more expensive construction, because the frame has to be made and the door fitted into it with a consistent gap all round. It reads as furniture rather than as fitted units.
Shaker gives most of that character at a lower cost, which is why it is far more common. See our <a href="/kitchens/in-frame/">in frame kitchens</a> page if the furniture look is what you are after.
Does shaker date?
Less than almost anything else. The style predates every kitchen trend of the last fifty years and has outlasted all of them.
What dates a shaker kitchen is rarely the door. It is the handles, the worktop and the colour. All three are cheaper to change than a kitchen, which is exactly why the style survives.
If longevity is the concern, keep the door simple, keep the colour quiet, and spend the money on the worktop and the hardware.
How it works
We call out, measure the space and talk through 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 within two working days. Nothing is ordered and nothing is charged until you say yes.
One team for this and the rest of the job
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 shaker be handleless?
Not really, and that is worth knowing. The framed door suits a knob or a bar handle. If handleless is what you want, a flat slab door is the honest answer.
What handles suit a shaker kitchen?
Knobs on doors and bar or cup handles on drawers is the traditional combination. Finish matters more than shape, and we bring samples to the design visit.
Can you match a shaker kitchen to existing joinery?
Yes. Matching the paint colour and the moulding profile to existing doors and skirting is what makes it look original.
What areas do you cover?
Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. The design visit is free and there is no obligation.