Traditional in a kitchen means framed doors, painted finishes, and details borrowed from furniture rather than from cabinetry. In a period Irish house it is usually the right answer, because it agrees with the joinery already in the room instead of arguing with it.
What makes a kitchen traditional?
Framed doors with a moulding, painted finishes in muted colours, and at least one element that reads as furniture rather than as fitted units.
The door does most of the work. A moulded frame around a panel carries shadow and depth in a way a flat door cannot, and that is what the eye reads as traditional.
The furniture element is what separates a traditional kitchen from a shaker one. A dresser, a larder cupboard, a freestanding island with turned legs, something that looks like it could be moved even if it cannot.
Which colours work?
Muted and slightly greyed. Sage, deep green, off white, soft blue, and stone colours all suit Irish light.
Irish light is soft and often grey, which flattens strong colours and can make cool greys look cold. Colours with a bit of warmth or a bit of green in them hold up better through a wet winter.
The traditional approach is one colour on the run and a second on the island or the dresser. That gives the room depth without committing everything to a strong colour.
How do you keep it from feeling dated?
Keep the mouldings restrained, keep the worktop simple, and let the room be traditional rather than themed.
Heavy ornate mouldings, decorative corbels and a lot of applied detail are what date a traditional kitchen. A restrained moulding on a good door reads timeless; the same door with three extra layers of ornament reads like a specific decade.
The other trap is theming. A traditional kitchen with modern appliances and a plain worktop looks like a kitchen. The same kitchen with every accessory chosen to match a period looks like a set.
Traditional or shaker?
Shaker is the quieter, cheaper and more flexible option. Traditional goes further and suits a house with the architecture to carry it.
If your house has fine cornicing, moulded skirting and panelled doors, a traditional kitchen belongs in it. If the joinery is plainer, shaker gives you warmth without the room feeling overdressed.
Our <a href="/kitchens/shaker/">shaker kitchens</a> and <a href="/kitchens/in-frame/">in frame kitchens</a> pages cover the two closest alternatives.
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 a traditional kitchen have modern appliances?
Yes, and it should. Integrated appliances behind matching doors keep the look while you get a kitchen that works.
Does traditional mean timber rather than painted?
Painted is far more common in Ireland. Natural timber is a different and warmer look, and both are available.
Is a traditional kitchen more expensive?
The door and any furniture elements cost more than a plain slab. Everything is itemised on your quote so you can see it.
What areas do you cover?
Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow. The design visit is free and there is no obligation.