Shaker Style Kitchen Designs

Today we will take a closer look at Shaker Kitchens. What is a Shaker Kitchen? How did it evolve over time? And how to accessorize and complement your chosen design.

The Shaker Kitchen Door

The shaker door is recessed within a frame, creating clean straight lines that radiate the Shaker Kitchen Design

The History of Shaker Kitchens

The Shaker dates all the way back to the 1700's. Shakers were part of an odd religious sect that broke away from the Quakers in the 1700's.

The sect leaders were woman who had an eye for design and function in the home. So it comes as no big surprise that they started redeveloping and designing how everything in the home worked. With the heart of every home been the kitchen, they put their unique stamp on the designing of the heart.

Two key areas when the shakers redesigned the kitchen are quality and functionality.

How has the shaker kitchen design evolved?

Just enough has survived from this era to help kitchen designers of our day get inspiration and bring that same quality and functionality into our homes. While originally shaker kitchen designs would have been maple or cherry. Modern times and people's needs have of course changed over 300 years. This is why today you can find walnut, oak, beech and painted cabinets in the distinctive shaker design.

One thing that hasn't changed is the simplistic functionality of the shaker kitchen design, no fancy cornice and pelmet here, just simple clean lines work best for functionality.

Some modern interpretations of the shaker exist such as a Tongue and groove shaker

Accessorising a Shaker Kitchen

Shaker kitchens were organised, functional and clutter free, this meant if it wasn't in use it was put away, everything had a place and everything was put in its place.

While modern times and modern appliances make it more difficult to follow this ideal, no one wants to put a kettle away after every use! You can still follow the ideal by not cluttering your nice clean lines with toasty machines, knife blocks, pots and pans. Before you design your finished look, think about where you will be preparing food, where will you be cooking food. Find somewhere to store them where they can be easily accessed and put away.

If you pick a style go with it. Square and straight edges work really well with shakers due to the nature of the straight lines inherently built into the kitchen doors.

Having said that it's nice to contrast so a few subtle accessories that break the straight lines and give interest to your kitchen can work. A simple curved vase with flowers works, or why not since you probably have your kettle on show purchase a more interesting design.

You can find excellent wire work solutions to help clearing away the clutter and help stick to that ideal.

Kitchen Colour schemes

Kitchen Colours scheme really is a subject that requires its own website. You can be as soft and as bold as you want here. The colour doesn't add or subtract from the core ideals of Shaker kitchen design, function and quality. Your kitchens core look is from your doors not from your colours. Have a look at the shaker designs we have on offer, they range from bare brick to bright red and all work equally well. So let you ideas run wild with the colour scheme.

Bear in mind that patterns may not work so well here, you have your subtle design patterns in your door. Don't ruin it by covering the walls with curly extravagant patterns. If you must have patterns bring them in with little items. I.E Patterned tea, coffee, and sugar jars.

Michael Kirk is a Systems Manager for the Red Kite Group. Red Kite are based in Leeds UK they offer a range of services. Red Kite Home Improvements offer kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms.