Kitchen cabinet door styles: Shaker, slab, raised panel and more

What are the main kitchen cabinet door styles?

Almost every cabinet door is one of two constructions. A five-piece door is a frame of four pieces, two stiles up the sides and two rails across, around a center panel. A slab door is a single flat piece. Most named styles are variations on the five-piece door: what the center panel looks like, and how the frame’s corners and edges are shaped.

What is a Shaker door?

A Shaker door is a five-piece door with a square frame and a flat, recessed center panel. No decorative edge, no profile on the panel. Its plainness is why it works in nearly any kitchen: painted white it reads classic, in navy or green it reads current, in natural wood it reads warm. If you are unsure, Shaker is the safe choice that rarely looks dated.

What is a slab door?

A slab door is one flat panel with no frame. It is the look of modern and European kitchens: clean lines, nothing to collect dust, and the material does the talking. Wood grain, a deep paint color or a matte finish all show more on a slab because nothing interrupts them.

Slab fronts are also common on drawers in kitchens with Shaker doors. Whether your drawer fronts match the doors as five-piece fronts, or go plain as slabs, is a decision worth making on purpose during design.

What is a raised panel door?

A raised panel door has a center panel shaped so its middle stands proud of the frame, with a profiled edge stepping down to the frame. It is the most traditional style: think formal kitchens, stained cherry or maple, and decorative molding. It suits a house with matching trim and can look heavy in a small, modern room.

What is a mitered door?

A mitered door joins its frame corners at 45 degrees, like a picture frame, instead of the square butt joints of a Shaker door. The frame often carries a profile around its inner edge. Mitered doors are a traditional look and are often finished in stain, where the continuous grain around the corner shows best.

When do glass-front doors make sense?

Glass fronts go in a frame in place of the center panel. They make sense on a few uppers where you want to display glassware or dishes, or to lighten a long wall of cabinets. They show everything behind them, so plan for tidy shelves and, often, interior lighting.

Is inset a door style?

Not quite. Inset describes how the door sits, not what its face looks like. An inset door sits flush inside the cabinet’s face frame, while an overlay door sits on the front of the box and covers it. A Shaker door can be inset or overlay. Inset is a traditional, furniture-like look that takes more precise building.

How do you choose a cabinet door style?

• Start from the house. Match the age and trim of the home. A craftsman bungalow and a new-build loft call for different doors.
• Think about cleaning. Slab and Shaker are easiest to wipe. Raised panel and detailed profiles collect more.
• Decide paint or wood next. Simple styles suit paint; detailed and mitered styles often look best stained. See our guide to wood species.
• Hold a real sample. A photo cannot show the depth of a panel or how paint sits in a corner.

How does Crafted Cabinetry handle door style?

Every Crafted kitchen is fully custom, so door style is chosen during design along with the finish, the wood and the layout. Your dedicated designer sends physical door and finish samples to your home, and three rounds of revisions are included, so the door you choose is one you have held, not one you guessed from a screen. The cabinets are then built to order in our California shop and delivered fully assembled anywhere in the continental US.

Frequently asked questions