The Shakers lived in dormitory-style housing and celebrated God in a busy and active way by engaging in tasks that brought out the best in themselves. The design details fell under “American Rustic” and were unmatched in craftsmanship.
Cabinet Features
The shakers use mullion and track recessed panel doors, and the insert is simple and flat. The exterior and trim edges are also simple and the most common woods are cherry and maple for shaker cabinets. There are also shaker colors that are common, and the woodwork is painted in these colors. They were:
Terracotta
·Pink
Yellow
Olive green
blue tones
Not only are the cabinets painted, but often the window sills, baseboards, peg rail, and rim top are also painted.
Hardware and accessories for mixer cabinets
Shaker’s craftsmen made their cabinet pegs and pulls usually from wood, but sometimes also used hand-forged finishes and metal. That style still works in shaker cabinets today, as long as you stick to the simplistic design. Homeowners can choose the type of pull they want, but they’ll find greater overall value by sticking to classic styles.
countertops that complement
Anyone who goes with shaker cabinets should stick with solid, square-edged countertops. Granite, limestone, soapstone, and slate are great choices to pair with new shaker cabinets in any type of finish.
Choose the best surfaces
For the overall look of a shaker-style kitchen, there are certain surfaces that lend themselves to the authenticity of the look that is desirable. Consider the following surfaces or finishes when implementing Shaker.
Walls – Walls can be finished or painted in any earth tone color, and homeowners will often choose an off-white. In the old days, a beadboard wainscoting was used along with pegs.
Ceilings: Ceilings were typically plaster and also painted off-white.
Floors: Stained wood or wood was common for floors along with shaker cabinets. Some also used stone. It is completely acceptable to include a woven rug on top of these hard surfaces to add warmth and coziness.
Accents: Fabric accents were common with shaker decor. They, like the simple cabinet styles, came in simple patterns and colors. They dressed the simple interior with gingham checks, window checks, or simple check patterns that were in one or more colors.
Modern or Classic
Today’s cocktail shakers are used in traditional decor as mentioned above or work well with modern elements. There are no rules on how to implement them. Homeowners should never be afraid to think outside the box when choosing what to implement. A simple shaker cabinet painted black or white will give it clean lines and allow for a stylish look. Many also choose to implement stainless steel faucets, fixtures, and appliances.
For a farmhouse-style kitchen, shaker-style cabinets come in many wood finishes and can be dressed up with porcelain pulls for a quaint appeal that makes any kitchen warm and inviting. Add some wallpaper to one wall for a splash of color, and then match kitchen towels, pots and pans.
A quick internet search will reveal a variety of ideas one can consider. They’ll quickly find that there are many styles that work with shaker cabinets and they’ll have fun creating their dream kitchen to show off to adoring friends and family.