If you’ve ever walked into a kitchen with dark wood cabinets and yellow walls and instantly thought “1970s,” then you know that kitchen design can really date your home. You may have sunk thousands of dollars and tons of hard work into your remodel, but without a simple, timeless design, you might be itching to do another in just a few years. Fortunately, you can keep your home looking fresh for longer with the classic design of white shaker cabinets.
What Are White Shaker Cabinets?
photo: AF CabinetryShaker-style cabinets have been around since the 1700s, named for the Shaker community where they originated. The style is still popular today thanks to its classic look. Shaker cabinets are typically made with a five-piece door and a recessed center panel, and traditionally are made of strong woods like maple, pine, and chestnut.
Shaker kitchen cabinets are durable and affordable, but their biggest selling point may be their simplicity. Shaker cabinets are simple with clean lines, which means they can fit into almost any kitchen design. Traditional, modern, transitional — all styles can be complemented with Shaker cabinets.
Why Are White Cabinets Best?
White cabinets are the little black dress of the kitchen world. It’s a classic staple that pairs well with everything and never seems dated. All-white kitchens look clean and light, and with different textures like backsplash, flooring, and appliances, they create depth and visual interest. Shaker cabinets painted white are a vital part of this classic kitchen design.
How to Style a White Kitchen
If you want an all-white kitchen, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, is the size of your kitchen. White kitchens can make the room look bigger or brighter, so smaller kitchens really benefit from the lack of color. If you have an open concept kitchen, you may want to keep the same feel flowing from room to room by bringing in similar colors or textures. Going from a colorful or modern dining room into a stark white kitchen could make it look sterile instead of classic.
Of course, you don’t have to keep the whole kitchen white. What’s great about white shaker cabinets is that they work with any design. You can play with the colors and textures of the kitchen and switch out appliances to create different looks within the space.
Best Way to Paint Your Cabinets
If you’re ready to give your Shaker cabinets the upgrade they deserve, you can start painting! If you’d rather DIY than call in the pros, you can paint them yourself with a paintbrush and small roller. If you need more than one can of paint, remember that shades can vary from can to can! It’s best to use a technique the pros call ‘boxing,’ where you open the cans and mix them together in a gallon bucket before starting. That way you don’t have to worry about a slightly different color popping up halfway through the job!
Remember to clean the cabinets first and protect the hardware. Always prime first for the best results, and start painting off sections with an angled paintbrush. Go over again with the roller to smooth the paint and remove any brushstrokes.
Planning to Sell?
Timeless white shaker cabinets are ideal if you’re planning to sell your home. Instead of that dated 70s kitchen that potential buyers know they’ll need to gut, they’ll be greeted by a gorgeous blank space that they can style any which way they choose. When house-hunting, the kitchen is often the most important room in the house. Buyers are looking for a space that looks and feels fresh, is spacious and bright without looking sterile, and is tasteful without any out-of-date features. White shaker cabinets check all of those boxes and can help your place stand out amongst potential buyers.
