Award winning service

Award winning service

Flexible finance options

Flexible finance options

Free online design service

Free online design service

Exclusive discounts with brands

Exclusive discounts with brands

Close Menu

Choosing the Right Kitchen Style for Your Home

By Nicholas McDonald

4 min read

Discover the right kitchen style for your home. Learn more about shaker, slab, handleless and in-frame kitchens, and make the choice that best suits you.

Contents

1. Choosing a Kitchen Style: Key Takeaways

2. Summary of Popular Kitchen Styles and Their Features

3. Why It Might Be Hard to Pick a Kitchen Style

4. Aspects to Consider When Choosing the Right Kitchen

5. How a Kitchen Designer Can Help

6. Frequently Asked Questions

Request Our Kitchen Brochure

The ideal kitchen for your property is, of course, all about personal taste, with options like sleek minimalist slab doors, ultra-cool handleless designs and classic shaker kitchens that contrast with the craftsmanship associated with in-frame cabinetry.

Each of these styles offers a different aesthetic, tone, cost, and function, so it’s important to understand the key features and properties to be able to start designing a kitchen that works beautifully in your home.

Once you’ve picked a kitchen style, the design journey is just getting started, as you’ll move on to colours, counters, splashbacks, sinks, handles, and everything else that designers will incorporate into your plan. For a full overview of every stage from first ideas to installation day, read our complete guide to planning a new kitchen.

Choosing a Kitchen Style: Key Takeaways

  • Kitchen styles cover a wide spectrum, with timeless materials like wood and timber sitting alongside slick quartz, slimline ceramics, and farmhouse-feel family kitchens and contemporary spaces for hosting guests.
  • There is never one amazing kitchen style that will be right for everyone since your lifestyle and property will differ from the next, which is why it’s worth reviewing a comprehensive kitchen collection to gain style inspiration.

Consulting a professional kitchen designer is an ideal way to start, and they’ll be able to listen to your priorities and must-haves, and craft a unique kitchen design created just for you.

Summary of Popular Kitchen Styles and Their Features

Example Kitchen Style Best For Key Features
Shaker Traditional homes or properties with a classic aesthetic and interior Timeless recessed panel doors and high-quality finishes
Handleless Contemporary homes and apartment owners looking for a streamlined, premium finish Minimalist streamlined cabinets with no protruding handles or drawer knobs
Slab Modern, sleek and eye-catching interiors Flat-fronted, continuous cabinet fronts for a sense of symmetry
In-frame Heritage and period properties that want the functionality of a modern kitchen with a classic feel Premium crafted cabinetry with a range of sophisticated finishes
closed plan kitchen

Why It Might Be Hard to Pick a Kitchen Style

Kitchen design encompasses many aspects and features, from wall colours to flooring, plumbing, worktops, tiles, and taps, which is why it’s often difficult to know where to begin or to get a realistic vision of how your kitchen could look.

In fact, kitchens can be a primary aspect in selling a house, so it’s hard to overstate how impactful a premium, custom-designed kitchen might be!

Dawn, Creative Director at Smile Kitchens says,

‘We often speak with clients who know they want a new kitchen and might have one or two prerequisites, such as soft-close drawers, or better natural light.

Beyond that, many are overwhelmed with the amount of choice.

The good news is that designers are skilled in creating designs that reflect the homeowner’s personality and the practical needs of their family, such as storage, while also developing stunning kitchens that add real value.’

Aspects to Consider When Choosing the Right Kitchen

The architecture and age of your home may influence your choices, but it’s also good to think about your lifestyle, such as picking handleless cabinets if you have younger children and prefer smooth cabinets or soft-close drawers that won’t catch small fingers. For example:

  • What is the age of your home? Most period homeowners opt for a shaker or in-frame kitchen, while slab or handleless designs are popular in more modern homes.
  • How does your lifestyle impact your ideal kitchen? Do you want an open-plan kitchen for entertaining, a family-friendly space or a sophisticated setup for avid home chefs?
  • What colours and textures would match your interior? Do you love matt or gloss, neutral or bold colours, and how would your preferred worktop material fit into your broader kitchen style?
  • How much time do you spend in your kitchen? Are you looking for surfaces that are durable and easy to clean, or maximum storage to tidy away clutter?

Ultimately, your kitchen should reflect your personal taste and the practical needs of your household, and a designer is an invaluable resource if you need input at any point.

How Can a Kitchen Designer Clarify the Best Options?

Designers provide consultations and design mock-ups to take into account all of your ideas and non-negotiables, and build them into digital designs based on accurate measurements and the floor space of your existing kitchen.

They can also help with kitchen planners, where you can try different colours or positions for appliances and sinks, see how you’d incorporate extra storage into a small kitchen, or test varied worktops to inform your decision-making.

large black kitchen

Having design expertise on your side is always beneficial, and if you decide you’d like to make some changes or want to compare the cost of two different kitchen styles, you’ll be able to explore options and compare costs before committing to installation

Samples can also be sent directly to you, which can crystallise your decision-making if you’re torn between two options, can’t work out which would look best, and want to see how a material will reflect the light and interact with other elements of your home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Is the Most Popular Style of Kitchen?

Kitchen trends come and go, but shaker-style kitchens remain one of the most in-demand styles, primarily because they are versatile enough to complement modern interiors and work equally well in heritage and period homes.

However, it’s becoming more common to create hybrid kitchen designs that might incorporate the look and layout of a classic shaker kitchen but include contemporary materials and finishes, which are more durable and easier to maintain.

Are Shaker Kitchens Old-Fashioned?

No, while shaker kitchens have been around for many years, they are an enduring kitchen design because they are functional, simple and feature the clean lines and diverse material options that many modern homeowners want.

How Can I Pick Between a Modern and Traditional Kitchen?

The best advice is to run through your priorities and essential requirements with a kitchen designer who will be able to offer independent recommendations about the ideal design that ticks all the boxes.

References:

  1. Hobbs Parker: Why Do Kitchens Sell Houses

 

 

Design Your Kitchen With A.I. Book a Design Consultation