Door styles
A door style decides how a kitchen feels before anyone notices the worktop. Here is what each one is like to live with, clean and repaint — not just how it photographs.
Door style switcher
Same kitchen, same light, five different doors. Tap a tab to see the profile, the era it belongs to and the two things that will annoy you.
1670s to next Tuesday
A flat centre panel inside a simple four-piece frame. Quiet enough for a farmhouse, sharp enough for a city flat, and the easiest style to live with for a decade.
1920s, then 2010s forever
One flat panel, no frame, no fuss. Slab fronts make small kitchens feel bigger and let the grain or the colour do the talking.
1690s to 2005, still going
A centre panel that steps forward inside a moulded frame. It reads as formal, furniture-grade and a little bit grown-up.
1800s, revived 2015
The door sits flush inside the face frame instead of on top of it. Every reveal is visible, so the boxes have to be square and the hinges have to be good.
1870s to 1950s, back again
Vertical planks with narrow beads between them. It brings texture without pattern and looks especially good in a bath or a utility room.
Side by side
Cost direction is relative, not a quote. A cheap raised panel can cost less than an expensive slab; the point is which way each style pulls the budget.
| Style | Profile | Best for | Watch out | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaker | Five-piece door, recessed panel, 2¼ inch frame | Resale-safe kitchens | Frame joints collect dust | The one that never leaves |
| Slab | Full-overlay flat panel, no frame | Small kitchens | Edges are exposed to steam | The quiet modern one |
| Raised panel | Five-piece door, raised centre panel, moulded frame | Period homes | Harder to clean | The traditional heavyweight |
| Inset | Flush door inside a face frame, 2–3 mm reveal | Craft-forward kitchens | Needs accurate boxes | The cabinetmaker’s flex |
| Beadboard | Vertical tongue-and-groove planks in a frame | Bathroom vanities | Grooves need sealing in wet rooms | The cottage wink |
A style that looks calm in a 4-metre kitchen can look busy in a 2-metre one. Count the doors you will actually see from the doorway before you fall for a profile.
Inset and slab are unforgiving about square openings. If the carcasses are old, read reface or replace before choosing a style that shows every millimetre.
The same door in paint, oak veneer and thermofoil behaves like three different products. The materials guide explains why.
How to choose