I don't think the Shaker would be too simple. Also, I think a simple raised panel without an arch would be 'simple and clean,' and pretty timeless. In our new house, we have Shaker cabinet doors, and because it's an American Foursquare house with craftsman/prairie style to it, it'd probably be most appropriate to also have flat panel interior doors...but DH loved the raised panel doors, so that's what we have. I really think that no one but me notices that the doors and the cabinets don't 'go together.' :-)

It sounds like you can't go wrong either way to me. If you 'adore' the raised panels at the coffee shop and feel they'd make more of a connection with your house, maybe those are reasons enough to go that route.

Of all the decisions I made and changed, the door style was always the same. I too adore the raised panel and like rhome410 said, without the arch, it is simple and clean. that is not to say the arch is bad, my hutch has the arch, I just prefer it without the arch. So that is what I chose and I am very happy with the cabs.

Go with what you love. I went with a simple square raised panel, BUT instead of beveled outside edge, I chose to have a square edge. Similar to the outside edge of a shaker door. When they came in my cabinet maker wanted me to come look at them, to make sure they were what I wanted, as he hadn't sold anything like that before.

I absolutely love the door. I don't have pics, as the cabinets aren't stained yet. Soon.

I've got a 60's house with no character except two brick hearths and a big backyard. It had flat doors when I moved in. Then we had shaker doors, and the new remodel will have the raised panel.

My door is similar to Sherrs #901 with outside edge "E"

rhome - could you post pics of your cabinet doors?

Thank you for the responses. My heart says raised panel (no arch) but I am still hearing the voice of the local cabinet maker who says 'it has been done to death and I'm sick of doing them.' I'm not even using him b/c I have not found him to be less money then a larger company.

krissd, the link is to pics of rhome's cabinets on another thread.
rhome, I hope you don't mind, you are always so generous with your help. I love to read and get ideas from your layout help when I'm in planning mode.

Here is a link that might be useful: rhome cabinets

I think simple raised panel are timeless and classic. Archs are a little dated. Shaker is nice....will it be a trend? Who knows. For now, it is very popular and looks great. But a simple raised panel has been around for many years and will probably not be going anywhere any time soon. I got the same square raised panel on all of my drawers too. since my lowers are nearly all drawers, I did not want simple slabs for the drawer fronts.

Thanks, owls4me!

I'm just getting ready to place my order for cabinets. The designer suggested Mission (alot like Shaker) but I went with a raised door (no arch) because they are classic and timeless. I have the arched oak right now. Going to a Cherry with handrubbed Rosewood stain.

If you are using Ikea, my picks would be Liljestaad, Lidingo, or Tidaholm. If you use any glass fronts Tida is more modern, but you can make it more transitional through your selections for backsplash, pulls, fixtures, etc.

I don't think a simple raised panel is out of style - better not be! My husband really liked the raised panel (and I also like it), so that is what we did. To give it a little bit more of a contemporary (I use that very lightly) look we did 3" stiles and rails instead of the standard 2". This gives the doors a bit more 'weight'.

ccoomb1 and mairin- thanks for the pictures. It really is helpful to see how much I am drawn to both your kitchens. mairins kitchen is quite like my local coffee shop in color and specific style. May I ask what company you used? And who can pass by that granite in ccoombs1 kitchen w/o just a tiny 'wow' slipping out?

morton5- I'd hoped you might chime in. Thank you for the door suggestions. The Ikea store is over an hour away and across the border in IL. I requested a catalogue but it hasn't arrived yet. I also find the website difficult to get around on my faithful pre Intelchip mac but have better luck at my office on a PC.

Our's is an 80's house with raised six panel doors and a fieldstone fireplace too!

Our new (4 years now) kitchen has maple cabs with a raised square in the center. I was originally going to an arch but realized that it does look dated.

Oh, no, my 2-yr old house is dated b/c I chose arched uppers! I think raised panel is classic, though when I hear Shaker I think recessed panel. I would do raised panel to tie in with your interior doors. Just stay away from that arch ;-)

(I wonder when that's going to come back into style?)

ajsmama, it isn't anything against arches, except owls4me specified "simple and clean", which usually favors straight and simple lines, and I see arches as being more ornate. :-)

owls - cabs are custom - local guy that did fantastic work for a great price! He beat out my quotes on Woodharbor, so went for it.

I went with a mixture of both. I love a simple raised panel I think its classic, but I have allot of drawers in my small kitchen so my drawers are recessed. Please excuse mess.

rhome - I just didn't want to use two ;-) one right after the other. A number of people mentioned arches being "dated", I was just poking fun. I'm stuck in the 80's I guess cuz not only do I have arches, but they're an orangy (too orange - I thought Cider was darker) oak. Plus a cut-out valance on the range hood! But I like my kitchen (except for the workmanship). At least I don't have orange Formica like my mom did til recently - talk about dated! Oh, wait, that's coming back?? ;-)

Please don't anybody take anything personally!

Wow, I am so pleased that so many of you have taken the time to respond and post pictures too!

ajsmama - thanks for having a sense of humor, I don't mean to offend anyone. I happen to like arches but rhome is right that I'm going for straight lines. :)

Thank you marybeth1! I can't wait to see the finished kitchen. You've given me food for thought. Shaker on the perimeter and raised on the island and dining niche (character item :))

stir fryi - I love my fieldstone! It came from the northern part of my state. Our house has been about the setting and nearness to aging parent(s) but the fieldstone is a bonus.

So can I do a full overlay and go frameless with a raised panel? I am planning mainly drawers in the base cabinets.

Yes, you most definitely can do frameless, full overlay, with a raised panel. Ccoombs1 kitchen, pictured above, is exactly that (forgive me for speaking up on your behalf, ccoombs, and correct me if I'm mistaken). Her cabinets were made by a local cabinetmaker for a great price, less than Ikea, I believe. Also check out poorowner's kitchen (in progress here on the boards, not posted in the FKB yet). He is using Ikea Liljestaad.

For sources, I would check out Ikea (though if it is more than an hour away, there will certainly be a hassle factor to the project), local cabinet shops, and Scherr's RTA. Nomorebluekitchen also has beautiful frameless cabs in a transitional style-- don't remember the source, but she is very happy with them.

If you can manage to download the Ikea planning software, you can work out what your cabinets would cost through Ikea, and use that for comparison with other sources.

Morton5, thanks for steering me over to Poorowner's thread! Wow, what an inspiration as I just spent the weekend pulling wallpaper, (good bye flowers, good bye bunnies) and packing up less used items.

I'll spend some time at the office this weekend so I can get that Ikea planning software working. I have some play in my design since I am moving my kitchen.

nomorebluekitchen used DeWils, that's the line my cabinetmaker reps. Since he is not too busy he will beat the price HE figures for me...still too high to use him.

no problem at all Morton. You are correct....my cabinets are full overlay framless with raised panels. The final cost was a little more than IKEA, but also included crown molding and light rail and I didn't have to put anything together so that was well worth it.

Now I have more questions as I will use at least some raised panels in my kitchen. Thanks everyone for holding my hand on this! Am I correct that I could get flat stiles (hope this is the right term) on the door instead of rounded ones? So the panel and the stiles would be flat with an inverted curve connecting them. Also the stile section would not need to be mitered around the outer edges of the door?
I don't know if I'll use Ikea but I am having difficulty getting pricing if I just want the cabinets and not all the other services when I go elsewhere. How should I go about this? If I show up with the person serving as my Kd/GC they try to steal his business and don't seem interested in mine. This has happened twice.

how about fancy cabinet knob/handles to be used to add in more Beauty to the cabinet?

__________
http://www.tradehandles.co.uk/]

Oh goodie....another spammer!!!

Owls, if you check with Scherrs, they let you mix and match your edge profiles.

stephanielynn, I read on another thread that you are removing cabinets after two years. What are you replacing them with? How have you gone about it?

It's long story. We remodeled our kitchen, starting in October 2006. It was a mess from the beginning. Never completely finished. Cabinet finish started flaking off 8 months after installation, drawers never closed right, several warped frames, etc. We ended up filing a claim with the contractors bonding company, and were paid the max of his bond. We also took the contractor to small claims for the remainder. Our final appearance was last friday, we won that, and he has no more appeals.

Basically we are starting over from scratch. New frameless cabinets from a local cabinet maker. Knotty alder with a medium finish (Minwax Early American is the color). The doors were ordered from Cal Door, which is where I learned that I could get a different edge profile on the door.

If you had a period home, an early colonial, a victorian or Arts & Crafts style, I would say stick with the period and get cabinets that match. But you have a post-war traditional home, so anything goes. Pick a style that suits you. Anything but fussy Victorian and high-style urban contemporary will probably fit.

For more information about cabinets and cabinet styles, follow the link below.

Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cabinet Basics