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Craftsman drawers? Yet another period kitch. Q!

13 years ago

Howdy.

Ok here's question #5,492 or something like that:

My contractor's about to order our kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Yay!! I'm getting shaker doors (inset) and I just assumed I was going to get shaker drawer fronts as well (one panel w/ square trim around the edges) but then I remembered my childhood home drawers as well as my grandmother's and then started looking at my saved craftsman period picture links and I realized that they didn't have shaker drawer fronts but just no trim at all! Just a bin pull, usually. The edges, however, were *slightly* ...what's the word... not quite rounded but just sort of thick or maybe beveled is the word? But I don't think that's the right word either. Basically the majority of the drawer was ever so slightly raised and then the edges beveled in, if that makes sense, or just came in flush in a gentle curved sort of way...extremely subtle.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about??! I probably sound as nuts and obsessed as ever.

So... are my only option shaker drawer fronts or plain drawer fronts (just completely flat - not curving in at the edges)? And if so, which would you choose? Just flat w/ bin pulls for the same craftsman look, for the most part?

Thank you!

p.s. my upper cabs are original 1913 craftsman, tall (up to ceiling), 3-panel each, shaker style inset doors. The lower ones, a bit shorter, can either be one simple panel shaker style, or are tall enough that I could even do 2 panels for a more consistent, if slightly busy, look. Any suggestions there?

Here's a great link to real photos of 1910's (including teens) kitchen interiors which show the drawer fronts as being not paneled, like I'm talking about. One of the pics might show the edges being more rounded but I can't remember...

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of real 1910's/teens kitchens (w/ drawers)

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Comments (5)

bayareafrancy
13 years ago
That is exactly the kind of drawer front I have in my 1929 kitchen. I'll get you some photos shortly.....

Do you have "Bungalow Kitchens" by Jane Powell? Lots of fantastic photos in there!

:-)

francy
artemis78
13 years ago
We have drawers like that in our 1915 house; they're overlay, which was pretty common. (The matching doors are flush inset.) When they're pushed in the rounded edge covers the opening. All of the original drawers in our house are like that, and the ones that were later added in the kitchen were matched.

That said, we're just doing simple flat panels for our drawers in the remodel. I like the cleaner look a bit better and it's much easier. We're only doing shaker fronts on the very large pot drawers (which are basically door-sized). In our existing kitchen, though, even the big pot-sized drawers are the same rounded edge with no stiles or anything. HTH!
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Hi Everyone and thank you so much!! When I get back from an errand I'll address your individual responses! I love the ideas you've shared (e.g. simple shaker - and to make the trim width match those of the uppers')! For now though, I feel the need to clarify: I realize that because I bombarded you w/ so many questions, it appears I'm freaking out or too indecisive...but if I'd asked only one question, then waited a while then asked another and so on, you'd probably think I was fine - haha! ;) Meanwhile - with the exception of the cabinetry issues - there is NO real rush on most of this. Yes we don't have a counter/sink but he was going to re-use the old, non-original doors until yesterday when I decided I'm willing to pay more to have them be flush-mounted like the upper ones. He'll figure out the final dimensions e.g. degree of angle of bump-out on Tuesday, and everything else necessary is already waiting to go besides the counter which can be ordered on Tuesday - and will take a week. So anyway, I'm actually not anxiety-ridden, just excited. And I ask you people not because I can't figure it out (I have ideas and lots of magazines) but because I've found more GREAT and unexpected advice on this forum than anywhere else. Everyone here is very experienced (at least in their research after having seen so much!), and focused here, and sometimes it's more fun and easier to give others advice, you know? I know I love to! I disagree that the options are all over the place by the way. I don't think one decision leads to another and can throw things off because most of the kitchen's original already and I'm making this a relatively period kitchen and there are only so many choices, most of which won't clash with others. E.g. a schoolhouse or other period light will go w/ wood floors of any color, will go with cafe curtains or pull-down shades, will go w/ the original cabinets. I just want to know if you have specific favorites or a quick "vision pop" like "flush light in center and pendant at window" or "...with bright-colored shades" or "angle the bump-out instead of square" or "don't put a microwave there." If I just *HAVE* to narrow down my questions ;) the most necessary ones are w/ regard to the lower cabinets (how not to compete w/ the uppers and still have something appropriate) and then the general idea of what the bump-out should look like (angled or straight edges, with or without those decorative side pillars)...maybe whether I should add feet? I feel like the cut-off upper cabinet above the stove will just work itself out by default but advice would still be nice. The rest are all just fun details that can be added at the end and are simply fun to get advice on. Wow - I sure know how to rant & ramble! Off I go...will get back to you soon, thanks again!
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bayareafrancy
13 years ago
Ok....

I looked through Bungalow Kitchens. The original drawers there are pretty much split between being "overlay" like you remember (and I have), and being just a flat inset panel. What you pretty much never see in an original kitchen (I'm not saying never ever, just pretty much never) is a shaker drawer that has the inset square like the cabinets do.

I also looked through a few of my favorite reproduction kitchens from GW, and those kitchens all have the simple recessed panel/slab type drawer. No overlay, and no shaker.

Personally, I love my overlay drawers. There is just something cute in that slightly curved lip that I really like. And it just looks more interesting to my eye than having both inset doors and inset drawers. But I wonder if there might be an important functional difference as far as glides go. My drawers, being original, have no glides. I have one reproduction drawer (very cheaply made) that has a cheapo glide on it. Cheapo as it is, I sure do LOVE that glide! So if there is any important difference re: adding glides, type of glides, etc. with the overlay vs inset, I'd go with the glide-friendly style. If there is no functional difference, then go with the look you prefer. Both are period appropriate. (Just NO shaker drawers, if you want to be authentic.)

Here are a bunch of photos of my drawers from different angles:

Original 1929 drawers, closed:

Same drawer, open:

Note: many vintage drawers have the drawer front as part of the box. Mine have a front added on to the box.

Combo of overlay drawers and cabinets. (I love the combo):

Repro drawer and cabinet that I had made to match existing:

Fake dishwasher panel with drawer/door combo:

DW, open, to show closeup of curve of overlay drawer:

And finally, just for fun, and falling-apart original unit we found in the garage, painted in its original pink. I love the color, and almost did the whole kitchen with it!!

HTH!

:-)

francy
artemis78
13 years ago
Yes, those ^^^^ are exactly what's in our house, although many of the kitchen doors were replaced with partial inset slab doors in a 1940s remodel when extra cabinets were added. But the originals (still in the linen cabinet) were the combo of styles, which I also like a lot.

(And Francy, our kitchen *is* painted that pink right now! Believe me, you're glad you didn't do the whole kitchen in it... ;)
bayareafrancy
13 years ago
Because I never, ever want to step on anyone's toes, I feel compelled to add that when I said "NO shaker drawers" I just meant IF you want to be vigorously authentic. I didn't mean to imply that shaker drawers are not nice in and of themselves. I had them in my last house.

:-)

francy

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