Common Questions about
Shaker Style Cabinets

Why are they called shaker cabinets?

The origin of the name “Shaker” stretches all the way back to 18th century England and a religious sect called The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing. They made functional and durable furniture – often from cherry, maple, or pine – in solid finishes.

Right now you might ask: "What does any of this have to do with shaking?". The furniture itself doesn’t shake much unless you make it, but the answer is that members of the sect were originally referred to as “Shaking Quakers”, which is a reference to their frantic actions at religious services.

Common Quakers at the time were straying away from such behavior, but the “Shaking Quakers” were very expressive in practicing their religion; they experienced epiphanies and alleged messages from God during silent meditation, as well as carrying the belief that the world would soon end.

The style of their furniture is pretty much a direct opposite of such expressiveness. Completely lacking ornaments like metal hardware and carvings, or any detailed paintwork, they instead had minimalist designs in sturdy material. Some famous examples are the so called “ladderback” chair, and of course early versions of the shaker style cabinets.

The shaker style doors, known for their straight and sturdy lines (much like the original Shaking Quaker furniture!) is what characterizes today's shaker cabinets.

Are shaker cabinets popular?

As told above, this style of cabinetry rose to popularity several hundreds of years ago. However, according to Google data, they have kept getting more and more interest from home buyers in just the past 5 years! The graph below shows interest for shaker cabinets in the U.S., from the beginning of 2004 to the end of 2019:


With those numbers in mind, it’s safe to say that they are indeed very popular right now. It appears that they started becoming seriously in style in early 2016, and have just gotten more in demand ever since.

Many homeowners will compare the benefits of a shaker style kitchen with that of other styles and types of design before making the decision. What often eventually attracts local and online buyers alike seems to be the balanced nature of a shaker style kitchen. Instead of settling for a door design that might soon go out of style, today’s customer will often shop for something that has been a popular choice in the kitchen for many generations - and by now we’re sure you know what that means.

How much are shaker cabinets?

Like with anything, the cost of shaker cabinets varies depending on quality, availability, and of course demand. Since they are right now so popular in the American kitchen, this style of design can be found in stock in tons of stores online and offline.

The price for a full set of the cabinets listed on this page ranges between $1,499 to $3,499 for a basic 10x10 kitchen. which is an industry standard term for a kitchen of 10 ft x 10 ft with 12 particularly sized cabinets. This term is commonly used to give customers an idea of what the most basic version of a kitchen in any given style of design might cost.

A full kitchen in the shaker style may cost as much as up to $1,200 per linear foot. The pricier alternatives are usually due to a custom design or assembled delivery, which is why many shoppers opt for RTA (ready to assemble) which allows them to save significant amounts. Such cabinets are assembled by the customer, or by a contractor. The rise of RTA furniture over time (pioneered by IKEA) has allowed the cost of shaker cabinets to decrease significantly. Since they are shipped flat, manufacturers and retailers can save a big chunk of their own costs, which in its turn gets passed on to the customer who instead takes care of the assembly process.

Like mentioned earlier, quality plays a big role in the price. Options found online are usually reliable, but it is important to ensure that there isn’t any particle board anywhere in the material, from the box construction to the door frame. Since this type of wood mesh consists partially of sawdust it cracks easier and can soak up water – not something you want in your furniture, in other words. To be 100% certain, it may be a good idea to verify this with a customer service representative before making the purchase.

A good rule of thumb is the more solid wood the better, but in order to hit the “sweet spot” when balancing price versus quality is to look for constructions that consist of Plywood and MDF/HDF. Plywood consists of several thin layers of real wood and lasts for decades with ease, and MDF/HDF (Medium Density and High Density Fiberboard) which are types of compressed wood fiber.