Shaker vs. Flat Panel vs. Raised Panel: Cabinet Door Style Guide

The cabinet door style sets the visual tone for your entire kitchen. It’s the element people notice first when they walk into the room, and it’s the detail that most strongly defines whether a kitchen reads as modern, traditional, transitional, or somewhere in between. Choosing the right door profile is part aesthetics, part practical decision-making, and entirely personal.

This guide walks through the most popular cabinet door styles, explains what makes each one distinct, and helps you figure out which one aligns with your design vision, your lifestyle, and your budget.

Understanding Cabinet Door Construction

Before comparing styles, it helps to understand how most cabinet doors are built. The majority of custom cabinet doors fall into one of two construction categories:

Five-piece doors consist of a frame (two vertical pieces called “stiles” and two horizontal pieces called “rails”) surrounding a center panel. The center panel can be flat, raised, or recessed, and the profile of the frame is what gives each style its distinctive look. Shaker and raised panel doors are both five-piece designs.

One-piece doors (also called slab doors) are exactly what they sound like: a single flat piece of material, whether that’s solid wood, MDF, plywood, or a veneer-covered substrate. These are the doors you’ll find in modern and contemporary kitchens.

The construction method affects durability, maintenance, and price. Five-piece doors allow the center panel to expand and contract with humidity changes without cracking the frame. One-piece solid wood doors can be more vulnerable to warping, which is why slab doors are often made from engineered materials or use a torsion box construction to stay flat.

Shaker: The Universal Favorite

Shaker-style doors have dominated kitchen design for the better part of two decades, and their popularity shows no signs of fading. The design is elegantly simple: a flat center panel surrounded by a square-edged frame with clean, unadorned lines. No curves, no ornamental profiles, no fuss.

The style originated with the Shaker religious community in the 18th and 19th centuries, whose furniture and cabinetry reflected their belief that beauty lies in utility and simplicity. That philosophy translates remarkably well to modern kitchens.

What makes it work

The genius of the Shaker door is its adaptability. Paint it white and pair it with brushed nickel hardware, and you have a clean, contemporary kitchen. Stain it in a warm cherry tone with oil-rubbed bronze pulls, and it reads as traditional. Finish it in matte black with minimal hardware, and it goes industrial. Very few door styles have this kind of range.

The recessed center panel creates just enough shadow line and visual depth to keep the cabinets from looking flat and boring, without the busyness of more ornate profiles. It’s the Goldilocks of cabinet doors: not too plain, not too fancy.

Considerations

The flat surfaces and right-angle joints on a shaker door can collect dust and grease, particularly along the inside edge where the frame meets the panel. This isn’t a major maintenance issue, but it does mean a quick wipe-down is occasionally needed in areas near the stove or range hood.

Because shaker doors are so popular, there’s a risk of your kitchen feeling generic if you don’t personalize it through other design choices (hardware, color, countertop material, backsplash). The door itself won’t make your kitchen unique; it’s a foundation to build on.

Cost

Shaker doors sit in the mid-range. The construction is straightforward (flat panel, square frame), so the labor and material costs are moderate. Expect to pay 10 to 15 percent more than a basic slab door, but 10 to 20 percent less than a raised panel.

Works best with

Transitional, farmhouse, coastal, Scandinavian, modern classic, and traditional kitchens. Essentially, any style except ultra-modern minimalist or highly ornate classical.

Flat Panel (Slab): Clean and Contemporary

Flat panel doors (also called slab or full overlay) strip the cabinet door down to its most basic form: a single, unbroken surface with no frame, no panel, and no profile. It’s the most minimalist option available, and in the right kitchen, it’s striking.

What makes it work

Slab doors emphasize the material itself. When built from a beautiful wood like walnut or white oak, the grain pattern becomes the entire visual story. When finished in a high-gloss lacquer or matte solid color, they create the sleek, uninterrupted lines that define contemporary kitchen design.

The lack of frame joints and recesses also makes slab doors the easiest to clean. A flat surface with no grooves or edges means crumbs, grease, and dust have nowhere to hide.

Visually, slab doors make a kitchen feel more open and less cluttered, particularly in smaller spaces. The unbroken surface reads as calm and quiet, which can be a welcome counterpoint to a busy kitchen full of appliances, dishware, and everyday life.

Considerations

Flat slab doors are unforgiving. Every fingerprint, every smudge, every minor imperfection in the finish is visible on that uninterrupted surface, especially in gloss or semi-gloss finishes. Matte finishes are more forgiving, but the maintenance reality is that slab doors show their wear more obviously than framed styles.

Solid wood slab doors can be prone to warping over time, especially in wider sizes. This is why many custom cabinet makers build slab doors using engineered substrates (MDF or plywood) with a veneer or high-pressure laminate surface, or they use a torsion box construction with solid wood edging.

Stylistically, slab doors commit you to a modern or contemporary direction. They can look out of place in a traditional home or feel cold in a kitchen that aims for warmth and character.

Cost

Slab doors are typically the least expensive style per door because the construction is simpler. However, the finish requirements can add cost. A high-gloss lacquer finish on a slab door, for instance, requires more coats and more precise application than a stain on a shaker door, which can offset the savings in construction.

Works best with

Modern, contemporary, minimalist, and mid-century modern kitchens. Also works well as an accent in mixed-style kitchens (for example, slab doors on the island with shaker on the perimeter).

Raised Panel: Traditional Depth and Detail

Raised panel doors are the classic choice for traditional and formal kitchens. The center panel is “raised,” meaning it’s contoured or beveled to create a three-dimensional effect that stands proud of the surrounding frame. The frame itself typically features an ogee, cathedral arch, or other decorative profile that adds visual complexity.

What makes it work

Raised panel doors bring a sense of depth, craftsmanship, and formality to a kitchen. The interplay of light and shadow across the contoured surfaces creates visual richness that flatter styles can’t replicate. In a large kitchen with tall ceilings, raised panel cabinets hold their own in the space and contribute to a sense of proportion and grandeur.

This style pairs naturally with other traditional kitchen elements like crown molding, decorative corbels, furniture-style legs on islands, and ornate hardware. Together, these details create a cohesive, high-end traditional look.

Considerations

The detailed contours of raised panel doors require more cleaning effort. Grease and dust settle into the grooves and profiles, particularly on cabinets near the cooktop. Regular cleaning is necessary to keep them looking their best.

Raised panel doors can make a small kitchen feel busy or crowded. The visual weight of the profiles, especially in a darker stain, can be overwhelming in a compact space. This style works best in medium to large kitchens where the detail has room to breathe.

From a design perspective, raised panel doors lock you into a traditional aesthetic. They’re difficult to blend into a modern or transitional design without the kitchen feeling conflicted.

Cost

Raised panel doors are the most expensive of the three main styles. The center panel requires contouring, the frame profile involves additional routing, and the overall construction is more labor-intensive. Expect a 15 to 25 percent premium over shaker doors for custom work.

Works best with

Traditional, formal, Georgian, colonial, and French country kitchens. Cherry and maple are popular wood choices for this style.

Beyond the Big Three: Other Door Styles to Consider

While shaker, slab, and raised panel doors cover the vast majority of kitchen projects, several other styles have carved out loyal followings.

Beadboard

Beadboard doors feature vertical grooves (or “beads”) running down the center panel, creating a cottage or farmhouse feel. They’re charming in smaller doses and pair well with painted finishes. Some homeowners use beadboard on a specific section of cabinets (like a baking station or pantry) rather than throughout the entire kitchen.

Glass-front / Mullion

Glass-front doors use a five-piece frame with glass panels instead of wood in the center. Mullion doors divide the glass into sections with thin wooden bars. These styles are typically used on upper cabinets to display attractive dishware, glassware, or decorative items. They open up the visual space and make a kitchen feel lighter but require that the cabinet contents be kept tidy.

Louvered

Louvered doors feature horizontal slats angled to allow airflow. They’re rarely used for an entire kitchen but can work well on specific cabinets (like one housing a small refrigerator or near a heat source). The look is coastal, tropical, or French-inspired.

Inset

Inset isn’t a door style per se, but a construction method that significantly affects the look. Instead of the door sitting on top of (overlaying) the cabinet frame, inset doors sit flush within the frame opening. The result is a refined, furniture-like appearance with visible frame lines around each door. Inset construction costs more due to the precision required and is often paired with shaker or raised panel profiles.

How to Choose Your Door Style

The decision comes down to three questions:

What’s the design direction of your kitchen and home? The cabinet doors should feel harmonious with the architectural style of your house. A shaker door works almost anywhere. Slab doors suit modern homes. Raised panels complement traditional architecture. Mixing a very modern door style with a very traditional home (or vice versa) can create a disconnect that’s hard to resolve.

How much maintenance are you willing to do? If easy cleaning is a priority, slab doors have the fewest places for dirt to collect. Shaker doors are nearly as easy, with just the frame-to-panel joint to wipe. Raised panel doors require the most attention due to their contoured surfaces.

What’s your budget? Door style has a real impact on cost, especially in a custom kitchen where you may have 30 to 50 doors. The difference between slab and raised panel, multiplied across an entire kitchen, can add $1,500 to $4,000 or more to the project. For a complete look at how different choices affect your bottom line, see our custom cabinet cost guide.

If you’re having trouble deciding, many custom cabinet makers can produce sample doors for you to hold, compare, and test in your kitchen’s lighting before committing to a full order. Find a cabinet maker near you through our directory to request samples and discuss your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most timeless cabinet door style?

Shaker is widely considered the most timeless. It has been consistently popular for over 20 years and shows no sign of dating. Its clean lines are neutral enough to work with evolving design trends, which is why kitchen designers frequently recommend it to homeowners concerned about longevity.

Can I mix door styles in the same kitchen?

Yes, and it’s a common design technique. A popular approach is to use one style for the perimeter cabinets and a different style for the island. For example, shaker doors on the walls with slab doors on the island, or shaker throughout with glass-front uppers for display cabinets. The key is keeping the mix intentional and limited to two styles at most.

Do door styles affect resale value?

Mildly, yes. Shaker and transitional styles tend to appeal to the widest range of buyers, which can be an advantage at resale. Very ornate raised panels or very stark slab doors cater to more specific tastes. If resale is a factor, shaker with a neutral paint color is the safest bet.

What door style is best for a small kitchen?

Shaker or slab doors work best in smaller kitchens. Their cleaner lines and flatter profiles create less visual weight, helping the space feel more open. Raised panel doors can make a compact kitchen feel cluttered, especially in darker finishes.

How does door style affect the choice of hardware?

Shaker doors look great with almost any hardware style, from simple bar pulls to traditional cup pulls. Slab doors often use integrated handles, edge pulls, or push-to-open mechanisms for a seamless look. Raised panel doors pair best with more decorative hardware, like knobs with backplates or traditional bail pulls. For more on hardware selection, see our cabinet hardware guide.

Last Updated: February 2026