Timeless Interiors: The Shaker Kitchen
/Designing something to be timeless is impressive and incredibly difficult. Think of a Chesterfield sofa or a Volkswagen Beetle or even a Rolex watch - these items are all considered classics. They were fashionable in their day and still fashionable now. It is difficult for them to be out of place. Were they designed to be timeless? Probably not, but they have managed to all age well over time.
There’s an argument to be made that in the world of interior design, the equivalent to these timeless classics is the Shaker Kitchen. It is a design favourite and it seems incredible that we are still installing this 18th century style of kitchen 300 years later. The original designer of the shaker kitchen definitely wasn’t designing it to be timeless, in fact it was designed to be purely functional.
I love history, so let me nerd out on you for a paragraph or two. The original designers of the Shaker Kitchens were part of a denomination of the Quaker religion, known as the Shakers due to their shaking and dancing during their meetings. As part of their religious beliefs they lived a self sufficient lifestyle in closed communities, dotted throughout America. The Shakers produced all of their own furniture using local materials and even made the equipment to help them, for example they invented the circular saw, the flat broom, tongue and groove boards and even the apple corer.
Their furniture and kitchens were designed to be simple, durable and functional, reflecting their way of life. The beauty of their furniture was in its honesty with the exposed timber that it was made from and the exposed joints. The furniture was eventually mass produced and was sold around the world becoming a firm favourite in many households.
How could this simple and insular closed community create such an impact on our kitchens today? The Shakers were only designing kitchens and other pieces of furniture for their community to use, so they could never have envisioned that we would still be installing their kitchens into the next millennium. What is it that makes them so timeless?
1. Makes You Feel At Home
When choosing a kitchen, people are often keen for it to feel homely and cosy. They want a room where people feel welcome and at ease. The shaker kitchen is traditional, easily recognisable and familiar, which increases the sense of security one wants when they are at home.
The shaker style exposes its functionality, you can see the handles and the joints connecting the timber. Nothing is concealed as it would be in a handleless kitchen, so you immediately know how to navigate yourself around it.
Image from: Charlie Coull Design
2. Adaptable
The timber kitchen can be altered to fit into almost any style or shape of room. It can be painted easily and the handles of the cupboards and drawers can be changed into a different shape or style, or modelled from a different material.
The hinges can be made from different types of metal to fit into any design scheme, such as brass or copper. Also, although it may not line up with the original ethos of a shaker kitchen, the hinges can also be concealed to create a more contemporary look.
Image from: Devol Kitchens
The worktops on a shaker kitchen, like the units, were originally made from locally sourced timber. Today we have a variety of different materials that we can use to make worktops from, such as oak, laminate, granite or marble. By changing the worktop material it is possible to make the kitchen feel brighter or more lavish or even more simple depending on what style is desired.
Image from: Devol Kitchens
3. Economical
Today, we are concerned about the affect we are having on our planet. The simple, honest, self sufficient lifestyle of the Shakers is what we are striving for. Their ethical resourcing of local materials to build handmade kitchens designed to be functional and durable is perfectly in line with today's requirements. As the shaker kitchen is a classic design, it won’t go out of fashion. If elements of it do, it can be adapted, such as in the ways listed above, instead of having to replace the entire kitchen.
The shaker kitchen is also really durable. Their iconic panels allow the timber to expand and contract without affecting the shape of the doors at different seasons.
Image from: Gabrielle Blackman
This shaker kitchen is a true example of timeless design. Even its original ethos has become a priority today. As with any classic of design, the shaker kitchen is a worthwhile investment.