Cabinet door styles: Shaker, slab, raised panel and inset

Cabinet doors set the style of a kitchen more than almost anything else. Here are the main door styles, how they are built and where each one looks best.

The main door styles

• Shaker: a five-piece frame around a flat, recessed panel. Clean and timeless, it works in almost any kitchen.
• Slab (flat panel): a single flat door with no frame. Modern and easy to clean.
• Raised panel: a center panel that rises from the frame. Traditional and formal.
• Beadboard: vertical grooves for a cottage or farmhouse look.
• Glass front: frame doors with glass to show off dishes.

Overlay types

Full overlay doors cover almost the whole cabinet frame for a seamless look. Partial overlay shows more frame and is common in older and budget cabinets. Inset doors sit inside the frame, flush with it, for a furniture-quality, classic look. Inset takes more precision and costs more.

Painted or stained

Shaker and inset doors look great painted or stained. Slab doors often come in wood veneer or matte laminate. See paint vs stain and the cabinet colors guide.

Matching style to home

Colonial and farmhouse homes suit Shaker, inset and beadboard. Contemporary homes suit slab. Traditional homes suit raised panel. Mixing a Shaker perimeter with a slab or glass island is common and works well.

Find your door

Take the cabinet door and finish finder, sketch a layout in the kitchen cabinet designer, or see cabinetry.

Common questions

What is the most popular cabinet door style?

Shaker is the most popular because it suits traditional, transitional and modern kitchens.

What are inset cabinets?

Inset doors sit inside the cabinet frame, flush with it. They look classic and furniture-like and cost more because they need precise fitting.

Are slab cabinet doors easy to clean?

Yes. With no frame or grooves, slab doors are the easiest to wipe down.