Classic shaker or contemporary handleless - I can't decide!

[sweetmelody]

After our house renovation is complete (1930s bungalow) we will have a 24ft by 30ft kitchen/dining/living space. I was so sure that I was going for a contemporary handleless design. Something similar to the Roundhouse 'Brown' project but with oak doors on the island and pale grey/off-white matt doors on the perimeter units. My thinking was that in an open plan space, uber streamlined was the way to go....

But there have been delays in the work and this has given me dangerously extra amounts of time to 'research'. I am now really conflicted as I am now totally unexpectedly hankering after a contemporary-looking Shaker style like this. I would still go for the same colour combination of oak on the island and pale doors on the perimeter units but it is a very different look. I would have to have small, more inconspicuous, round handles and flat draw fronts (my kitchen plan is mainly pan drawers rather than cupboards) to keep it clean looking.

Note, I have neither a Roundhouse nor a Podesta budget!!

I have had both shaker style doors and slab doors (with handles) in the past and there were pros and cons to both.

Shaker - classic and less likely to date (boring?), looks 'more expensive' but would this style be too fussy and busy for an open plan space? Also, those little ledges just mean more cleaning...

Handleless slab doors - are these here to stay or will I get bored of them they date??

Pannacotta and I think alike was about to post get a wood worktop. Look on HJ website at linear example there is one with a lovely wood worktop wrapped round an island
Pannacotta will read and reply later sorry to post and run- only 1% of battery!

really wouldn't recommend wooden worktop near a sink - unless you are super duper careful it goes black and nasty in no time.

Yes you can use wood round a sink, I have had it in two houses and it was fine and I am domestic goddess by any means.
You just had to oil the worktop every now and again and wipe up water with a dry cloth.
You can have it with an undermounted sink though then there is the issue of a drainer, unless you go for a sit-on sink which goes from front to back so isnt in much contact with wood
www.simplykitchensinks.co.uk/index.asp?SKSID=840&ItemID=2472

I think you must be less slatternly than you think pannacotta:) Two friends have had it, one just spent 700 quid replacing the nasty rotten wood round the sink and the other just gazes despondently at the black bits every time she washes up. Both of them told me NOOO when I said I'd be getting wood. In the end we've compromised, and are getting wood for main worktops and a custom-made bit of stainless steel with inset sink for the sink section.

libelulle thanks for your kind words!
Did you see the sink I linked to?

ah no I didn't - somehow managed to not read that bit, something to do with two small demanding children who think their mother should be playing with them and not faffing around on mn ... That sink looks really interesting, thank you! I will have to ponder how we might fit that one in, as getting the stainless steel section is going to cost many 100s so keen to avoid if at all possible!.

The IKEA Domsjo sink (single or double) is the same, ie full width, if you prefer the look of a ceramic sink
www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S09897230/

I think you need to look at the amount of use and the type of use you envisage for your worktops before choosing a material. Looks are not everything but there are a lot of good looking and practical options to suit the sort of wear and tear you anticipate.

I've been looking at the Suffolk kitchen by Neptune which is shaker style I guess. Looks good quality and good choice of worktops etc. Have you looked at them?

I like the contemporary one too although slightly put off it as my in-laws had one very similar

Thanks pannacotta! Much appreciated.

Sweet have you thought about having a matt handleless door with a wood recessed finger rail?

Looks rather nice

Pannacotta- no kitchen here yet either! Paid a deposit to HJ so is happening

We are currently in the middle of a massive renovation of the main house - new stairs going in this week, loads of repair works to rotten joists, walls knocked down and others moved , all been replastered etc. Work on the extension is due to start next week but is being held up be discovering a mains sewer which we need to build over...

So I'm sure I'll be on in here in the next few months looking for ideas for sinks/worktops etc

What did you go with in the end??

Sorry just reread you haven't ordered yet - what are you thinking?
Where are you based? I've got thousands of pics cut out from living etc and Elle deco which will be chucked...

Staverton we hope to get the kitchen made as I have found someone local who can do it for a good price but am astill dithering about the design as its an awkard space.
Am in Norwich btw.

I'm interested in the sink debate as all the laminate has come up around our sink because we are so messy we wash up a lot and wash a lot of vegetables.

The Astracast one looks good - I was looking at Ceramic but apparently you can't put a dishwasher under the ones with a drainer because the drainer is very deep.

Hi all, Roundhouse kitchen paint chips!!!

well I recently did go for a contemporary handleless white and dark grey kitchen from Roundhouse.

As some of you may know they are expensive kitchens and I bought ours and fully expected it to last 20 odd years. Despite teething problems with the cut of the worktop / fitting and colour of the door issues roundhouse sorted it out. we moved into our newly refurbed house at the end of March. As of yesterday I have 8 chips to the paintwork. it is not robust enough to withstand normal kitchen use.

Has anyone else suffered this and what did you do. I'm about to raise it with them and see what they say but 8 chips in 3 months does not bode well for the longevity of my kitchen - which i had loved the look and usability of!!!

I should never have opened this thread and then I wouldn't know about that Harvey Jones Linear kitchen. It's beautiful!! I was perfectly happy struggling with my choice of 'cheap' shaker vs gloss handleless kitchen! Thanks Pannacotta! ;)

I love both and I think all kitchens "date" because the companies want is to keep buying new things. On balancem I'd go for Shaker because I think the handless bits migh be difficuit to keep clean,

The kitchen in my Aussie house was put in, I would say, in the very early 80s, and has wooden work tops, some kind of hardwood, I'd say. The wood stain was badly done in parts, but the varnish, whatever, has lasted. No marks round the sink. Still perfect 30 years later, no scratches, no dents.

I'm bearing all this in mind when we have new kitchen put in - whatever the chap sealed the wood with, I want it.:o

Pixiepiesausage - I was wondering what happened with Roundhouse and the chips to your kitchen units? I am having the same issue!

How about Shaker but painted an unusual colour ie not the candy ish/ pale greys and blues. I am thinking Navy blue or very dark grey on a purple kitchen we will inherit with pale grey marble on counters again already there.

I am shamelessly copying the colour from a kitchen in Abi's house on 1st option photographic shoot website. Cannot link just now but it is BEAUTIFUL.

Pannacotta have meant to PM you about your local guy (if it was my guy). I am very pleased with the kitchen, but still chasing him for the cutlery trays(!). I understand he is very busy at the moment. Would definitely recommend though.

Yes please wendy as I have lost his details!

spotty have seen that house on 1st Option and it looks great. WHo is making your kitchen? I love dark units in a kitchen, they look lovely an dmuch more interesting than white...

We are buying a house with an existing painted kitchen so we are doing a bit of a tart up. New lick of paint extra units, larder etc.

hi Aynsam - just going to do something about the chips again and saw your query. well they sent someone round to repair the chips last year. 13 months on and I am just about to get them out again to repair the next 20 chips - mainly on the corners of the units and cutlery drawer - places that see most use or may get touched by kitchen paraphanalia (as you'd expect in a kitchen) if I had the choice again there is no way I would be choosing a pointed kitchen from Roundhouse - very disappointing indeed, especially at the price it was)