The door style sets the character of a kitchen more than anything else. Every style below fits IKEA cabinets as a full-overlay front, in IKEA’s standard sizes, so the choice is about looks, budget and how you live.
Shaker and slim shaker
A shaker door has a flat panel inside a square frame. It’s the most requested style because it suits old and new houses alike. A slim shaker narrows the frame for a lighter, more modern line. Both are usually painted over MDF, or made in solid wood and veneer for a natural finish.
Slab
A slab is one flat panel, so the material does all the work. Walnut or oak veneer, matte lacquer, laminate and plywood all look their best this way. Slab fronts are often the most affordable in laminate and among the most luxurious in book-matched veneer.
Fluted and beaded
Fluted fronts have rounded vertical grooves that catch the light. They make a striking island or a single feature run, and pair well with plain slab fronts elsewhere. Beaded fronts are finer and more traditional, for a cottage feel.
Handleless
Handleless fronts have a grip routed into the edge, so a run reads as one calm surface. They suit small kitchens and open-plan rooms where the kitchen should recede. Push-to-open fittings are another way to lose the handles.
Mixing styles
Because IKEA’s boxes are the same throughout, you can mix fronts freely: painted shaker below and oak slab above, a fluted island in a slab kitchen, or a contrasting colour on the tall cabinets. Most makers will quote a mixed kitchen in one go.
Material and finish, in short
- Painted MDF: any colour, smooth and stable. Ask about the paint system and the fee for a custom colour.
- Wood veneer: real wood on a stable core; ask whether the grain runs continuously across drawer fronts.
- Laminate: hard-wearing and usually the most affordable.
- Thermofoil: affordable and easy to clean; keep it away from strong heat.
Not sure of a word? The glossary explains them all. When you’re ready, get quotes in your style.
Photos are illustrations of looks makers build, not the work of a particular maker.