Buying new cabinets for your kitchen or other room in the home offers an exciting way to improve the look, feel, usability, and value of the property. Many style options exist. For those who enjoy a traditional look with wood craftsmanship, shaker and mission style cabinets top the list. What is the difference between Mission Style cabinets vs Shaker style cabinets?

Mission Style Cabinets vs Shaker Style

How do you choose the one that is right for you? Starting with the differences between these two styles of furniture can help you decide which of these two fit your home aesthetic more. Both styles of furniture can make for excellent pieces, but functionality and looks will vary between the two.

The History and Look of Shaker Furniture and Woodworking

Shaker furniture began with a group of European settlers by the same name who came to New York, Ohio, and nearby states in the 1770s. They believed that decoration was against their religious beliefs and thus focused on simple, utilitarian, and serviceable woodwork.

The signature feature of shaker style cabinets is their flat-panel doors with a simple frame around them. They often come in natural wood finishes such as cherry or maple with minimal embellishments like knobs or handles made from brass or pewter. Shaker style furniture follows similar design principles, with a focus on form over ornamentation. Pieces like tables and chairs have straight legs without any ornate carvings or scrollwork.

The History and Look of Mission Style Cabinets

Mission style stemmed from the Victorian Arts and Crafts movement but had its own unique and simpler American aesthetic. It rose to popularity around 1900 with Gustav Stickley and focused on pre-industrial details. Like Shaker style furniture, they also focused on simplicity and functionality. These have more decorative touches but no fancy embellishments.

Mission style cabinets and furniture are characterized by their sturdy construction, often featuring thick pieces of solid wood joined together with exposed joinery such as mortise-and-tenon or dovetail joints. Typically made from oak or other hardwoods, mission style cabinets and furniture feature simple geometric shapes like rectangles and squares. The overall effect is one of understated elegance that is both timeless and versatile. Mission style cabinetry often features several drawers for storage as well as solid cabinet doors with simple metal hardware.

Mission Style Cabinets vs Shaker Style: Which Style Is Right for Your Home?

Choosing between Mission Style Cabinets vs Shaker Style right style of cabinets requires some consideration. After all, these built-in features will stay for years or even decades to come. Both Shaker and Mission style cabinets offer amazing functionality and clean style that can go with many decorator accents and color schemes. The first decisions always focus on usability.

After that, take the time to consider the overall aesthetic of your home. Do you have classic country or sleeker and more modern decor? Are you drawn towards bold colors or more neutral tones? You should also think about the materials used in construction. Both the options described here use wood, but Mission is more likely to have darker or brighter stains or even paint colors.

When the time comes to make the final decision about kitchen cabinet style and installation, talk with experts at a reputable installation company. Their home décor and industry knowledge will help you find the perfect option for the look, feel, function, and budget you want.