White L-shaped kitchen with routed shaker-style fronts

A white L-shaped kitchen with routed shaker-style fronts, made to measure for an apartment: two tiers of wall units up to the ceiling and a worktop in a warm wood look. The task was to fit as much storage as possible into a small room while keeping a light classic look without mouldings or gold. Black handles, sink and tap pull the kitchen together into one crisp line.

Two tiers of wall units up to the ceiling

We split the upper run into two tiers. The lower one opens the usual way, on side hinges, while the top boxes above it swing upwards on lift mechanisms: open doors on the two tiers never clash, and there is no cabinet top left to gather dust. The fridge here is freestanding, so we framed it with cabinets above and beside it — it sits in line with the furniture without needing an integrated model. We used the same idea, in gloss, in a corner kitchen with wood-look tall units.

Framed fronts and wood above the worktop

Routed fronts with a frame give every door and drawer the look of a panelled door; the carcasses and plinth are white as well. The worktop and splashback share one oak-look décor: the wall above the worktop is covered with no grout lines, and the warm tone takes the chill off the white. We describe the details that make up this look in our guide to classic and modern classic style.

What is inside

The base run is almost entirely drawers with metal sides; the top one holds a cutlery tray. The narrow gap next to the oven is filled with a pull-out cargo unit with two baskets for bottles and spices. A plate rack sits above the corner sink, and the dishwasher is hidden behind a front. A different take on white — flat handleless fronts — is our white kitchen with an island.

This kitchen suits anyone who wants light classic style without mouldings or gold, and as much storage as a small room allows. Read more about how we design and make custom furniture for the home on a separate page.