Choosing a Door Style for Fitted Furniture

Nov 2, 2026 · @Martin

The doors are the part of fitted furniture you see every day, so the style you choose sets the look of the whole room. Two wardrobes with the same layout can feel completely different with a change of door.

The three styles I get asked about most are shaker, raised and fielded, and applied moulding. Here is what each one is, where it works best, and how I make them in my workshop.

Shaker doors

A shaker door is a flat centre panel surrounded by a plain square frame. There is no decoration, just clean lines and a recessed panel that catches a bit of shadow.

It is the most popular style I make, and for good reason. It suits period houses and new builds equally well, works painted or in timber, and doesn’t date. It sits comfortably in a bedroom, a living room or a home office.

The frame width is where a shaker door is won or lost. Too narrow and the door looks cheap, too wide and it looks heavy. I adjust the frame to suit the size of the door, so a tall wardrobe door and a small drawer front still look like they belong together.

Raised and fielded panel doors

A raised and fielded door has a centre panel that is thicker in the middle and bevelled down towards the edges. The flat raised area is the field, and the sloped edge around it gives the door depth and shadow.

This is a more traditional style. It is the kind of door you would find on original joinery in Georgian and Victorian houses, so it is a good choice if you want new furniture to sit naturally alongside period features like panelled doors, cornicing and sash windows.

Because the detail is more pronounced, it works best on larger doors where there is room for the profile to show. On a busy run of small doors it can start to feel a bit fussy, so I often pair it with plainer drawer fronts.

Applied moulding doors

An applied moulding door has a decorative moulding fixed around the inside edge of the frame, where it meets the panel. It adds a fine line of detail that softens the square edges of a shaker style door and gives it a more finished look.

I make mine with solid timber mouldings, usually American tulip, cut and mitred by hand at each corner and fitted to the door before spraying. Once it is painted the moulding and door read as one piece, with no visible joints.

Applied moulding sits nicely between the other two styles. It has more character than a plain shaker but is lighter than raised and fielded, so it suits both period and modern rooms. It works especially well on wardrobes and media walls where you want a bit of detail without it shouting.

How to choose

The right door usually comes from the house itself. Look at the original doors, skirting and windows, and pick a style that sits alongside them rather than fighting them.

Style	Look	Best suited to
Shaker	Clean, simple, timeless	Almost any house, period or modern
Raised and fielded	Traditional, more depth	Georgian and Victorian houses with original features
Applied moulding	Detailed but light	Rooms where you want some character without going fully traditional

If you are torn, I can make up a sample door so you can see it in your room, in your light, before you decide.

Materials, finishes and handles

For painted doors I use MEDITE MR, a moisture resistant MDF that machines cleanly and holds sharp detail, which matters a lot on raised and fielded profiles and mitred mouldings. All my doors are sprayed in the workshop for a smooth, even finish.

All three styles can also be made in solid timber or veneer, such as oak or walnut, and finished in a hard wax oil if you prefer the look of natural wood.

Handles finish the job. A simple knob or cup handle suits a shaker door, while raised and fielded doors often look best with something more traditional in brass or bronze. I am happy to suggest options once the door style is decided.

Not sure which style suits your home?

I design, build and fit everything myself across West Sussex and Surrey, so I can talk you through the options at the first visit. Send me a photo of the room and what you have in mind, and I will let you know how I can help.