Plus, if it feels modern and cold to you, then it shouldn't be your kitchen! I'd be thinking about a different designer, one who was going to help me discover and realize *my* vision for my house rather than inflicting his own tastes. If you lean transitional, you shouldn't be forced to go hypermodern for any trend reasons!

Totally a matter of taste and design. I prefer flat panel, but I like a more minimalist style. The only real advantage to flat panel is ease in cleaning since the Shaker frame provides a little ledge for dirt and grease. Otherwise, get what appeals to you. What may or may not be "in" in twenty years should not be a concern.

i think shaker style is more forgiving of life's little bumps..... shaker gets worn in....flat panel gets worn out.

I agree with the other posters above and have to disagree with your contractor: Shaker style is timeless and I can't imagine it going out of style. The really nice thing about Shaker is that it works with a variety of styles. I went pretty modern with my kitchen remodel a couple years ago, and used white Shaker cabinets, and they look great (see pic below):

(I did use slab or flat fronts on the smaller drawer faces, as there wasn't enough room for the raised edge on those.)

Shaker would also be perfect for the more transitional look you are after, so I say go for it and don't let your contractor sway you!

If you go with flat panel, don't get the high gloss. Just get a satin. It's ultra modern and seems more like a business kitchen than a home kitchen. Shaker cabinet fronts are classic.

Thanks so much, pillowfun! It wasn't a specific cabinet line. Rather, the cabinets were a custom reface job. I kept the original cabinet frames (which had to be painted), and my contractor/cabinet maker fashioned all new cabinet doors, drawers, and associated hardware (hinges and drawer glides). There is one new cabinet, which was installed above the new fridge, along with a new panel on the left side of the fridge. If you are interested, you can read a lot more about the remodel in a "before and after" post I wrote a couple years back:

[stevenlh123 kitchen before/after[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/our-kitchen-joins-the-21st-century-dsvw-vd~3063349)

BTW, the paint color for the cabinets is BM Simply White. I LOVE it. It reads like a true white, yet has a warm undertone without looking the least bit ivory or cream colored.

I might copy your look for my new kitchen! stevenlh123 what is your countertop?

K C649: Thanks so much! Glad you like it. The counters are Caesarstone quartz, color Cinder. That color was discontinued by Caesarstone, but Pental Quartz has color that is virtually identical, Sandcastle, and it looks like that color is still available.

I am seriously considering soapstone. Love it! But need to see more pics of how they look 10 years after installation.

Flat panel, high pressure laminate, is very popular in the San Francisco Area. Quartz is all we sell. Shaker is a classic style and timeless. www.homelovely.com is where I work. Tons of great kitchens in our portfolio.

Sallypope: That's exactly what I did, too: replaced shaker doors that had narrow (2 1/4") rails/stiles with doors having wider, 3" framing. Even before we had the new cabinet doors painted white, the wider frames looked so much better than the old doors, and more proportional to the overall size of the doors (which are rather tall).