Made by hand, to fit your room exactly.
Traditional and in-frame kitchens in Manchester and Cheshire
What makes a kitchen traditional
Most traditional kitchens are built in-frame. Each cabinet has a solid face frame, and the doors and drawers sit inside it, flush with the front, instead of covering the cabinet edge. It's a cabinetmaker's way of building, and it gives the room a solid, furniture-like feel. That's why it suits so many of the older houses in Altrincham, Hale and Bowdon.
In-frame or shaker: what's the difference?
People often use "traditional" and "shaker" as if they meant the same thing. Shaker describes the door: a flat panel inside a square frame. In-frame describes how the cabinet is built around it. You can have a shaker door set in-frame, or a shaker door on a modern cabinet, and each gives the room a noticeably different feel. Your designer will show you both side by side.
In-frame
The doors sit inside a visible face frame, flush with it, so you see a crisp outline around every door and drawer. With Suga Handmade, it's built to the exact measurements of your room.
Explore Suga Handmade
Shaker on a modern cabinet
The door covers the cabinet edge, as on a German kitchen. Schüller and Keller both make shaker doors, so you get the classic look on factory-built cabinets.
Explore shaker kitchens
Why handmade suits older houses
Period homes rarely have straight walls, level floors or standard-sized alcoves. Handmade cabinetry is built to the room's real measurements, so it can fill a chimney breast recess or run to an uneven ceiling without obvious filler panels. That works when every measurement is right, which is why Danil revisits your home for a 40-point check, and you sign off the drawings before anything is made.
Who makes our traditional kitchens
Our traditional kitchens are made as Suga Handmade, our own range. The cabinetry is handmade by joiners in Manchester, dovetail-jointed and painted by hand, using responsibly sourced timber, and FSC certification can be confirmed for the timber in your kitchen. If you love the traditional look but would rather have factory-built cabinets, Schüller and Keller both make shaker doors that suit a classic room.
Suga Handmade
Our own range, handmade by joiners in Manchester. Hand-painted, dovetail-jointed cabinetry built to the exact measurements of your room.
Explore Suga Handmade
Schüller and Keller shaker
Classic shaker doors on German and Dutch cabinets, in the brands' own colour ranges. A good fit if you'd like the traditional look with the precision of a German or Dutch factory.
Explore shaker kitchens
Painted finishes and natural materials
A traditional kitchen suits materials that get better with use. Solid wood, stone and brass all build up a patina over the years. In our Bowdon kitchen, a textured stone splashback runs full height behind a Falcon range cooker, with a double ceramic sink and a Quooker alongside. Dark heritage paint, balanced by lighter base units, keeps it confident and traditional without making the room feel heavy.
Traditional kitchens we've designed and installed
Every one of these was designed in our showroom, surveyed twice and installed by our fitters. Open a project to see the colours, worktops and appliances we chose, and what each household asked us for.
Dark open-plan kitchen with smoked oak in Macclesfield
Matte black full-height towers and smoked oak units make this open-plan Macclesfield kitchen dramatic but easy to live with.
See the project: Dark open-plan kitchen with smoked oak in Macclesfield
Handleless Keller kitchen with Calacatta Gold worktops in Knutsford
A light, airy Keller kitchen where a flush BORA vented hob keeps the ventilation out of sight.
See the project: Handleless Keller kitchen with Calacatta Gold worktops in Knutsford
Green and white shaker kitchen in Heaton Moor
A bright two-tone shaker kitchen with a sage green island, for a client who wanted warmth and plenty of character.
See the project: Green and white shaker kitchen in Heaton Moor
White handleless kitchen with black marble-effect worktops in Hale Barns
A white handleless kitchen under a skylight and floating bulkhead, set off by black marble-effect worktops with gold veining.
See the project: White handleless kitchen with black marble-effect worktops in Hale Barns
White and light oak handleless galley kitchen in Wilmslow
Light tones and warm oak detailing give this handleless galley kitchen a soft, modern finish.
See the project: White and light oak handleless galley kitchen in Wilmslow
Soft grey handleless kitchen under a vaulted ceiling in Lymm
Soft grey handleless units under a vaulted ceiling, with lighting that brings the room to life in the evenings.
See the project: Soft grey handleless kitchen under a vaulted ceiling in Lymm
Blue and white open-plan kitchen with a curved island in Prestbury
Soft white base units and slate blue tall units give this open-plan kitchen real presence without feeling heavy.
See the project: Blue and white open-plan kitchen with a curved island in Prestbury
Graphite handleless kitchen with a marble-effect island in Poynton
Deep graphite textured units with clean lines and plenty of storage, centred on a marble-effect island.
See the project: Graphite handleless kitchen with a marble-effect island in Poynton
Matt black and oak single-wall kitchen in Stockton Heath
A single-wall handleless layout in matt black and oak-effect, planned to keep the room feeling open.
See the project: Matt black and oak single-wall kitchen in Stockton Heath
Calm handleless kitchen with glass pendants in Mobberley
Light neutral units, a darker island and oversized glass pendants make this kitchen feel calm and cohesive.
See the project: Calm handleless kitchen with glass pendants in Mobberley
Light and dark shaker kitchen with a range cooker in Bowdon
Dark heritage-painted units and lighter base units around a Falcon range cooker give this shaker kitchen a confident, traditional feel.
See the project: Light and dark shaker kitchen with a range cooker in Bowdon
Soft grey open-plan kitchen in Dunham Massey
Soft grey handleless units in an open-plan room, designed with the focus on simplicity and flow.
See the project: Soft grey open-plan kitchen in Dunham Massey
Dark handleless kitchen in a rooflit extension in Timperley
A previous design from another company didn't meet this client's needs, so we reworked the layout with an island and a pantry.
See the project: Dark handleless kitchen in a rooflit extension in Timperley
Soft grey wood-effect galley kitchen in Bramhall
A soft grey wood-effect brings texture and warmth to this galley kitchen without adding visual weight.
See the project: Soft grey wood-effect galley kitchen in Bramhall
Oak and matt black handleless galley kitchen in Broadheath
Tamara came to us for new doors and worktops, saw the Schüller displays in our showroom and chose a full redesign instead.
See the project: Oak and matt black handleless galley kitchen in Broadheath
Light shaker kitchen-diner in Levenshulme
Traditional white shaker cabinetry balanced by modern appliances in a light, welcoming kitchen-diner.
See the project: Light shaker kitchen-diner in Levenshulme
Keller kitchen with a matching dining-room pantry in Altrincham
A Keller kitchen in a new extension, with a matching pantry in the dining room that was high on the family's wish list.
See the project: Keller kitchen with a matching dining-room pantry in Altrincham
Dark Keller kitchen in a barn conversion in Bowdon
Dark matt handleless Keller units and an 80mm live-edge oak table give this barn conversion a rustic, industrial edge.
See the project: Dark Keller kitchen in a barn conversion in Bowdon
Matte grey handleless kitchen with a sink under the window
A matte grey handleless kitchen with a twin-bowl sink set under the window and the hob in the island.
See the project: Matte grey handleless kitchen with a sink under the window
Schüller kitchen in dark wood and soft beige in Altrincham
A Schüller kitchen planned around family roasting and baking, with a white hob because the client wanted to avoid a dark induction hob.
See the project: Schüller kitchen in dark wood and soft beige in Altrincham
Sage green Keller kitchen for a North London client
This client compared designs from more than ten kitchen companies, then travelled from North London to Timperley to work with us.
See the project: Sage green Keller kitchen for a North London client
Deep charcoal kosher kitchen in Prestwich
A kosher kitchen designed with a Rabbi's guidance, with separate sinks and dishwashers for milk and meat and a custom Keller door colour.
See the project: Deep charcoal kosher kitchen in Prestwich
Keller kitchen with a floating island in Timperley
The island seems to float on a ring of LED light, and the utility room includes a sleeping spot for the pet.
See the project: Keller kitchen with a floating island in Timperley
Charcoal Keller kitchen for a returning client
This client bought a kitchen from us 20 years ago and still loved the range cooker, so the new kitchen kept it.
See the project: Charcoal Keller kitchen for a returning client
Monochrome handleless kitchen in Altrincham
Glossy white units and a dark island, designed to feel open and connected to nature.
See the project: Monochrome handleless kitchen in Altrincham
Small high-gloss kitchen planned for better flow
A small kitchen where light-reflecting high-gloss acrylic and a corner sink make the most of limited space.
See the project: Small high-gloss kitchen planned for better flow
Black and pearl grey Keller kitchen in a Prestwich extension
Repeat clients who moved house wanted a kitchen like their last Suga one, designed from the architect's plans for their new extension.
See the project: Black and pearl grey Keller kitchen in a Prestwich extension
High-gloss white Keller kitchen in a new extension
Designed for a couple extending their home, to make the most of the light and space in the new extension.
See the project: High-gloss white Keller kitchen in a new extension
Olive green and pearl grey double galley kitchen
Olive green units run to the ceiling along one side of this double galley, with pearl grey handleless shaker doors.
See the project: Olive green and pearl grey double galley kitchen
Fenix and graphite handleless kitchen with a BORA Pure X hob
Rational Tio cabinetry in self-healing Fenix nano and graphite, paired with a BORA Pure X hob.
See the project: Fenix and graphite handleless kitchen with a BORA Pure X hob
Seashell shaker kitchen by Schüller in Prestwich
Schüller shaker doors in a warm Seashell white, with a Wilde and Sons herringbone floor.
See the project: Seashell shaker kitchen by Schüller in PrestwichWhat our clients say
Here's what clients have said about working with our designers and fitters.
“Patient, helpful and attentive to every little detail. Lindsay truly listened to what we wanted and guided us through the whole process.”
“Lindsay took time to plan and design the kitchen with us, within our set budget. The end result was even better than we expected.”
“A comprehensive site survey from Danil, and Gary installed the kitchen with great care and expertise. We love our new kitchen.”
Questions about traditional kitchens
See all FAQsDo I need a period house for a traditional kitchen?
No. In-frame cabinetry suits Victorian and Edwardian houses particularly well, because it can be built around alcoves, chimney breasts and walls that aren't straight. But a painted, traditional kitchen can work just as well in a newer home, especially in a kitchen-diner or a room that opens onto the garden.
What’s the difference between a shaker kitchen and an in-frame kitchen?
Shaker describes the door: a flat centre panel inside a square frame. In-frame describes how the cabinet is built, with the doors set inside a face frame instead of covering the cabinet edge. You can have a shaker door in-frame, as with Suga Handmade, or on a modern cabinet, as with Schüller and Keller. Your designer can show you both side by side.
Should I choose a German kitchen or a handmade one?
It mostly comes down to the look you want and the house you live in. German cabinetry suits clean, modern designs and gives you a huge choice of finishes. Handmade in-frame cabinetry suits period homes and anyone who wants a painted, traditional kitchen built to the exact measurements of the room. Your designer can show you both in the showroom.
How much does a Suga kitchen cost?
It depends on the size of the room, the cabinetry and the appliances you choose. Our pricing guide shows real project costs at three levels of specification, so you can set a realistic budget. For a figure for your own kitchen, book a free design appointment.
Explore other styles
Handleless
Long, unbroken lines and German engineering you can feel every time a drawer closes.
Explore handleless kitchens
Shaker
A classic panelled door painted in the colour of your choice, equally at home in a Victorian semi or a new build.
Explore shaker kitchens
Contemporary
Ceramic, glass, veneer and confident colour for rooms that need to make a statement.
Explore contemporary kitchensStart whenever you're ready
Pick whichever suits you best. Whichever you choose, you'll be speaking to a designer who can answer your questions properly.
Book a free design appointment
Meet a designer, talk through your ideas and get a quote for your own kitchen. Choose a time → 02Download the pricing guide
See what Suga kitchens cost before you speak to anyone. Get the guide → 03Request a call back
A quick chat with a designer at a time that suits you. Pick a time → 04Visit the showroom
See the kitchens in person, or take the virtual tour from home. Plan your visit →Or call 0161 962 7261