To think a free standing kitchen is a good idea?

[Telaviv]

We are considering ordering a new fitted kitchen but I'm struggling to find a style that really excites me where I feel like the quality and aftercare service live up to the price. I am toying with the idea of just ripping out the existing kitchen, replastering the walls and installing a freestanding/unfitted kitchen. I love the idea of a very French-farmhouse aesthetic with a big wooden table, butcher's block and a gorgeous rustic dresser. It would mean spending more on nice-looking appliances but would still save £ overall.

DH less convinced. Thinks it will get dirty, be difficult to clean etc. Not as "slick" looking.

Has anyone here created something similar by choice rather than inheriting it with their house? Are they easy to live with? Is there anything you wish you'd done differently?

Op I'm with you.
I'd love to do they sane thing. I can't imagine spending thousands on boxes.. With nice doors!

I'd love too rip everything out and have free standing units.
Our kitchen is small however and we need work surfaces...

Mine is 50 : 50, but the unfitted part did cost more as I wanted more quality and long lasting so bought oak furniture. I think if I had a utility room I may have gone completely unfitted.

I grew up with an unfitted kitchen - families didn't have any choice then. My mum raved when she got her first fitted one - worktops, lots of cupboard space and so easy to keep clean. I wouldn't fancy Hinching an unfitted one personally.

We had one in a rental. It was filthy. I wouldn’t ever have one through choice.

How and why was it filthy?? Things only get filthy through lack of cleaning, it's ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

I agree with pp who says it has to be deliberate rather than just anything cobbled together which can look as though you can’t afford a kitchen, I love this one I think it’s by Fired Earth.

NC for this but this is our kitchen. The main units are oak. I love it and it's very easy to clean.

kastanien The fitted run of units stayed. When we let the house, none of the tenants minded as we use the kitchen as a kitchen/diner, so they could put their larger pieces of furniture in.

Our floor units are kind of a hybrid between fitted and non-fitted. The wall cupboards are all purpose built into place (higgledy piggledy walls in an old house) but the floor units are very long pieces all in one, but moveable. Just cleverly scribed to the wall so no gaps and just a little bit of silicone so they could be moved about and taken elsewhere if need be. I don't think I'd mind if someone took their kitchen away with them as long as the price reflected it, as kitchens are so personal and you would be very unlikely to share their taste.

The kitchen has to fit your house. Do you have nice windows? A single PVC thing with frosted glass? Do you have high ceilings? How many doors? How much light? How wide is your room? What flooring do you have?

It also has to fit your lifestyle: do you fry a lot of food? Steam? Roast? Boil? Do you cook or assemble? Do you eat together or separately? In the kitchen or elsewhere? Do you watch tv while you’re cooking? Do you entertain in your kitchen? Do you have a dining room? Many cookbooks? Where is your washing machine? Do you keep crockery on display?

The most successful aesthetic is one that suits the architecture of the house and the lifestyle of the people living in the house. And the rest of the house - no point having an English country farmhouse unkitchen in a 60s pebble-dashed semi with a slick bathroom and neon lights outside the front door!

I have a free standing kitchen because I inherited the house and can't afford a fitted kitchen.

My DD likes fried steak/burger/bacon, which means a lot of cleaning. I don't have a microwave. My house is a spider magnet. So there's a lot of web removal and keeping things in plastic boxes even within the dresser (that might just be a me thing though).

So consider how and what you cook.

@Notme2020 That is lovely!

I spent some time pricing up a new fitted kitchen, decided on one then happened to visit an antique store with lots of beautiful restored pieces. Planned / installed the whole kitchen with builder for £4000 - local handmade freestanding company wanted £8000 for 4 units . The builder created wooden strips at the back of the units for easy cleaning - stained to match the cupboards. Looks lovely and not difficult to clean.

If there's enough space in your kitchen, a freestanding kitchen unit will become the centre of your kitchen where you can cook, dine, socialise and just enjoy the view out of the window if you have a garden. I've always wanted one but previously we lived in a flat with a small kitchen and couldn't get one. But last year we moved and I finally could get myself a freestanding unit (ours is from Murdoch Troon, so if interested in getting one do check their store or website at www.murdochtroon.co.uk)