Fitted or unfitted kitchen?

[Laffydaffy]

We are in the early stages of renovating a 300 year old house that has really nothing going for it except the massive garden and stream. We think of it as a constant discovery of three hundred years of other people's ad hoc renovations, which now includes ours.

I have generally favoured a fairly stream-lined fitted-kitchen, but now that we are in an area where there are loads of antiques and country-style furnishings, I am considering an unfitted kitchen. Is this a reasonable thing to try for? Using self-sourced furniture, like hutches and islands, has anyone done it themselves? Was it worth your time and effort or is it more reasonable to pay for a new fitted kitchen?

I think in such an old house an unfitted kitchen would add to the aesthetic, and would be amazing 👏 a fitted kitchen could be too modern. Love the idea!

I have a ye olde farmhouse and sort of half and half. There are cupboards along one wall for sink unit dishwasher/ cupboard for oil supply of Aga. I have an old Dutch dresser painted to match kitchen cabinets and a larder cupboard. Free standing fridge a couple of butcher blocks on wheels for extra prep space: impromptu kitchen island. Freezer and washing machine are in utility.

We removed half our cabinets and all of our uppers as I hate fitted kitchens. We have one high freestanding cabinet which everything fits into and another cabinet we use as a larder. It's massively reduced the cleaning work as there's no more cabinets to wipe and no more crawling around on the floor trying to find pans at the back of the pan cupboard. It also means you don't stuff cabinets with loads of crap you never use. I wish I'd done it 10 years ago. It means we have more floor space in the small kitchen too.

Visit some National Trust properties that have 18th centuary kitchens and get some ideas from there - which could be free standing or could be fitted.

Do you have a really big utility room for washer, drier, freezer, and all the 'gadgets' that sit on the surface - coffee machine, air fryer, electric toaster etc? So essentialy 2 kitchens: one with a fire, a range, some wooden cabinets, some functional equipment (fridge, dishwasher) cleverly concealed, a wooden table for chopping on; and a seperate utility kitchen with the modern electric equipment.

But in a practical sense you'd be dashing between the two rooms! You could chop and prep in the old kitchen but you might do much of your processing in the modern utility kitchen, then finish and serve dishes on the range / aga. I guess it depends on what and how you cook.

Or you have to find ways of concealing the most obvious electrical items. If you have a 'quooker' tap (in an appropriate 1700's style), you could do away with the kettle. You could have a breakfast cupboard that hides the toaster, your washer and dryer could be behind doors (imho a big round washing machine door is the most glaring stand out of a 'modern' kitchen).

I think trying to blend both is the worst option.

I think to go fully oldstyle would be impractical especially around the sink. You could have the look with a run of units to include your sink and worktops, along with freestanding appliances, and a large pantry and dresser. Maybe island or big table if you have space.

It looks like an unfitted kitchen is the way to go in 2025!
https://www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/interiors/a64685849/unfitted-freestanding-kitchen-trend-explained/

If you are staying in the house long term then an freestanding kitchen would probably be lovely and very fitting to the property if done right. I think you’d need a good eye to make it look cohesive rather than a jumble sale.

If you’re not planning on staying for the longer term I would at least get a short run of fitted base cabinets for a sink and integrated dishwasher and supplement with free standing pieces. Not only could a completely free standing kitchen put off some people, but some lenders will not lend against properties with no functional kitchen- which yours could be considered be at the point of sale, when you removed your own freestanding furniture which serve as your food prep areas. Some require at least a sink, place to cook and worktop, and without the later you might come unstuck, reducing your pool of buyers quite substantially but maybe even cause you bother if/when you come to remortgage. Checking now with a mortgage advisor might save a headache down the line.

I don’t like fitted kitchens. Unless they are very expensive they’re just cheap materials that you pay a fortune for. A friend’s £40k kitchen was all chipboard slightly dressed up.

My last kitchen had fitted cupboards and sink/draining board but freestanding everything else. I like to choose my own white goods. Looking at houses with everything fitted, I tend to think how much it would cost to take out their things, make good and put mine in.

Sorry, only read the OP.

When we moved in, it was an unfitted kitchen. Installing a fitted kitchen is the best thing we have done to this place!

We basically got to a point designing the kitchen where every decision was made based on how easy it would be to clean, in reaction to what we were living with. We could not be happier to be living with a fitted kitchen!

My house is a mere 200 years old and we are currently doing the kitchen.

The "original" 1970s kitchen is hand built solid wood in a rustic style which now looks very dated. It's so idiosyncratic that everything is non standard but it actually blends in well with the house and a modern kitchen really isn't going to work.

We've opted to replace the worktops but keep the cupboards and are having them refinished by a specialist. They'll be painted in Portland Stone by Little Greene and we will update the knobs so it will look fresh and modern but also not. If that makes any sense. It will look semi fitted when we're done with it.

It's going to be stunning when it's finished but it certainly isn't the cheap option.

Thanks, everyone. Gosh, it has made me a little more excited hearing your ideas!

I went half and half in my 200yo house. I had a fitted unit custom made for the sink run under the window into a corner, which houses the dishwasher and drinks fridge, the corner cupboard is fitted with carousel pull out shelves. Then I have a small freestanding island and 2 freestanding pantries. No wall cupboards, but we do have a plate rack. I love it.