Does anyone have an “unfitted kitchen”?

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We’re planning a major kitchen extension project at the moment, and the assumption from everyone seems to be that we will order a complete fitted kitchen from a supplier and it will be installed.

I am just wondering what the alternatives are really - does anyone NOT have this kind of kitchen? I like the look of mismatched freestanding units, but would it actually be a total bugger to use/keep clean?

Thanks all!

I guess not! In RL too people think I’m crazy for considering this.

Next, marks and spencer, laura ashley and habitat all did freestanding kitchens. But the ikea one was very popular. I had a solid wood one for years and im still planning to use part of it when i move as i refused to leave it, so i took it out and put an ikea kitchen in the house i have just sold.

Freestanding is not that popular but there are companies out there that still make them. If you dont mind used and want solid wood then habitat Olivia and Ikea varde sell for a fortune on ebay.

I would never part with mine and have reconfigured it 3 times already as thats the beauty of freestanding.

I moved into a house with an unfitted kitchen. It was indeed a total bugger to use. I now understand why the fitted kitchen was considered to be revolutionary. Having said that it was more due to the fact that nothing was the same or optimum height, and some of the units were too shallow to work with when you’re used to a standard depth. I also walked a lot more because there were gaps between everything. But you could get a similar look with standard size/height units. There is actually a company called Unfitted - we got our replacement kitchen from them. They do freestanding stuff, and you could have different pieces painted in different colours if you wanted to.

I had one in a cottage I rented for a while whilst in between house purchases.

It worked for that particular space as it had a Rayburn for cooking and heating and it was an irregular shape. So it had a number of dressers and freestanding units. The sink unit was sort of fitted though (ancient belfast sink).

It was very quirky but there was nothing about it that I disliked. I think it is a harder look to get right in a non period property though. I've had fitted in all my others and I'm in the process of buying a new build "cottage" but will probably go with fitted.

Watching with interest because I'd like an unfitted kitchen too. Almost fainted when I saw the price of a new fitted kitchen recently...

A freestanding kitchen can be quite quirky but a lot of people might find it looks a mess/cheap and isn’t practical. Might make it tricky to sell the property (perhaps worth considering if you’re unlikely to stay for very long).

You could also try a part fitted kitchen but add things like a big dresser or butchers block for a more individual look.

We have a non fitted one currently, but it’s not really, it’s a mix of recycled bits of furniture that don’t all work (drawers nailed shut etc)
I’m putting a fitted one in!

The problem with a non fitted is if you move what do you do? Leave it? Or hope it fits?

I guess ours is part fitted - we've got some units for built-in oven and hob, sink etc, but our main work space is a big butcher's block and the crockery is in a couple of dressers around a dining table.

Other consideration - where's your boiler and do you want to see it all the time?

We've moved into a Victorian cottage with a small kitchen. We bought freestanding units and have open shelving. The units were ex display with one scratch on the walnut surface but we got them for peanuts instead of thousands. The kitchen is a rustic mismatch but I like it that way.

Ours is unfitted, and our last one was too. Very different properties (tiny 1600s stone cottage and a sixties townhouse) but it works well. Things disappear under them all the time but there is enough space underneath to get them out. It all fits in well too, and if you get a corner unit it all looks pretty neat. This one is from M&S and the units are great but the worktop around the sink unit is pretty rubbish.

Ooh, interesting thank you! The house is Edwardian so yes, period. The kitchen will be large and I too was a bit shocked at the cost of a fully fitted kitchen. But I also just like the look of different freestanding units.

I’m not exactly a domestic goddess though, so if it’s a big pain to keep clean then that doesn’t appeal - and nor does the idea of all different height surfaces. Is it possible to get a uniform worktop fitted onto different kinds of units?

Oh, and yes, not planning to move any time soon (ever!)

I want to redo our kitchen so half is fitted (to keep a long worktop along one wall) but then have a large dresser for crockery and cupboard that we already own as larder etc. Haven't got much further than that...

If like some mismatched units but also the practicality od a fitted kitchen (like easy to clean and level worktops) just get a few units + worktop from Ikea or DIY Kitchens. You’ll probably spend 2k but it’ll be practical. You can then add individual units or open shelving (terrible for collecting dust, though).

We're putting a kind of semi - unfitted kitchen in right now.

We're having open shelves for base units with worktop across, and tall freestanding shelf units with kilner jars to act as a pantry area. Sadly there's no space for the separate walk in pantry I long for. We hope it will be the best of both worlds for us - practical but without that modern feel (we also have an edwardian house).

We don't like the modern fitted kitchen look and find cupboard doors annoying, so it makes sense for us. But we do know we might have to replace it with a cheap fitted one when the time comes to sell, if its really putting off potential buyers (most likely buyers with young families).

I do think it's slowly becoming more acceptable though. (I hope..) Oh, and all our friends and family think we're a bit mad too, but I think they'll come round when they see it.

We have a kitchen at the moment which has gaps down the sides of the freestanding cooker, which I am forever losing bits of food or utensils down, and other another knackered unit which is supposed to be fitted I imagine, but actually migrates around a bit quite easily if you lean on it etc. as it is completely freestanding (by accident) I think.

When I can afford a new kitchen I'll be getting a fully fitted one. I'm fed up of losing muck in gaps and not being able to get it out easily. Fitted kitchens don't really float my boat, and if I wasn't cleaning it I would definitely be going for a vintage style freestanding kitchen for the joy of looking it at, but I will actually be buying the kitchen with the least nooks and crannies possible!

I wanted this. If I knew 100 % that we'd be staying here, I'd have bought all sorts of furniture second hand and use them to make it cottage style. But the layout would have made it difficult and I think it'd have freaked people out. (Silly really, as people will probably chuck the kitchen out first anyway.)
I was thinking about reusing my grandad's industrial woodworking bench as an island etc.
Should have gone for it really, our extension costs are spiralling out of control, I could have saved about £8K.

love freestanding kitchens, look at 70 habitat kitchens for ideas. they look so fab and you can move them about!

I remember fondly the unfitted kitchen in the house I grew up in.
Also a ceiling airer!

Fabulous!