New kitchen - which plinth to go for?

[CoffeeIsMyLastName]

Please help me decide which plinth to go for, internal (toe kick) or external? I don't know at all!! What are the upsides/downsides of each? How to pick? Traditional English kitchen with a modern twist. I like classic timeless design. What would you do? Many thanks in advance!

What do you think of the idea of having actual skirting boards as a plinth? Not recessed?

They are usually about 150mm to 180mm high. The legs can be adjusted up and down. Have the cabs set so your plinth is not a tight struggle to fit and remove, and definitely, definitely not so low that all the plinths have to be cut down to fit.

If the main kitchen user is a tall person the cabs can be set higher. If small or using a wheelchair you can cut it down or do (almost) without. The doors must be high enough not to drag on the floor.

You can get a plastic strip with a fin that presses against the floor and prevents spilled milk running underneath or soaking into the plinth. Most are made of chipboard and will fall apart if they get wet, e.g. from a sink overflow or wet mopping the floor.

A matt black will be invisible.

If you get plinth in a standard size you can replace it with new any time you want.

Of course you must have it rebated for your toes.

Thank you for your detailed answer @PigletJohn

The choice between an internal/toe kick plinth and an external plinth like a skirting is partly an aesthetic one, but also affects usability. If you have great big clown feet like mine, get an internal plinth otherwise you won't be able to stand comfortably close to the worktop when cooking!

I prefer the aesthetics of skirting to the look of a toe kick I think. I worry if it will be too impractical as you say. Personally, I am fine without a toe kick probably. Not sure about DH. We should probably go to a showroom and test it..