I don't like fitted kitchens !

[ZiggyZowie]

I'm getting a kitchen extension built.
It's a 1900 terraced cottage .
Thing is I hate the boxy looks of fitted kitchens and the cupboards are too high, they are too deep so can't find things easily.

I'm thinking of freestanding cupboards for plates and dried foods, a sideboard and a big table to work on . Do you think this would work or will it be messy?

No, I think it will look great and I've seen it a few times. Have you looked on Pinterest?

Why don't you have base units only and then open shelving above at the height you want?

Don't put the open shelving near your hob or oven though as they get all greasy and dusty.

I would love a free standing kitchen. I priced it up when we had a new kitchen about 50 years ago.

I’ve got a fitted kitchen. Phenomenally expensive.

I’ve got a bit of fitted kitchen, sink with a couple of units and space for washer and dishwasher and the rest is free standing. I’ve got high cupboards because I’ve high ceilings. Some things like wall cupboards and plate racks are fixed. The dressers and floor standing cupboards are not. Mix of ages from Victorian to 1960s
Ive not spent much money most of the free standing stuff was free or very cheap

I don’t like fitted kitchens much either. Free standing can be much more individual and adaptable too as you can move things around more easily. I’m in a housing association flat and we have the fitted Formica and there’s not much I can do about it.

Also some fitted kitchens quite deep sometimes, and in my case things tend to disappear into the back and are hard to get so things can get easily out of date and hard to clean.

Have a look at cotswold.

I stayed at a cottage on holiday once that had freestanding tables,shelving above all in a lovely light rustic wood.

I've got a tall shelves cupboard with a glass door so far for dried food , I've also got a tall white bookcase for dishes. The sideboard is pale wood with two drawers and two shelves for pots and pans underneath.
The only fitted thing I guess will be the sink which will have a base unit. There will be a freestanding dishwasher beside it and next to that my 35 year old top loader washing machine
I love open shelving and I usually clip on spotlights to those.
Quite excited to see if it all works out .
But I won't miss impossibly deep kitchen units where things get "lost" at the back !

I prefer the neatness of a fitted kitchen, we designed and built ours about 10 years ago when we renovated the whole house and it’s still my favourite room! Of all the rooms you would move stuff around in, the kitchen is never something that would need it surely?! Like the oven and fridge, aren’t they just in the same position always?!
We’ve stayed in some lovely houses over the years with lovely kitchens that were freestanding units but my preference is fitted always.

I'd get a raised table so it's the same height as normal counter height. Kitchen worktops are at that height for good reason. I think you will find a regular table too low for working at.

Came to say just that. I so want one of their cupboards

Currently coveting the Cotswold triple larder. When I replace my aging kitchen I think I will do freestanding.

They can look great. Its worth looking on second hand kitchen sites and ebay as well.

M&S used to do a lovely one called Sonoma.

I have four base units with worktop (handmade by us out of scaffolding boards) and then the rest of my kitchen is free standing antique units. I love it. We live in a late 1920s terrace and I think it looks I keeping with the house

Freestanding can look amazing. And for those who don't like deep cupboards because things get lost, drawers are your best friend.
@ZiggyZowie check out auction houses for free standing units, you're likely to get some bargains.

Freestanding can look amazing but when you see freestanding “inspo” the dishwasher and washing machine/ drier are usually conspicuous by their absence - presumably inspo people have utility rooms - it’s hard to make these white goods add to the aesthetic ( unlike lovely ovens and FF), hence the trend to integrate them/ box them into units.