Unfitted kitchens offer a flexible solution for the heart of the home. Jenny Oldakerextols their charms and shows how to create the look
Life in the kitchen got easier in the 1950s, with the arrival of the washing machine and other appliances designed to make light work of previously gruelling tasks. To house, or maybe to hide these wonder gadgets, fitted cabinets became de rigueur and the concept has stuck: for decades, the kitchen has hardly changed from the built-in formula.
But tastes are changing and the unfitted kitchen is back in vogue: think capacious freestanding pantry cupboards, sturdy work tables or painted dressers, mixed with a few fitted elements to create a joyfully versatile fusion of pieces. ‘The unfitted kitchen has the beauty of feeling much more atmospheric and unique because it will inevitably incorporate different styles and materials,’ says Helen Parker, creative director at deVOL. ‘You can add vintage cupboards, change things around or reuse cupboards in different ways, giving a flexibility that isn’t really possible in a brand new fitted kitchen.’
While this versatility is undoubtedly part of the reason the freestanding kitchen has grown in popularity, it’s not the whole story. Sustainability is another key factor. Portable, unfitted pieces are better for the planet than the hard-to-recycle carcasses that a new owner might rip out. Added to which, the homelier, more personal nature of freestanding pieces aligns with the relaxed ambience we want from kitchens today. ‘The kitchen has become more of an emotional space where people feel relaxed and happy,’ explains Merlin Wright, design director at Plain English. ‘The emphasis is less on efficiency as it was in the 1950s when fitted kitchens with gadgets became popular. Today, how people feel in a room is important, and this is reflected in things like choice of lighting, and the addition of freestanding pieces of furniture.’
TURN THE PAGE for more kitchen inspiration and some of our best buys to help you achieve the unfitted look…
WISHLISTKitchen Dressers
With space for both storage and display, a dresser makes a charming focal point, with colours and sizes to suit every home
1Island Breeze large open dresser in Dulux Willow Tree, £2,110, The Painted Furniture Company 2Chichester 5ft open dresser in Saffron and Sh
