freestanding kitchens

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toulouselechat
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freestanding kitchens

Post by toulouselechat »

Hello,

We're due to get a new kitchen in the gite, was initially going to purchase an IKEA, but have recently been looking at the freestanding kitchens in Maison du Monde.

Just wondered whether anyone else has a freestanding kitchen, and what the advantages are over a more traditional fitted one.
I presume the Maison du Monde kitchens are flat-pack although I couldn't find it on their website. Anyone had any experience on putting their stuff together?
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Haven't had a kitchen from Maisons du Monde, but their stuff isn't flat pack - it all comes ready built. Quality is variable and sadly is deteriorating somewhat so it's really best to see before you buy.
toulouselechat
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Post by toulouselechat »

Oh that's interesting, it seems a bit more straight forward if they're ready-assembled. Thanks, French Cricket. Will try and get out there to view them in the flesh.

Quality could be a problem though. Anyone else out there who can vouch for their kitchen quality.
FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

I don't know anything about the make you mention as I am not in France but on experience of an unfitted kitchen: one of my sons has an unfitted kitchen and it strikes me that there are a lot more corners and 'under cupboard places' than with a fitted one so more difficult to clean. He does not have vast swathes of worktop space. If cupboards are not completely butted up against one another then you often have that gap that is too small for a sweeping brush/vacuum cleaner and yet large enough for dirt to collect as you do not have worktop which joins things together, although I can't see why you couldn't have a large piece of stone or slate cut to size and just laid on top of two adjoining units which are level. That said, as my son is going for the country look (in a London flat!) it looks lovely and suits his Victorian building. He can change his cooker, fridge etc without having to worry about taking things apart or reconfigure the whole thing (save for obvious water and gas restraints), on a whim.
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

One reason I am going for a built in oven and hob in my new kitchen, I wanted a range, but the thought of having to pull it out to clean behind it was enough.
toulouselechat
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Post by toulouselechat »

Yes, that's what was bothering me, I figured it would be more hassle in terms of cleaning. I too like the country look, & a freestanding kitchen really fits the image, but it's whether the cleaning will drive me round the bend after a while.
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Post by AndrewH »

When I was a youngster, there was no such thing as a fitted kitchen, except perhaps in America, so I have had first hand experience of the other type, and believe me everything Felicity says above is true.

And while I am at it, I always laugh when I see role-top free standing baths being sold at a ridiculous price. All we ever had was a roll-top bath, and how I envied my friend who had the new fangled fitted bath with a panel in his house.
toulouselechat
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Post by toulouselechat »

Thanks Andrew.

I should have been born in another time I think, as I have a roll top bath too. :wink:

I'm a sucker for any of this old-fashioned stuff!
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Post by e-richard »

toulouselechat wrote:I'm a sucker for any of this old-fashioned stuff!
Except that today its called "Chabby Chic" :roll:
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Moliere
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Post by Moliere »

[quote="e-richard"
Except that today its called "Chabby Chic" :roll:[/quote]

Or in the case of the Kardashian, "Chubby Chic(s)". :lol:

I've never really "got" this fad for revivals of outdated styles - they've been supplanted for a reason, and usually pretty good ones - many of which have been clearly laid out in this thread.
The best advice I can give is KISS - keep it simple, son - (and yes, I do know that the final S is traditionally something else, but this is a nice forum!)

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PW in Polemi
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Post by PW in Polemi »

I'm with Mols on this - definitely keep it simple to keep clean. It's hard enough keeping the area behind the washing machine and dishwasher clean - and they're under a solid countertop. Imagine if they were free standing with no countertop to catch the worst of the crumbs, spillages, etc. :shock:

Surely you can get built-in kitchen cupboards and worktops that will make cleaning easier but still give you the country look you want?
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

Not sure exactly what you're looking for, toulouselechat, or where you are, but if you're looking for solid wood country style kitchens, try a site called meubles en pin (think
that's right - will check). We used them to make a kitchen for our Catalan cottage and I'm delighted with it. I painted ours myself, but you can also order one painted. It's a fitted kitchen but the antithesis of glossy and shiny, which I hate!
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