It is a new year, so it is a good time to shake things a bit in the kitchen. You can do a ton of small remodeling, from painting the walls to replacing your old cabinets.
That said, you do not have to go for some strange, new fashion. Some old styles are coming back to the fold, so that is a good way to go as well. Freestanding cabinets, for instance, can make a nice break to the typical interconnected base cabinets you probably already have.
Freestanding cabinets are a lot like side tables, in that it stands squarely on the floor on its own legs. You can choose to replace your base cabinets with freestanding cabinets, or add one or two to available space. Read on for a bit more about why freestanding cabinets might just be your trend for 2019.
A bit of nostalgia
Freestanding cabinets were the only type of kitchen cabinets you could get before the 1950s. Specifically prior to World War II. These were not permanent to a particular spot on the wall or the floor. You could move them around like any piece of furniture, so changing the layout of your kitchen was a cinch. Of course, you could not really move around the cabinet that housed the sink. Because that had all types of plumbing attached. Other than that, the kitchen was your oyster.
The war produced some new technology that allowed a cost-effective way to make metal kitchen cabinets in the 1940s, so that became popular with many homeowners. It was a faster and more affordable way to produce cabinets than hand making freestanding cabinets, so that started the trend away from them.
Metal cabinets became much more expensive by the 1950s, so homeowners that wanted to remodel their kitchens opted for wood or wood-engineered ready-to-assemble (RTA) or stock cabinets designed for mounting on the walls rather than on its own legs. This trend continued for several decades, and these serial wall and base cabinets fixed to the wall or the floor continues to be the most common types of kitchen cabinets today.
Retro fashion starts trending
It continues to be more practical to choose RTA or stock cabinets, although it is hard to avoid a cookie cutter look with these in your kitchen. Many homeowners looking for a new look have started to bring back freestanding cabinets, as well as other prewar styles such as subway tiles for backsplashes and plank flooring. There was also a surge in the popularity of kitchen island.
After all, kitchen islands are large freestanding cabinets basically, and in many kitchens, they dominate the room. Full kitchen islands often come with a sink and a cook top, providing a valuable extension of the food prep and storage space, and also typically serve other functions, such as an eating and work area. When topped with granite or quartz countertops, they also have a significant impact on the wow factor of the kitchen.
Some designers use the kitchen island as a focus of their overall design, designating it a freestanding kitchen because of the starring role of the island. Many of these kitchens still use the regular wraparound wall and base cabinets in combination with freestanding cabinets, especially if the kitchen is not particularly large.
In most cases, these freestanding cabinets are custom cabinets, whether used as islands or separate workspaces such as marble-topped pastry tables. All the sides also need to have finished or finish-ready surfaces since these are exposed. Consequently, freestanding cabinets do tend to be more expensive than standard cabinets do. However, this additional investment yields some great benefits.
Benefits of freestanding cabinets
The top benefit of freestanding cabinets is the traditional look it has, which appeals to a host of home remodelers at this time. It gives the home a point of interest because you do not see this type of cabinet in the typical kitchen.
They are also movable, which makes them flexible. Since they are not typically fixed to any one spot, you can put them anywhere in the kitchen, or the house for that matter. You can also face it any which way and it is finished on all sides.
A freestanding cabinet rests on its own legs, which means it has no toe kick. So the space underneath are accessible for cleaning, unlike typical base cabinets. You can also pull it out to get at the back and where it is standing, making it very easy to keep clean.
Currently, freestanding cabinets are available as stock cabinets in limited colors, and styles. You can expand on this by having them built to your own design if you have the money for it. However, you can expect that more stock designs will be on offer in the future from cabinetmakers as the popularity of freestanding cabinets grow.
Finally, you do not need an expert to install the cabinets for you. Typically, you just need to unpack the cabinet and find a level place to put them. In most cases, the leg screws in the inside of the cabinets allow you to adjust the height to level the cabinet if you have an uneven or sloping floor. If you want, you can even screw or fasten two freestanding cabinets together to form a longer top surface. But it is not necessary if you take the time to make sure they are level to each other.
Conclusion
The quality of the cabinets will depend on where you get them. As a rule of thumb, you want to source your stock cabinets from a top brand distributed exclusively through reputable local suppliers such as remodeling contractors, rather than a generic one from big box stores. Mimosa Kitchen and Bath sells only high-quality products manufactured in the industry. And as well as expert remodeling services.
The contractors at Mimosa Kitchen and Bath can service your home or business located in DC metro area, Columbia, Rockville, Bethesda, Jessup, Chevy Chase and surrounding areas.
When you purchase your products from us, we guarantee speedier delivery compared to ordering from big box stores. Our contractors will fabricate the product and install it into your kitchen quickly and with excellent artisanship.
You can visit our showroom in Ellicott City, Maryland to see the many products we have available.
These include bathroom and kitchen cabinets, flooring, faucets and sinks, vanities, as well as marble, granite and engineered quartz slabs. Some of the brands we carry include Zodiaq, Fabuwood, Forevermark Cabinetry, Caesarstone, MSI, Kitchenmaid, Wolf Cabinets, Cambria and Hardware Resources.
All of our products come backed with brand warranties.
Contact us today to get a free quote for your kitchen cabinets or kitchen remodeling project!
