Moveable feasts: Return of the freestanding unfitted kitchen
The new Neptune Borough kitchen island, priced from €4,400; Suffolk larder from €6050. For the full line of Farlow, Suffolk and Borough freestanding elements see Neptune.com.
The unfitted kitchen may be trending for 2026, but we know it’s a free and easy style that’s been around for decades. Most kitchens (not entirely screwed together in contemporary MDF carcasses) are a hybrid. This chic mixture comprises exquisitely practical runs of built-ins, nestled up to the character and quirk of legged or untethered cabinetry, dressers, larders, and trolleys.Â
Truly freestanding pieces offer design flexibility, but once in place, heavier cabinetry is unlikely to trot around the kitchen. What a movable feast does offer is a space that can develop organically, over time, incorporating new modular units, high-street finds, bespoke cabinetry, and salvaged treasure. It’s very budget-friendly. Consider loosening up with a kitchen table in place of an island, a timber larder that’s a true loner, or clever, wheeled, articulated pieces that roll up to the task.
