Joanna Gaines' Gorgeous Freestanding Kitchen Has Us Seriously Inspired

When you picture a traditional kitchen, you probably see fitted cabinets and miles of countertops. However, it's only relatively recently that kitchens have started to include these features. For most of history, freestanding or unfitted kitchens were the norm — and they are making a comeback. Even Joanna Gaines, of "Fixer Upper" fame, incorporates some of these elements into her kitchen, with freestanding open shelves and a furniture-style island. We've also seen this trend creeping into homes with prep tables, an HGTV-star approved affordable alternative to kitchen islands.

So if you're looking at a blank slate in your kitchen, wondering how you're going to fill it with the kinds of cabinets we've come to expect in kitchens, you may want to think back to historical kitchens. It wasn't until the early 20th century that built-in kitchens came into fashion. British kitchens have embraced freestanding furniture over built-in cabinets for a long time, and the result is a less uniform look that is more collected and charming. It's a good way to make your kitchen look more cottagecore, but there's nothing to stop modern design enthusiasts from implementing their own version with more streamlined and modern versions of the kind of pieces traditionally found in freestanding kitchens.

The freestanding kitchen trend is picking up so much steam that designers are creating collections to help you achieve this look. You can even find full freestanding kitchen setups on Etsy. However, if you want to save money and create a curated, hodge-podge look, finding your own pieces will be your best bet. You can modify these pieces as necessary, adding height or switching out the tops for more kitchen-friendly materials. Paint them. Put wheels on them. Do whatever you need to do to make a piece of furniture serve your needs in the kitchen.

It's important to note that you don't have to completely eschew fitted cabinets. These days, most of us have kitchen gadgets and food items that we want stored behind closed doors. So you may want to add some fitted cabinets to your kitchen, but think about ways to add in freestanding elements. This is also a good solution if you have existing cabinets and want to add more historical charm into your kitchen.

Like Joanna Gaines, you can work in features such as open shelving that nod toward freestanding elements. That could mean you do something as simple as add floating shelves to the wall instead of upper cabinets. The options are endless as long as you're willing to think outside the box and do a little digging to find the pieces you need. Use Joanna Gaines' other kitchen design tips to up your design game in the most important room of the house.

Repurposing old furniture items is an easy way to save money, add character, and enhance the flexibility of your kitchen as your needs change. There are a few key pieces that you'll want to look for to make your freestanding kitchen both practical and pretty. A shelving unit, like the one is Gaines' kitchen, can work as storage for a wide variety of items. From cookbooks to bowls to small appliances, you can use a unit like this in many different ways.

Consider using an old dresser as an island, or if seating is more important than storage, use an old table as a place to sit and to prep. Drag your grandmother's hutch up from the basement and use it as a pantry, or find an antique Hoosier cabinet, which is a multipurpose piece of furniture that stems from the days of unfitted kitchens. Find out how to upcycle a Hoosier cabinet into a farmhouse pantry. An old armoire could serve a similar purpose in your kitchen.

Look for other key items made for freestanding kitchens and find ways to repurpose them. Baker's racks and pie safes can be used in novel ways and given new life, even if you're not doing a ton of baking. Store small appliances, linens, or pantry items in a pie safe, and use a baker's rack as counter space or a coffee station. The biggest benefit of an unfitted kitchen is its flexibility, so use your imagination.