Kitchen with no bottom cabinets

Question

what wouuld a kitchen look like with no bottom cabinets or limited bottom cabinets, I find I really dont have a need for them. Is this a dumb ? or idea?

KMS Woodworks · Answer

YOU may not have a need for them...but a future home owner most likely will. Considering kitchens are one of the primary 'selling points' in real estate. Not having a 'traditional' kitchen will hurt you when you decide to sell.

Mary Calzada · Answer

you are correct and I thought of that as I was posting the question. I do have a small home in a very modest neighborhood, I am still curious if anyone has an idea or has done it

Shari · Answer

I don't normally agree with people who refuse to make changes in their home because it 'might hurt the resale value' but I whole-heartedly agree with @KMS Woodworks. I can pretty much guarantee that removing your lower cabinets will affect the resale value of your home in a very negative way. A functional kitchen is important to most people and kitchens rarely ever have enough storage anyway, especially small kitchens. Ample storage space (lots of cabinets, closets, garages, basements and/or attics) is always a huge plus when selling a home. In addition, kitchen renovations can be quite pricey so if you are in a very modest neighborhood, any potential buyers of your home will likely also have a very modest budget and may not have the financial resources to replace the cabinets if you remove them--which could mean no sale. In fact, if you wanted to sell your home in the future, it would not surprise me one bit if the real estate agent advised you to replace the lower cabinets before putting the house on the market. 
 If you don't use the bottom cabinets then there is no harm in leaving them empty but I would advise you to think long and hard about the ramifications of removing them.

Melinda · Answer

If you want to take the doors off, then store them flat somewhere with a controlled temp so they don't warp. Use baskets in the cabinets.

Deb S · Answer

Mary, handicap accessible kitchens are made without lower cabinets. Also I have seen some HGTV episodes of House Hunters where European kitchens often have no lower cabinets. Here is one link to photos of a handicap accessible kitchen: http://www.spinalistips.se/tips-accessible-kitchen-without-lower-cabinets-en-296.html

Mary Calzada · Answer

I think you are 'very' right Shari. I am a bit of a risk taker but this makes 'total' sense. Will take your advice. I just thought there might be another dare devil out there with a 'great idea', thanks again :)

Susansaw · Answer

But the idea of taking the doors off and using the cabinets as shelving might work as long as you keep the doors to put back should you decide to sell.

AmericanWoman · Answer

I need a kitchen with no cabinets over my head. I'm 5'1' and I've been climbing countertops for too long.

Diane Basile · Answer

I don't think it's a dumb question at all. The only problem I have with it is that I'd be afraid of smacking my head in the corner of the overhead cabinets. Maybe you'd be better off with a pantry unit.  if you're planning on staying in your house for any length of time you should do what feels most comfortable for you. But I would try to save the cabinets in some out-of-the-way place.

Lou Camp · Answer

I think D. Basile has the right idea. A couple of cabinets that stand upright should fill the bill too.  And two or more old fashioned tin cabinets are great and.most are small but ample.

Pat · Answer

A question? If you don't want lower cabinets, will you just have upper cabinets with no work space? Or will you have a work space with no lower cabinets, just upper cabinets? How about the stove or dishwasher...they are usually built into lower cabinets, right? I would like to see pictures of a kitchen without lower cabinets. But will say, it is your kitchen....do what works for you. Wouldn't bother with thinking of the resale value unless you are thinking of selling in a couple of years.

Kitchen with no bottom cabinets

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