Looking for something super modern and contemporary for your next kitchen renovation project? Have you ever considered a floating kitchen?

In this post, I’ll explain what a floating kitchen and floating kitchen island are as well as their pros and cons. So you’ll know if this kitchen design style is right for you.

Let’s get into it!

what is a floating kitchen?

A floating kitchen refers to the way kitchen cabinets are mounted to the wall (wall hung), rather than on legs or a sub-base, giving the illusion the cabinets are floating off the ground. Sadly it’s not magic.

A floating kitchen won’t have any plinth (toe kick) as the base cabinets won’t come down to the floor. Instead, there will be a larger area of open floor space underneath, giving the illusion of a bigger more spacious room.

Floating kitchen cabinets

Floating kitchen cabinets have been on the market for many years and are typically associated with modern kitchen design.

The cabinets are constructed in almost the same way a regular base cabinet would be constructed.

However, they may be slightly shorter in height and won’t require any legs fitted to the bottom of them. They will also require wall mounting brackets to be installed, similar to regular wall cabinets (upper cabinets).

Due to this wall mounting technique, your walls will need to be strong enough to support the weight of not only the cabinets but your countertop as well as anything your store in your cupboards. To achieve this you may need to build a false wall in order to support everything.

Depending on the kitchen brand and amount of floating cabinets, some may require a type of pedestal to be installed to help support the weight. This is usually shallow depth and set back out of sight as much as possible to help maintain the floating illusion.

If at all unsure, ask a professional to assess the strength of the wall intended to hold the cabinets.

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Storage Space

One of the biggest downsides of having a floating kitchen is the potential loss of cabinet storage space. Because the cabinets themselves tend to be shorter than a standard kitchen base cabinet you will lose approximately 5-15cm of storage space.

The exact size of the floating kitchen cabinets and how much space you may lose will depend on the kitchen manufacturer and how they install their floating cabinets.

Can You Have A Sink In A Floating Kitchen?

Yes, you can install a sink into floating kitchen cabinets the same as you would any regular kitchen base cabinet.

The water feeds and the waste pipe would just need to be concealed in the wall and come out at the correct height inside the floating cabinet to avoid seeing any plumbing in the open ‘floating’ space underneath. Similar to a floating vanity cabinet in your bathroom.

Floating Shelves

While not strictly what I would consider a floating kitchen, floating shelves or open shelving can be another great way to create a contemporary kitchen and open a space up.

Again, you’ll need to make sure your wall is strong enough to support floating shelves, or create supports inside the wall for a stronger installation.

And remember, don’t overload your floating shelves! They aren’t designed to hold heavy cookware, they’re for smaller and more decorative items. Such as bowls, mugs, cookbooks or artwork.

Check out my Kitchen Shelving Pinterest Board for some inspiration!

what is a floating kitchen island?

A floating kitchen island is when there are no end panels that connect with the floor and the plinth (toe kick) wraps around the whole island. Giving the illusion of a floating effect.

Often times LED strip lights will be installed around the bottom of the base cabinets to highlight this floating space and enhance the look of this design feature.

A floating island isn’t truly floating like a run of cabinets along a wall can be floating, simply because there isn’t a wall to fix the cabinets onto.

The term floating island is sometimes used to refer to freestanding kitchen islands or where a countertop will extend and overhang on a kitchen island. However, I wouldn’t consider these true ‘floating’ kitchen islands.

Pros Of a floating kitchen

• Unique Modern Look
• The room feels more spacious and open
• Helpful for accessible kitchen design

Cons of a floating kitchen

• Less storage
• Wall needs to be strong enough to support the weight
• Installation can be more labour intense
• More floor area to keep clean

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Final thoughts…

There you have it! Everything you need to know about floating kitchens!

Floating kitchens can add a contemporary and spacious feel to any room while also helping to achieve a real wow factor. However, you may lose a little storage and you’ll need to consider the installation logistics carefully.

What do you think, would you consider a floating kitchen?

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