Have you looked through the FKB and / or Kitchens We Love? That's a good starting point.

Good luck -- the kitchen you're describing sounds fun!

I think of that as shaker, but the website I linked to below has some other categories that you might find more appropriate...

Like Georgian, Federal, Greek Revivial, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.kennebeccompany.com/georgian.php?gallerynumber=1

From the kennebec co. The Georgian has the closest feel but still seems a bit too finished maybe?

Hmm, unframed doors like this: http://georgie.shutterfly.com/action/slideshow?caid=67b0de21b30f57d8055e&a=67b0de21b30f57d8055e&auto=0amp;idx=3&m=1&d=1213072044440
But more variety in finishes like this:
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/7499/1036/1600/157838/allison0704.0.jpg
With few upper cabinets, rather open shelves like this:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7499/1036/1600/spacific.jpg
Some what like this:
http://www.atticmag.com/images/600_McNally1.jpg
http://www.atticmag.com/images/BigPlateRackKitchen.jpg
This kinda has the right feel:
http://www.atticmag.com/images/600_KitTinBacksplash.jpg
http://www.atticmag.com/images/Kit-woodbine6xblueunfitted.jpg

I think I have figured out what the word I am looking for is: Unfitted. I really like the look of an unfitted kitchen.
Suggestions on where to find good pics? They don't seem to be very common.

Did you see pirula's kitchen? Based on what I saw of the links you included, I wonder if hers wouldn't be a good fit for you ... or at least another to include in your list.

Your kitchens look v. English to me, but like the vrai chose English, not our American ideal. (okay, they're pretty ideal regardless of location!)

Sorry I don't have a picture to post (just a few in books), but I think I know just what you mean because I like that too. You'll never find a good name for it that you can serve up to people, though.

To keep it in front of yourself as you make your decisions and to show others as needed, in addition to scouting the web for pictures, I'd recommend getting magazines new and old and tearing out pictures, photocopying or scanning pix from books, et cetera. Old publications are especially valuable to help avoid the current-look trap, fun as it can be to fall into.

Take a look at "Bungalow Kitchens" by Jane Powell. Also most definitely get a copy of the to-die-for "The New Bungalow Kitchen" by Peter LaBau. I have the same taste and have found the best inspiration from these two books and the historical period of the first half of the 20th century.

Google around for "Arts and Crafts", "Craftsman", "Shaker" and especially "Bungalow" styles. You'll find gorgeous unfitted kitchens with no granite. :)

What about "Pennsylvania Dutch" or "Amish"?
You might also get some good hits searching for "Colonial" or "Colonial American" now that's it's not so popular.

But unfitted, definitely!

Have a gander at the kitchen eye candy on this site...

Here is a link that might be useful: Moore & Bradfield

Hey Chelsea. I'm not able to post my collection of inspiration photos b/c I'm away this week but remind me on the weekend and I'll email some to you. In the meantime check out this site.

We both liked the primitive stylebest and my DH was planning to build the kitchen himself when a retired cabinet builder we know said he would love to try some of this kind of work. So we're having stuff built now and I'm waiting to see his first samples and decide if we want to go ahead.

I really wanted a kitchen that functioned for us but looked like it had been there for a long time like the rest of my house is supposed to look.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Styles by David Smith

I see you already found my kitchen. I did use granite on either side of the range for putting down hot items....and ended up using it on pine hutch as well.

If I had a do-over, I would stick the refrigerator somewhere else - maybe the pantry - and have a large freestanding hutch on that wall. The hutch is basically a piece of furniture (finished ends, etc) but was fitted exactly into that spot so it does look semi-built it. Same with black coffee station hutch (can be seen at Kitchen We Love - French Gray Island Kitchen in the Gray Kitchen category.) You can click on the pictures there to enlarge.

I also looked at David T Smith cabinetry. If I had more time, I would have just searched for and purchased antique pieces to use instead of having things made, but being so involved with the design and build of our home, I just did not have the time.

Good luck with your project!

Oh, check out this website link below. The owners are the two men who did the cabinet finishing and installation in my kitchen. They have also built several things for me this year. The website is new, so not too much on it yet. They hope to get more involved in local kitchens/bathrooms also.

Here is a link that might be useful: Highend Woodworks

Che1sea,

I think you're a candidate for my recommendation to look at English/European magazines/Web sites. The unfitted look is big there, the appreciation for worn and reused things. I like it because it's good for people who don't want to gut or add on, or can't because of site or materials restrictions (like a stone house) so it embraces quirks and uses the site and layout you have creatively.

I like that it challenges me to THINK out a solution, not throw money at it. (Although some "simple" looking things turn out to be very spendy!)

That last woodbine unfitted is pretty typical of a modern "shaker style" kitchen, featured in a lot of English magazines.

Places to look: plainenglishdesign.com, The English Home magazine, Period Home magazine, BBC Homes and Antiques magazine, World of Interiors magazine (all available at my local Borders -- they can probably order them for you. Warning, they're about $8 apiece here. Some have Web sites with some photos.)

I sat through a David T. Smith presentation, and there was only one kitchen that appealed -- apparently his favorite, one based on an old Maine kitchen. Most are too "done" for me. Someone near me has a Kennebec though, and it's just amazing. Too much a set piece for my house, but beautifully done.

Are you looking for a single word or phrase? "Eclectic" is as close as you're probably going to get.

Good luck!

I'm going for an old farmhouse kitchen look too. Which is what I'm calling it, LOL. My farmhouse was built in the late 1800's so that's the look I'm going for, but with some modern conviences like a refrigerator, oven WITH a thermostate, running water, dishwasher, microwave. But I won't have any large runs of counter space, lighting won't be as bright as a modern kitchen, and I won't be taking every little nook and cranny up with storage space (food will be in the pantry). Here is a link to some of my inspiration pictures. (others I lost when my hd died :()

Here is a link that might be useful: victorian kitchens

Thanks for all of the links. I like the David Smith stuff but I agree a lot of it is too done but that shouldn't be too much of a worry since we will be building our own most likely.
Any suggestions on how to turn up European sites more easily. I did find a few when I was searching before and they generally had what I was looking for.
I think I will have to request the bungalow kitchen books from the library, they look promising.

You could search kitchens directly from the UK Yahoo website.

Here is a link when I searched for "english kitchen" there.

Here is a link that might be useful: UK Yahoo

Here is a good website.

Try searching "bespoke kitchen" instead.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plain English Designs UK