Say Goodbye To Traditional Cabinets: The Vintage Alternative We Want In Our Kitchens

While traditional built-in kitchen cabinets remain a popular remodeling trend in 2026, there is no denying that they are an expensive choice. Depending on the complexity of the project and the materials used, built-in cabinets average around $4,500. However, if you're working with a tighter budget, or just don't want traditional cabinets, a freestanding vintage pie safe is going to be an amazing alternative.

Also known as pie cabinets or pie chests, pie safes first entered American kitchens during the 1700s. As their name implies, they were used to store pies as well as other perishable goods. Roughly the size of a bureau, they were built with perforated doors that allowed fresh airflow while also keeping out pests like insects or mice. Pie safes lasted as go-to kitchen cabinetry until built-ins became the standard in the 1920s.

Today, craftsmen, especially those from Amish communities, build pie safes that tend to be in the $900 to $3,000 range depending on whether you're looking for larger 5-shelf models or the more traditional 3-shelf safes. Of course, you could also find a used one for less money at a thrift store, vintage market, or online. The distinctive features of a pie safe are the ventilated panels, which are typically made out of stamped metal like copper or tin. While they can be pricey, pie safes are an excellent vintage option to add extra storage and free up some space in your kitchen.

Antique pie safes vary in style and construction materials based on where they were originally built. For example, New England-built pie safes would be made of soft pine, while those from southern states would be Spanish cedar or yellow pine. The age, material choices, and quality of the upkeep determine the value of the piece when you're out shopping for a vintage pie safe.

In terms of what kitchen style a pie safe would work best in, they would be most at home in an unfitted kitchen. This up-and-coming kitchen trend emphasizes standalone cabinetry to create a more fluid and adaptable space, allowing you to mix and match your favorite pieces into a cohesive kitchen. Other unfitted kitchen pieces include items like hosier cabinets and jelly cabinets that both maintain the vintage look without sacrificing on storage.

This is not to say that a pie safe will not work in a midcentury designed kitchen. On the contrary, having one in an empty corner has all the potential of bringing some old-fashioned charm into your kitchen without having to go full vintage farmhouse. Overall, if you need a versatile, vintage piece of cabinetry, a pie safe is the way to go.