How to make the most of your one-wall kitchen

White Contemporary Kitchen by Space Kit
Author: Bryan Anthony

Not everyone needs a kitchen with a work triangle. Some people like the expanded living space that can come from having kitchen appliances and cabinets anchored to one wall. Read on to discover great ways to open up your living space and gain versatility without losing too much kitchen storage and bench space.

Get creative with storage
There are a variety of ways to ensure adequate storage space when cabinets are massed on a single wall. One straightforward approach is to add as many cabinets to that wall as possible.

This urban apartment has floor-to-ceiling cabinets with a cutout for the benchtop. With a small wall-unit oven and a two-burner stove, this kitchen may not work well for preparing five-course meals, but there’s more storage space than often found in a typical inner-city apartment.

While a one-wall kitchen technically has all appliances and cabinets anchored to a single wall, there’s no law preventing you from incorporating built-in storage elsewhere. This contemporary loft features custom built-in bookshelves and drawers adjacent to the kitchen wall; they could be used to store extra servingware or small kitchen appliances, and no one would be the wiser.

Find more space in the kitchen

Bring in bench space
A kitchen island has become a staple in many homes. Besides providing additional bench space, it’s also a hot spot for entertaining friends and eating breakfast. Though one of the benefits of a one-wall kitchen is that it allows for more living space, if you have enough room, you still may want to include an island for its aforementioned benefits.

This Ian Stallings-designed apartment has an open living area with a one-wall kitchen featuring French-blue painted cabinets, marble benchtops and a matching island.

If you want an island for everyday use but also want the option to open up the space for special occasions, choose an island with wheels.

Find the perfect kitchen island bench

Dining tables in one-wall kitchens are a popular option, especially in homes without formal dining rooms. A dining table can also be used as an additional benchtop. Make sure that your dining table can hold up to the wear and tear of cooking prep, or use a large cutting board to prevent gouges in your table (unless that’s the look you’re going for). Bench seating is also a great option because it allows you to slide the bench under the table rather than having to move chairs out of the way when using the table for prep work.

Browse thousands of dining tables for your living-dining area

Enjoy the goodness in a small package
In many cities, space is limited, therefore it’s not uncommon for new high-rise apartments to opt for one-wall kitchens because they provide a greater sense of openness.

This luxury high-rise apartment was designed by Julie Cavanaugh of Design Matters. Cavanaugh says she created more visual space by hiding the microwave in a cabinet. She also chose low-profile furniture to keep the kitchen feeling open.

Small kitchen spaces can benefit greatly from small appliances. Fortunately, many European-style appliances are available in Australia, and come in slim sizes that suit smaller spaces perfectly.

Styling tips for a small kitchen

Another great feature of a one-wall kitchen is that you can drop it into an existing room and, if it’s designed correctly, you may hardly notice it.

This one-wall kitchen unit was added to an existing living-dining area. The streamlined black cabinets and appliances make it look more like a sculptural piece of furniture than a fully functioning kitchen.

When it comes to long, narrow kitchens, people usually think of a galley layout. But for very narrow spaces, a one-wall kitchen may provide a greater sense of space. Consider this black and white kitchen, which isn’t much wider than a hallway. Appliances and cabinets on both walls would make it feel heavy and oppressive, rather than the light and airy feeling the space conveys.

View our photo gallery of one-wall kitchens