How to Make the Most of Your One Wall Kitchen

Interior design has many layers to it. One aspect of design is simplicity and you will see it present in all genres of design. This is especially the case with a straight line or one wall kitchen. They are simple, convenient, practical, and can be very stylish if you implement them using the right elements. Yes, countless homeowners enjoy the convenience of having a larger work surface with U-shaped kitchens or the satisfaction of sitting around a kitchen island while the cooking and prepping can be done on the counters around the room. 

You can, however, make the most of your straight line kitchen and turn it into something very practical, but also stylish and sleek as well. It is a matter of knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the layout and how you can work with them to create a more wholesome and functional kitchen. 

What Is a One-Wall Kitchen?

Get to Know Your One Wall Kitchen

Speaking of knowing your kitchen, there are some very important aspects to a one-wall kitchen that you should consider when creating your kitchen floor plan. 

Everything is within your reach with a straight line kitchen. One problem that other, more complex kitchen layouts tend to have is that you end up running back and forth between the cabinet and countertop as you grab something from one end of the room and take it to the other. While this can be a great form of exercise, the last thing you need when you are cooking a big dinner is having to constantly reach around and cause potential spills. This problem grows exponentially when the kitchen is crowded. 

A single-line kitchen eliminates this issue as everything is within your reach. If you need to grab the salt shaker for a quick flavor addition to whatever you are cooking, you can do that swiftly without knocking anything over. Cooking becomes far more intuitive and convenient. 

Natural flow is a very important part of interior design. Professional interior designers do not simply layout a floor plan based solely on preference or style. They also consider how the user experience of movement is going to be affected with each extra piece of furniture or stylization. As nice as a peninsula in your kitchen may be, it can hamper movement and create traffic in the room. A straight line kitchen eliminates the problem of an overcrowded room as the kitchen workspace goes in a single direction. No having to zig-zag through crowds of people trying to take something to the dining room as you’re cooking.

Why Organic Work Flow Is Important In a Kitchen Layout

Compact design is very important in homes with less space. Some kitchens don’t have the space to accommodate kitchen islands and other extensive additions to the kitchen. The straight-line layout is a dream kitchen for homes with less space. 

All you need to have a straight line kitchen in your home is a single wall that you can install the necessary utilities into, like gas, water, and electricity. If you have a long empty wall, then you can take advantage of that and have a long straight line kitchen that offers as much workspace and storage as more complex kitchen layouts. 

Design Tips for a Straight Line Kitchen

While simple in layout, straight-line kitchens offer a lot of creative freedom to homeowners looking to spruce up the room. There are many different straight-line kitchen designs you can try out and see which one speaks to you and fits the aesthetic of your home. 

Sleek and Modern

Design Tips for A One Wall Kitchen In Any Style

You will find the single wall kitchen layout mostly in homes with contemporary interior design. As the straight line layout is more simple in design than other more complicated layouts, it makes for a perfect fit in minimalist kitchens. The one wall kitchen layout can be accentuated nicely with sleek and smooth surfaces, from the countertop to the drawers and cupboards. 

Using smooth (perhaps handle-less) cabinet doors, drawers, and other kitchen features, you can create a contemporary kitchen where the forms of the furniture complement the layout of the kitchen itself. Add to that some subtle modern features, such as a hidden stovetop hood and a deemphasized sink and you have yourself a kitchen that fits the rest of a modern interior.

Bright and Natural

Bright and Natural Elements in a Scandinavian Style Straight-Line Kitchen

The Scandinavian aesthetic works very well with a single wall kitchen. The low-key details and the less-complex nature of Scandinavian design make it the perfect aesthetic for a simple kitchen layout like the straight line. With brighter colors and elements of biophilia added in, you can make your straight line kitchen come to life.

This touch works especially well In studio apartment kitchens. Because of the limited space, the kitchen and living room in studio apartments are often not clearly separated. The problem with this is that if the design of the kitchen is slightly more emphasized or does not match that of the living room, it can make the entire area look mismatched and uneven. The Scandinavian and other understated yet chic styles can work well as they are not too demanding of attention and can more seamlessly blend into the room.

Incorporate the Windows

Important Elements to Highlight In a One Wall Kitchen

Keeping the kitchen brightly lit is always important. Since you are going to be cooking and cleaning in the kitchen, you need to not only see what is in front of you but where everything else around you is. If your kitchen has windows, you can use them to your advantage and brighten up the interior. 

If your one-wall kitchen is blessed with a window along its straight line or at least one that is very close to it, keep it unobstructed to let in as much sunlight as possible. The windows can easily be incorporated into the design of a straight line kitchen both in style and functionality. For example, you can decorate the area around the window with ornate tiles for aesthetic incorporation. For more functionality, you can even use the window sills as extra shelves. If you don’t have a window near your straight line kitchen, it is well worth it to inquire with a contractor if the structure of your wall will forgive you carving one out. This will be a slightly bigger investment than just removing drapes, but it will make the world of a difference. 

How to Make Your One-Wall Kitchen Bigger 

By design, straight line kitchens are meant to be more compact. And since they only take up one wall they can feel somewhat limiting. However, there are ways you can make the space in your straight line kitchen feel bigger both physically and visually.

Upgraded Storage

Storage Solutions Going Up the Wall In One Wall Kitchens

Many homeowners take their cupboards, cabinets, and drawers for granted. Sure, they seem like a pretty simple concept: a square wooden box with a door that is either pulled or lifted. But there is a lot more to work with than most individuals initially think. 

Several kitchen storage upgrades, however, can maximize the space in your kitchen and offer more free room for cooking, prepping, or cleaning. These upgrades include sliding shelves for cupboards and cabinets, a pull-out table, vertical drawers, cabinet door hooks, and plenty more options. These additions are also not very difficult to install, especially if you have an experienced carpenter to offer you a hand.

Using the Vertical Space

How to Accommodate Storage and Style In Your Kitchen

If you literally have a wall to work with why not take advantage of the wall’s vertical space? We are so used to organizing everything horizontally that we forget how useful vertical space can be. This does not only mean installing cupboards. 

Shelves and open cabinets also make for great storage. They are not only practical but also very decorative, especially if you are going for a more rustic interior. Most importantly, open storage instead of closed-door cabinets open up the space and leave more room for your eyes to travel. They are even easier to install than other kitchen storage upgrades. If you have any experience in DIY, you should be able to install shelves and hooks by yourself and if not, you can get the help of a local contractor or handyperson to install them for you. Do not let all that perfect vertical space go to waste. Use as much of it as you can and see for yourself how much more space your straight line kitchen has in store for you.