The Spruce / Michelle Becker
A one-wallkitchen layoutis about as basic as layouts get.
A favorite design for small homes and condos, the countertop and cabinets run for about 8 feet.
Less expensive than other layouts because it is smaller, a one-wall design lends itself well to do-it-yourself building.
The Spruce / Michelle Becker
The other three sides of the kitchen are open and often face living areas.
What a One-Wall Layout Is
With the one-wall layout, the counter is around 8 feet long.
A dishwasher is often included as a major service.
Things that can be moved aren’t includeditems like a microwaveor coffee maker.
To free up countertop space, consider moving the small appliances to mobile carts or tables.
Tip
One-wall kitchen layouts are often augmented withmobile kitchen islandsor carts.
These pieces allow more countertop space for food preparation.
Limited counter space means lower costs, as counters tend to run upkitchen budgetsconsiderably.
Fewer wall and base cabinets are used, too.
Usually, a single countertop with one sink cutout is used.
Also, because the kitchen footprint is minimized, more space can be used for living areas.
All of the major cooking functions are kept within a few feet of each other.
You never have to move very far with a one-wall layout.
So, selling the home may be more difficult.
Kitchens are often designed this way because there is no other option due tospace or cost limitations.
Resale values are lower for pared-down kitchens simply because homebuyers place such a high premium on the kitchen nowadays.
You do save money on countertopsbut this means havingfewer countertopsfor cooking.
The one-wall design does bring up new decisions by virtue of its compact size.
For instance, where do all of yourcabinetsgo?
Since you have so little space, you have fewer places to put them.
Yet if you cut back on cabinets, you have less storage space.
Not only that but one-wall layouts are more rigid in terms of placement.
