7 Single-Wall Kitchens That Make a Case for the Underappreciated Layout

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The kitchen ranks among the most compelling corners of our April digital cover star Gustaf Westman's apartment, and yet it spans barely three cabinets wide. In an era when a waterfall island seating four, a concealed walk-in pantry, and a second prep sink have become the expected baseline, the Swedish product designer's studio is a grounded reminder that a handful of storage units and core appliances along a single wall can absolutely suffice. Better still, that pared-back footprint clears the way for freestanding furniture and lets cooking and living areas flow into one another. Here are seven ways to make the single-wall kitchen shine.

Aligning your upper and lower cabinetry reads as deliberate in a single-wall kitchen, but to push the concept further, fold the countertop into the same conversation—as Westman did. He selected a whisper-soft pink stain so the pine's grain still reads through. The one element out of frame is his refrigerator, tucked just around the corner.

Artist Lauren Hom topped her freshly painted fridge with a stock IKEA cabinet and flanked the appliances with two tall plywood panels, giving the assembly a built-in look. From there she moved on to a more ambitious build: sweeping, curved open shelves that now display her prettiest cookware.

Even after Madelynn Furlong poured effort into her NYC kitchen—DIYing faux marble counters and swapping the uppers for open shelving—something still felt amiss. The culprit turned out to be her refrigerator. She traded the tired unit for a vintage-inspired Galanz that rang in at $500.

The absence of a built-in island with storage and seating is no reason to go without. Alongside a vintage wood chest repurposed as a pantry (parked just left of the fridge), interior stylist Courtney Favini scored an island for $200 at an antiques auction, gaining both a spot to eat and extra counter for prep.

What if we told you the cabinetry in Joy Cho's guesthouse started life as IKEA, given a semi-custom twist? She partnered with Copenhagen-based Reform to replace the stock fronts with a mix of brass, mauve, and blue panels. A single-wall layout is inherently low on visual noise, so it's the perfect setting to take a few risks with color.

The single-wall kitchen in this Paris apartment pulls double and triple duty. Nearest the entry, interior architect Olivier Debin tucked in tall cabinets for coats, plus a concealed washer. At the opposite end he carved out a desk with generous shelving, proof that one long wall can genuinely carry it all.

Whether it's a microwave you'd rather not see, or a hulking tankless water heater planted mid-kitchen—as designer Antoinette Allande Anderson contended with—you can typically mask the eyesore by stashing it behind a cupboard front.

Lydia Geisel has been on the editorial team at Domino since 2017. Today, she writes and edits home and renovation stories, including house tours, before and afters, and DIYs, and leads our design news coverage. She lives in New York City.

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