The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home, its heart for those who love cooking or entertaining, but also for families who enjoy gathering together. Therefore, when designing a kitchen wall unit, it’s important to make choices that best suit your practical needs, your taste and style, and above all, the space available.
The shape of the fitted wall
The first thing to identify is the shape best suited to the space, trying to exploit the room’s characteristics and strike the right balance between storage and design. Many of us today dream of having an island for workspace and a breakfast area, or simply because it’s modern or we like it.
But there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, as it depends on our space and, above all, everyone has a personal way of understanding and experiencing the kitchen. So it’s right that our habits are the guiding thread of the project, and the first thing to understand is how we use it: whether we actually cook, how, and how much. Or whether aesthetics matter more to us than practicality.
The arrangement of the systems in a kitchen wall
Another step, if we’re redesigning a kitchen with existing utilities already in place, is to start with them and their location. But don’t forget to move them, if possible, if this could improve the use of available space. At this stage, we should also focus on the placement of appliances.
The pivots on which food preparation revolves are the sink and hob, which, as a rule, should never be too close to each other, nor too far apart. If, however, we can choose the location of the utilities, a sink under the window is, in my opinion, a highly recommended choice; even if we have to forgo the dish drainer, we all have a dishwasher these days. This decision allows us to have plenty of natural light, the ability to gaze out over the surroundings, and if it relaxes us, washing dishes will be even more enjoyable.
Style and appliances of the wall unit
Now we can move on to the next step in designing our kitchen wall unit. Choosing its style and appliances: hobs, refrigerator, hood, sink material and size.
The best refrigerator for the kitchen
Even in this case, everyone’s personality, habits, and style are different, but as a general guide, we should remember that:
When choosing a refrigerator, a built-in one has less capacity than a freestanding one, unless it’s an XL or the new 75 cm version. Our advice is to opt for a built-in one if your kitchen opens onto the living room to create continuity, or choose a freestanding one if your kitchen is closed, allowing you to experiment with colors and designs: for example, a colorful vintage design or a simpler, cleaner stainless steel one.
However, if you’re a fan of side-by-side or American-style refrigerators, whether your kitchen is open or closed makes little difference as long as it’s well-integrated into the design of the wall unit. Furthermore, the latest models with interactive screens look great anywhere. One trick could be to create a space in the kitchen around the refrigerator by inserting it between the columns with a wall unit above or with a plasterboard niche, for a more integrated effect.
Which hood to choose for a fitted wall unit?
When choosing a hood, there are many factors to consider, such as whether you have a kitchen island or what ventilation systems are used. However, the best option is always to opt for extractor hoods with an external wall or ceiling outlet for better performance, air recirculation, and less odor buildup.
Today, induction hobs with integrated extraction eliminate the space above the hood to eliminate wall units or to be placed on islands. However, they obviously eliminate the space underneath to allow for the passage of ducts. For a designer pendant hood, there are now beautiful models that look like chandeliers, featuring cutting-edge filter solutions and air purification systems.
Choosing a Hob for a Kitchen Wall
In recent years, the trend for hobs has been to switch from gas burners to induction hobs, but there are pros and cons. Induction hobs consume energy, so make sure you have the right voltage. You need the right cookware, which costs a little more than traditional hobs, but they’re certainly easier to clean, safer, and can reach high temperatures quickly (for example, boiling water for pasta takes just a few minutes), so the savings come in the form of time savings. Gas hobs are for “great cooking enthusiasts” or “traditional recipes,” as certain types of cooking can only be done with burners, and even terracotta or cast iron pots.
The most suitable sink for a wall unit
The steel sink with a draining board has given way to the single bowl, offering a cleaner look and, above all, more space for pots and pans. The market offers a wide range of sizes and colors. If you want to install a 90 cm sink with a single bowl, we recommend also installing the accessories provided (cutting boards, baskets, or grids) to get the most out of it.
What style to give to the wall unit
Style, the most subjective aspect, must certainly be related and consistent with the other rooms, especially if we have a kitchen open to the living room, but above all it must reflect ourselves. An eclectic character is a mix of materials, styles, and eras, even a touch of vintage.
The modern kitchen, featuring a fully equipped island and next-generation surfaces, with hi-tech appliances, essential and clean lines, can have neutral colors for the more minimalist, or bold colors and contrasting materials and colors for stronger personalities.
Shabby-chic and classic, warm colors with a slightly Provençal feel, alternating wood and stone for more romantic personalities.
The industrial style, on the other hand, favors the use of raw, unfinished, even slightly worn materials, many objects exposed on shelves or open cabinets, and a contrast between wood and metal to recall the industries of yesteryear.
The kitchen is undoubtedly one of the rooms in the house where we spend most of our time, a space dedicated to preparing and enjoying meals with friends, and increasingly also seen as a multifunctional space. So let’s take the time to design the kitchen wall unit, making the best choices based on our needs, space, and personality.