The Ultimate Open-Plan Kitchen

The least fussy configuration looks the cleanest. So a straight line of cabinetry will read as less messy than an L-shape, especially if building an L means adding an interior wall that interrupts flow to the rest of the space. Although Lopergolo and Wood—who were renters when they first finished the kitchen—initially chose a one-wall setup because it was easier to power and plumb, Lopergolo has since learned that this type of layout has great benefits. It eliminates the cost of building interior walls; it keeps the space open to maximum natural light; and it enhances the kitchen's social flow. "This way, it is literally the heart of the home," she says.