Space is a topic we tend to cover a lot on these advice columns, and whilst that may seem a tad monotonous we think it exemplifies how important a topic it truly is. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Space is often at a surplus in any homestead, and as house prices continue to soar, the only affordable places of residence for many of us grow smaller and smaller.
Never let it be said, though, that a smaller kitchen means a reduced capacity for creativity and panache; the modern age has allowed for a number of innovations in the kitchen that makes life easier, no matter what the circumstances. The innovation we’d like to highlight today is that of the One Piece Kitchen.
The name is pretty indicative; One Piece Kitchens are, in essence, a single unit containing the essentials you need in a kitchen setting alongside a number of cabinets and drawers. These can include a built-in sink and faucet, electric burners, even refrigerator and freezer units for some models. Most units that classify as a One Piece Kitchen are specifically built at a smaller total size, packing in all that functionality into single, compact space for ease of use and freedom of movement.
As prior mentioned, space is at a premium in most abodes, but those of you that have larger kitchens may not immediately see the benefits of a One Piece Kitchen unit beyond just having everything within relatively easy reach. The places that most benefit from them are, as you might expect, apartments and flats with much less floor space to work with. In a great many apartments and flats, the total size of a kitchen may amount to only a couple of square feet; nary more then a glorified closet bathroom in more then a few circumstances. One Piece Kitchens are more or less an essential in kitchens this small, as individualised appliances and cabinets are simply not practical.
There are couple of more interesting uses for One Piece Kitchens you might not immediately be familiar with. For one thing, they’re incredibly common in Hotel-to-Apartment conversions, largely for similar reasons regarding space and efficiency. Another that turned up during our research is that they are often installed in ancillary rooms in homes, as a second kitchen to be used as the homeowners desire. They’re also found in places like College dorms, Pool Cabanas, anywhere where groups of people may congregate.
Another curiosity that surprised us during our research is that some of the first compact kitchen units were designed by one William L. Murphy. If the name doesn’t immediately sound familiar, Mr. Murphy was the inventor of the Murphy Bed- aka, the mattress and bedframe contraption that can be folded into the wall it’s affixed to as needed. He sold his designs to the Dwyer company in 1926, and are now sold under the Dwyer Compact Kitchens brand.
Although not a recent innovation by any stretch, the One Piece Kitchen unit is one of the triumphs of 20th Century homestead innovation. It stands as an example of technical innovators, designers, and mechanics being presented with a problem that must have seemed immeasurably high at the time, and overcoming the challenges anyway. And in doing so, they allowed for an improved quality of life for a great many people that may not have otherwise had it.
And that is something that we here at Silke can not only appreciate, but it’s a core part of our dedication to cutting edge German kitchens. We think the very idea of innovation that improves quality of living is something that should be highlighted and celebrated as often as possible, and that further implementation of these innovations into our kitchen packages is our way of contributing to that philosophy of betterment through modern technological application.