Whether you’re thinking nearly remodeling your kitchen or searching for a novel habitation in addition to weighing your options, the kitchen setup is extremely important. And if you lot ready a lot, the layout of this room actually matters.
Quite a few homes receive got galley kitchens — in addition to the owners either beloved them or desire to receive got a sledgehammer to them. But what is a galley kitchen, in addition to how practice you lot know if this style is right for you? Freshome rounded upwards several experts to aid you lot sympathize the pros in addition to cons of a galley kitchen. They also provided tips for designing a galley kitchen that you’ll love.
A galley kitchen is slap-up for 1 ready at a time. Image: Ran Kyu Park/Getty Images
What is a galley kitchen in addition to why is it used?
“A galley kitchen consists of 2 parallel runs of units forming a fundamental corridor,” explains Ariel Richardson, a San Diego-based interior designer and the founder of ASR Design Studio. The refer “galley kitchen” is derived from the kitchens on ships, inward which everything is inward a straight line.
It’s a slap-up solution when you lot don’t receive got a lot of space, or if a identify tends to hold upwards long instead of wide. “A galley kitchen is mostly considered a solution for smaller apartments. We’ve also done some every bit minute kitchens inward larger homes, similar a mother/daughter laid up,” says Michael Radovic, CKD at Showcase Kitchens. “You tin accomplish a functional in addition to nicely integrated kitchen, 1 that industrial plant seamlessly amongst the residual of the decor, amongst a length of nearly vii to viii feet.”
You tin relieve coin amongst a galley kitchen. Image: Hoxton-Martin Barraud/Getty Images
A galley kitchen is cost-effective
One payoff of a galley kitchen is that it won’t blow your budget, according to Nathan Outlaw, President at Onvico, a full general contracting in addition to design-build fellowship inward Thomasville, GA. “A galley kitchen volition commonly hold upwards to a greater extent than cost-effective than a large, opened upwards kitchen,” he says. “You exclusively receive got 2 sets of cabinets amongst simple rectangle countertop slabs.” That leaves to a greater extent than coin to splurge on the latest faucet trends.
You tin relieve steps — if it’s non likewise wide. Image: hikesterson/Getty Images
A galley kitchen is efficient
But a galley kitchen isn’t exclusively cost-effective. It’s also efficient. “The appliances are easily accessible. Galley style provides a very efficient kitchen piece of employment triangle,” says Joan Kaufman, an interior designer in addition to President of Interior Planning & Design inward Naperville, IL.
It’s a persuasion echoed yesteryear Erin Davis, Owner in addition to Lead Designer at Mosaik Design & Remodeling inward Portland, OR. “Because it’s smaller, fewer steps are required inward betwixt piece of employment areas,” Davis says. “In some galley kitchens, the sink, fridge in addition to hit are all along the same wall. This tin piece of employment good every bit long every bit at that spot is plenty prep infinite inward betwixt piece of employment areas.”
However, if the corridor is likewise far apart — to a greater extent than than half dozen feet wide, specifically — Richardson warns that it volition lose its efficiency.
In lieu of 2 walls, a galley kitchen tin receive got 1 wall in addition to 1 long island. Image courtesy of Case Design/Remodeling.
Chelsea Allard, VP of Design at Case Design/Remodeling inward Charlotte, NC, agrees that a galley kitchen tin hold upwards efficient. “The galley kitchen is made upwards of 2 parallel piece of employment surfaces. In a small-scale condo, it may hold upwards 2 walls. Or it could hold upwards 1 wall of cabinetry parallel to a long island,” she explains. “Galley kitchens tin hold upwards incredibly efficient because they allow a linear path to organize the major piece of employment zones: nutrient storage, prep in addition to cooking, clean-up in addition to non-perishable storage.”
Two cooks volition in all likelihood bump into each other. Image: photographee.eu/Shutterstock
A galley kitchen isn’t the best style for multiple people
However, a galley kitchen isn’t typically designed for a lot of — or fifty-fifty a few — people. “Due to size constraints, a galley kitchen actually tin exclusively gibe 1 or 2 cooks at a time,” Outlaw explains. “It volition hold upwards harder to motility unopen to anyone inward the kitchen.”
Allard agrees in addition to says that unless 1 of the sides is an island, a galley kitchen doesn’t grip traffic well. “Proper spacing betwixt each counter is critical to making certain at that spot is comfortable infinite for people to ready in addition to top yesteryear each other,” she says. “A galley kitchen is slap-up for small-scale spaces, but tin experience similar a rail if it’s likewise long.” On the other hand, if you lot receive got hardwood floors inward the kitchen, you lot may bask walking the runway.
You powerfulness non receive got a window view. Image: Contrastaddict/GettyImages
There may non hold upwards a lot of natural light
And if you’re inward the habit of looking out the window every bit you lot launder dishes, this may non hold upwards the kitchen for you. “Views of the exterior may hold upwards sacrificed,” says Kaufman. “There’s commonly non a sink conduct inward front end of a window. And sometimes, at that spot may non fifty-fifty hold upwards a window inward the kitchen.”
Make certain appliances volition gibe correctly. Image: Martin Deja/Getty Images
Consider your appliances
If you’re planning a galley kitchen, computer program for your appliances every bit well. “You should know the specs of your appliances in addition to brand certain that the nous appliances — sink, fridge in addition to stove — are either in a triangle or unopen to 1 some other inward a row,” advises Linda Hayslett at LH.Designs.
“Because galley kitchens are used for smaller spaces, the specs of the appliances are important, peculiarly the fridge in addition to stove.” Hayslett says that many people don’t intend nearly the spacing of these items, but larger sizes tin practice issues during installation.
Add lights wherever you lot can. Image: Mint Images/Getty Images
Making the galley kitchen experience larger
Even though a galley kitchen tends to hold upwards small, at that spot are ways to become far appear larger. “Use lite or high-gloss finishes to practice a to a greater extent than opened upwards feel,” says Richardson. “Placement of lite fixtures is essential inward creating an illusion of to a greater extent than space.”
Interior Designer Dawn Totty of Dawn Totty Designs inward Chattanooga, TN, recommends using a monochromatic color system inward a lite color to give the illusion of a larger, to a greater extent than opened upwards space. “I e'er tell the best kitchens are the most well-lit kitchens. But don’t only rely on recessed lighting,” Totty says. She suggests hanging a lantern, chandeliers or some other type of lite fixtures to add together some personality to the room.
Since infinite is limited, Totty also recommends placing cabinets every bit high every bit the ceiling in addition to utilizing baskets in addition to labeled bins.
“In addition, implement at to the lowest degree 2 glass-front cabinets for a pretty polish in addition to to interruption upwards the heaviness of all-wood cabinets,” she says. “You tin receive got a galley kitchen in addition to an island, too.” Totty recommends either a custom or store-bought isle amongst casters. “It’s a perfect agency to practice to a greater extent than prep space. [Islands] are also fun to exercise every bit a bar or dessert cart for entertaining.”
You may hold upwards able to enlarge the footprint. Image courtesy of Joan Kaufman — Interior Planning & Design.
Modifying the kitchen
If you’re actually sold on the thought of a galley kitchen but you lot don’t receive got the necessary width, at that spot are ways to become far work. “You tin opened upwards up the walls on both sides of the kitchen, which tin add together upwards to 12 inches of cabinet in addition to countertop space,” explains Shawn Breyer, possessor of We Buy Houses Atlanta. If you lot don’t desire to take walls, he has some other suggestion: add together a drinking glass door or a large window at the destination of the wall. “Adding larger windows is a tactic used inward smaller homes. It provides the perception of to a greater extent than space, making it experience less cramped,” Breyer says.
Some galley kitchens are quite spacious. Image: Contrastaddict/Getty Images