1. OPT FOR A SINGLE GALLEY LAYOUT
Single-line galley kitchens featuring just one run of units work particularly well in an open-plan layout. Here, homeowner and director of Norwegian Crafts, Hege Henriksen, chose a single galley layout, without upper wall kitchen cabinets, to create a seamless flow that echoes the long lines of the house. The long run of oak cabinetry with linear detailing ends with a tall cupboard, clad in contrasting burgundy tones, to house the appliances.
2. BE CLEVER WITH DEPTHS AND HEIGHTS
Galley kitchens offer efficient layouts with small kitchen storage and appliances all within easy reach. However, you can optimize your galley layout even further, by paying close attention to the depth and height of cabinets and worktops –tweaking these dimensions will tailor your design to suit your space and individual requirements.
3. SQUEEZE IN A SLIM PREP TABLE
Galley kitchen layouts might generally be narrow but that doesn’t mean you cannot include a kitchen island or dining feature. Look out for slim freestanding tables – a vintage antique or bespoke piece creates an eye-catching centerpiece – that can be used for a perch with friends or an extra preparation surface.
4. UTILIZE EVERY INCH OF HIGH CUPBOARDS
Galley kitchen layouts are often long and narrow, and, in particular, this 1920s house in North London had very little natural light. To improve natural lighting, designer and founder of Ledbury Studio, Charlie Smallbone, suggested installing a roof light plus a discreet lighting recess at the very top of the tall units.
5. EXTEND WITH A BUILT-IN BENCH
A galley kitchen layout should not be a barrier to fitting in a seating and dining zone as is displayed by this fairly wide space. Created as an extension of one run of cabinetry, the built-in bench offers somewhere comfortable to sit with extra storage underneath – with room for a freestanding table and extra chairs on the other side. The low level sideboard and open shelving on the opposite side of the room clearly demarcate this end of the galley layout as the space for eating and entertaining.
6. CREATE A PLEASING SYMMETRY
In open-plan living, there is something rather pleasing about the compact dimensions of a single galley kitchen – especially when it displays a harmonious symmetry as shown in this modern rustic décor. There is still space for a double oven, sink and plenty of storage despite its small footprint, demonstrating how galley kitchens are the ultimate in efficiency.
7. RECREATE A GALLEY LAYOUT WITH AN ISLAND
Recreate the efficiency of a galley-style kitchen layout in a larger, open-plan space by installing an island unit. In this kitchen, there is a traditionally narrow galley layout at one end of the kitchen formed by the fridge-freezer standing opposite the kitchen dressers. Then, the section that leads out to the open-plan living zone is maximized with a freestanding island, installed to stand perfectly in line with the galley zone.
8. ADD A BREAKFAST BAR
Break up the straight lines of a very modern galley kitchen layout with a stripped-back breakfast bar. The simplicity of this overhang adds an extra visual dimension to the sparse contemporary galley layout.
'A breakfast bar can take the form of a structure built off a worktop or an overhang created by reducing the depth of the cabinetry beneath the worktop, depending on the space available,' says Ben Hawkswell, senior design consultant at Roundhouse.
9. GROUP TALL CABINETS TOGETHER
Both sides of the galley layout don’t need to be perfectly symmetrical – in fact, it’s often a good idea to group tall cabinetry on one side to enhance a feeling of spaciousness.
10. EXTEND INTO AN L-SHAPED CORNER HUB
'Due to limited space within this galley style kitchen, we would have only been able to fit a table with four chairs,' adds interior designer Lindsey Black. 'By creating a built-in L-shaped banquette, we were able to fit four people on the banquette, in addition to the two side chairs. It also gave us precious extra storage space as the seat tops lift up for storage underneath.'