Galley Kitchen Design & Planning

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/design-style/design-byspace/kitchen/galley-kitchens-gallery-08-06-04_p_1.html

Kitchen

Galley Kitchen Design & Planning

1. Floor To Ceiling Units Should Be Chosen With Caution

Source: Credit - Ikea

1. Floor To Ceiling Units Should Be Chosen With Caution (Image 1 of 10)

Generally, floor to ceiling units don't work in a galley kitchen - they simply make it feel narrower than it is. However, it works here. Why? Because the opening at the far end is wider than a normal doorway and opens out into a bright living space. Its central area around the hob is also open, which helps increase the feeling of width in the room, and every bit of visible decor is white... can't beat it for making a small space seem bigger.

2. Work In A Dining Area

Source: Credit - Richard Powers

2. Work In A Dining Area (Image 2 of 10)

If we're talking galley kitchens, we're probably talking about a property with modest proportions over all - and that means no dining room. So, you'll ideally want to work a dining space into your kitchen. This could either be in the form of a narrow breakfast bar facing a wall, a deeper one, if the kitchen has the width (like the one above), which acts more like a dining table, or a breakfast bar on a return at 90 degrees to your wall that can also be used as extra food prep space. Either way, having a dining space in a kitchen without another dining area will attract more buyers to your home in the future.

3. Keep The Scheme Simple

3. Keep The Scheme Simple (Image 3 of 10)

Technically the smallest, trickiest of layouts, this kitchen benefits massively from a simple approach to decor. That includes the choice of units, which needn't be white, but should err on the paler side of the spectrum. It also encompasses floors and walls, as well as lighting. Good lighting will make a room feel larger, as will light walls and pale or at least monotone flooring. Clever tricks include laying floor tiles diagonally, hence visually widening the room.

4. Co-ordinate, Co-ordinate, Co-ordinate

Source: Credit - Dan Duchars

4. Co-ordinate, Co-ordinate, Co-ordinate (Image 4 of 10)

There's no denying it, a co-ordinated look, where units are matched with trims in blinds, where the wall colour echoes the flooring, and where accessories are subtly similar, will always make a small kitchen feel more streamlined, and as a result, much larger. Take care, though, the key to co-ordinating is to do so in minute details. In other words, matching blinds and wallpaper borders are out, as are rows of identical bowls and plates, unless they're cool, classy white...

5. You Can (Almost) Never Spend Too Much

Source: Credit - Ray Main/Mainstream Images

5. You Can (Almost) Never Spend Too Much (Image 5 of 10)

Choosing worktops and accessories such as appliances and taps for your galley kitchen? Our advice is to spend out on these because in a small, narrow kitchen, they will be all the more obvious and on-show. If you can't afford to spend out, look for classic, simple pieces at stores such as Ikea, but never, ever skimp on your work surfaces - the more you can spend on them, the better quality and the better looking they will be.

6. Give Yourself A View

Source: Credit - Douglas Gibb

6. Give Yourself A View (Image 6 of 10)

The narrowest end of a galley kitchen tends to suffer in aesthetic terms. In an ideal world, it will have a window in it, with a nice view outside. If so, put in a blind and bear in mind that widthway stripes will help widen the room visually. If it doesn't, assuming there are no wall units on it, why not create a view that's nice to look at? If the room lacks light and is really tight, a large mirror will work wonders, otherwise a striking collection of pictures will work, too.

7.

8.

9.

10.