Design Tips for Galley Kitchens

Unlike most conventional kitchens and open-plan living set-ups, designing a galley kitchen means thinking about all of the available space. In short, a galley kitchen layout will mean you have a limited number of options because most are only large enough to provide you with the basics. Whether you have a long, thin kitchen with room for a breakfast bar or one that is only large enough for a sole occupant, the best design will make the space practical to use as well as pleasing to the eye. What are the design principles you need to keep in mind when renovating yours?

Stick to a Classic Style

To begin with, no galley-style kitchen will look good if it is too busy on the eye. You should opt for a straightforward colour palette, for example, with muted tones. Shaker-style kitchens with all of their timeless elegance are perfect for galley kitchens. Tall cupboards and storage units make use of all of the available vertical space in your kitchen, something that will mean being able to optimise its functionality. Likewise, the simple design aesthetic of something that is tried and tested will mean your potentially busy kitchen looks and feels serene.

Go For Integrated Appliances

If you have stand-alone appliances in a small kitchen, then they can add to the visual clutter. Integrated appliances cost a little bit more to fit because you will need the appropriate panels to be fixed to their fronts. However, the extra will be worth it because your appliances will all be hidden away. What's more, integrated appliances will not stick out from underneath your worktops. This can happen with larger appliances. In a large kitchen, this is not so much of a problem, but if you have a thin, galley-style one, then the loss of even a few centimetres of width will have a big impact on the overall aesthetic.

Avoid Protruding Handles

There is no need to fit knobs and protruding handles to your kitchen cabinets these days. Most kitchen units will come with doors that you can fit integrated runner handles at the top or bottom. These tend to be made from extruded sections of metal, such as aluminium. As they are basic grab rails, they will not stand out from your cabinets which, in turn, keeps all of your units as flush to the wall as possible, ideal in any galley kitchen setting.