When you conjure a mental image of a galley, it is likely that you imagine an old kind of ship, or a narrow corridor on an airplane, before the words ’kitchen layout’ spring to mind! While this may be so, don’t let your assumptions about the word make you biased to the ways a galley layout could benefit your kitchen.
Galley kitchens are ideal for saving space, especially when the kitchen is narrow to begin with. Further, it is an effective setup for more efficient cooking, and they can significantly enhance your kitchen’s storage capabilities. What’s more is that the galley kitchen can help improve the flow of people and preparations thanks to its functional orientation. If you’re still feeling sceptical about the many wonders of the galley kitchen, read on! We're sure you'll change your mind…
A galley kitchen is poised for optimal placement of the major kitchen appliances. You may have already heard about the benefits of appliances that are organised in the kitchen triangle formation. For those of you who have not, the kitchen triangle is essentially comprised of the oven, sink, and refrigerator where the sink is typically placed in between the stove and the fridge.
The kitchen triangle is linked to improved cooking efficiency as it matches the flow with which you would normally cook;. first you get the produce out of the fridge, then you wash it at the sink and subsequently cook it at the stove. The galley kitchen makes this setup easy because the stove and fridge can be situated on one side the kitchen while the sink can easily go on the other.
If your kitchen is small, consider installing a galley kitchen. This is especially the case if your kitchen is narrow, too, because the galley style is known for its space-maximising properties.
The modular kitchen fronts placed on opposite sides of the space leave enough room for transit in the middle. They distribute points of interest in the kitchen evenly, which also helps to equalise the flow of traffic and mitigate the accumulation of clutter. When it’s time to cook, you can work on various steps of the meal prep at different spots on the counter simply by pivoting around as you go.
Imagine if this narrow kitchen were U or L-shaped. It would obstruct the ability of its inhabitants to pass from one side of the other and limit the amount of usable space.
On this note, you may be thinking that a small kitchen would benefit even more from a one-wall setup. While one-wall kitchens have their place, a narrow kitchen with a galley layout is not only able to double the amount of counter space, but also the kitchen’s storage potential. Naturally, this is the case because there’s an extra set of modular kitchen units in a galley kitchen compared to a one-wall style. Therefore, the galley kitchen serves as an excellent way to put precious space to good use.
If you look here, it is clear that the inclusion of extra cupboards and drawers actually frees up more space on the counters for meal prep. It’s a wonderful loop of space maximising success!
Galley kitchens are not reserved for narrow kitchens, either. Indeed their benefits can actually be multiplied in larger kitchens. This is because in a wider kitchen, the galley also affords the room enough extra space to fit a kitchen island where there otherwise might not have been. This way, it is possible to increase the amount of available work and storage space even more! Plus, when there are two doors available for going in and out of the kitchen, the kitchen island will aid in creating two separate corridors for passage through the space.
If you can fit an island in the galley kitchen, you may even want to consider placing some bar stools on either side so you can use it in place of a dining table, which can be a bit difficult to incorporate into a galley kitchen.
While we do love a good galley kitchen, there’s no doubt that they’ve declined in popularity in recent years. This may be because kitchens are often situated near the garage door or backdoor that people frequently use to get in and out of the house. A galley setup doesn’t exactly offer much room for placing a coat or shoe rack! Therefore, consider the configuration of the rooms in your home before you opt for a galley.
If there is a small antechamber between the door and the kitchen as we can see in this galley by Moo Hoi Architects, the look is certainly still doable. Plus, the galley isn’t exactly ideal if you plan to socialise with guests in the kitchen, because there isn’t a lot of room to hang out in the narrow space. The bottom line is that it’s important to consider the individual needs and characteristics of your home when deciding if a galley kitchen is right for you.
Still not sure about which kind of kitchen layout is best for your home? This guide will help you consider going against the tide with a one-wall kitchen!