Galley Kitchen Remodel Ideas
Galley kitchens are often popular among people who like to do a lot of cooking. They are highly efficient and allow you to get to the refrigerator, sink, and stove quickly and easily. This allows you to prepare and cook your meals with maximum efficacy.
Unfortunately, they are also narrow spaces that can feel cramped. They are not particularly great for entertaining guests either. Depending on your budget, there are quite a few alterations you can make to improve the appearance and functionality of your galley kitchen. See stylistic and functional galley kitchen remodel ideas to help you design a beautiful and functional galley kitchen.
Stylistic Galley Kitchen Remodel Ideas
If you love the functionality of your galley kitchen but hate the style, there are many ways to bring the wow factor back to this space. If your galley kitchen feels tight and gloomy, try lightening things up. A fresh coat of bright paint on the walls, painting your cabinets white, or extra lighting can go a long way to making your galley kitchen feel more open. If you really want to ramp up the light in your kitchen, see if you can install a window, typically over the kitchen sink, to allow natural light to flood the space.
Another way to make your galley kitchen feel bigger is to run hardwood floors vertically. This tricks the eye into thinking the space is bigger than it truly is. Keeping colors monochromatic can also help reinforce the impression of a bigger space. In addition, keep it simple while choosing décor for your kitchen. Less is more when it comes to designing a galley kitchen.
Lastly, be mindful of your appliances. A large farm sink may be beautiful, but it will dominate your kitchen and take up valuable counter real estate. The same goes for extra-large refrigerators and ovens. Stick with standard size appliances for your kitchen, sink, oven, and dishwasher. You can even find compact-sized appliances for items such as your microwave and coffee pot.
Functional Galley Kitchen Remodel Ideas
If you’ve updated and upgraded your galley kitchen to its maximum potential but you still hate the functionality, don’t give up yet. There are small and large-scale projects that can save your sanity. For example, a less costly change is getting a portable island. This gives you more storage and more prep space while on a tight budget.
A larger scale galley kitchen remodel idea is to install a fixed island; however, this only works for larger galley kitchens. That being said, you can install a sink or an oven in your island, freeing up your main counters. Like portable islands, fixed islands also provide additional storage space. Plus, with a fixed island you can make your galley kitchen part of your entertainment space by including bar-style seating.
If your galley kitchen cannot accommodate an island, see if you can add a peninsula instead. This will extend your counter and meal prep space, provide additional seating for guests similar to an island, and provide additional storage as well.
But what If you crave an open concept design? Having a galley kitchen does not have to dash your dreams. You have a couple of options: put in a pass-through or take down the wall completely. To bring continuity between your living space and your kitchen, both of these options provide an excellent solution.
