Many homeowners prefer a galley kitchen for its space saving, chef friendly, and storage focused layout. Originating on ships, the galley kitchen consists of two work areas lined up on two facing rows. The goal with this layout is to keep things simple, effective and convenient. That’s because, when space is limited, you need to make the most out of every inch. While L-Shaped and island layouts seem to be the kitchen trends we see in larger homes, they are not always feasible or favorable in smaller kitchens. Here, we’ll show you how to plan for the perfect galley kitchen remodel for your small to medium-sized kitchen space.

Determine if a galley kitchen is the right fit for your home.

Before you move forward with a kitchen remodel, it’s important to assess the area you’re designing. We mentioned that in this kitchen style, you would have two rows facing each other. The space between these two rows should be between three to five feet. Less than three and it will feel pretty cramped. More than five and the layout may lose its convenience.

One key factor for a functional galley kitchen is its close-knit work zone. The work triangle, or the points between the refrigerator, sink and stove, should be within eight feet. The purpose of this is to minimize the walking time from one point to another, thus reducing cooking time and increasing efficiency.

Decide between a symmetrical and an asymmetrical galley kitchen.

Within this layout, there are two main styles. Which one you choose will greatly influence your kitchen remodel and how you’ll be choosing cabinets.

With symmetrical, the two rows will almost mirror in each other in terms of base cabinets, wall cabinets, and countertop space.

With asymmetrical, your two rows can be however you want. You may choose to do a wall of cabinets around your refrigerator on the left and then have your sink, stove, and lots of countertop space on the right.

If you’re having difficulty choosing cabinets or struggling with your kitchen remodel overall, just reach out to our design team. We offer free design services and will work with you one-on-one to help you build your dream room. In addition to a custom layout and photorealistic renderings of your design, we’ll also include an itemized list so you know exactly what you will need to buy and what everything will cost.

Should you close it in or open things up?

Your standard galley kitchen may only have one entryway but that’s not a requirement. Some prefer to open up both ends of the corridor. The main hesitancy with doing this is that when people can enter and exit from both sides, safety might be an issue. If you have a lot of people living in your home, especially young children, you may want to consider keeping one end closed off. If not, go ahead and open things up!

Another option that keeps true to a galley layout but also lets you indulge in some of the more modern kitchen trends is an island galley. With this layout, you open up your kitchen walls and let an island serve as your second row. If your home can accommodate this option, it allows you to achieve the convenience and functionality of a galley with the sociability of an open concept kitchen.

At The RTA Store we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it’s your kitchen bathroom, laundry room, home office, bar room or TV room, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design tool!