Problems with the design of the kitchen can arise not only for the owners of small apartments. If you have a large kitchen area, but it has the original geometry, you`ll need to make an effort in its design.
Condominiums built in different periods of time, frequently have a large kitchen area, but of a long and narrow shape. It is due to the inability to project “ideally” shaped premises in specific conditions (geography, security requirements, etc). Also, galley kitchens are popular at the ships and big yachts.
This article should help owners of such kitchens in their design.
The main tasks that need to be taken into account in the design of the galley kitchen is a visual extension of the space and the convenient location of furniture.
Galley Kitchen Layout Design Ideas. Planning
Techniques to Visually Expand the Space
Designers have developed many ways to change the apparent geometry of the room. Using these methods, you can fix the elongation of the galley kitchen.
If you drew a narrow wall in dark or bright, saturated colors, you can bring them closer visually. The main thing is not to make these walls light, as on the contrary, it would spread them. You can also expand the narrow walls if their design will attend the horizontal pattern. The longest wall of your kitchen can not be painted in dark tones. Thus, you will turn the room into a narrow corridor.
You can place furniture only along the long wall in the narrow kitchen. That`s why in kitchen set should blend with the wall or be a tone lighter. Facades should reflect light. Therefore, glass doors must be present there, and the facade should shine with gloss.
If the kitchen area allows you to set a sufficient number of lower headset module, for example, along two walls, so the upper cabinets should be abandoned. Hang open shelves are better instead.
To expand the space, you can install some furniture along the short wall opposite the entrance. Table or sofa. The main trick is that it was the full width of the wall.
The perfect solution, though a bit expensive, one long wall covered with reflective material. Glass tile, the mirror will expand your galley kitchen. As a more economical option, using photo wallpapers with a promising picture for wall decoration. Sea expanse or fleeing into the distance road, imbue more space into the room.
Another way of the visual kitchen enlargement is a transverse or diagonal pattern on the floor.
Furniture and Appliances Location
with little understanding of the visual extension of your kitchen, let`s proceed to the recommendations for the placement of furniture. It all depends on the area of the kitchen, the location of windows and doors. Consider options for placement depending on the width of the room.
If the Width is Less than 2 m
The standard size of kitchen furniture and equipment is 60 cm. If in your two-meters-width and less kitchen, arranging the furniture in two rows would be extremely inconvenient. After all, it would less than 80 cm of free space left for the passage. This makes it impossible to open the door of the refrigerator or cabinets easily. Single-row or angular sets fit for such kitchens.
The most convenient option is to install the furniture along the whole short wall, and part of the long wall must remain free. Of course, this option is not always possible to apply. In many apartments with balconies, access to them is laid through the kitchen. And the doorway is located at the short wall.
If the window is located on the short wall, you can install the bar along with it. This design can act as a working, and a dining table.
Kitchen sets installed in one row can transform your already narrow kitchen into a kind of corridor. To prevent this try to install the set which is not the whole wall long. And pick up the bright color of the furniture and not contrasting to the light design of the walls.
Today it has become to have a custom kitchen. For the galley kitchen, you can order a set with a shallower depth. But there is a problem with the technique that appears. All equipment is mostly standard sizes. Therefore, place the refrigerator or stove in a row with a set, you will notice that they are sticking out. Therefore it is better to locate them at the ends.
If the Width is Greater than 2 m
If you have a long, but wide kitchen, here you can try a variety of options. If you wish, you can use one of these layouts (kitchen pictures below). But worth a try or two-row or so-called U-shaped layout. Believe us, it promises you a lot more comfortable.
To use kitchen space ergonomically, arrange kitchen equipment correctly. The basic things, which uses a daily by any hostess is a sink, stove and refrigerator. Set them so that they form an equilateral triangle. Then you will spend less effort when cooking, and it is convenient to perform all the work in the kitchen.
Also, a two-row installation of furniture and equipment will leave enough space for a table and chairs. But still, not to turn the kitchen into the hallway, it is desirable to choose light colors for the furniture set. This is especially true when there are hanging lockers at the galley kitchen.
If you use one U-shaped installation of kitchen units, then you will have enough space to equip a dining area. This arrangement is useful if there is a window in one of the short walls. By setting the furniture in a U-shape to this part of the kitchen, the remainder will have enough space for even a sofa.
Of course, reading the manuals about design does not always help you to understand how it will look in the kitchen with that or either variant. Therefore it is better when reading the article to find pictures or videos depicting the options of furniture arrangement you liked. So, it will be easier to find exactly what you need and bring those ideas to life.
Galley Kitchen Pictures
