Design Tips for a Small Galley Kitchen

Many of today's homes feature large, spacious kitchens that serve as a place for not only  cooking, but cleaning and family gathering. If your home is on the smaller side, you may want to consider options for small galley kitchen design.  In this article from HGTV, we will show you that by following a few simple guidelines, you should be able to make a smaller galley kitchen space seem larger and function more efficiently.

If you're looking to remodel an existing galley kitchen, it's likely that job one for you will be to maximize the space you have to work with. Kitchen lore states that the ideal width of a galley kitchen aisle is approximately 4 to 6 feet—but whether your small galley kitchen is dead on with that measurement or even smaller, you can create a more efficient space and also add design features that can expand the area visually.

There are plenty of tricks that can help you expand the appearance of depth, height and width in your kitchen, and the best way to start is at the bottom. Firstly, make sure that floor boards run lengthwise, to create the illusion of a longer kitchen space. If you plan to feature a backsplash or other wall design, consider arranging the tiles in opposition to the floorboards' orientation—this will help to create the illusion of depth in the space. Finally, consider raising cabinets or appliances off the floor—if they're flush, the entire space will seem shorter, but raising them slightly will give the appearance of a space with more height.

You can also consider hiding appliances entirely, behind cabinets or with paneling that mimics the look of your cabinet design. Clean lines give the impression of a larger space, whereas multiple appliances arrayed throughout the space can make it seem cluttered. The note about clean lines can apply to cabinets as well—you'll want to keep these as simple and unadorned as possible, since any intricate designs may serve to crowd the space.

When it comes to color schemes for your small galley kitchen, light and bright is a great idea—lighter colors tend to open up spaces, whereas darker ones create a cozy feel but can make a small space feel claustrophobic.

Finally, consider adding efficient storage options like lazy Susans, cabinet door organizers and tall pantry storage to your small galley kitchen. This will help ensure that everything you have to store is close at hand but organized efficiently behind closed doors.