Help with my tiny galley kitchen layout?
Hi all, I posted about my kitchen design dilemma a few months ago but now that I have more specifics I figured I'd put this out there to see if anyone can offer some layout insight. I'm in the beginning stages of renovating the tiny galley kitchen in the apartment I just bought, and would love some advice.
The space is 6'9'' wide and 17'2'' long, with a pony wall between the kitchen proper and the "breakfast nook," which we'll be using as an office (the apartment has a dining foyer, and I can't see the point in having two eating spaces in an 800sf apartment).
Here's a floorplan and before shots:
Note that the floorplan measurements aren't actually accurate. The width of the space is 6'9; the kitchen area is 8'3, and the breakfast nook area is about 8'6.
Initially I had planned to take down the pony wall and expand the kitchen proper by 8 or 9 inches in length, because that seemed to me like the minimum length I'd need to fit everything. However, now my contractor says that because of all the wiring in those walls, moving them would be an extra $1,800. Am I crazy to even consider spending that to gain just 8 inches? The answer is probably yes, but at the same time, in such a small space every inch is really valuable. Is there a way to make the kitchen work in the 99 inches I've got now? The cabinets will be custom, so I have more flexibility.
Here are the rough schematics I drew up when I was planning on moving the wall (sorry for the terrible handwriting and sub-par drawing skills). The first is the right-hand wall, the second the left, where I'm doing shallower cabinets to make the aisle feel less cramped.
If you had to cut ~8 inches both plans and keep the kitchen as functional as possible, where would you take it from? I'm also open to different layouts, although the sink and range will have to stay more or less where they are.
Thanks!
Comments (9)
PRODeb Bayless - Design for Keeps
6 years agoYou are definitely on to something here. Glad you are utilizing an 18" dishwasher as well - very applicable in a small space. For your existing 99" space, would you consider the Kohler 24" Whitehaven apron sink to free up some space and add a little charm? I might also reconfigure the sink wall slightly to something like this:
You'd then have a decent - not great - space to prep meals. Storage above the sink and micro could match which lends continuity. Also, your small end walls look to be an inch or so shorter than the kitchen countertops. I'd have your contractor add material so they reach a cabinet height of 34-1/2" and extend your countertop over it for that little bit extra room.
With your refrigerator, just check the specs carefully to be sure it can hinge properly when it is so close to an end wall. Good luck.
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My new galley kitchen layout
Comments (5)I like this one. The only thing I might tweak is to make sure the uppers on either side of the window are centered on the window. So, slightly shrink the one above the D/W, or slightly expand the other one. It might look funny if you don't. The tightest spot in this kitchen is going to be between the table and the refrigerator. I would choose a small table & chairs, and would consider a smaller refrigerator, too. Looks like you've got a cabinet-depth french door refrigerator model there, which is likely more than you need. I think the cabinet depth is a good choice, but there are smaller models made. Check out the Liebherr line, for example. To give you some context on fridge sizes, we're a family of 4 and we're going back to a 27" wide cabinet depth model (which we lived with in our old house), even though our kitchen is 16x12 and could accommodate larger. We just think the space is more usable in other capacities. If you were willing to shift the window that's currently above the sink, then you might consider moving the fridge to the corner, and having everything else shift out toward the table. The massing might work out a little better that way (to make the kitchen feel a little more open), but the downside is that then you're going to the corner (and possibly around people that are cooking and or doing dishes) to get to the fridge. The fridge is much more accessible where it is now. As for the overall layout, for argument's sake, let's say you did a L. The natural choice would be to have the L begin along the dining room (so you can have uppers and don't have windows interfering), but then you carry it along the other wall, and the only window you've got is an awkward place under which to center the sink (too close to the corner). It's nice to have a window centered above the sink....See MoreHelp choose a paint color for tiny galley kitchen
Comments (2)What a great job, ChanaMasala (love the name). My suggestions are a charcoal, or whatever to pick up the rug stripes and small details, for the end wall and door for a little drama, but a white, cream, or cabinet gray for the side wall we see so it all blends back? I think any darker contrasting wall there will cause the stove and cabinets to advance. Of course, now that they're looking so good... :)...See MorePreliminary layout for tiny galley - feedback welcome!
Comments (47)I just noticed I've posted under two separate logins. Sorry about the confusion but you probably already figured that out! I've done a few more in the Ikea planner based on Clueless's ideas but with the 28" LG you like. Are you definitely doing Ikea? I don't think a full door fridge will work near that wall with its big doors unless it's scooted way over at the loss of counter prep space by the range. A french door counter depth would alleviate some of the location issues, but reduces counter space by 6". I'm assuming you won't have the budget to do the structural work since you are limiting yourself to 30K all inclusive. And it sounds like you have lots on the to do list. Glitter ceilings?!?! That would be #1 for me! Of course, more window space would be fantastic but may not be realistic. If it is doable, all the better. Good lighting and a space design that works for you can still make this tiny kitchen very functional. I've left cabinets off the sink wall but if you feel you need more storage you could do something like Bettyglo did. How do you feel about lack of symmetry and sinks not under the window. I did this with the 24"Domsjo with trash/recycle under. This wall can be configured with a 24" or 36"w fridge and/or bigger sink. That is, if you can give up symmetry for better work space. Don't know if you can live with the DW by the door, but gives you a 30" base. Here is a link if you want to play around....See Moreneed to sign off on tiny galley kitchen design - HELP (please?)!
Comments (31)Carolina Kitchen and Bath - the trash is not next to the range. There is a cabinet between the range and the window. The trash is under the sink. The distance between the wall and island is supposedly 30 inches. As there are other doorways in our home that are this wide (and some smaller) this seemed OK to us. I think the distance from the front of the range to the kitchen island was 36 inches, but I will check....See More
damiarain
6 years agoIf possible, it seems those extra inches have a lot of value!
So including those inches and going along the lines mentioned by Deb, if the sink were 24" and the range 24", you could then have a 24" cabinet, 24" range, 15" cabinet, 24" sink, 18" DW. In this scenario the space between the stove and sink is rather small BUT that would push the range and F/F far enough apart that someone standing in front of one isn't hit if the other is open. And you'd gain full-depth counter space on the left side of the stove
Very excited to see how your space turns out! Good luck!
(Couldn't resist mocking up your cute lil kitchen with the Ikea planner =)
User thanked damiarain
User
6 years agoThanks so much, everyone! These are great ideas. I'm definitely not opposed to a 24-inch sink—that's the size of the sink in my current (rental) apartment and it suits me just fine. But would it be possible to squeeze a trash pull-out into a 24-inch cabinet?
I'm less sure about a 24-inch range because I do cook a lot, and I tend to use the full width of my 30-inch oven for roasting big sheetpans of vegetables and things like that. I hadn't considered a built-in oven and cooktop because of the extra expense, but it would make a lot of sense given how narrow the space is.
benjesbride, here's the full layout of the apartment:
The entrance to the kitchen was originally a doorjam that was less than 30-inches wide, but we had the contractor take the doorjam out and raise the height of the entrance, which has already made a big visual difference, even though it's only widened the entrance by about six inches. I had thought about removing that wall next to the sink entirely, to open up the kitchen to the dining area a bit more, but I decided it might be a little odd to enter the apartment and immediately be confronted by a dishwasher.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
6 years agoIs it not possible/feasible to move electric for the range? I'd try to get the range on the same side as the fridge, then you'd have all the counter on the other side for prep, and with such a narrow aisle, you can also use the opposite counter for landing space for the cooktop and oven.
Click to enlarge.
User thanked mama goose_gw zn6OHUser
6 years ago- PRO
Deb Bayless - Design for Keeps
6 years ago
Deb Bayless - Design for Keeps