45 Galley Kitchen Ideas That Are Practical and Chic

Galley kitchens are often found in older city apartments and historic homes that were built before open-plan spaces ruled the day. These long, narrow spaces are inspired by the compact kitchens on boats, trains, and planes, with rows of cabinetry and appliances placed on opposite walls with a central walkway in between them. Some galley kitchens are windowless or pass-through spaces, while others have a window typically located at the far end and may include a small seating area.

Space-saving galley kitchens appeal to those who enjoy having a self-contained area for meal prep where everything is located within arm's reach, plus the added benefit of banishing kitchen messes out of sight from the main living space. You can make a galley kitchen extra functional and visually appealing by upgrading storage space, countertops, lighting, and decor.

Check out these galley kitchen ideas that prove this classic style can be both practical and surprisingly chic.

Choose Dark Cabinetry

This sleek Stockholm galley kitchen from Fantastic Frank has dark charcoal flat-front European-style cabinetry that creates a chic and cozy grounded feel that sets the cooking area apart from the light and bright main space. A seamlessly built-in oven at eye level makes it easier to keep watch over the progress of your meal without having to do squats in the narrow space, adding an extra layer of efficiency.

Go All-White

This galley-style kitchen from Leanne Ford Interiors has crisp white walls, gleaming white backsplash tiles, immaculate white countertops, and all-white cabinetry, open shelving, and appliances, creating a clean, bright backdrop for meal prep. Red accents add a shot of energy, and hardwood flooring adds warmth.

Use Sober Colors

This sleek and streamlined Paris galley kitchen from Caroline Andréoni Interior Design has a sober palette of matte navy and chocolate brown tones. Built-in cabinetry houses the oven and hides the refrigerator, and provides storage to keep the space clutter-free. White marble countertops and large-scale, concrete-effect floor tiles lighten things up.

Paint It Peach

In this cheerful galley kitchen from Pluck Kitchens, a wash of summery peach on the cabinetry and blush-toned paint on the walls creates a happy, warm, feel-good vibe. The space is wide enough to provide plenty of room in the central walkway to make it comfortable for several people to use at once.

Add a Balcony

This Swedish galley kitchen from Fantastic Frank opens onto a small balcony that makes it feel twice as big when the doors are flung open, creating an opportunity for al fresco dining and a spot for morning coffees and nightcaps after dark.

Add a Corner Banquette

In this galley-style city apartment kitchen from Georgia Zikas Design, a corner banquette is squeezed in at the far end beneath a window with a skyline view. A round tulip-style table without any sharp edges allows for easy maneuvering in the compact space.

Glass-front cabinetry helps keep the narrow galley kitchen from feeling too closed in, and a gleaming tile backsplash on opposite walls helps to bounce light around.

Supersize It

In this spacious California galley kitchen from Home Consultant, a neutral palette mixed with natural wood and industrial touches creates a streamlined look. A pair of windows, a glass double door leading to the outside, and bright white walls and ceiling paint keeps the galley kitchen feeling light and bright.

Apart from a floor-to-ceiling block of cabinetry at the far end built to house the refrigerator and provide extra storage, upper cabinetry was omitted to preserve a feeling of openness.

Add a Breakfast Bar

Many galley kitchens have a window at the far end to let in natural light and air. If you've got the space, adding a place to sit and have a cup of coffee, or to take a load off while performing meal prep will make it more comfortable and functional.

In this small galley-style kitchen in a Georgian style apartment in Bath, England, designed by deVOL Kitchens, a small cafe-style breakfast bar is built right next to the window.

Add Some Color

In this midcentury modern California home kitchen renovation from Cathie Hong Interiors, robin's egg blue cabinetry helps define the galley kitchen that opens up into an eat-in dining space.

Open It Up

One way to modernize a galley style kitchen is to knock down one wall and add peninsula seating like this compact NYC space from interior designer Alvin Wayne that opens up the living area and increases light and views.

Maximize a Tiny Space

Sometimes less is just enough. This compact Stockholm kitchen from Fantastic Frank maximizes every last centimeter of space by going vertical with open shelving and cabinetry. Small appliances and simple materials make the petite space perfectly functional, no renovation required.

Add Black Cabinetry

In this modern galley-style San Diego, CA, kitchen from Cathie Hong Interiors, black lower cabinets on both sides of the wide kitchen add a grounding element that anchors the light and bright space. A simple gray tile floor, stainless steel appliances, and bronze accents complete the clean design.

Add Statement Flooring

The star element of this spacious galley kitchen from Lexington, KY-based by Matthew Carter Interiors is the bold graphic parquet floor in a mix of pale and dark wood that adds personality and makes it memorable and inviting. A line of drop pendant ceiling lights emphasizes the long linear galley space while adding vintage charm.

Mix Color and Pattern

Bold turquoise paint and a black-and-white checkerboard floor adds contrast to the original brick wall and adds retro vibes to this London space from Pluck Kitchens.

Define Space With Tile

Caroline Andréoni Interior Design Studio created a galley-style kitchen by positioning blocks of lower cabinetry opposite one another, defining the space with graphic diamond-patterned floor tile.

A glass and metal atelier window creates a separation from the rest of the space while letting light flow through. And an accent wall of tropical wallpaper adds a focal point.

Add a Galley-Style Wing

Even in a large-scale kitchen, adding a galley kitchen-style wing can make practical sense to create zones and make the overall space more efficient, like this spacious all-white room from Marie Flanigan Interiors.

Incorporate Negative Space

In this galley-style London kitchen from Pluck Kitchens, the pass-through meal prep area has a block of mustard-colored lower cabinetry on both sides. Upper cabinetry is confined to one side, leaving room for wall-mounted lighting and incorporating some negative space above the left wall that allows the room to breathe.

Add a Colorful Runner

A colorful blue runner on the dark hardwood floors of this galley kitchen from Desiree Burns Interiors creates a focal point in the functional, all-white space.

Create a Breakfast Bar

Neva Interior Design carved a compact galley kitchenette beneath the loft space in this 200-square-foot Parisian apartment that is practical and efficient, leaving room for small breakfast bar on the periphery.

Highlight Natural Wood

In this galley-style British kitchen from Pluck Kitchens, hardwood floors and natural wood cabinetry add warmth that complements soft shades of white and industrial black accents like the metal-grid glass doors leading out to the garden.

Structure an Open Space

Using a galley-style layout is one way to structure a modern open-plan kitchen. Will Brown Interiors paired a wall of base cabinetry and appliances with a kitchen island housing the sink and additional storage opposite, creating a central corridor that preserves flow with the rest of the room.

Work Around the Window

On the opposite side of this galley-style kitchen designed by Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design, the sink is positioned beneath a window that floods the narrow space with natural light. A wood-framed glass back door provides more light and views to the outside, to help prevent the space from feeling cramped.

Limit Upper Cabinetry

This compact galley kitchen from Fantastic Frank retains a minimal feel by focusing the storage space on base cabinetry, and adding airy white and wood open shelving to just one wall.

A large French window provides plenty of natural light and a view of greenery that keeps the small space from feeling claustrophobic, and soothing gray paint and Edison bulb pendant lights add softness to the minimal space.

Use Vertical Space

In this galley-style kitchen from Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design, one wall features floor-to-ceiling built-ins around the oven that maximizes vertical space.

Make It Seamless

This galley-style kitchen from Will Brown Interiors is tucked out of the way of the dining space while remaining easily accessible. It features simple cabinetry, tones of gray, and hardwood flooring that allows it to seamlessly blend into the rest of the interior.

Add a Waterfall Edge

This semi-open Tribeca kitchen from NYC-based Yael Weiss Interiors has a waterfall edge stone countertop that adds polish to the neutral space. Floor-to-ceiling built-ins and high ceilings create an open and airy feel.

Add a Dropped Ceiling

In this semi-open NYC galley kitchen from interior designer Alvin Wayne, a dropped ceiling adds an opportunity for built-in can lighting to help define the space while preserving sightlines.

Use Pastel Colors

In this space from deVOL Kitchens, a large cased opening allows natural light from the adjacent room to flow in. To maximize space, the designers ran cabinetry and a built-in hood vent all the way up to the ceiling. A soft palette of mint green, off-white, and natural wood tones keeps it feeling light and airy.

Shut the Door

This galley kitchen from Fantastic Frank has a solid wood door for privacy and a wall of windows that floods the tight space with natural light. A neutral palette of whites and pale woods creates a natural, fresh feel.

Create an End Point

In this galley-style kitchen from Twelve15 Design Studio, a small peninsula on one side creates an end point that helps define the space from the rest of the room while providing a place to pause for breakfasts on the go.

Add Bold Graphics

In this galley-style kitchen from Brady Tolbert for Emily Henderson Design, a bold black-and-white palette creates a graphic look, from the towering retro-style refrigerator to the wall decor and flooring.

Tips

In a small galley kitchen that doesn't have built-ins on either side, maximize storage with versatile, movable freestanding pieces like a kitchen cart on wheels.

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Accent With Gold Tones

Gold-toned plumbing fixtures and hardware on cabinetry and open shelving add a light touch to this graphic black-and-white galley-style kitchen from Brady Tolbert for Emily Henderson Design.

Keep It Flowing

Running the same hardwood flooring throughout the entire home gives this small Swedish pass-through galley kitchen from Fantastic Frank an effortless flow.

Add Peekaboo Shelving

Interior designer Maite Granda carved an efficient galley kitchen into a sprawling Florida home that is partially divided off from the main living space. It has peekaboo shelving and long, narrow windows above the sink and high up near the ceiling to let in natural light.

If you don't have the option of installing windows in your galley kitchen, try a mirrored backsplash instead.

Mix and Match Materials

While many galley kitchens use matching blocks of cabinetry on both sides, in this converted schoolhouse from deVOL Kitchens, a galley-style cooking area is defined with an industrial metal kitchen island housing the sink and stovetop on one side and a row of countertops and built-in wood cabinetry on the other.

Highlight Original Features

This Tuscan kitchen from Italy's Officine Gullo is painted in sunflower yellow and outfitted with high end steel and chrome-plated brass appliances, adding contrast to the rustic bones of the galley-style space with its warm wood ceiling beams and original stone wall.

Shut the Back Door

In this kitchen from Rashida Banks for Emily Henderson Design, a black slate floor defines the galley kitchen space and adds contrast with the natural wood and glass-paned back door.

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Add a Vintage Touch

A vintage-style runner adds a timeless element to this classic all-white kitchen from Mindy Gayer Design Co. The galley-like central workspace houses the sink and oven, while a massive built-in refrigerator is relegated to the far wall.

Add Textural Wood Cabinets

In this streamlined and contemporary galley-style kitchen designed by Sebastian Cox for deVOL Kitchens, black wood cabinetry with a Shou Sugi Ban aesthetic adds texture, depth, and contrast against the pale walls and flooring. The room's abundance of natural light keeps the dark wood from overwhelming.

Set a Table for Two

This Swedish galley kitchen from Fantastic Frank has cabinetry and appliances on opposite walls that work around the irregular bones of the room, leaving space for a cozy bistro-style table for two at the far end beneath the large window that floods the space with natural light.

Create a Through Line

In this Victorian villa from deVOL Kitchens, a long, wide pass-through galley-style kitchen includes opposite walls of cabinetry and appliances on the far end, and space for a dining table and sofa on the other.

Classic checkerboard flooring links the space and the layout of furniture and built-ins allows enough room for a central corridor that preserves flow, making the cozy space functional.

Keep It Light and Bright

This understated Scandinavian kitchen from Fantastic Frank has practical floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinetry, warm wood countertops, and a soft white palette that blends seamlessly with the adjoining dining area. A bright yellow pendant light adds a focal point above the dining table.

Mix Wood and Tile Flooring

In this long, narrow Paris apartment, Neva Interior Design built an open galley kitchen with a penny tile floor that defines the cooking area while blending into the hardwood floors of the main space.

Embrace Irregularities

This galley-style Scandinavian kitchen from Fantastic Frank is built around the irregular curves of the existing architecture. Appliances and countertops hug the curve of the walls in order to maximize space while leaving enough room to circulate.

Honor Historical Character

This adobe-style home and Los Angeles historical landmark built in 1922 from Home Consultant features a carefully updated galley-style kitchen that honors the original character of the home.

What is the best layout for a galley kitchen?

The best layout for a galley kitchen will depend on whether it is a pass-through space, or if it contains a dead-end wall or a window or door to an outside balcony or other space at the far end. You can place cabinets on one or both walls depending on your storage needs and the width of the kitchen. Group your sink and stovetop or range near one another, either centered on the same wall or opposite one another for convenience.

If your galley kitchen has a window, consider installing a small seating area with a bistro table in chairs; a wall-mounted breakfast bar, or a slim banquette to make it an eat-in kitchen.

What are the disadvantages of a galley kitchen?

The main disadvantage of a galley kitchen is that it is closed off from other spaces, making it fit for one or two people rather than a crowd. This makes it hard for people to gather and may result in co-cooks bumping into one another while preparing meals.

Galley kitchens may provide less storage than larger spaces, making it important to utilize vertical space to maximize storage and keep your kitchen clutter-free. Galley kitchens can also be low on light depending on whether or not they include windows and may need special attention to lighting to keep them functional and bright.

Where should a refrigerator be placed in a galley kitchen?

Where you put the refrigerator in a galley kitchen will depend on the layout. Many people choose to locate the fridge at the far end of a galley kitchen for ease of use, but you can also put the fridge next to the sink on one side, and the stovetop and range on the other to keep those three major hubs within arms' reach.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.