Galley kitchens are extremely uncomfortable for more than a single person to be in at a time. I have one, it can be frustrating for a person to so much as get a glass of water while someone else...
Galley kitchens are extremely uncomfortable for more than a single person to be in at a time. I have one, it can be frustrating for a person to so much as get a glass of water while someone else is cooking. For this reason I would recommend against putting cupboards or countertops on the adjacent wall.
Maybe try finding a 59" piece of furniture, or just taping off the space in the kitchen for a week or two before you consider giving it up. I just want you to make sure you'll be happy before you invest a huge amount of money to find out just how frustrating galley kitchens are. I want to spend thousands of dollars to renovate my kitchen to not be one, and I would be willing to give up counter and cupboard space for it.
Have you looked into replacing that window for a sliding window?
Have you considered hanging pots, pans, serving spoons and spatulas on that wall like this? It may not visually be what you want, but functionally it would save you on space.
I don't have any specific layout suggestions, but I do want to pass along something that really helped me maximize the kitchen storage space I did have. I installed what is essentially a pull out...
I don't have any specific layout suggestions, but I do want to pass along something that really helped me maximize the kitchen storage space I did have. I installed what is essentially a pull out drawer into all my floor level cabinets, and it nearly doubled the amount of usable space I had in those cabinets. Something like this. You do lose a bit of height, but it really allows you to use the full depth of the cabinet for useful storage. You can pull it out and easily access everything in it, rather than having a section of useful storage near the door and a lot of wasted space behind.
Might I suggest a rolling kitchen island as a possible solution to your design constraints? Like /u/arch, I've lived with a narrow-aisle galley kitchen and it's not ideal. A rolling cart gives you...
Might I suggest a rolling kitchen island as a possible solution to your design constraints?
Like /u/arch, I've lived with a narrow-aisle galley kitchen and it's not ideal. A rolling cart gives you more flexibility in how the space is arranged. It can make it easier for two people to share the space. In terms of decor, you can match to your existing cabinetry or mix up designs as you choose.
I have open kitchen shelves on one wall. While they can open the space to more natural light, they're not all that sanitary or functional. Peg boards and wall racks, magnetic strips, and open storage in general just mean more cleaning work, and can lend the kitchen a cluttered appearance. A freestanding pantry might also solve some of your problems - it doesn't have to occupy the kitchen.
The plan I linked is just one of many rolling kitchen island options - you can get premade in various sizes and styles, convert standard cabinetry (or various Ikea hacks), or build from scratch....
The plan I linked is just one of many rolling kitchen island options - you can get premade in various sizes and styles, convert standard cabinetry (or various Ikea hacks), or build from scratch. You can choose a depth that doesn't obstruct your working triangle when it's parked against the wall.
I second this idea. We have an Ikea Förhöja as a semi-permanent kitchen island, and a Råskog as a movable work surface. I often cook alongside my wife and having additional work space definitely...
I second this idea. We have an Ikea Förhöja as a semi-permanent kitchen island, and a Råskog as a movable work surface. I often cook alongside my wife and having additional work space definitely helps !
I think you're absolutely right about the window/door gap at either end being a big question, and even if there were a good workaround there I think losing an additional 60cm of width right the...
I think you're absolutely right about the window/door gap at either end being a big question, and even if there were a good workaround there I think losing an additional 60cm of width right the way along would narrow the space enough to feel cramped, like you said on the floor plan.
For wall storage, have you considered a large pegboard right the way along? Depending what needs to be stored, and what can potentially be shifted in and out of the existing cupboards, you could have plenty of pots/pans/utensils hanging directly on pegs in whatever nice "random" arrangement works for you as well as mounting a couple of shelves onto the board for smaller items that need them. It maximises use of the wall area without encroaching into the room or creating lines that'll be broken by the door and window.
If you need the counter space I definitely think a non-installed unit will be the best way to avoid the "why are the ends cut off?" issue, and I'd bet that having it as movable furniture rather than an installed surface will psychologically make it seem to take up less of the limited width as well. You might get away with something like this pushed towards the window end - it's got the height and surface area to be a usable prep space, but it only comes half way along the wall so hopefully doesn't shrink the room either practically or aesthetically. I'd definitely need to stand in the space with a tape measure to visualise that one properly though!
Looking at the floor tiles your existing cupboards appear to be "two tiles deep". You can get an idea how much space you're going to lose from this. I suck at drawing perspectives, but you can...
Looking at the floor tiles your existing cupboards appear to be "two tiles deep". You can get an idea how much space you're going to lose from this. I suck at drawing perspectives, but you can possibly mock something up in image editing software to see what you're losing. Before spending money on this I'd want to mock it up in real life using cardboard just to get an idea of how much usable surface space I'm getting, vs how much moving space I'd be losing.
Personally, I dislike fitted kitchens, so my solution would be to have floor to ceiling shelving running along as much of that wall as possible. I don't think Ikea's IVAR would fit, so maybe a twin-slot system would be better. This doesn't give you any extra surface though.
Can I recommend the Finnish dish drying cabinet[1]? This is one of our secrets here in the north, its a cabinet above your sink where you put your dishes and what-not to drip dry. Growing up I...
Can I recommend the Finnish dish drying cabinet[1]?
This is one of our secrets here in the north, its a cabinet above your sink where you put your dishes and what-not to drip dry.
Growing up I thought these were ubiquitous, but they seem unheard of outside of Finland.
Highly, highly, highly recommend. They free up a lot of counter space.
The photo on Wikipedia is crap, that’s some 1960s summer cottage. The drying rack is just an open bottomed cupcake with these racks in them. The racks are standardized and can be bought...
The photo on Wikipedia is crap, that’s some 1960s summer cottage.
The drying rack is just an open bottomed cupcake with these racks in them. The racks are standardized and can be bought separately.
Easiest way to get them in the us is to just get the racks, and yourself or a carpenter customize a ready made cupboard to fit them. They mount very easily.
This kitchen looks almost exactly like my old one did at my last apartment! We too struggled with counter space. We used an Ikea Ivar Regal to solve the storage problem. It's a modular system so...
This kitchen looks almost exactly like my old one did at my last apartment! We too struggled with counter space.
We used an Ikea Ivar Regal to solve the storage problem. It's a modular system so you can pick between several options depending on what fits physically best in the space. We got a small dining table in the remaining space ourselves, but you could probably have an adjacent countertop (traditional or floating) depending on your preference.
Obviously it might not be your aesthetic preference, but even if you pick something different I think some dedicated standalone shelves separate from some countertops could help expand your storage space a lot more than looking for sotrage combined with countertops.
Unfortunately nothing with that furniture in it -- my only pictures are from before I moved in and after I moved out! I can show a picture of the shelves themselves if you want, since I still have...
Unfortunately nothing with that furniture in it -- my only pictures are from before I moved in and after I moved out! I can show a picture of the shelves themselves if you want, since I still have them, but the new apartment's kitchen is much bigger and laid out very differently so it's probably not so helpful.
Do you own or rent? (if the latter, skip other questions) Why not replace the window with one that opens outwards? How load bearing is that wall? Any important utilities within it? Galley kitchens...
Do you own or rent? (if the latter, skip other questions)
Why not replace the window with one that opens outwards?
How load bearing is that wall? Any important utilities within it? Galley kitchens suck for more than one person to be in. If you really want to open up space and storage, knock out that wall, create an open kitchen with an island where the wall once stood.
Will your HOA allow you to change the windows to ones that are outward facing and look exactly the same? Side note: these types of rules are one of the big reasons why I refuse to live in a HOA. I...
Will your HOA allow you to change the windows to ones that are outward facing and look exactly the same?
Side note: these types of rules are one of the big reasons why I refuse to live in a HOA. I paid for the house, I should be able to change whatever window I want in the house.
Galley kitchens are extremely uncomfortable for more than a single person to be in at a time. I have one, it can be frustrating for a person to so much as get a glass of water while someone else is cooking. For this reason I would recommend against putting cupboards or countertops on the adjacent wall.
Maybe try finding a 59" piece of furniture, or just taping off the space in the kitchen for a week or two before you consider giving it up. I just want you to make sure you'll be happy before you invest a huge amount of money to find out just how frustrating galley kitchens are. I want to spend thousands of dollars to renovate my kitchen to not be one, and I would be willing to give up counter and cupboard space for it.
Have you looked into replacing that window for a sliding window?
Have you considered hanging pots, pans, serving spoons and spatulas on that wall like this? It may not visually be what you want, but functionally it would save you on space.
I don't have any specific layout suggestions, but I do want to pass along something that really helped me maximize the kitchen storage space I did have. I installed what is essentially a pull out drawer into all my floor level cabinets, and it nearly doubled the amount of usable space I had in those cabinets. Something like this. You do lose a bit of height, but it really allows you to use the full depth of the cabinet for useful storage. You can pull it out and easily access everything in it, rather than having a section of useful storage near the door and a lot of wasted space behind.
My lower cabinets are all drawers, makes life so much easier.
Might I suggest a rolling kitchen island as a possible solution to your design constraints?
Like /u/arch, I've lived with a narrow-aisle galley kitchen and it's not ideal. A rolling cart gives you more flexibility in how the space is arranged. It can make it easier for two people to share the space. In terms of decor, you can match to your existing cabinetry or mix up designs as you choose.
I have open kitchen shelves on one wall. While they can open the space to more natural light, they're not all that sanitary or functional. Peg boards and wall racks, magnetic strips, and open storage in general just mean more cleaning work, and can lend the kitchen a cluttered appearance. A freestanding pantry might also solve some of your problems - it doesn't have to occupy the kitchen.
The plan I linked is just one of many rolling kitchen island options - you can get premade in various sizes and styles, convert standard cabinetry (or various Ikea hacks), or build from scratch. You can choose a depth that doesn't obstruct your working triangle when it's parked against the wall.
I second this idea. We have an Ikea Förhöja as a semi-permanent kitchen island, and a Råskog as a movable work surface. I often cook alongside my wife and having additional work space definitely helps !
I think you're absolutely right about the window/door gap at either end being a big question, and even if there were a good workaround there I think losing an additional 60cm of width right the way along would narrow the space enough to feel cramped, like you said on the floor plan.
For wall storage, have you considered a large pegboard right the way along? Depending what needs to be stored, and what can potentially be shifted in and out of the existing cupboards, you could have plenty of pots/pans/utensils hanging directly on pegs in whatever nice "random" arrangement works for you as well as mounting a couple of shelves onto the board for smaller items that need them. It maximises use of the wall area without encroaching into the room or creating lines that'll be broken by the door and window.
If you need the counter space I definitely think a non-installed unit will be the best way to avoid the "why are the ends cut off?" issue, and I'd bet that having it as movable furniture rather than an installed surface will psychologically make it seem to take up less of the limited width as well. You might get away with something like this pushed towards the window end - it's got the height and surface area to be a usable prep space, but it only comes half way along the wall so hopefully doesn't shrink the room either practically or aesthetically. I'd definitely need to stand in the space with a tape measure to visualise that one properly though!
Looking at the floor tiles your existing cupboards appear to be "two tiles deep". You can get an idea how much space you're going to lose from this. I suck at drawing perspectives, but you can possibly mock something up in image editing software to see what you're losing. Before spending money on this I'd want to mock it up in real life using cardboard just to get an idea of how much usable surface space I'm getting, vs how much moving space I'd be losing.
Personally, I dislike fitted kitchens, so my solution would be to have floor to ceiling shelving running along as much of that wall as possible. I don't think Ikea's IVAR would fit, so maybe a twin-slot system would be better. This doesn't give you any extra surface though.
I can't quite work out how tall the ceiling is, but I know rods and butcher hooks to hang pots and pans and other things is quite popular. Or you could get wall mounted versions. Here's one example just to show what I'm talking about: https://www.willowandstone.co.uk/products/laila-hanging-rail?variant=40945856282797
Can I recommend the Finnish dish drying cabinet[1]?
This is one of our secrets here in the north, its a cabinet above your sink where you put your dishes and what-not to drip dry.
Growing up I thought these were ubiquitous, but they seem unheard of outside of Finland.
Highly, highly, highly recommend. They free up a lot of counter space.
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dish_drying_cabinet
The photo on Wikipedia is crap, that’s some 1960s summer cottage.
The drying rack is just an open bottomed cupcake with these racks in them. The racks are standardized and can be bought separately.
Easiest way to get them in the us is to just get the racks, and yourself or a carpenter customize a ready made cupboard to fit them. They mount very easily.
What rooms are on either side of the kitchen? Can you 'steal' any space from them by moving the kitchen walls out a little?
This kitchen looks almost exactly like my old one did at my last apartment! We too struggled with counter space.
We used an Ikea Ivar Regal to solve the storage problem. It's a modular system so you can pick between several options depending on what fits physically best in the space. We got a small dining table in the remaining space ourselves, but you could probably have an adjacent countertop (traditional or floating) depending on your preference.
Obviously it might not be your aesthetic preference, but even if you pick something different I think some dedicated standalone shelves separate from some countertops could help expand your storage space a lot more than looking for sotrage combined with countertops.
Unfortunately nothing with that furniture in it -- my only pictures are from before I moved in and after I moved out! I can show a picture of the shelves themselves if you want, since I still have them, but the new apartment's kitchen is much bigger and laid out very differently so it's probably not so helpful.
Will your HOA allow you to change the windows to ones that are outward facing and look exactly the same?
Side note: these types of rules are one of the big reasons why I refuse to live in a HOA. I paid for the house, I should be able to change whatever window I want in the house.