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20 Best Galley Kitchen Design Ideas That Live Large
Make the most of your small space with these stylish layout and decorating ideas.
Distinguished by their narrow layout with parallel counters, galley kitchens (they were named after the narrow kitchens on ships!)—can be quite functional, not to mention beautiful. But we know figuring out just how to maximize such a small footprint can be tricky. It's natural to think less is more and that you should steer clear of color or keep patterns to a minimum to keep the space from feeling claustrophobic—and we agree that a white kitchen is always a good, timeless choice—but the truth is, you can get away with almost anything in a galley kitchen and you shouldn't be afraid to make it the kitchen of your dreams. Yes, you can still have an eat-in kitchen! Yes, you can have an island! And, yes, you can most definitely have a galley kitchen full of design personality.
Whether you're looking for new kitchen paint color ideas, want to incorporate a new top kitchen trend, or prefer to stick to a farmhouse kitchen style to match the rest of your home, it's all possible with a galley kitchen. That's why we rounded up 19 of our favorite galley kitchens to give you inspiration for how to design, remodel, or even just give a decorative face-lift to your hardworking space.
A Small Vintage-Filled Galley Kitchen
To make the small galley kitchen of their rental getaway Sea Roost live large, homeowners Ron Brand and Matt Albiani of Mate Gallery kept the walls and cabinetry simple and white, but then added color and pattern with a well-worn vintage dhurrie rug almost the full size of the floor space. They then cast a wide net for one-of-a-kind once-from-nature—or nature-inspired—finds, such as this mounted fish, purchased at a Montauk estate sale, to bring additional coastal character.
Get the Look:
Rattan Sconces: for similar, “Santa Barbara” drum sconce by Serena and Lily
RELATED: Tour more of this vintage-filled beach cottage.
A Clean-Lined Modern Galley Kitchen
In designer Max Humphrey's 1970s rancher, the galley kitchen's floor space wasn't wide enough to accommodate an island or table, but an easily movable stool tucked by the end wall still invites a second person to perch in the ample space. The flat-front cabinets are made of lacquered plywood and a glazed polka-dot terra-cotta backsplash lends whimsy.
A Pretty Period-Appropriate Galley Kitchen
Homeowner Melissa Duckworth looked to Benjamin Moore’s Historical Collection for colors that were just right for her early 1900s farmhouse. In the galley kitchen, which was previously the home’s hallway, she chose a timeless cornflower blue to pair with the reproduction wallpaper (“Larkspur 1872” designed by William Morris) and antique mint-colored—and mint condition!—enamel gas range she found on eBay.
Get the Look:
Trim and Cabinet Paint Color: Jamestown Blue by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: See More of This Tiny Bungalow That Was Destined for the Wrecking Ball
An Open and Colorful Galley Kitchen
Rather than boxing in the galley kitchen with a full wall, designer Steve Somogyi of Chicago firm Steve + Filip Design, gave this Michigan lake house kitchen a large island that not only brings fun color to the space, but keeps it open to the accompanying great room. The pantry, range, and refrigerator are all banked along the long wall.
Get the Look:
Island Paint Color: Jamestown Blue by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: 70 Best Kitchen Island Ideas for Kitchens Large and Small
A Colorful, Tiny Galley Kitchen
When the shape of this 98-square-foot kitchen didn't allow for a long lean galley layout, these Texas homeowners took a different approach by outfitting each short end with cabinetry and appliances, and then adding a long table in between for work space.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: Honey Bees by Sherwin-Williams
Backsplash Tile: “Tangier Primero” by Villa Lagoon
A Sunny Yellow Galley Kitchen
On the opposite end, the white range is surrounded by more sunny yellow cabinetry and a backsplash of eye-catching quilt-like cement tiles.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: Honey Bees by Sherwin-Williams
Backsplash Tile: “Tangier Primero” by Villa Lagoon
A Clever Storage-Filled Galley Kitchen
This tiny 8-by-12-foot galley kitchen is harder working than it looks, thanks to a hidden dishwasher drawer by the sink and doubly decorative and dutiful copper cookware on the wall. Other drawers (Homeowner Jennifer Dawson prefers them to door-front cabinets) house dishware. A hand-painted Portuguese tile backsplash serves up a fresh focal point.
RELATED: See more of this charming North Carolina cottage here.
A Pretty White and Gray Galley Kitchen
Tend to change your mind a lot? Choose a simple, goes-with-anything color palette (like this rustic-chic white-and-gray galley kitchen by designer Loi Thai) and pepper in color with your accessories. (We love the strong wash of blue here, but you could just as easily swap it out for something else when you're in the mood for a change.)
Patterned Floor Galley Kitchen
Another way to reduce that hallway feeling is to break up your materials. Here, a patterned floor and dark base cabinets ground the space, while the upper cabinets in a lighter color draw the eye up toward the ceiling.
See more at Studio McGee.
White and Wood Galley Kitchen
Light wood cabinets add a jolt of warmth in a space where white would have felt too cold next to the room's gray floors. Black hardware and fixtures pepper in a little drama.
See more at Front + Main.
Moody Galley Kitchen
Think you have to steer clear of dark hues in small spaces? That's not necessarily true. Enveloped by white walls and floors, a wall of dark cabinets, countertops, and tile make a statement without overwhelming the modestly sized space.
See more at BHDM Design.
A Bright Green Galley Kitchen
This happy space by Curio Design Studio proves that even the tiniest of kitchens can be an eat-in kitchen. (We love the cheery green accent cabinets and storage built into the booth seating!)
See more of this home at Curio Design Studio.
RELATED: Love green cabinetry? See more of our favorite green kitchen cabinet ideas to update the heart of your home.
A Crisp White Galley Kitchen
No matter your square footage, a bright white kitchen is always a good idea. By painting the back wall a slightly warmer hue, the eye is naturally drawn to the room's beautiful arch and breakfast nook beyond.
See more at Jennifer Muirhead Interiors.
RELATED: Our Best White Kitchen Ideas for a Room You'll Love Forever
A Rustic-Traditional Galley Kitchen
Cabinets, countertops, and planked walls in a soft white give this rustic space a clean, serene feel, while large wide-plank wood floors ground the space with warmth.
See more at Hoedemaker Pfeiffer.
A Modern-Meets-Traditional Galley Kitchen
Think you have to keep finishes and accessories to a minimum in a galley kitchen? Think again! This gorgeous space by Erin of Kismet House proves you can mix and match in a small space without creating chaos. (We especially love that she used two different—but complementary!—tiles on either side of the kitchen.)
See more at Kismet House.
A Light and Airy Galley Kitchen
Skip the upper cabinets! If you're blessed with high ceilings in your galley kitchen, you may be tempted to use as much vertical space as possible. But as designer Grace Gordon proves, forgoing upper cabinets in favor of keeping walls open can make a space feel much larger than it really is.
See more at @GraceArthur.
A California-Cool Galley Kitchen
One way to make your galley kitchen feel less like a hallway? Open it up! And no, you don't need to demo an entire wall to do so, as Sarah Sherman Samuel proves here in this serene California cook space.
See more at Sarah Sherman Samuel.
A Two-Toned Galley Kitchen
Love an all-white kitchen, but also love the darker cabinet trend that's been growing? Go with both! Here, in this two-tone Queens, New York, galley kitchen, white uppers and open shelving make the space feel much larger than it actually is, while dark lower cabinets in a similar hue to the flooring ground the space.
See more at Sweeten.
A Simple, Clean Galley Kitchen
Sometimes—especially in the case of small spaces—simple really is best. And this charming space by Shayden and Georgia of the New Zealand-based home and lifestyle Instagram account Moochstyle is a great example of that. White flat-front cabinets, countertops, and tile keep the tiny space feeling light and bright, while a small dose of darkness (upper cabinets and hardware) adds a bit of visual interest.
See more at @MoochStyle.
Sleek and Modern Galley Kitchen
This sleek and sophisticated kitchen makes the most its long, narrow layout with a back wall of floor-to-ceiling cabinets. Housing the majority of appliances along one wall makes it easier for multiple people to navigate the narrow space at once.
See more at Bromilow Architecture.
Laurren Welch is a freelance editor, writer, and creative who covers lifestyle, interiors, entertaining, fashion, and more. When she’s not under deadline, you can find her styling blooms over at Garden Party L.A., scouring thrift and antique stores for hidden gems, and reminding her boxer pup, Monster, that he’s a very good boy.
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