Galley kitchen ideas: 19 designs for narrow kitchens
A gallery kitchen, also called a Frankfurt kitchen (named for the city in which it was first designed by the historic female architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky) is first and foremost a utilitarian space which makes the most of pokey rooms and (hopefully) high ceilings. The much maligned galley kitchen has a certain charm of its own, but can be tricky to design, as the narrow space doesn't leave much room for manoeuvre, and it's crucial to maximise every inch of space for kitchen storage. A sleek modern style works well in these kitchens, as clean lines help to give a streamlined look, but it's perfectly possible to go down a more traditional route and still have a light, airy feel. As the years have gone on (and space in cities has become, if possible, even more restricted), brilliantly creative people have conjured up stylish and deeply welcoming gallery kitchens using little more than two rows of cabinets, a lick of paint and some carefully hung artwork.
There are some key questions to address: namely whether to opt for over-counter cupboards or floating shelves (for some, the former can be oppressive in a small space, while others find open shelving makes it feel cluttered and messy), what colour to paint it (is a dark colour a mistake in a pokey room, or does it create the optical illusion of infinite wall heights?) and which appliances are best suited to a room that, realistically, isn't begging for endless cluttering technology.
If you are looking for a way to jolly up your mealtimes, we've gathered together our favourite galley kitchens from the House & Garden archives to give you some inspiration to help you on your way.
James McDonald1/8The kitchen at Les Prés d’Eugénie - Maison Guérard in southwestern France was the spark for Neisha Crosland’s own in London; the all-in-one stainless-steel sink and countertop was designed by Charlotte Crosland Interiors; tile, Made a Mano; oven and hood, Lacanche d’Or. The lack of over-counter cupboards help to increase the sense of space.
Alexander James for Studio Peake2/8Sarah Peake of Studio Peake opted for a Tiffany-esque blue in this London kitchen to keep things feeling bright, adding a full length cupboard on each side at the end to maximise the space. Where there's a wall at the end – some would have a window – it's worth doing precisely what Sarah has and adding something with visual interest to break the space up. Sarah opted for a lovely array of antique chopping boards as there's a lot of colour and pattern going on already, but if you chose paint instead of wallpaper, a large artwork would be a great choice here too.
3/8Bespoke oak cabinets, fronted with raffia bound in resin, are set off by the splashback in Pyrolave volcanic stone in the kitchen of this flat overlooking Kensington Gardens.
Christopher Horwood4/8‘The client doesn’t want to think about changing a thing for the next 20 years,' notes Steph Hill. As Honor Devereux puts it, ‘another family could come in and just enjoy the house. It won't jar with anyone.' The kitchen is from Blakes London, with ironmongery from Devol. The table in the window is from Robert Kime. The wall plate is by Claudia Rankin, the small bird artwork is by Hugo Guinness. Both were sourced at Wilson Stephens and Jones.
Tim Beddow5/8In interior designer Sarah Vanrenen's own home, the green galley kitchen is entirely charming. The space seems larger thanks to the door onto the garden at the end, as well as a skylight overhead, both flooding it iwth ligh. Curtains in Sarah's own 'Sunda' linen in brown frame the doorway to the garden, and she picked up the antique rug on a visit to Turkey.
Jake Curtis6/8The compact galley kitchen in designer Ben Pentreath's small flat is bright with white units and shelving, though not clinical thanks to unusual dark green walls. A similar paint is 'Euphorbia' by Paint Library.
Rachel Whiting7/8When the architects of the Barbican, the Grade II-listed Seventies London landmark, drew up the kitchens, they had the clever idea of bringing in Brooke Marine, a firm of yacht designers. They figured the one place where space for a kitchen was always at a premium was on board a boat. It wasn't the only ground-breaking idea: Chamberlin, Powell & Bon also decided the kitchens should be placed at the rear of the flats and be windowless, so that the living area and bedrooms could enjoy the available window space instead. However, the design ran afoul of council bylaws requiring a window or ventilation in the kitchen. The solution? The kitchens were named 'cooking areas' that were considered part of the living room and the designs were approved. Canny.
Michael Sinclair8/8The designer Jane Gowers discovered her London house by chance, but its restoration and decoration have been the result of good judgement and a sympathetic approach. The kitchen's traditional cream units were made by Woodstock Furniture, with doors giving access to the garden terrace. This, similarly to Sarah Vanrenen's kitchen, brings a lot of light into the galley space and helps it to feel larger.
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