Galley Kitchen Designs

Galley kitchens can have a bad rap, depending on your style preference. A hallmark of older homes, the compact cook spaces—distinguished by their narrow layout and parallel counters (they were named after the narrow kitchens on ships!)—can actually be quite functional, not to mention beautiful. (And updating a galley kitchen is far easier and more affordable than renovating the multi-island kitchens that have dominated Pinterest over the last few years!) That said, figuring out just how to maximize such a small footprint can be very tricky. It's natural to think you may need to steer clear of color or keep patterns to a minimum to prevent the walls from closing in—or that upper cabinets are a no-go in a narrow space—but the truth is, you can get away with almost anything in a galley kitchen. Really!

Whether you're looking for new kitchen paint color ideas, want to incorporate a 2020 kitchen trend, or stick to a farmhouse kitchen style to match the rest of your home, it's all possible. That's why we rounded up 14 of our favorite pint-sized galley kitchen design ideas to give you inspiration for how to remodel your space. Whether you're building a new home with a galley kitchen, renovating an older one, or just want to make a few stylish tweaks to your room's current design layout, we hope these chic (and functional!) kitchen decor ideas help you head in that direction.

For the whole-house palette, 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. The century-old farmhouse sink and period sconces and pendant were all additional eBay finds.

Modern Galley Kitchen Remodel Ideas

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.

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.

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.

Design Advice For Your Galley Kitchen Remodel

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.

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!)

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.

Planning A Galley Kitchen

Cabinets, countertops, and walls in crisp white give this rustic space a clean, serene feel, while large wide-plank wood floors ground the space with warmth.

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.)

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 really make a space feel much larger than it really is.

Galley Kitchen Remodel Ideas

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 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.)

Love an all-white kitchen, but also love the darker cabinet trend that's been going strong the last year? Go with both! Here, in this two-tone Queens, New York, galley kitchen, white uppers make the space feel much larger than it actually is, while dark lower cabinets in a similar hue to the flooring ground the space.

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.

Close Space & Small Galley Kitchen Ideas From The Experts At Cambria

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.

Patterned flooring? In some spaces it could be too much, but in this Los Angeles kitchen, it's just right. A mix of modern and vintage (or vintage-inspired) fixtures round out the stunning space.

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.

Gorgeous Galley Kitchen Ideas To Maximize Small Layouts

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Best Galley Kitchen Design Ideas