Pros and Cons of Galley Kitchens
February 15, 2019
When it comes to your custom home, every room should be built to suit your needs, lifestyle, and tastes. The kitchen is usually one of the busiest rooms in the home and its design should make it easy for you to use on a daily basis. There are seemingly endless kitchen designs and layouts to choose from, so you’re bound to find the right one for you. One type of kitchen layout is the galley kitchen. Here are some pros and cons of galley kitchens to help you decide if this kitchen layout is right for you:
What is a Galley Kitchen?
A galley kitchen, also sometimes called a corridor kitchen or a parallel kitchen, is characterized by a layout that features two parallel walls with a walkway between them. The traditional galley kitchen layout is usually narrow with the cleaning fixtures on one wall and cooking appliances on the other. In a custom layout, you can choose where everything goes as what really identifies a galley kitchen is that it has a walkway between two parallel walls with an entrance on either end.
3 Pros of Galley Kitchens
Everything has its pros and cons. Here are a few pros of galley kitchens:
1. Galley Kitchens Focus on Efficiency and Function
The setup and layout of a galley kitchen are specifically built to be functional and efficient. Everything someone needs to cook is on one side of the kitchen and is within reach. There’s no need to run all over the kitchen just to prep a meal. The two entrances and middle walkway also make a galley kitchen easily accessible from multiple points.
2. A Galley Kitchen is a Great Fit for Small Spaces
Because of the standard galley kitchen layout, they are a great fit for smaller spaces or for someone that doesn’t want a large kitchen. And, because they are generally longer than they are wide, a galley kitchen has a lot of versatility and flexibility when it comes to placement in your custom home design. They can also be an open concept or a closed concept in design.
3. Galley Kitchens Offer Plenty of Work Space
With two walls that each feature a counter, there is plenty of work space available in a galley kitchen. Someone using the kitchen can easily move from one work center to another as needed. At the same time, two people can also easily work in the kitchen as there are two walls of countertop available.
3 Cons of Galley Kitchens
There are plenty of pros to galley kitchens, but there are some cons to consider as well. Here are a few cons of galley kitchens:
1. Galley Kitchens Tend to be Narrow
The fact that galley kitchens tend to be narrow and a good fit for smaller spaces is both a pro and a con. Because this type of kitchen layout does tend to be narrow, it can also be tight on space. This also can make it difficult to provide enough overall lighting in the space, especially if it’s built with a closed concept design. This also means that, although there are two counters, the counter space is limited with a galley kitchen.
2. A Galley Kitchen can be Difficult for Multiple People
Two people could likely use the galley kitchen just fine as long as they are doing tasks on either side of the kitchen. However, the narrow space does make it difficult for multiple people to be in the kitchen at the same time. This can make the galley kitchen layout a less useful layout for families or someone who often has guests.
3. Galley Kitchens Provide Limited Storage
If you need ample kitchen storage, you may not be able to find it with a galley kitchen. Although there are cabinets, drawers, and more, and there are two walls available for some storage, you will be limited on storage space. You can get creative with kitchen storage and keep everything organized to make it work, but if you need to expand the kitchen or need to add more storage to your kitchen, you may not be able to do so.
Every type of kitchen layout has its pros and cons, so it’s all about finding the one that’s right for you. When building a custom home, you get to choose the details that fit you best, including customizing your kitchen. If you’re ready to bring your dream home to life, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!
