Here’s How to Make a Galley Kitchen Bigger

To maximize the best galley kitchen inspiration, just look outside the two walls

Making your galley kitchen bigger

The key to making your galley kitchen inspiration successful is all about maximizing the available square footage. But when you’ve optimized every inch and still need more space, the question becomes: how do you make a galley kitchen bigger?

Demolishing the entire kitchen and its surrounding walls is not always a realistic option. Bringing down walls partially provides some openness while not eliminating all walls which are important for storage. Another way to expand a galley kitchen layout is by allowing the kitchen to extend into nearby living spaces. See how the five Sweeten renovations below snuck in a little more outside their two walls.

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A countertop extension perfect for parties

Instead of taking down walls to open things up, Joel and Eric worked with their designers to build a wraparound kitchen countertop to join the kitchen and nearby dining room. The one-piece counter is perfect for hosting parties: it provides a spot for pouring drinks and serving buffet-style dinners without leaving the kitchen. As a bonus, the extended storage helps mitigate the build-up of clutter.

Simple solution: a pass-through

Gina and Andrew’s kitchen was closed off from the rest of their apartment. As a layout, being closed off isn’t always undesired. However, the couple wanted to move beyond their dark galley kitchen, which also had an awkward layout. Their plans required moving a load-bearing wall. Therefore, architectural drawings needed to be submitted for approval. It was worth it for their Sweeten contractor to build a two-seat breakfast bar (and fit a stackable washer and dryer). The pass-through gave a new dimension to the galley layout. It also created a welcomed social aspect between the kitchen and dining area.  

A patio comes inside

Laura and Tim were ready to trade in their “old and grungy” kitchen in their 1929 brick townhouse.  They remodeled their galley kitchen and kept the layout—with one major change. They enclosed an outdoor patio at the back of the kitchen that had a drafty door which was also poorly located. The new plan was to envelop the patio into the cook space and the adjacent dining area. What started as a kitchen remodel turned into a full-blown extension project. A skylight in the new enclosure brought in a stream of natural light.

Galley kitchen inspiration: Turn the corner

Shifting the location of a nearby closet allowed Melissa and Blake to enlarge the galley kitchen into the living room. This created space for more cabinets, a wine rack, and counter space. Their Sweeten contractor removed a second closet also outside the kitchen and built a bar counter with seating in its place. By “turning the corners” off the galley, the couple gained a lot more kitchen space.

Separating the dining area from the kitchen

Moving the eating nook outside of the kitchen allowed Lisa and Chris to extend their cabinets along the back wall. The sink and stove remained in the same locations. However, the fridge was relocated allowing the opposite wall to have a long continuous countertop. A part of the wall was partially removed to create a large, eat-in peninsula. The extremely cramped galley kitchen now felt more open and organized.

When you’re ready to get started on your kitchen or home remodel, work with Sweeten to renovate with the best contractors.

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.