Tips for Remodeling Your Galley Kitchen

Many people are buying older homes today. With a little bit of elbow grease and sweat equity you can change the diamond in the rough to a place to call home. When many homes built in the 1950's and 1960's the kitchens were not the central part of the house, they were tucked away as a separate room towards the back of the house. These kind of kitchens are known as "galley kitchens," a straight kitchen surrounded by walls usually with a door closing it off from the rest of the house making it close quarters that can be dark, dreary, hot and cluttered.

Opening up a galley kitchen may be as simple as removing a door and adding some extra lighting. You may be considering removing a wall to completely open the kitchen area into the dining/living room or a cut out for the installation of a window bar counter top as an alternative to eating at the dining room table and family gathering place. Installing a cut out window will require a consultation by a general contractor to make sure the wall you are cutting into is not a load bearing wall, as well as, locating the placement of the electrical wires running through the wall if any.

Most kitchens are white, by default. White, while a neutral color, does not always help a small space feel open. A splash of color in the kitchen with contrasting accents can create a contemporary updated feel and offer dimension to a closed off kitchen space. Yellow, green and terra cotta are some very popular kitchen colors and can be easily coordinated with colors of existing fixtures, cabinets and appliances. These colors complement each other and can be used in concert together. Furthermore the addition of potted herbs in hanging planters, give a nice provincial feel to the space.

Reconfiguring the lighting will breathe new life into a small space. Choose lighting fixtures that cast adequate lighting while remaining energy efficient. Pendent lights are a good primary lighting source in the kitchen while lights mounted under the cabinet offers direct lighting to the counter top space where you are working, cooking and preparing food. Depending on preference, installing a ceiling fan with mounted light fixtures is also one other considerable choice and an easy way to cool and ventilate the kitchen after cooking.

Outdated or rickety cabinets can make any kitchen look tired and dreary. To freshen up the cabinets try a lighter contrasting color than the walls. You will want to clean the surface of the cabinet first and rough the surface with a fine grain sand paper to help the new paint absorb. Apply a semi-glossed based paint for a washable surface that makes cleaning easy. Small older kitchens don't always provide adequate storage space. In looking for solutions to a storage space issue use of a small baker's rack or credenza to store serving dishes and plastic storage containers will help utilize the kitchen cabinet space provided, to store pantry items like spices and dry goods.

To give the kitchen a brighter feel choosing a glass face for the front of the cabinet door will offer an illusion of depth to a small kitchen while giving off reflective light and showcasing your dishes. However, redesigning the look of the kitchen space may require replacing the cabinets. Hardwoods like Oak or Birch are sturdy choices but for the frugal remodeler pine is a less expensive and just as durable. Blonde and light walnut stains are traditional choice colors that match with most kitchen color choices.