The kitchen; it quite often acts as the central heart of the home, where family meet to chat, hang out and of course eat. So we’re going to explore a trend that is growing in popularity, which adds to the idea of “open-plan living” we see in most contemporary homes.
A pantry is often an area of our kitchens we want to hide from our guests, because it is unsightly or untidy, and our pantry storage isn’t all perfectly matching (look away now Marie Kondo!)
In many of our recent homes however, we’ve worked with a ‘galley’ between the kitchen and pantry, allowing for a flow between the two food prep areas by removing any doors or walls. You might be wondering how it’s possible to keep your pantry-mess discreet and tucked away when there’s no door, so here’s how…
The entrance to the pantry, or the ‘galley’ appears as if it is the same as the kitchen, but once you turn a corner, the main part of the pantry is there, tucked away and hiding your Corn Flakes and Vegemite from the outside world.
A galley between the kitchen and pantry means that the design of your kitchen can remain sleek and minimalistic – no bulky cupboards like normal joinery, or large doors concealing a Butler’s pantry – without looking like a messy supermarket aisle!
To show you how this design element would look, check out the below example:
A galley design can also be used cleverly when space is limited or irregular, in the following two ways:
1. Enhance the space by using lighting OR connecting the space to the outdoors:
An elongated kitchen design which leads to an outdoor area as an example, will give the sense that the space is longer, and help avoid the area appearing like a corridor. If access to the outdoors isn’t available in the space, a window at one end will give the same effect, or similarly, well-placed and oversized lighting will create the impression of more space.
2. Create a galley using an island:
As an enclosed galley kitchen might not make for the most sociable setting, one adaptation to remedy this is the inclusion of an island, for your range hood or sink, or simply to act as another place for people users to sit.
The island bench replaces a wall in the kitchen design, and adds another element to the design and functionality of the kitchen, without closing it off from the remainder of the living area.
Interested in finding out more about how to maximise the aesthetic and practical aspects of your new home? Contact the PAH Innovative Construction team today!