If it were me, I'd want the sink and range on the same side of the kitchen...and that would leave the pantry, fridge and microwave on the other side. In a small kitchen, I'd have the trash under the sink, so you can keep as much drawer space as possible. Another idea would be a cooktop and wall oven/microwave combination. That would give you room for drawers under the cooktop, to store pots and pans :)

Maybe something like this? {{!gwi}}From Cottage house plans

If my measurements are right...on one wall, you'd have an 18" pantry, the fridge, 30" prep/baking area, and the oven/microwave. If you want a wider prep/baking area, you could have a narrower pantry.

On the other side, the dishwasher, the sink, 30" drawer space, a 30" cooktop, with drawers underneath and another 18" on the other side of the cooktop. You could move the cooktop over and have 24" on each side, but you'd lose crucial prep area, between the sink and the cooktop.

wow, that's a nice option to think about. I will have to let that sit a bit.
thanks for your good work!

Glad it's another possibility. I'm sure you'll get more ideas, tomorrow :)

I think I like B, although I don't know what's going on to the left of the sink, and I think I'd switch the microwave to beside the fridge.

BUT, I can tell these things much better from a layout perspective, rather than elevations. If you could draw the 2 options to scale (graph paper is great), and even Lavender Lass' idea, it'd be easier for most of us to give opinions.

Attached are the plan views for each option.

Just noticed that the pantry should be 11 not 12.

I would try to avoid putting the DW by the garage door. If the DW door is open I'd be concerned about someone opening the garage door into it. It is a bit of a traffic issue.

Design B exterior wall - The open shelving looks a little odd and the 12" wide drawers to the left of the sink will only give you about 9" of interior space which is very small. As someone mentioned, in this space I would put the trash under the sink (there are pull-out systems available for under the sink depending on how wide your cabinet base is) and then convert your 18" trash cabinet to drawers and then combine the 12" pantry and the 12" bank of drawers to a 24" pantry.

Just thoughts. OR - just realized that suggestion might leave you short of elbow room on the left side - you could do 15" pantry and then a 7"-8" lower pull-out for either cleaning supplies or food wraps (tin foils, etc) and leave the top wall clean.

LL proposal has some nice features but I do like the long counters that are incorporated in either of your two suggestions. I think that the layout just needs some minor tweaking.

I'm not sure the dishwasher will fit, next to the garage door. It looks like your counter isn't deep enough. That's probably why the KD put it, on the other side.

How much traffic do you have, through the kitchen? Is there a back door, laundry, or mudroom through that garage entry? If it's rarely used, then I would use Plan D.

Your interior wall is better, with the pantry on that side, so that the fridge doors can open all the way, for cleaning. I'd just move the dishwasher to the other side of the sink and put slide out baskets or shallower drawers, by the garge door. Also, think about matching glass uppers, on each side of the window (that would be pretty) and maybe the microwave on a shelf over your long prep area.

Thanks for all your feedback. Some good ideas and some of your comments are things I have been debating so it's good to get the extra perspective.

Moving the stove to the other side would probably take me out of my budget since it would require not only the cost of a new stove but rerouting the gas line and the exhaust. (stove currently sits close to where it is in my drawings). I do plan on updating the stove at a later date.

I do agree that the pantry in the corner with the shelves is a bit fussy right now. But I will want some elbow room on the left side of the sink.

DW: in my current kitchen it is by the garage door and functionally it works well there. The garage door is just storage and laundry, it's an 800sqft house and currently just me. I'm open to moving it but am concerned that I will be constantly walking around it, tripping over it clearing dishes from the dining room getting to the sink etc. more of a concern for me than going in and out of the garage. But I'm sure I would get used to it quickly.

I will look to see if the cabinet company has an option for under counter trash, but I also plan to have a water filtration system under the sink so not sure if there would be room for everything.

What's your thoughts on not having a tall pantry? I'm increasing my kitchen storage 200% already. My current kitchen has almost no counter space so I'm feeling counter hungry right now.

If you are questioning the use of the pantry, unless it is a pull-out pantry, I probably wouldn't do it. Being only 11", if your drawers are pull-outs they will only be about 7-8" wide which is verging on being impractical. What were you planning on putting into the pantry?

I'm with you on the counters. In my old kitchen my usable counter measured 4"' x 2' and that was into the corner. For me the reno was all about getting usable counter space.

You seem to have put a lot of thought into this and if you like the DW where it is my suggestion is to do a mix of the two (providing no pantry). That would be Design B interior wall and then Design A exterior wall - without the microwave as it would be on the other side. Aesthetically, what I would do on the exterior wall is to make the cabinets on either side of the window glass doors but then the ones to the far right wood.

You could do the whole thing Design B if there were strong pros to moving the DW but still get rid of the pantry and just do more drawers and uppers. Again do the uppers to the immediate sides of the window glass fronts and the others to the further right wood fronts.

Hopefully this makes sense. Without the pantry the kitchen becomes very open with the counter space. If you do want the pantry I wouldn't put it on the range wall because it just seems a little closed and cramped to me. I would put it on the sink wall. IMHO

I have a very similarly sized galley kitchen and have also struggled with the layout. I think that the pantry makes the most sense next to the refrigerator - it would give it all a built-in look and it would also avoid any issues with the fridge door hitting the wall or door to the garage. And it doesn't seem like you gain a lot by putting it in the more awkward spot by the sink - just an extra 6 inches on each side of your range, which doesn't make that area a whole lot more convenient for prep work. BTW I also have the issue of gas lines etc and am probably going to go with an induction cooktop and a wall oven -- but that is only so that I can eliminate the problem of having the sink and range on the same (short) wall of my galley. One other thought - if your budget can swing it (mine can't) you might want to look at the Liebherr fridge or other tall skinny fridges. There is a recent finished kitchen post from NYC of a beautiful galley with a Liebherr fridge; she's got a tall thin pantry next to the fridge which may help you visualize one of the options you're considering. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Beautiful Brooklyn galley kitchen

Thanks smaloney,

I did see your kitchen and you did a fantastic job! And I looked at all of the details. I saw that you used the rosemary countertops which is the one thing I had decided on long before I started this process. Sadly the color has been discontinued. I might be able to get some, but I'm still a month or two away from making any commitment. My KD is puzzled that it has been discontinued because she's used that color quite a lot.

I love my current fridge (fisherpaykel) and it's quite new so I'm not open to changing it out.
I'm leaning towards the pantry cabinet next to the fridge. My kitchen designer's main issue was that she didn't want the microwave on the exterior wall where you could see it. By having it on the interior wall it was hidden from view. But if the pantry is on the interior wall there is not enough width for the microwave as part of the wall cabinet.

I'm not sure I mind it at the end of the exterior wall above the dishwasher.

Again, I'm also curious about the thought of eliminating the tall pantry which would solve everything except (obviously) not having a tall pantry. But it really necessary?

Whoops, I wish I could take credit for the beautiful Brooklyn galley but actually that is not mine. I have been playing with ideas for mine for a year now, and am about to finalize a contract this week. But in the meantime I've paid attention to the few galley kitchens that get posted here, and I know the dilemmas of trying to get the most out of a small space. Because it's so tight, it's almost more important to get the placing right - for example my "before" kitchen has about 8 feet of counter space on one side but I don't use it much because both the sink and the range are on the opposite side. Your designs avoid that drawback, but it's always useful to try to play out the possibilities and see if it works for you. If the microwave placement is an issue, would you consider a microwave drawer that could go in a base cabinet. They are pricier than a standard microwave but you can probably find one at a discount (I stalk the possibilities on the Sears Outlet website.)

Did the kitchen designer do the plan views for you? Or did you draw them?

Do you have the range and fridge already? What are their precise dimensions? Or are you buying these appliances later?

How many people go through the garage door? (one person occasionally, or...)

How badly do you need the garage door to be in-swing? Could it swing out?

How many people use the kitchen?

What climate are you in? Approximately. Canada? Florida?

What budget range are you looking at? The lowest cost possible? The least amount of work? Or, a lot more?

Do you know that a sink does not need to go under a window?

Do you know that a 12" piece of countertop on one side of the cooktop can be an advantage in a small kitchen?

Can you post a photo of the DR built-in cabinet?

Do you have access under the floor to add a new drain on the "interior wall"? (If it's a condo, the answer may be no.).

Can you consider having the kitchen exhaust vent on the exterior wall?

How much amperage do you have available for your kitchen? After it's renovated, how many amperes will be "kitchen"?

Answer any of these questions.

Hth.

We had an apartment kitchen nearly identical to the layout in plan B. We were able to do some renovations there, and we put the microwave under the counter of the long section to the left of the sink, and then put a shelf for cookbooks under the micro.

Now, I don't know why this is, but 90% of my prep happened in the 30-36" we had between the stove and fridge. I had this gigantic section of counter over the dw and micro that was mostly a hot spot for collecting clutter. Maybe it was because all of my baking supplies were in the cupboards between the stove and fridge, so it was more convenient for me to prep there than carry everything across the kitchen.
We had no top cabinets to the left of the sink over the long stretch of counter, either, since that wall was a half wall that overlooked the living room.

I don't know if any of this helps you, but that was my experience with the galley style you are thinking through.

That said, we have great memories of our times in that little apartment. : )

Did the kitchen designer do the plan views for you? Or did you draw them?
I drew them myself.

Do you have the range and fridge already? What are their precise dimensions? Or are you buying these appliances later? I have the stove and fridge already. The dimensions are precise. I will eventually replace the stove but the the fridge will stay. Dishwasher has not been purchased yet but got the measurements from specs.

How many people go through the garage door? (one person occasionally, or...) One person occasionally.

How badly do you need the garage door to be in-swing? Could it swing out?
That's an option.

How many people use the kitchen? One, sometimes two.

What climate are you in? Approximately. Canada? Florida? Northern California.

What budget range are you looking at? The lowest cost possible? The least amount of work? Or, a lot more? Kind of low to midrange. I am gutting the current kitchen, but based on talking to a few people and doing the numbers my budget is a bit stretched.

Do you know that a sink does not need to go under a window? I do, but I really like looking outside while doing my prep, and most of it involves washing and cutting up vegetables. Maybe it's just what I'm used to.

Do you know that a 12" piece of countertop on one side of the cooktop can be an advantage in a small kitchen?

Can you post a photo of the DR built-in cabinet? I don't have one.

Do you have access under the floor to add a new drain on the "interior wall"? (If it's a condo, the answer may be no.). I do, although it's quite a small crawl space.

Can you consider having the kitchen exhaust vent on the exterior wall? Probably. I have a exterior tankless water heater going on the wall between the two windows in the current drawings. As long as there are no issues with clearance space with that.

How much amperage do you have available for your kitchen? After it's renovated, how many amperes will be "kitchen"? 220 total. Its a very small house and I have plenty of switches at the main box.

Answer any of these questions.

I still prefer B, and would still prefer the micro by the fridge. But... Will your fridge door open properly and far enough to get drawers out past the door shelves with it positioned right next to the wall? Most won't.

Okay, you spend most of your kitchen time prepping vegetables by the sink and are the only person who uses the garage door that could swing the other way if you needed?

I now vote for A. It gives you a great work counter to the right of the sink and sequesters cleanup to the left. (The espace plonge, or just plonge. I'm reading a book about a restaurant in Europe and love that word for dishwashing--plonge.) All that great counter space would also have the wonderful benefit of allowing you to get the counter out of the dining area without pain; stopping it no farther than the bookcase on the other side it something I would want to do.

A really good potential option for improving the counter from already really good to fantastic (for me) would be to slide the garage door to the left in order to make this counter maybe 30" deep. I had a deep work counter once and have wanted to replicate it every since. If you're not interested, though, how about making the stove counter deeper? You have the room, that counter would have more work space, and the fridge would end up looking built in.

I'd also at least consider the possibility of repeating the narrow pantry at the dining end of the kitchen counter (without encroaching, of course). This would allow me to lose one or more of those uppers above the work counter for a nice open feeling. If I liked it, this would also allow me to frame the opening to the kitchen on both sides with nice woodwork.

as drawn, the sink = very large.

as drawn, the fridge = how many inches depth? It's 31 1/8 inches wide. You've drawn it as almost flush with the front edge of the countertop, about 26"d. There is no empty inch behind it.

is the fridge handle reversible?

I think you have a great space. The empty floor plan shows the space is large enough for you to have two large countertop areas.

If I were asked to make one change only, and if it had to be a low-budget change, I would
1. slide the stove left, closer to the built-in cabinet side
2. put stickbuilt open shelves (approx 11"w) between the stove and the built-in cabinet
3. install an (oh, no!) OTR microwave/hood over the stove.

This creates a huge countertop expanse between the fridge and the stove. It could be a very deep counter. It could be a free standing unfitted furniture thing you get from anywhere, covering it with a piece of wood like http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00158415/ Varde countertop from Ikea (you cut it to fit the width needed). Here is an all-in-one http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90049200/ that you can cut to fit.

As proposed, the approximately 11"w sliver of countertop on the LHS of the oven is small enough to be without an electrical outlet. This lowers cost.

On the LHS of your sink you have shown an approximately 12"w sliver of countertop. This too is small enough that it can be non-electric. I'm been referring to Plan B. Under Plan A you must have an electric outlet there because the countertop is wider.

There are three advantages of an 11" - 12" wide countertop area. One is that it is practical as a landing pad / plunk spot, which improves safety. Another is that the narrowness of the counter means you GAIN more countertop on the opposite side of the range or sink. The third is that it costs less to you because you are not forced to install new circuits. When renovating one has to build per the construction code in effect. Kitchen counters need outlets. Under Plan "A" above you would have to install five outlets, under Plan "B" above you would have to install four outlets, and under the slightly adjusted Plan "B" I am proposing here, you would have to install three outlets. Check out the electrical codes. The circuits must carry 20 Amperes so they must be brand new; you cannot re-use the old circuits that your house currently has, which are 15 Ampere circuits.

Hth

Thanks for all the feedback.
The garage door isn't movable but the possibility of a slightly deeper counter on the stove side is, I've been thinking about going an inch or two deeper depending on what will work with the fridge.
The fridge is almost 28 inches from front of door (not including handle) to wall. My drawing may be slightly off on depth. I do have to fine tune the drawings a bit. I need 3 inches between the wall and the fridge to fully open. And the fridge door is not reversible.

Thanks, David for the suggestion on the expanse between the stove and fridge. I do like the idea of breaking away from all cabinets all the time, not so sure on the OTR microwave. So I will think about it. Though I do like symmetry.

The kitchen will have to be rewired for sure. I am gutting the kitchen, removing a wall closet which currently holds a water heater, and removing a hall closet to open up the space. The floor plan is the "after" not the before.

Thanks for all the feedback.
The garage door isn't movable but the possibility of a slightly deeper counter on the stove side is, I've been thinking about going an inch or two deeper depending on what will work with the fridge.
The fridge is almost 28 inches from front of door (not including handle) to wall. My drawing may be slightly off on depth. I do have to fine tune the drawings a bit. I need 3 inches between the wall and the fridge to fully open. And the fridge door is not reversible.

Thanks, David for the suggestion on the expanse between the stove and fridge. I do like the idea of breaking away from all cabinets all the time, not so sure on the OTR microwave. So I will think about it. Though I do like symmetry.

The kitchen will have to be rewired for sure. I am gutting the kitchen, removing a wall closet which currently holds a water heater, and removing a hall closet to open up the space. The floor plan is the "after" not the before.

This may not work at all (and maybe it's already been suggested) but have you ever considered moving the fridge to the sink wall? Have it on the end, by the dining room, then a bank of drawers, the dishwasher, sink then the trash or more drawers? You would have plenty of space around the sink and the fridge doors would open easily, for cleaning.

On the interior wall...have a nice pantry, maybe with built in microwave, and then the range, with plenty of prep space on both sides. This would give you the storage you need, more counterspace around the range (where you need it) and a home for the microwave. This way, it doesn't look like an after thought...and you can still have a hood/vent, over the range. Just an idea :)

the couple inches empty space next to the fridge is a great place to put the swiffer.

I can see a balance / aesthetic symmetry / proportional balance with a 36"w exhaust hood on the LHS and your fridge on the RHS. But you house floor plan, as it is, isn't one that needs symmetry.

Between the hood and the fridge you can have your MW on a shelf. It could also be an OTR Mw which could be connected to the duct, as a second exhaust vent. You would need a flapper to prevent crossflow.

The big idea here is to have a bigger countertop surface area. The vent is not the focus here. Whatever vent.