How to Turn Your Galley Kitchen into an Open Space

by Gillian Markson | More from this Blogger

16 Jun 2006 04:14 PM

If your home is designed with a galley kitchen, chances are that that first thing on your mind is converting that kitchen into an open space. Galley kitchens are small and get their names from being similar to the galley on a ship. They are difficult to maneuver within and make cooking very difficult because of their restricted size.

However, if you do not like your galley kitchen, rest assured that there are options available to you so that you can redo your kitchen to make it more open, with more light and more egress. Having a comfortable kitchen is attainable, no matter how small your current space is. Here are some tips to get you started with your kitchen remodeling.

First, make sure that you are ready to make the change. Have a contractor come out to view your space before you rip out the cabinets, pull up the floor and knock out the wall. Many times, the walls between the kitchen and the dining room is actually a load bearing wall, which means that if you do not know what you are doing, your entire second floor can come crashing through onto your kitchen floor.

Your contractor will be able to give you ideas for what is possible with your space. He can look at your piping to help you figure out where your sink and gas stove can and should go. He can look at the available electric outlets to help you determine whether or not you have adequate space for your appliances ands proper lighting.

After you have had your contractor look at your space to determine if you can really knock out the wall or not, go ahead and draw up some initial plans with measurements. Be sure to keep in mind that some of your wall will have to remain because of the pipe and electrical wiring that is built into the wall. Pipes are expensive and difficult to remove. If you do not already have an idea of where those pipes are, then proceed cautiously when removed the wall and avoid using a sledgehammer. It would be terrible to knock right through the wall and into the pipes.

Next, begin to carefully knock out the wall. Use a crow bar to get between dry wall backings and cement. Proceed cautiously for the reasons mentioned about. As you pull down drywall and plaster, you will find that your space becomes very messy and difficult to work in, so clean it up regularly so that you do not hurt the floor.

Once the wall is out, you will find that your space is instantly larger and brighter. You will also have a better idea of how you can proceed with the wall in terms of which parts will need to be removed and which parts will need to stay for your support and piping.

Once you have the wall sufficiently removed, the next step is closing it off with drywall and beginning the process of installing your cabinets. Don't worry - you're almost there!

Learn more about Gillian Markson

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger