Kitchen design and cabinetry company Bakes & Kropp, working with interior designer Cathy Buik, has remodeled a small, dated galley kitchen in a New York City home. The new kitchen fills exactly the same footprint, yet looks and works very differently. The company is at bakesandkropp.com.
Before: dark and underused
The old kitchen had wood cabinets, a single pendant light, rounded corner shelves, dark countertops and stretches of wall that were not used at all. In a narrow room, that combination made the space feel heavy.
Light above, dark below
White upper cabinets, white countertops and under-cabinet lighting now keep the small kitchen bright and make it feel more open. The lower cabinets are black, and the floor is warm wood. Polished nickel inlays run across the fronts, giving even the cabinet doors the look of drawers.
A wall of storage and a patterned backsplash
At the end of the room, a full wall of cabinetry adds counter space, and a decorative tile backsplash gives the kitchen a focal point.
Appliances that disappear
The previous stainless steel fridge was replaced with an integrated model whose front matches the cabinets. Next to it is the sink with a drying rack, and further along the same side a built-in microwave sits within the cabinetry. The oven is on the opposite wall, along with a pair of floating white shelves that almost vanish against the wall.
Ideas for other small kitchens
The project shows a few simple moves that suit many galley kitchens: keep upper surfaces light, add lighting under the wall cabinets, hide appliances behind matching fronts and use every bit of wall for storage.
Project credits
- Project: galley kitchen remodel, New York City
- Kitchen design and cabinetry: Bakes & Kropp
- Interior designer: Cathy Buik
- Photography: Nicole Larson
- Source: Contemporist