40 Gorgeous Galley Kitchens That Don’t Skimp on Style

Warm up your kitchen with natural grain and stain, which pairs beautifully with stone countertops and brass hardware. Hommeboys Interiors goes for a cooler-tone oak flooring and triple-bleached walnut cabinetry.

Photo by: Adam Potts

Moody black cabinets are the perfect complement to bright white walls in this vintage-inspired kitchen. To complete the look, Cheryl Clendenon of In Detail Interiors brings in a distressed runner rug and floating shelves filled with collected decor.

Photo by: Greg Riegler

For cabinets and walls, design firm Ponton Interiors goes for a cream paint — the neutral shade feels warm, inviting and airy. An oval-shaped window at the end of the space adds interest and allows more natural light in.

Photo by: Amy Lamb of NativeHouse Photography

Create visual interest in a small room with eye-catching tiles, like this hexagon pattern. In a charming interior by Four Brothers Design + Build, teal flooring creates a clear divide from the adjacent dining room.

Photo by: Steve Hershberger

In a sunny galley kitchen, you can’t go wrong with bright white cabinetry. Try painting a few lower cabinets black for contrast, then tie everything together with black and white marble countertops, just as BHDM Design does here.

Photo by: Adam Kane Macchia

Build a bookshelf at the end of your galley kitchen for extra storage. It’s a great place to store glasses and dishes, plus display cookbooks and trendy decor. Here, TeassWarren Architects settles on dark wood to create contrast against the white cabinetry.

Photo by: Frazier Springfield Photography

Here, Studio Munroe infuses bold color with decorative accents that aren’t necessarily permanent. Things like runner rugs, Roman shades and a tile backsplash can be swapped out if your style changes in a few years.

Photo by: Thomas Kuoh

The galley design layout is great for kitchens, but even more functional in a butler’s pantry, which is an ideal place for storage and food prep. Here, Bakes & Kropp packs a lot into a tiny space, including a prep sink and small stovetop.

Don’t limit yourself to one cabinet finish — especially if you want something with more personality, like a wood grain. Hint: White upper cabinets might create the illusion of a larger space.

Overhead lighting (think pendants, recessed lighting and flush mounts) is key, but under-cabinet lights illuminate your prep station. It’ll make things like chopping and reading recipes easier in your galley kitchen.

From the exposed wood ceiling and black trim to the gray tile floor, this small galley layout showcases a chic industrial vibe. There’s also black shelves above the cabinets to maximize vertical space.

For a modern and minimalist style, ditch clunky cabinet hardware. A lack of handles or knobs can make a narrow space feel cleaner and less cluttered. Instead, let cabinet doors (like this soft wood grain) be your focal point.