Guest Post: Ann's Less is More Galley

When I stumbled upon Ann's blog, DIY with ADD I was impressed with their beautiful home. It wasn't until I got a few pages in that I realized she lives within walking distance of me! (Albeit through a posh few blocks) So I'm more than a little excited to be able to show you another Brooklynites renovation adventures. On the menu today is their lovely kitchen renovation. Ann, tell us all about it.



I'm not a kitchen designer, but I play one on my blog diywithadd. I'm excited to guest post on brooklynlimestone because Stefanie's blog was an inspiration to me when I was planning my own renovation, especially the photos of her gorgeous kitchen. Like many a would-be Renovationista, my kitchen dreams were constrained by some serious space and budget realities. Design compromises were made, but in the end (hallelujah, we made it to the end!) my husband, Scott, and I love cooking in our cozy new kitchen. What follows are some small kitchen design ideas that worked for us and I'd love to hear what has worked for you. diywithadd.before.kitchen.renovation
Because we opted not to move the 75 sq. ft. galley kitchen in our Brooklyn brownstone apartment, it didn't get much bigger. But it did get taller when we raised the ceiling and built our cabinets sky high for extra storage. And it got cleaner when we opted to paint the shaker cabinets white and to keep the overall color palette muted. It's definitely brighter since we swapped out the old door to our deck for a single pane glass one. It even feels wider because we replaced a chunky old clunker of a fridge with a sleek counter-depth model. diywithadd.ledeshot.kitchen.renovation
I designed our kitchen around a few relaxed and retro elements that Scott and I both knew we wanted, like a fireclay apron front sink, bracketed shelving, a satin nickel bridge faucet and cleft slate countertops. I took a "less is more" approach with the rest of the design so that these key pieces could stand out in the small space. Our cabinets and hardware, for example, are deliberately simple. We chose custom panels for our appliances so that they would disappear into the cabinet wall. We took a pass on the professional hood trend (which I think can look great in larger kitchens) and instead installed a discreet but powerful exhaust fan in the ceiling above our new range. We even tucked the microwave under the counter in order to keep the eye level lines clean and unbroken. Of course, a tight budget informed some of our decisions. diywithadd.after.kitchen.renovation
Custom paneled appliances were a splurge that didn't leave money left over for fancy tile work, so we painted the century-old brick exterior wall rather than adding a backsplash. The flooring is the same vintage wide-plank pine that we installed throughout our apartment. You can click here to see our kitchen floor plan and to get links to the appliances that (thankfully!) work really well in our small space. Our simple, efficient and compact kitchen design suits us, but I'm curious about what has worked well for other kitchen remodelers. A friend just asked me to redesign her Brooklyn kitchen, so I'll be blogging more small space ideas soon on diywithadd. diywithadd.lastshot.kitchenrenovation
All photographs © Moya Mc Allister

32 comments:

  1. Things to love about your new kitchen: crisp white, tall cabinets, open shelving, exposed brick, paneled appliances, gorgeous hardware. So nice.

    It's hard to believe it's the same kitchen. Looks fabulous!

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  2. It's funny that you mention that the brick was a result of budget constraints -- it's one of my favorite parts!

    Nice kitchen!

    Kelly

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  3. I have NEVER liked galley kitchens, but this...this is an amazing space. I'll take it.

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  4. Beautiful! The white really opens it up, but there isn't a cold/sterile feel.

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  5. This is first space I've ever seen that has actually made me LIKE a galley kitchen. It is so bright and airy! The difference between the before and after is like the difference between a dungeon and a meadow :)

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  6. What a fabulous remodel. I love everything. It looks twice as big. Love the cabinets you put on the right side too. Great storage in a small area. Hugs, Marty

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  7. I love white kitchens and this one is now exception. Just gorgeous!

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  8. Lovely kitchen - great combo of textures too.

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  9. This is a shocking and gorgeous renovation! I love it!!!

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  10. Really nice....what a transformation from blah to Ya!!!!

    Cindy

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  11. "This is first space I've ever seen that has actually made me LIKE a galley kitchen."- Thanks Jennae! I completely understand the dislike of galleys, a nice open plan with a big center island is almost always best. But we just didn't have that option in our 1300 sq ft brownstone apartment. Our tightly designed kitchen is AMAZINGLY functional now for it's small size. Thanks for the comments everyone; this is such a great community!

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  12. Anonymous11:42 AM

    So pretty! I totally agree with Jennae on it being one of the first galley kitchens I like! Beautiful choices on everything. Simple and clean, and it looks like it's always belonged. Love!

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  13. Thanks for sharing this gorgeous kitchen! Amazing transformation.

    Warmly, Michelle

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  14. Anonymous12:09 PM

    Oh my...............love love love it. My dream kitchen. Small (less to clean), white cabs, dark counters and wood floors. GREAT JOB!!

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  15. I am in love with your counter tops!!! What a great kitchen...it's yummie :)

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  16. Gorgeous - I really admire that you worked with your small space instead of busting down walls all over! Looks amazing - I'm stopping over now to check out more of your blog!

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  17. I've never understood why some people don't like galley kitchens (talking to you, Plain Jane! :o). They are a dream for people who cook alot--everything is right there that you need. Your beautiful kitchen is an example of a real cooking kitchen. Tons of counterspace, everything close by, and beautiful to boot!

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  18. The kitchen is gorgeous, but I'm always amazed when people show the interior of their refrigerators and there are two bottles of wine and a lemon. Where do you keep all your condiments? What about the Thai curry paste? The 3 types of mustard? The stinky Korean chili sauce? I guess that's why I'm a food blogger first. But the kitchen is gorgeous!

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  19. It's hard to believe it's the same kitchen. Wow, what a transformation! You did really good with the space you had.

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  20. Kate, I am laughing so hard right now! My friend shot the place for my contractor and my blog right after we moved back in and I said "no closeups!". When I peeked into the kitchen and saw her shooting inside the fridge, I nearly died. So I quickly moved the stinky Korean chili sauce, et al out of the door and into hiding. I love your comment, so true.

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  21. This is absolutely beautiful! I have a galley kitchen and mine is red. I am so not afraid of color and love the look of a white kitchen but just think I could ever pull it off. This is so warm and inviting and looks really efficient too. Congratulations!

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  22. Anonymous10:18 PM

    I think this is one of the most practical (and lovely) kitchens I've ever seen. Simple, clean, and oh-so bright!

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  23. How cozy and wonderful is this kitchen! I am in love with it!

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  24. Just lovely. Clean... Crisp... I love it!

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  25. Anonymous3:28 PM

    Wow, I just checked out diywithadd and it is a fantastic site! Great renovation inspiration. The kitchen is pretty, but the black master bath is my favorite! I'm headed to the paint store...

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  26. love the paneled fridge! great for keeping the look timeless.

    xo,
    cristin

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  27. I love the idea of the raised ceiling and sky high cabinets. Saving money on the bricks was the best thing you could've done! It's gorgeous!

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  28. what white paint did you use?!

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  29. It is Ben Moore Atrium white. FYI, I just posted some more "where to buy" details about our kitchen hardware and finishes on diywithadd. Thanks for your kind feedback everyone. Have a great day, ADD

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  30. You did an absolutely gorgeous job! Everything looks fantastic.

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  31. I love every inch of it!

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