Kitchen of the Week: A Galley Kitchen in Wine Country

A San Francisco family craving a country getaway found a house in neighboring Sonoma that sounded great — except for the kitchen. Kathryn Clark and her household had pictured a weekend home where they can garden, grow their own food and cook amazing food for friends and loved ones. Although this house had the garden and was amazing, the 1980s narrow galley kitchen lacked the space and style they had been hoping for.

Without altering the footprint, architect Amy Alper reorganized this kitchen design, using smart spatial planning, lots of natural light and a mixture of top- and low-budget products.

Amy A. Alper, Architect

The narrow space made installing upper cabinetry nearly impossible. Limited open shelving keeps the space open and enables most items to be kept in closets or the local pantry. Alper focused the redesign on brand new appliance placement, making certain there was lots of space between the primary kitchen work area and the entry to the rest of the house.

Countertop: honed black granite; faucet: Domsjo, Ikea; faucet: Blanco; drawer pulls: Aubrey, Restoration Hardware

Amy A. Alper, Architect

The careful placement of appliances also made space for additional prep space on both sides of the range. Using Ikea cabinetry and very affordable flooring allowed all the funds to move toward the Blue Star range.

Cabinetry: Adel, Ikea; fridge: Jenn Air

Amy A. Alper, Architect

Close to the range, easy painted shelves held up with iron mounts visually tie into the honed granite countertops. A magnetic knife rack saves drawer space and keeps the best knives directly at hand.

Amy A. Alper, Architect

Using stainless steel shelving the owners had helped keep costs down. A brand new beadboard ceiling combines well with the tongue and groove walls.

Dishwasher (integrated into cabinetry): Miele

Architect, Amy A. Alper

Alper went with 24-inch-wide drawers across the kitchen, including additional storage via floor-to-ceiling cabinetry beside the fridge. Large-format porcelain floor tiles created installation faster and labor less expensive.

Flooring: Bedrosians; wall mounted hooks: Marston, Restoration Hardware; light: Schoolhouse Electric; red clock: Etsy

Photography: Kathryn Clark

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