Galley KitchensGalley kitchens...the name says it all. Think tiny kitchen on a boat. Stand in one spot and make a meal. Some yahoo had the bright idea to translate this seafaring cook's super-efficient layout into home kitchen design. So there you are, stuck between two claustrophobic parallel rows of cabinets that often dead-end into a wall...a place only a Navy submarine veteran could love. And what if there are two cooks in the kitchen? Watch out! (See Small Kitchen - Two Cooks for helpful ideas.) Actually, many galley kitchens today make beautiful, efficient workspaces. If yours needs help - better traffic flow, more light, space, or openness to the rest of the house - here are some galley kitchen remodeling ideas to improve it! 
Here's a typical layout. The space is shut off from the rest of the house. It's lonely in there! But hey!...It won't take too many steps to cook dinner. 
Opening up a wall to create a pass-through is one of the least expensive ways to cure a closed-in kitchen. Depending on the placement of appliances, you may have room for a nice big "window" to connect you to what's going on in the next room. And if that room has enough space, you can make the pass-through an eating bar. NOTE: If the wall is load-bearing, you'll need to add a header or a beam to hold up the house! ALWAYS CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL WHEN MESSING WITH WALLS. 
Take it a step further and knock down one wall to create a peninsula. Looks like an island but it's connected to a wall at one end. If you can borrow more space, add a raised bar or pull up shorter stools to a countertop-height bar. This solves another issue in the original layout - refrigerator access! No more people squeezing past the cook for a cold beer or a cheese and pickles snack. 
Transform your galley into an island kitchen! Since this design removes two walls, you may need the support of a pillar - the funny little circle I've drawn on the end of the island. Sometimes a pillar adds charm to your design. You may not need visible support if your contractor can add ceiling beams to support the house. 
Okay, this is the WORST! A door at the end, leading to another room - traffic flow nightmare! Especially if that's a popular little room at the other end. Sometimes it's just a laundry room...but it might be a mudroom that leads outside. My sister has a small TV den off her kitchen with this kind of layout. Downright inconvenient, any way you look at it. 
Here's a solution: Put another entry door into that room off the kitchen so it can be accessed from a hall or another room. Then borrow a little space and carve out a pantry for your kitchen! Voila! L-shape Kitchens
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