How to Open a Galley Kitchen Into a Den
Galley kitchens are very common in older houses. They are long narrow rectangular rooms that offer little wiggle room or gathering spaces. They are often closed off from the rest of the house except for one doorway leading to another room. It is very easy to open up a galley kitchen to make it larger and more open. Many people like opening kitchens onto a den or family room, so that people in the kitchen can see and talk to people in the other rooms. This can be done by removing walls or making pass-throughs. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Demolition tools; for example, a drill, reciprocal saw, crowbar, garbage cans or dumpster
- Kitchen decor
- New appliances
- New paint
- New counter tops
- New cabinets
Instructions
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1
Decide what your dream kitchen would look like. Make out a basic floor plan to help you decide. Keep in the mind that your refrigerator, sink and oven should be in a triangular formation in the kitchen. You may need to move appliances, counter tops or cupboards. Look at a lot of kitchen designs and pictures to decide what you really like. Library books can be very helpful in finding different floor plans and decor for kitchens. Make sure that their is enough counter space and cupboards for all of your things and that there is a good flow to the room. Do you need room for a few stools around a bar or island? Do you want a counter top microwave or one that fits onto a shelf or cubbie space?
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Decide whether or not you can afford to make many changes, such as moving appliances around in the kitchen. Moving a sink can cost up to $2,000 in order to rework the plumbing. If a wall is load-bearing, you will not be able to completely remove the wall but may be able to put up columns or posts to support the ceiling. Check in the crawl space under the house and in the attic for support joists and beams to tell you if the wall is load-bearing. If you have any doubts, however, it may be best to call in a house inspector or general contractor to find out for sure.
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Turn off the electricity, water and gas before beginning to work. You run the risk of pipes bursting or getting electrocuted if you fail to do this.
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Clear out the kitchen completely of all the dishes and appliances before starting any demolition work.
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Tear down the wall between the kitchen and the den. If you are simply making a pass through, just tear out the section you need out. Begin by drawing a line on the wall where you want to cut it. Drill a small hole in the wall on the line. Insert your reciprocal saw into the hole and saw along the line. This allows you to make precise cuts and not damage anything you want to keep. Be sure that you have laid plastic on the floor first to protect it and have a dumpster or large garbage cans ready to take away the debris.
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Install any new items you have, such as new cabinetry, counter tops or appliances. Assemble the cabinets on the floor, putting together all the walls, floors and doors. Using a drill and a pre-measured line, screw the cabinets onto the wall both along the floor and up high on the walls. Place your counter tops on top of the lower cabinets. You can go with a high quality laminate or a top-of-the-line granite. Slide your appliances into place. This is simple if you have left them in the original placements.
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Paint the walls a new color. You may need to paint the den, as well, so that the colors either match or complement each other.
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Turn the gas, electric and water back on and replace all your dishes, knickknacks and decorative items.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are unsure of doing any of the work yourself, hire someone to do it for you, from the design to the demolition to the rebuilding.
References
- Photo Credit Beautiful and new kitchen furniture on modern kitchen image by terex from Fotolia.com
