A two-line kitchen consists of two parallel rows of units that form a central corridor where you can easily prepare your food. The arrangement works well for all types of kitchens. It is also the preferred design of many professional chefs who love it because it increases cooking efficiency and safety. Just like the compact galley or galley on ships from which the layout is actually named, such a design optimizes space by packing in a lot of storage and work areas. This makes this design ideal for small kitchens.
At first glance, a two-line kitchen seems to offer more challenges than advantages. Such a cooking area allows you to use your creativity to reduce your lifestyle to the essentials. This way you simplify your activities and also save money.
Equipment and assessment of the interior
You can equip a narrow two-line kitchen with counters on both sides of a central entrance. These are usually interspersed with appliances, sinks, cabinets and other functional items. Galleys are generally considered small, but they can be quite long. Regardless of the size, the space can be a practical solution for your house or apartment.
Although these designs work best in small spaces, you can also create a two-line kitchen in a medium-sized room. However, keep in mind that if you install opposing kitchen countertops too far apart, the pantry will lose efficiency. In addition, such a kitchen area is ideal on a professional level, but not suitable as a dining area. This means that if there is no option to open up the room, this may not be the most sociable of arrangements. On the other hand, a two-tier setup in an open space can offer the best of both worlds.
A useful two-line kitchen is, in principle, small and effective. This means you have more space to create other rooms in the living area. Designed from the ground up, these kitchens are usually ergonomically effective because everything has to fit in there. This reduces pantry space, food preparation, serving and eating space to a minimum. Since many rooms are built in parallel, a two-story kitchen takes advantage of vertical space with floor-to-ceiling cabinets and even shelves on the top of the kitchen door.
This kitchen style saves space and money
Hang up pans and keep the kitchen tidy
There is a lot to consider when planning your kitchen. There are numerous smaller details to consider, including how and where you should store your kitchen utensils. To take some of the load off your cupboards, you can hang up your pans! They usually need to be kept on hand for cooking
The small size also means you have to buy fewer items. The room essentially requires less furniture than larger kitchen areas and therefore doesn't store as many kitchen utensils. The kitchen counter is basically the most expensive part, and for a two-line kitchen you need smaller areas, which will not affect your budget much. Alternatively, you can have a worktop made of expensive materials such as natural stone or marble installed.
Choose the right look
When it comes to a galley, there are two general planning preferences. The first is relatively symmetrical, as can be seen in the example above. This means that you should coordinate the length of the kitchen island and the arrangement of the units on each side as much as possible. But you can also opt for an asymmetrical layout with different approaches instead. This involves focusing tall kitchen cabinets or appliances on one side of the room and base units on the other. For example, you can create an open space on both sides with a mix of wall units.
When designing a two-line kitchen, the most important thing is to have a wall length of at least 3.5 meters so that you can place the sink and the hob far enough apart. For safety reasons, these should be at least 30 centimeters apart. However, as this would not leave sufficient work space, it is best to space the units 90cm apart. In this arrangement, a length of 3.5 meters allows sufficient capacity for washing. Occasionally, adjustment is required for top drawers in this scenario and ensures that all important appliances fit inside.
Finally, this length also provides enough space for the units on the opposite side, such as the refrigerator, oven and pantry. Such a design creates a lot of storage space and helps keep the room and countertops clean and tidy.
Asymmetrical arrangement
Perhaps you prefer an asymmetrical layout with tall lower units along the same wall? For example, if the wall area is 3-4 meters, you can position three large enclosures at one end and three base units at the other end. For example, you can equip the opposite side with shelves or even a window. This arrangement works very well if the two-line kitchen is quite narrow, as without a large row of units, the kitchen space will feel wider.
Depending on your home's decor, one maytwo-line kitchen landscapebe closed or open at one end. If the corridor leads to another room, outdoor area or garden, the traffic there will be heavy because you will be using it as a passageway. If the number of people in your household is not large, this will not be a problem. Having small children or pets in the house would make running around the kitchen while holding a sharp knife or hot pan more of a problem. For this reason, you can improve security especially where the corridor narrows. In this regard, it is better to plan the room with the sink and the hob on the same plate. Although this kitchen equipment is less efficient, it concentrates your device in a single area so you don't have to access opposing countertops with potentially dangerous objects in hand.
Delimit the room with a wall
A galley that is locked can also be a safe place because there is only one entrance, providing the cook with more privacy. So how can you make the most of wall space in this case? It could be that there is a window installed here. To avoid blocking your kitchen's natural light, you can use onesmall seating areaset up at one end. There you can, for example, write your shopping list or have conversations on the phone. Alternatively, leave space for an open shelf, a beautiful painting or a family-friendly chalkboard wall. The latter can serve as a wall for playful drawings and notes or for to-do lists. The clever use of a mirror in this compact kitchen is also worth mentioning as it allows you to create the impression of a larger space.
Kitchen island as a furnishing item
As already mentioned, a closed two-line kitchen does not provide an option for socializing. A popular adaptation, if your space allows it, in this case would be to include a kitchen island. In the example above, the island replaces one of the kitchen counters to become part of the decor and functionality. This is parallel to the longer kitchen area and usually houses either theStovetop or the kitchen sink. Whichever of them is not positioned on the island, you can place them in echelons on the opposite surface. This staggering is safer and more efficient while cooking because it reduces turning between the sink and the stove.
Make the two-line kitchen more sociable
Some people add a kitchen island to the design but intend to keep the work surface clear. This is often the case with bakers who need the space to roll out pastries. This kitchen served exactly that purpose. This had to meet the needs of all family members.The seatingon the other side of the kitchen island helped keep the children safely away from the cooking area while still maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.
Add seats
Sometimes there is space for a small breakfast bar in a galley kitchen, which provides additional storage as well as dining space. Here the kitchen peninsula at the rear of the kitchen is completely separated from the cooking area. This also has seating on the other side. If there is space for a table between the kitchen units, you can include this in the planning. Furthermore, adding a small kitchen cart as additional work space can be an effective alternative. However, in most cases, the two-line kitchen has enough space to eliminate this need. Unless it is a specific addition such as a chopping block.
Give a feeling of space
When planning a two-line kitchen, you're careful to avoid a corridor effect, where the area feels small and enclosed. As mentioned above, losing the continuity of tall units in favor of wall units or shelves will help open up the space.The choice of furniturecan be equally important. High-gloss surfaces in light colors are best for reflecting light and enhancing the feeling of space. Similarly, cabinet doors and drawers without handles give a minimalist look and take up less space than heavier ones. Ultimately, lighting is a very important element. Well-placed and oversized light sources will brighten up the two-line kitchen well and make it look wider.
Space for creativity
Having a two-story kitchen constantly engages your creative side in different ways. You need to exploit all corners and unexpected areas to find storage solutions. Don't forget that the ceiling can also provide storage space. Decorating a small room also requires inspiration and imaginative vision to add color accents. Cooking in a galley can also greatly improve your culinary skills.