• A narrow kitchen does not have to be this boring.PNC/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Corridor or galley kitchens may be small but they do not have to be cramped or claustrophobic. Establishing an effective work triangle, eliminating awkward foot traffic that may interrupt cooking or kitchen chores, and most of all, finding new ways to use available space more efficiently, will make your corridor kitchen a joy to use. My Great Home suggests that clearing away clutter is the single most effective thing you can do to gain space in a small kitchen.
  
  

Lights and Mirrors

• Use the old magician's trick to good advantage by placing mirrored tiles as a backsplash behind counters and low appliances on one side of the kitchen, lining the opposite wall with as many windows as possible. Paint cabinets and walls in light-reflecting white, pale blue or creamy yellow to bring even more natural light into the room. Lighter rooms appear to be larger, and the added light is great for growing fresh herbs right in the kitchen where they will be handy for meals.
  
  

Pass-Through Window

• Too many cooks in the kitchen can lead to spills, and even hot tempers. You can avoid congestion in a narrow galley kitchen by providing a window into the dining room, making it easier to serve and clear without bumping elbows. A pass-through window is also beneficial in keeping the cook, who may otherwise feel isolated, in touch with guests. Locate table accessories and basic condiments, salt and pepper, etc. on shelves next to the window where they are convenient from either side.
  
  

Open Shelving

• Large overhead cabinets can overpower a galley kitchen and give a claustrophobic feel to tight spaces. Use simple shelves instead to keep everything close to hand while opening up the space for a more roomy feel. Shelves provide the added advantage of display room for prized kitchenware or artwork that you might otherwise have had no wall space to exhibit. Gain even more room on shelves with vertical plate racks and slotted boxes for containing pot and pan lids or shallow bakeware like cookie sheets and pizza pans.
  
  

Tricks and Gadgets

• Take advantage of all the space-saving appliances, gadgets and devices on the market today to use every inch of your corridor kitchen to the max. Narrow pullout or behind-the-door shelf units are just right for canned goods storage; use lazy Susans for accessing seldom-used items ordinarily relegated to the back of deep cabinets, fold-down or under-counter sliding cutting boards save space, along with trash cans and cleaning products storage that hide away in narrow, previously unused sections between cabinets. These are only a few of the many items available to space-wise consumers.
  
  

Get Out of the Kitchen

• In truly small corridor kitchens, try saving space by moving necessaries to another place in the house. Use an apartment-sized fridge under the counter for the things you use most often, then hide the full-sized refrigerator or freezer in a laundry room or pantry. Put the sink in the pass-through window, side- or wall-mount the faucet and wash vegetables from the other side to give the cook more elbow room. Take advantage of attic space to hide pull-down cabinets accessed with a simple recessed handle. Think outside the box -- or kitchen, in this case -- for singular solutions.