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Whoa, This Cozy Galley Kitchen Used to Be an Alleyway

When you want to expand a townhouse squeezed between many other townhouses, every available square inch must be considered—even the alleyway next door. That's where architect John Eger, founder of London firm Eger Architects, saw a unique opportunity as he planned the renovation of his daughter's three-story 1960s home in the city. Technically a side yard, its narrow proportions made it the perfect size for a new galley kitchen. "Its proposed location lent itself very well to being subtly integrated into the core of the house and the new living space," John says. His daughter's family—she is married with two sons—would finally have the extra space they craved.

Before: The original kitchen and dining room just weren't big enough for the family of four.
Before: The original kitchen and dining room just weren't big enough for the family of four.
Photo: Courtesy of Pluck
During: The side yard between John's daughter's home (right) and the neighboring house, which would become the location of the kitchen.
During: The side yard between John's daughter's home (right) and the neighboring house, which would become the location of the kitchen.
Photo: Courtesy of Pluck

One major issue popped up right away: Using the entire width of that alleyway for the extension meant his daughter's house now bumped right up against the neighboring house, so close that it actually had to mirror its architecture. "The existing side wall of the neighboring Victorian house featured two chimneys with recesses where former fireplaces had been," John explains. "In order to maximize the cabinetry for the kitchen, each cabinet had to be tailored to fit into the recesses of this existing wall." So, that's what he did. The architect worked with London kitchen manufacturer Pluck to customize every single cabinet to fit the space's varying dimensions.

After: Warm wood cabinet fronts and gently speckled gray Corian countertops, both by Pluck, and dusty red traditional English quarry tiles are the perfect compliment to the kitchen's exposed brick wall.
Before: The previous owner had removed the original 1960s kitchen and replaced it with cabinetry that wasn't worth salvaging.
Before: The previous owner had removed the original 1960s kitchen and replaced it with cabinetry that wasn't worth salvaging.
Photo: Courtesy of Pluck
After: The new cabinetry's integrated circular handles are a fun detail that doesn't feel too obtrusive. The stove is tucked into one of the former fireplace recesses; the existing chimney flue became the exhaust extractor.
After: The new cabinetry's integrated circular handles are a fun detail that doesn't feel too obtrusive. The stove is tucked into one of the former fireplace recesses; the existing chimney flue became the exhaust extractor.
Photo: Malcolm Menzies/Courtesy of Pluck

In the end, no two cabinets are alike, although you wouldn't know it thanks to the sleek wood veneer fronts Pluck designed and hand-cut. "Pluck proposed using timber from a large local tree which had blown down in a giant storm in the local park—they had managed to save it," says John. "It being very mature, naturally dried, local, and a sustainably sourced material with some beautiful graining, it was very appropriate to leave it bare and unstained. It does have a sustainable oil treatment though, to prevent staining from foodstuffs."

After: A charming blush-pink shelving unit by Pluck—the specific color is ‘Ruskin Blossom’—differentiates the breakfast nook from the kitchen without blocking any natural light from entering the space.

Despite that obstacle, the side yard extension sparked a handful of smart design features. Without another level above it, John was able to install openable skylights to flood the space with sunlight. (They also provide ventilation.) Plus, the home's exterior brick wall naturally became one of the kitchen's interior walls in the process of the renovation, and the surface was of such good quality that the architect left it untouched. The wall isn't just a fun nod to the transformation, it also ensures a seamless transition from the new kitchen to the rest of the house—the brick is also visible from the living and dining areas. All this to say, we'll never look at alleyways the same again.

After: The larger dining area is located where the kitchen once was (and features the same charming color-blocked credenza as the original space!).
After: The larger dining area is located where the kitchen once was (and features the same charming color-blocked credenza as the original space!).
Photo: Malcolm Menzies/Courtesy of Pluck
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