Kitchen Goes From Cramped to Comfortable

Working the Angles

A tip to remember: Curved edges preserve more open space than do right angles. Sweeping curves and a creative storage plan took this 10-by-14-foot galley kitchen and 6-by-8-foot pantry from cramped to comfortable. Now, the New York City homeowners and their two teenage children can cook and eat together without colliding at each turn.

The 2-by-6-foot, granite-topped island's rounded ends with double doors ease clearance and provide full access to what's stowed inside. Curved clerestory-height maple cupboards add a third row of storage cabinets. The stainless-steel under-sink cabinets and backsplash were chosen for their water resistance.