Sometimes a visual transformation of the interior is sometimes not enough, so many resort to the option of redevelopment, which can significantly improve living conditions and embody bold ideas. A kitchen studio in Khrushchev is an ideal option for people who value comfort and functionality and follow the latest fashion trends.
Features of combining the kitchen and living room
Khrushchevka is a 4–5-storey building from 1958–1985. buildings with small-sized apartments are often uncomfortable layout: cramped kitchen, narrow corridor, adjacent rooms. To optimize the space, residents began to resort to combining the kitchen and the living room. On the one hand, this method of expansion is very beneficial because it allows you to combine the working, dining and guest areas in one room without harming each of them. On the other hand, for a large family, this option presents certain difficulties, depriving the personal space of households. In addition, any redevelopment requires official permission, which entails financial expenses.
But the one-room Khrushchev got a unique opportunity to become a luxury housing, even in the interior. The small kitchen studio looks not only cute and cozy, but also very modern and stylish. Here it is possible to realize their creative potential and create a unique kitchen-studio design, which residents of new buildings will envy.
Space organization
Before proceeding with the repair, a project should be developed taking into account all the features of the room so that not a centimeter of the kitchen-studio is left without attention. To do this, you can use a computer program - an online designer, which in 3D mode allows you to see the future interior. You can also depict the design of the kitchen studio schematically on a piece of paper.
First of all, it is necessary to decide on the family council which studio zone to focus on: work or guest. This will help determine the boundaries of each of them and choose the most suitable layout for Khrushchev.
Consider the main options for arranging furniture in a kitchen studio.
- L-shaped. It involves placing the headset along two perpendicular walls of the kitchen. Ergonomic use of space is carried out due to compact multifunctional furniture, visual combination of stove, sink and refrigerator. Any housewife will feel very comfortable in such a kitchen, and the cooking process will not take much time.
- Linear arrangement is a set that is located along one wall of the kitchen, and the rest of the space is in the dining room or relaxation area. Such a layout is suitable for a small studio in Khrushchev, in which 1-2 people live, or the owners do not really like to cook.
- The peninsula is a multifunctional, free-standing block in the kitchen, which end faces the wall. Usually it is located opposite a linear or L-shaped headset and serves simultaneously as a dining table, work surface, and sometimes a bar.
- The island differs from the peninsula in that it stands in the middle of the studio room separately from the walls and furniture. For a studio in Khrushchev, whose photo, design and layout can be viewed on the website, the compact version of the island is more suitable - a bar counter with two seats.
Subject
- False partition. This is a drywall construction that partially separates the room. It comes in various shapes and configurations (with waves, beveled corners, etc.). An aquarium with exotic fish in a recess niche looks very impressive.
- Sliding constructions. They allow, if necessary, to completely isolate the kitchen from the living room in Khrushchev. Thanks to the roller mechanism or accordion doors, the constructions take up little space, but make it possible to retire.
- Furniture. The sofa is usually placed in the middle of the room at the border of two studio zones. If you like the design of a kitchen studio, pay attention to the quality of the upholstery. The material must be washable so that food stains disappear during wet cleaning.
- Bar counter. This is a stylish piece of furniture, the ability to divide the space. It is used as a dining table, as a place for a snack and tea party.
Visual
- The kitchen and relaxation area in the studio can be visually divided in different colors. However, they must be present in both rooms of Khrushchev. For example, it is desirable to combine a set with furniture in the living room: a coffee table, a wall.
- Lighting is a very popular zoning option that helps save on electricity. In the working part of the studio, spot lighting is appropriate, in the guest room - floor lamps, sconces, a chandelier.
- Wall and ceiling decoration is also recommended when delimiting the kitchen and living room. The stretch ceiling in one zone looks organically, and the suspended structure in another. The walls in the hall can be glued with wallpaper, covered with decorative textured plaster, which flows into the working part of the room.
Stylistic solutions
In a spacious room there is an opportunity to experiment with styles. For example, the classic goes well with modern, and the rococo with Provence. And you can stop your choice on one specific style, make the design holistic and harmonious.
Country
This style involves the use of natural materials, an abundance of textiles, hand-made decor items, decorative pillows, indoor plants, chair covers. Colors range from white to dark brown.
Modern
This design will appeal to conflict-free and calm people. Its main features are smooth lines, rounded shapes, a combination of artificial materials with natural ones. It is allowed to use up to three colors in the interior.
High tech
Characteristic features: clear geometric shapes, simplicity and minimalism in everything, the predominance of artificial materials, as well as the almost complete absence of decor.
A cozy kitchen studio in Khrushchev is a dream of any family, an opportunity to gather at the same table with many friends and household. Tips and recommendations of designers will help to make an interior in a small Khrushchev that will not leave anyone indifferent.
Photo: kitchen studios in Khrushchev
Video review: one-room Khrushchev after alteration in a studio apartment.
Features of the design of a small kitchen space
The layout of the kitchen in Khrushchev is such that it allows you to accommodate only the most necessary, because its main purpose, in contrast to modern kitchens, is cooking. The kitchen area in Khrushchev rarely rarely exceeds 6 square meters. The room is usually square in shape, which significantly facilitates the task of furnishing it with furniture, appliances. But, since there is practically no corridor, and the window is opposite the entrance, in such kitchens only two walls remain free. In addition, the layout in old-built houses often includes gas water heaters that interfere with the installation of headsets, spoil the interior.
To combine the design and functionality of the room, as well as to maximize the use of usable space, it is necessary to take into account some design features of a small-sized kitchen:
- the gas column can be hidden in a hanging cabinet or under a decorative panel,
- It is recommended to adhere to light tones of surface design,
- it’s better to hang a light curtain, blinds or roller blinds on the window, it should be decorated in a minimal way,
- if the kitchen needs a door, it’s better to install a sliding door,
- if possible, the best option for decorating a comfortable kitchen in Khrushchev will be redevelopment - combining it with a living room, a loggia, or combining a bathroom with a bathtub, due to which another wall will be freed, a corridor will appear. The latter option must be carefully considered, agreed with the necessary authorities, but this is not always possible.
You should abandon unnecessary accessories in the kitchen, which will load space, clutter - the main enemy of the interior of a small kitchen in the apartment. Dishes should be stored in cabinets, cabinets, and not on open shelves and countertops.
Color schemes
In the decoration and furniture of a small kitchen, it is best to use light and pastel colors - white, beige, cream, light gray, and with design ideas you can see in the photo. The dark floor will visually reduce the room in the apartment and narrow the walls. The design, decorated in soft colors, will add light and freedom. If possible, the color of furniture and walls should match - the space visually expands, visually erasing the boundaries. Accordingly, it is not recommended to add dark and contrasting colors to the interior. Bright colors should be used as an accent, an element of decoration. Thus, it is possible to distinguish furniture facades against the background of a light countertop, as shown in the photo. But you should not use more than two contrasting shades when finishing, creating a design.
When decorating corner compositions, for example, a headset, the corner can be highlighted with a lighter color than straight areas, then it will visually expand.
The design of the kitchen, located on the north side, is best done in warm colors of decoration and furniture. Complex geometric patterns and large patterns are better not to use when decorating the interior. You can decorate the situation with a small pattern, but as an accent of the dining or working area.
The flooring in the kitchen must be shockproof and moisture resistant. What material to use is a matter of preference, the main thing is that the overall design is harmonious. It is recommended to use the same flooring in color and structure, if not in the whole apartment, then at least in the corridor and kitchen. Such a decision will smooth the boundaries of space, and the ideas for this design are collected in a selection of photos.
Ceramic tiles, especially of light color or with a pattern of diagonal stripes, will visually make the space wider due to such a pattern and light reflection. Do not lay the floor with tiles with a large pattern: firstly, it will visually reduce the space, and secondly, when cutting the tiles, an unaesthetic pattern will appear on a small floor area. But the small pattern on the floor will emphasize the interior, provided that most of the remaining surfaces are plain.
Today there is a worthy replacement for ceramic tiles - PVC tiles. It has the same advantages as a regular one, but it has an absolutely non-slippery surface and a wide range of ornaments and shades.
If the layout is such that the kitchen in Khrushchev is combined with the living room, zoning will be an ideal option - the floor in the kitchen work area and living room should differ in type, ornament or color of the flooring. As an idea, it is recommended that the floor in the kitchen area be finished with tiles, and in the living room with laminate or linoleum.
Wall decoration
Wall decoration in the kitchen in an apartment of the Khrushchev era should be made with reflective and glossy materials - glass wallpaper, a mirror over the dining table, decorative glass elements. In accordance with the general color recommendations, it is better to decorate the walls in the kitchen with light colors. For coating, it is worth using not ordinary paper wallpapers, but on a non-woven basis, vinyl, bamboo, that is, those that are not exposed to moisture and with a dense base. Stucco finishing also has high strength and durability.
Since it is not recommended to use a wall covering with a large and bright pattern in a small kitchen, use the idea of creating an emphasis on one wall - in the dining area where the table is located, thereby sharing the space. To balance the interior, you can make a kitchen apron in the same style as shown in the photo.
Wallpaper with a vertical strip visually stretches the space up, making the design more attractive. Walls in the kitchen of Khrushchev are not recommended to be loaded with various decorative elements. The maximum that this interior emphasizes is a mirror or glass shelves.
Decide on the design and draw a project with dimensions
If you do not plan the design in advance to the smallest detail, you are unlikely to be completely satisfied with the result. A detailed drawing with the layout of communications, a schematic arrangement of furniture will help not only save time, but also money for repairs. You can execute the project in a simple online designer.
The project in Khrushchev 6 sq. 
After repair according to the project
Before you start planning kitchen design in Khrushchev, consider several important points.
Choose a style
Modern styles (Scandinavian, hi-tech, eco, loft, etc.) are ideal for the design of small kitchens in Khrushchev.
Scandinavian style
Luxurious traditional styles with stucco molding, voluminous decor and massive furniture are not suitable. But modern classics are quite possible to realize on 5-7 sq.m. Choose a headset with paneled, framed facades, but compact and in bright colors.
One of the most popular styles today is Provence.
Minimalism is always relevant for a small room. It is characterized by furniture with smooth facades without handles, a minimum of decor, the absence of curtains on the windows.
Design can be done in the style of art deco. Glass and appropriate decor will help. Gloss and mirror surfaces in this case will perfectly cope with the task of visually expanding a small space.
Look at the idea of designing a cozy 5.4 sq. Kitchen in the style of a modern classic in a detailed review:
A bright kitchen visually seems larger and more spacious. For wall decoration in this case, white is ideal, all shades of beige, pastel and muted tones of any colors.
You should be careful with dark colors. They can be used in small quantities, for example, in the design of the dining area, in decor, in the design of lighting fixtures. You can make a two-color headset with a dark bottom row, or vice versa.
Bright colors can only act as accents (15-20 percent in the overall design).
It is not recommended to use more than 3 colors in the interior.
A few general tips before starting repairs
Before you begin planning and repairs, consider a few important points:
- If the apartment is gasified, decide in advance how to beat the column and pipes in the interior. If the equipment is old, then it is better to replace it. Modern geysers can quite fit into the interior without special disguise.
Another option is to hide equipment. Then you need to decide in advance whether you will install it in a cabinet or make a box of drywall at the initial stage of repair.
The interior of the kitchen in Khrushchev with a gas column
- Today, there are often projects with a window wash.
It is beautiful and convenient, but it increases the risk of flooding the neighbors in the event of a pipe break. In this case, sewer drainage is more difficult to do, because it will be longer. But such an arrangement of furniture can be justified in terms of ergonomics. In some kitchens in Khrushchev, where there is no wall for the refrigerator with sizes suitable for its dimensions, this layout option seems to be the most optimal.
On this topic, you can watch a video with a detailed overview of the kitchen with a sink under the window:
- Do not overload the interior with unnecessary details, decor. Curtains alone can ruin the end result. Here you can refuse them altogether or hang simple Roman or rolled ones.Short textile curtains (tulle, curtains) are suitable for placement in the non-Colassian style or in the Provence style. But here there are some nuances of choice.
- Lighting also plays a role in optimization.: the simpler the design of the lighting fixtures, the better.
Suspended models are in fashion today.
For designing a small kitchen in Khrushchev in the loft, eco or Scandinavian style, such light and simple fixtures are suitable.
Glossy furniture and a glossy ceiling can harmonize perfectly if the kitchen has enough artificial lighting and the light is evenly distributed.
Do not limit yourself to just one chandelier. Light up the work area for convenience, as well as a few other lights in the rest of the room. Spot lighting in this case is one of the most successful solutions.
See what mistakes are made when repairing a kitchen in Khrushchev in the video:
Arranging furniture
The kitchens in Khrushchev have a typical layout, and all the layout options for the headset modules have already been invented for you.
Ideas for arranging furniture in Khrushchev with angular and linear layout
It’s best to make custom-made furniture for such a kitchen, but depending on the specific size, you can assemble an angular or linear set of modules with standard sizes.
Choosing the layout of the kitchen
For any arrangement, you need to know the main principle of the working triangle.
The optimal location of the refrigerator, sink and stove
Given the small area, it is also worth determining the minimum allowable distances between the sink, refrigerator and stove.
- between the stove and the sink - 50 cm,
- from the refrigerator to the stove - at least 15-20 cm.
What can be the layout options for a headset?
The most common layout option, as most practical. In a square room (namely, most typical kitchens in Khrushchev have this form), the furniture does not upset the proportions. With this arrangement, there will also be a place for a dining area.
Another classic layout. Here, the upper cabinets under the ceiling will be even more relevant.
Not the most successful layout for a small kitchen, but there is a place to be if you need a lot of storage space. You can install such a set if the kitchen room will be exclusively a place for cooking, and you will organize a dining room in the living room.
In a small kitchen, the U-shaped set assumes the arrangement of furniture along the window. In this case, the bottom row may be absent, and the countertop will be installed in place of the window sill after dismantling it.
If closed cabinets are present, then it is necessary to make a grill or other hole for the heating radiator, otherwise normal air exchange in the room will be disrupted.
Classic style design
In the U-shaped kitchen, the countertop along the window can serve not only as a work surface, but also as a dining area for 2 people.
U-shaped layout is also possible if the wall separating the kitchen and living room is demolished. Then one of the sections of the headset can become a bar.
This option is also functional, but does not leave a place for a normal dining room for an average and large family.
The room contains all the necessary equipment, but there is no room for a dining room. It will be organized in the living room.
- Without upper cabinets.
Today, the replacement of upper cabinets with open shelves is one of the fashion trends in design. But this is not always practical: it requires private dusting, and there are fewer storage places. But this will greatly facilitate the atmosphere of a small kitchen. The idea is an amateur and has a place to be.
Kitchen in Khrushchev in the loft style
Visually facilitate the space of the kitchen in Khrushchev can be, if you place the upper cabinets only along one wall.
Where to put the refrigerator?
There are three location options:
- standing separately,
- built-in
- freestanding headset built into a niche under the cabinets.
A freestanding can be installed by the window to make access to the kitchen more free.
In a room where the distance from the window to the wall is not enough to accommodate the equipment there, the only place for it is the corner opposite or near the wall near the exit (see photo below).
The location option at the entrance is one of the most common. In this case, it is better to dismantle the door to the kitchen (provided that the kitchen is not gasified) or install a compact accordion door or a sliding door.
If there is no place for the refrigerator, then it can be installed in the corridor or in the living room.
Another option is to abandon the usual overall model and buy a separate freezer, a separate refrigerator and build them under the countertop. And if the family is small, then the compact low option “2 in 1” (refrigerator + freezer) is quite enough. Of course, there will be some inconvenience here. But the owners of the kitchen in Khrushchev, whatever one may say, will have to sacrifice the convenience of use for the sake of more free space, or vice versa.
If the kitchen has an electric stove, then you can arrange the entrance without a door in the form of an arch.
The refrigerator can perfectly match the color of the walls or furniture. For example, white cabinets and a white refrigerator.
A free-standing refrigerator can also play the role of a bright accent in the interior, if it has a contrasting color.
The built-in refrigerator fits perfectly into the design in any style. It does not violate the stylistic unity and the entire furniture ensemble.
An excellent solution would be a refrigerator built into the niche between the cabinets.
Dinner Zone
With a corner or linear set, you can allocate a place for a dining table for 2-4 people.
The round table seats more people and at the same time saves space.
Glass tables look easy and weightless. These dining groups are made of impact resistant, tempered glass.
You can buy the same translucent chairs made of durable plastic, which visually make the small kitchen freer and more spacious.
A transforming table is the best solution for a small kitchen. It can be a design with a folding table top or retractable.
To organize the dining area, you can use the windowsill.
The countertop can be made on the same level as the countertop of the kitchen unit or cut separately of any shape.
The dining area can be made in the form of a compact bar counter on one leg.
It can be located against the wall or at the window. Depending on the height, you can purchase ordinary stools or high bar stools.
It is much easier to organize a dining room if you demolish all or part (by expanding the entrance) of the wall between the kitchen and the living room. In this case, the dining table can be placed in the transition between the kitchen and the living room.
Design of a kitchen studio in Khrushchev after redevelopment
Today, when renovating in Khrushchev, such redevelopment is not uncommon. Because Since the wall is not a carrier, the probability that the application is agreed is high enough.
After the demolition of the partition, the problem of the lack of square meters is no longer a problem. The new spacious room of the kitchen-studio in Khrushchev can be nicely furnished in any style.
Neoclassicism
Kitchen-living room with IKEA furniture
After redevelopment, the issue of zoning becomes relevant. Several main functional centers can be distinguished using the color of furniture: for example, the kitchen is white, the dining area (table and chairs) is black.
You can build a podium or bar, as in the photo below, for example.
From apartment to studio
A distinctive feature of the apartments of the 60s is small rooms, a narrow corridor and disastrously tiny kitchenettes. But this is not a sentence! If desired, and a good design, such an apartment can become a real exclusive.
The kitchen studio in Khrushchev will become a place not only for cooking and eating. Now it is a great place for meeting guests, family vacations and even work. A correctly selected interior, a good selection of colors and, of course, a successful redevelopment will help in this.
Re-planning
The most optimal way to expand a cramped space is redevelopment, when every centimeter becomes a usable area. To do this, the wall between the kitchen and the room is completely or partially demolished. Or between two rooms. Or a small room with a corridor and a loggia is combined.
So it turns out a common space and quite spacious. If desired, partitions are installed anywhere. The benefit is now their huge variety.
When creating a studio should take into account the features of the apartment. For example, for a one-room kitchen studio one design is suitable, and for a two-room kitchen a completely different one. The kitchen-studio, unlike ordinary kitchen, cannot be in its own special design, but must be combined with the rest of the room.
Various partitions
The kitchen area is best separated from the rest of the apartment space. If the partition was not bearing, then you can completely say goodbye to it. In another case, the alteration of the wall into an arch in place of the kitchen door is suitable.
You can separate the kitchen space by placing a high rack. Practical and comfortable. Or a small wall made of drywall. Often, partitions are chosen translucent. Or completely transparent from unbreakable glass.
Another option is to set up a sliding and sliding screen.
A great solution is the bar counter. These are two in one - and the separation wall, and the dinner table at the same time.
The most economical option is the curtain. It looks quite nice too.
Or so - raise the room to a low podium. It will turn out very unusual.
Flooring
An interesting way to distinguish between eating and resting areas with different floor coverings. Let's say the territory of the kitchen is decorated with tiles, and the rest of the floor is covered with a laminate. Of course, they should be combined with each other in color.
Coating on the floor can be made common, but in this case, the separation function should carry something else. For example, the color of the walls. They can be pasted into wallpapers of different tones, but in the same style. If you want to play in color contrast, the main thing is not to overdo it. Otherwise, different rooms will look in disharmony with each other.
And to use every corner, it is worth combining the room and the balcony. But first, the balcony must be insulated.
Special furniture
The interior should not occupy many square meters. The best option is corner furniture. In the kitchen area along two walls we have an oven, countertop, stove and refrigerator. At the same time, the kitchen set should not be voluminous. It is better if it is built-in, and the table is extendable. A wide windowsill can be turned into a table.
In a one-room kitchen studio, lonely people usually live more often. Therefore, it is better to purchase a cooking stove less - with two burners.
Furniture in the resting place should also be as compact as possible. The transforming sofa is just a godsend. There are models in which literally everything is removed and folded. You can purchase a transforming cabinet. During the day it is an ordinary wardrobe, and at night with a flick of the wrist it turns into a full-fledged bed.
For a TV, it is not necessary to install a cabinet. The plasma screen can be fixed directly to the wall. And opposite it, in the free space to place comfortable chairs and a coffee table.
One-bedroom studio apartment
From the two-room “Khrushchev” studio, others are obtained. A small "kopeck piece" is usually inhabited by family people. This must be taken into account, wanting to remake it in the kitchen-studio.
2-bedroom apartment should save a place for privacy. For example, a nursery. After all, the child needs to go to bed early and do the lessons in silence. The option of combining the kitchen and the hall is especially popular here. In this case, the bedroom remains in its original form.
On the territory of the combined kitchen you can chat with friends, watch TV. Meanwhile, the bedroom retains personal space.
Zoning
In the studio, you can highlight a corner for the home office with a transparent partition. And there is a place for work, and complete isolation is avoided as in ordinary apartments. It will be interesting if we approach the separation creatively. For example, put the partition at an angle of 45 degrees.
You can also separate zones using a sliding wardrobe. And even better - two wardrobes with backs facing each other. But in this case, it is better to choose not a standard wide compartment, but two narrow cabinets with shelves inside. Or a wardrobe with a wide transformer bed. A very profitable and winning choice.
You can separate the kitchen area with the help of an arch, or a table will play the role of a room divider. Let it be an oval table for family and holiday dinners.
Another unbroken way of dividing space is through lighting. The backlight should be in different shades and intensities. For example, the kitchen area is brighter than the rest.
Choosing colors
Alteration of "Khrushchev" of any size into a kitchen-studio is always an increase in space. But this can be achieved not only through redevelopment. Some design tricks will help.
For example, in the design, prefer light colors. They make the room spacious and light. Dark inclusions are welcome, but they should not be the vast majority. Indeed, if the home is “dressed” in black, brown or dark blue, it will visually become smaller.
And the studio interior is often beige, cream, white and pastel. These colors are perfectly combined with light cheerful details - orange, lime, yellow, blue. A kitchen set in such colors always looks great. It is worth paying attention to light wood shades. It is better to imitate a natural pine, oak, hazel on the countertop and part of the headset.
The ceiling seems higher if it is white. In general, the white color in the interior always gives a feeling of lightness, freshness, in addition, it reflects light. Therefore, it is good to choose a white table, partitions. Let it be present in the tiles and on the curtains. Next to other colors, white gives them contrast.
Decor
Wall-paper can be both monophonic, and with drawings. Golden curls or flickering patterns on a beige background. The perfect choice is 3D wallpapers. An interesting drawing or 3D photo seems to extend the studio by a few more meters.
An excellent reflector is a mirror. Mirror surfaces visually increase the space, brighten it. A large mirror can be placed separately or ordered a sliding wardrobe with mirrored doors.
Curtains are better to choose synthetic, which dry quickly and do not require ironing. In the kitchen area of the studio, you should prefer short veils, bamboo curtains or roller blinds. A good choice is the color blinds to match the overall interior.
On the floor of the kitchen area, linoleum or tile is optimal. But it must be taken into account that if the picture on the floor is made up of many small and bright details, then visually this “steals” the space. But the laminate is better to send to the recreation area. For the kitchen, this is an impractical option.
Features and layout options
Studio apartments are a special type of layout of a room where there are no walls and partitions. The living area includes the space of a bedroom, living room, study, kitchen and hallway at the same time. This layout is ideal for 1-2 people.
In small apartments (such as "Khrushchev"), this type of layout may be the only possible option to significantly expand the area of residence. To do this, it is necessary to demolish several walls that do not carry the main load, and combine the kitchen area with the living space. The result is a spacious, free area for cooking and eating, relaxing and meeting with friends.
Layout Features:
- significant increase in living space,
- creation of a common, stylistically unified interior,
- the ability to implement creative design ideas in the design,
- practicality and ease of operation of the room.
Disadvantages:
- financial costs for redevelopment and decoration,
- obligatory coordination of repair work with relevant organizations,
- the complexity and duration of the process.
The whole process of redevelopment can be divided into several stages of work:
- Creating a design project, where every square centimeter of the kitchen area, including horizontal surfaces, will be taken into account and involved as much as possible.
- Equipped kitchen with built-in appliances.
- The connection of the room and the kitchen by creating a common stylistic decision in the design.
- Expansion of the existing lighting system by using spot and pendant lights for zoning.
- Decorative design.
The combined space gives much more room for furniture. The kitchenette, table and chairs can be arranged as follows:
- along one or two walls (linear version, ideal for a rectangular room),
- the letter "G" or "P". These options allow you to create a working "triangle", that is, everything will always be in front of your eyes and at hand,
- in the form of a peninsula or island (with this layout option, a bar, tabletop or pedestal is most often used in the form of an island separating the kitchen area from the living room).
With any planning option, 3 zones must be distinguished: a cooking zone (countertop, hob, sink, kitchen cabinets, refrigerator), a eating area (dining table, chairs or furniture corner) and a relaxation area (residential part of the room).
How to legalize redevelopment?
- Not every redevelopment option is possible without the permission of the relevant authorities. This moment must be decided at the design stage of the design project.
- Redevelopment of the kitchen involves the demolition of excess walls. In no case should they be bearing; this option is excluded.
- The following regulatory prohibition: entrance to the toilet room from the kitchen is not allowed, only through the corridor (this nuance is important for apartments with an adjacent kitchen and toilet).
- A gas stove must necessarily be isolated from the living space, if not with a wall, then at least with a partition with sliding doors.
- If these nuances are taken into account, then you can submit an application with all the necessary documents regarding the apartment and attach a design project to the BTI acceptance committee.
Ceiling
The ceiling in a small kitchen can be designed in two ways:
- stretch ceiling
- aligned and dyed.
All other types - suspended plasterboard, plastic and others, will only reduce the height of the ceiling. The color of the ceiling should also be light shades, and the stretch should be matte, since the glossy surface will reflect daylight and make the room darker. It is also not recommended to make a multi-level construction of the ceiling, because the main thing in the Khrushchev-type kitchen is freedom of space, and such a ceiling will conceal it.
If you decide to install a suspended, suspended or suspended ceiling, you must remember about safety measures, since heat from a stove, especially gas, can be fire hazardous for a small kitchen.
The best option is a regular, aligned and painted ceiling. Without the use of extraneous artificial materials, such a ceiling coating allows the room to “breathe”, and, moreover, does not deprive the room’s height of the treasured centimeters. In any case, it must be borne in mind that the ceiling in the kitchen must be moisture resistant, resistant to hot air, and easy to clean.
Lighting
The kitchen in Khrushchev should be well lit. It is not recommended to install a large chandelier in the center of the ceiling, since it will make the space heavier, reduce the height of the room and emphasize the center of the room, while in a small-sized kitchen, diffused and soft light is needed that illuminates all corners of the room. For this, the spotlight of halogen lamps evenly located on the ceiling is ideal, and the dining area can be distinguished by a pendant lamp located directly above the table or bar. The ideas for this design are collected in a selection of photos. In addition, it will be advantageous to look at headsets with illuminated cabinets. Light reflected on glass doors and mirrors visually expands the space.
When creating the right lighting in the kitchen, one should not forget about natural lighting - you do not need to hang thick and dark curtains on the window, as well as force the windowsill to be planted. It is necessary to ensure good penetration of daylight, especially if the kitchen window faces the north side.
The working area in the kitchen should also be well lit. If a corner headset is built in, it needs a variety of lighting. In a small kitchen, there should not be dark corners that visually make its space even smaller.
Work area, kitchen apron
The layout of the working area in the kitchen includes:
- place for food storage (cabinets, refrigerator),
- place for washing (sink),
- food preparation area
- cooking area (cooking equipment).
These zones should be as close to each other as possible to save space, and for convenience during cooking. The main working area, including the distance from the sink to the stove, should be between 400 and 900 mm. The refrigerator and stove are not recommended to be installed next to each other closer than 300 mm.
The working area should be lit with small spotlights. To equip it as a whole, it is necessary to use a solid tabletop. In order to maximize the use of the useful space of the kitchen as a working area, you can install an additional countertop under the windowsill, thereby expanding it as shown in the photo. This will create a place for a dining or desktop, saving space against the wall.
A kitchen apron is best made from glossy material so that it reflects light from lamps and the daylight. This will make the kitchen seem bigger. The design and color scheme of the apron should correspond to either the main shade of the surface finish, or be combined with the color of the headset. The photo shows ideas on how a kitchen unit and an apron are made in an organic style.
The choice of furniture and appliances
Before you furnish the interior of the kitchen in Khrushchev, it is worth paying attention to some nuances about the right choice of furniture and household appliances:
- the set should have facades of light shades, and its design should be combined with the rest of the tone of the kitchen. It’s better if they are glossy and the cabinet doors with glass,
- the kitchen set needs to be arranged along the walls, it is better if it does not have sharp corners,
- the dining table is recommended to choose an oval rather than a rectangular shape, then it will take up less space in the kitchen. The glass table will create an impression of weightlessness in space,
- the table and chairs should not be bulky, with thick legs,
- built-in appliances, hidden behind identical furniture facades, will create the impression of a unity of interior, compact placement. The fragmentation of household appliances will not be visible,
- it’s also better not to put a microwave oven on a shelf, but hide it behind a cabinet door,
- open racks and shelves will litter and load the interior with trifles. A winning setting in the kitchen will be if you place the headset in a linear or angular way,
- in floor cabinets it is recommended to use not swinging, but sliding mechanisms. Using furniture transformer will save space in the kitchen, which is clearly visible in the photo.
To visually pull a small-sized kitchen up, in a setting you can use a headset with tall cupboards and pencil cases. It must be remembered that, whatever the layout, several well-selected large pieces of furniture in the kitchen will create a more successful interior than many small and fragmented ones.
Examples of design projects
One-room apartment and kitchen are decorated in the style of minimalism: clear geometric lines, classic colors, a minimum of furniture and interior details. The kitchen space is separated from the room by a solid partition and a floor covering contrasting in texture and color. The eating area is highlighted with a pendant lamp.
The small kitchen area is originally zoned with an asymmetrically located semicircular bar counter. The space remains visually whole, the room is spacious, and the kitchen is neatly separated from the rest of the territory. Light, pleasant colors, the use of glass inserts for decoration and additional light sources make the interior very light and spacious.
Unusual linear layout looks very compact. One of the kitchen walls is adjacent to the bed wall. The interior, designed in bright colors, complemented by several catchy, expressive accents (bright yellow wall, decorative pillows, paintings).
