Anton
head of design studio
This article is a real find for those who consider the kitchen to be the main room in the house. Below you will find out what you need to ensure that this room is both functional and comfortable. Sit back, a treasure trove of valuable information awaits you!
I consider corner and L-shaped ones to be the best of all existing options. Cooking with them is a pleasure; everything you need will always be at hand. These kitchen sets have convenient corners in which you can hide various small items.
Because the distance between the hob and the sink is large, the better it will be for the housewife. This space is considered the main work surface. It is desirable that its length be 90 cm. There should not be anything superfluous on it.
The most used item in this room is the refrigerator. I advise you to place it at the end of the kitchen unit. It will be better if the refrigerator is located closer to the table and to the entrance to the room. I also recommend purchasing a built-in model, which will be appropriate in modern-style kitchens. For loft or scandi, freestanding models are recommended.
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Opening upper cabinets
Swing
This option is considered the most common and affordable. I prefer him.
Folding
If you use folding facades, then you need to provide good fittings for them. Otherwise, the gas lifts will quickly break and you won’t even be able to leave the doors open.
Folding
This option is the most expensive. But also the most beautiful. However, short people are unlikely to like it.
Convenient kitchen design
Heights, dimensions, ergonomics
Lower cabinets
The classic height of the lower drawers in the kitchen is 90 cm. Note that each cabinet has self-adjusting legs. It is also convenient that you can independently determine the height of the tabletop. It will be possible to adjust from 87 to 92 cm with the usual 4 cm thickness of the tabletop. For those who are tall, it will be useful to raise the tabletop level higher. This can also be done using the thickness of the countertop. The bottom drawers should have sliding mechanisms. It is convenient to keep various small things in them.
Working surface
The entire cooking process takes place on the work surface. This surface should be between the hob and the sink. The permissible distance is approximately 90 cm, or even better 110-155 cm.
Upper cabinets
The classic depth of the top cabinet is 30-40 cm. As for height, there are no rules. Most often you can find cabinets with a height of 62cm, 70cm and 90cm. For modular sets, the typical height can be 72 and 90 cm. Today, ceiling-mounted models are very popular. They're trending. In such kitchens, cabinets are up to the ceiling. In the interior of the apartment they look very stylish. But, unfortunately, they are very inconvenient in everyday life. The upper cabinets are difficult to reach, so it is recommended to keep items there that are not required for daily use.
At what height is the hood?
Oh, this question has been gathering big discussions for a long time. Even the kitchen workers themselves do not know at what height the hood should be. Some people think that 80 cm from the countertop is suitable, others 60 cm. The hood should be positioned at such a distance as not to hit it with your head. I recommend that it be installed 3-5 cm higher than the tallest member of the family.
Some tips for organizing your space
- Maintain a safe distance between the stove, sink and refrigerator: between the stove and sink - at least 50-60 cm; between the stove and the refrigerator - at least 15-20 cm.
- In the presence of such complex design features (niche, ventilation duct), it is better to make a small corner kitchen to order. In this case, you can take into account all the features of the room and organize storage more conveniently.
Corner kitchen set for a small kitchen of 6 sq.m in Khrushchev, made to order.
As a rule, custom-made furniture does not differ much in price from ready-made solutions. For those who do not want to wait for the set to be manufactured, they can assemble a kitchen from ready-made parts of different sizes like a construction set.
Modular corner sets for a small kitchen can be found from such well-known and large manufacturers as IKEA (METHOD system), Leroy Merlin, ZOV. Ready-made modules with a width of 20, 40, 60 or 80 cm are suitable for most kitchen spaces, including in Khrushchev-era buildings, panel houses, and are specially designed so that everyone can assemble their own version of the configuration.
IKEA kitchen in a small apartment in a Stalin building
- In a small kitchen, it is better to avoid tall, bulky cabinets in large quantities. One pencil case with built-in equipment is enough.
- Give preference to built-in appliances. This way, a small corner kitchen will become even more compact, collected, and most importantly – stylistically consistent.
Modern style
in the kitchen interior
I really love kitchens built into niches!
They look stylish and thorough! Well, we have sorted out the functionality and ergonomics of this room, it’s time to move on to discussing the interior design. Kitchens in a modern style predominantly use perfectly smooth facades. Nowadays painted MDF facades are very popular. There are both glossy and matte and matte. Plastic facades are considered more affordable. They are inexpensive, but look like MDF facades.
Kitchens in this style do not have handles. The doors open by pressing. These models have push-up fittings. In particular, fronts with integrated handles are used; they have a small recess in the front.
Lots of modern kitchens!
Design Features
To prevent the upper and lower corner kitchen cabinet from scratching against each other, it is important to pay attention to the design features - the internal filling and the door mechanism.
Door types:
- Hinged (one or two doors attached with hinges, this is the most common type).
- Sliding (hinges or wheels are attached to the top and bottom, which when opened ride on a special metal rail; this option is rarely used in kitchen sets).
- Folding (the doors consist of parts fastened together; when opened, they fold like an accordion).
- Hinged (the door is attached to the base from below; in order for it to open, you need to pull it towards you).
Inside the cabinet (floor or wall), as a rule, shelves are installed, but there are other options.
Internal filling of kitchen corners:
- Shelves made of wood, MDF or glass (the most common options).
- Grilles made of metal. Most often they are installed in the kitchen in wall corner cabinets designed for storing dishes. At the bottom there is a tray for draining water from the plates.
- The carousel is usually made of stainless metal. To get the right thing, you need to spin the carousel.
Another option is grilles on the doors. This way you can save space in your closets. You can put bottles or household chemicals in the grates.
What the structure might look like inside
Neoclassical style
and kitchen design
Neoclassical kitchens are no different in functionality from modern models. They differ only in facades. In neoclassical kitchens you can often find paneled facades. In such options, there are almost always ordinary handles.
If the facades are smooth and without handles, then they will be identical to modern kitchens.
Neoclassical kitchen is here!
Ideas for a kitchen apron
Tile splashback
This option is very popular and widespread. No matter how much time passes, it will not lose its popularity. In addition, the choice of tiles is very large!
Tempered glass apron
This option opens up enormous possibilities for kitchen interiors. If the kitchen is designed in a minimalist style, then a tempered glass apron will work well under plain walls. By the way, even wallpaper will look stylish with it! For kitchens in the neoclassical style, this option will be especially popular. There is also another option - glass with photo printing, but it is used extremely rarely.
Wood effect apron
For those who are tired of the asceticism of the kitchen, a wood-effect apron is perfect.
By the way, laminate was previously used for this. Cleaning laminate flooring is easy. But the material has its drawbacks. If water gets on the seams, the seams will be very damaged. Today laminate is used infrequently. As an alternative, wood-look tiles are used. Lots of ideas for an apron!
Additional furniture
Corner furniture is only part of the kitchen, and additional elements in the form of a dining group will help make the space not only functional, but also convenient for the process of eating.
The required items will be:
- Bar counter. This option for a dining group is used in rooms that cannot boast of large sizes. The advantage of this method of creating a dining table is the compact surface and the ability to completely slide the chairs in, freeing up centimeters for safe passage. In the studio, the counter often plays the role of a zoning element. If the room is very tiny, the function of a counter is performed by a window sill or a narrow tabletop located on a free wall.
- Traditional table in the shape of an island (peninsula). In a large room it will occupy the center of the room, in a modest-sized kitchen it will be located in a free corner or will complete the formation of the letter P.
Small kitchen design
in a standard apartment
A large percentage of standard apartments were designed even before coffee machines, dishwashers and various household appliances began to be sold. Perhaps this is precisely why it is very inconvenient to place everything in kitchens. For example, Khrushchev apartments were built at a time when refrigerators could be confused with low bedside tables. Therefore, you can often notice that in such apartments it is impossible to put anything in the kitchen. Modern homes have more comfortable and spacious kitchens.
In such premises, only a standard arrangement is permissible. It's very difficult to experiment with placement in the kitchen. After all, one wrong decision and there will be no comfort in the kitchen!
Small typical kitchens!
Which headset will be most comfortable?
The most common kitchen layout is corner. Placing a sink in the corner of the kitchen in this case means functional use of the space. Use a pentagonal (beveled) model as a cabinet under the sink - it will be more convenient to approach the water.
To place a sink in the corner of the kitchen, only a corner set is not necessarily suitable. In a single-row (straight) or parallel arrangement, the corner is also present in the form of an abutment to the wall. True, using a sink located here will be inconvenient, especially if the wall is on the side of the leading hand.
The last option is a U-shaped layout. In this case, it is better to move the wet zone out of the corner, because in this case there are much more opportunities and the conditions allow it. Otherwise, the rules are the same as for corner furniture. 2 ways to form a work triangle in the kitchen with the letter P:
- Sink on the lintel, refrigerator on one side, stove on the other.
- Sink in the corner, refrigerator on one side, stove on the lintel. The third part is reserved for the dining table or consists of high columns.
In small kitchens, install a corner set: thanks to the sink between the rows, you can save valuable space on the countertop.
White kitchen
Design ideas
Anyone interested in all-white kitchens clearly isn't afraid of cleaning. I will make you happy - such kitchens do not require frequent cleaning. They are no different from regular models. After cooking, you need to clean up after yourself and wash the facades a couple of times a week. Nothing more special is required! But to make the kitchen more practical, I advise combining different materials. Light-colored facades are very easily soiled; I recommend using light wood for their finishing. And the facades on top can be snow-white. But let me note for those who are especially obsessed with cleanliness, you can make facades with the texture of wood or stone. In this case, it is better to immediately abandon monochromatic options!
Lots of white kitchens!
Making a corner wall cabinet with your own hands
A great idea is to create a hanging corner drawer in the kitchen with your own hands. This cabinet consists of two parts - the front and the body. The standard shape and dimensions of a corner module for a kitchen are 60x60 cm. The height is 70-72 cm.
How to make a corner cabinet:
- The body is made up of two fiberboard walls and a facade.
- The inner shelf is buried along the front edge.
- Then you need to drill holes and install fasteners where necessary.
- Finally, you need to secure the doors and secure the shelves.
At the end of the work, the cabinet can be painted and varnished several times.
A corner cabinet for the kitchen is a great option for small rooms. With its help you can save space and visually expand the space of the room.
Grey colour
in kitchen design
The color gray has a very interesting history. Just three or four years ago he was considered sad and boring. Undeserved, isn't it? But today this color is at the peak of its popularity! And I really like it. Thanks to gray, the interior of an apartment can become more serious and even a little strict. It makes any color more noble and sophisticated.
There are gray kitchens here!
Beige kitchen
Interior Design
I will never tire of repeating that beige is the best color for renovation. This is a natural and pleasant color. Almost all the interiors of our studio are made in beige tones. Personally, I think the most optimal shade is gray-beige. It can be called universal, as it goes well with other colors. By the way, we have prepared an interesting selection of interiors and design projects for beige kitchens. Be sure to come check it out!
Beige kitchen ideas!
What materials do you need to buy for a kitchen renovation? Is it possible to purchase parquet or laminate? What to use to decorate the apron? The designers of our design studio in Moscow took care of this, so I recommend you an article about finishing materials. Go to the “Tips” section, there is a lot of useful information there!
Who is the corner layout suitable for?
The cozy arrangement of the L-shaped headset is ideal for:
- Premises where the total area does not exceed 10 square meters. A more spacious room will be complemented by an island or peninsula to accommodate a dining area.
- Studio apartments providing a single space to accommodate a kitchen, dining room, and living room. The L-shaped arrangement of furniture allows you to isolate the kitchen space without using additional zoning techniques.
As you can see in the photo of the corner kitchen set, this layout helps save space, closes corners and gives a feeling of more spaciousness.
