One-room apartments at one time solved many problems that concerned the rapid resettlement of city residents from communal apartments. Much time has passed since then, and these little ones, still in use today, no longer meet the standards of modern comfortable living.
But they are present in the housing stock, and, by the way, they occupy a fairly large percentage. There are many questions regarding the convenience of living for them, and one of them is the kitchen in a one-room apartment, which will be discussed.
One-room apartment - original kitchen design
So, there is only one living room here. And it is everything: bedroom, living room, study and nursery. There is another room that is not residential, but is often used as such. The conversation turned to the kitchen.
The attitude of our compatriots towards cuisine is “warm”, “cordial”. We are all accustomed to considering this room as something very close. And here the point is not that food is prepared and consumed in the kitchen.
Here:
- News is discussed;
- Decisions are made on some problems;
- Moral teachings are given to children;
- The children themselves often prepare their homework here;
- We even watch TV here sometimes;
- We welcome guests;
- We read newspapers and books;
- We just talk about various topics.
Scheme of a one-room apartment
That is why, when starting a kitchen renovation in a one-room apartment, we develop an entire project, taking into account all the developments of professional designers.
Everything is taken into account:
- and the style of the room as a whole;
- and adjusting furniture to the area and overall interior design;
- and a selection of household appliances;
- and solution of space illumination.
There are no trifles in this matter if you really want to create coziness and comfort, not forgetting, of course, functionality.
Arrangement of furniture and equipment
Note! You will have to ensure the correct arrangement of furniture. Many may think that this criterion does not greatly affect indoor comfort. And this is a big mistake. The thing is that the main purpose of the kitchen is cooking.
This means that comfort should be directed not only towards eating food, but most likely towards its preparation. Therefore, convenience for the person who will cook should be given priority.
Expert opinion
Mikhailova Maria Vasilievna
Furniture store manager. Knows everything about comfort and interior design
There is a certain area that is considered working. And it is in this area that only three objects need to be correctly placed: the hob, the kitchen sink and the refrigerator.
What are the options here?
- Installing everything in one line (photo above) is an option that is convenient and functional. But it can only be installed in one-room apartments with a large kitchen.
- Corner location. And here you have to solve one problem - where to install a refrigerator or sink. There are many options, for example, a stove near the window, a sink in the corner near the adjacent wall, a refrigerator installed at the entrance. The result is a kind of triangle, which is considered the optimal arrangement of furniture and equipment. There is an option with the sink located near the window sill, then the stove is installed in the center of the wall, and the refrigerator is installed on the opposite wall, opposite the stove. Everything is the same, but the refrigerator is placed in line with the hob.
- Island option. It is clear here without words that such placement can be used if the kitchen has sufficiently large overall dimensions. You can place a stove and sink on the island, and the refrigerator can be placed against any wall.
Important! The optimal distance between the corners of this triangle should not be more than one and a half meters. But these are just the wishes of the designers.
Kitchen layout options
When arranging a kitchen, you will first of all need to carefully plan each section of it, and the layout should be thought out in detail. The main criteria here are good functionality and a high level of comfort, that is, each element used should not only be convenient, but also perform as many necessary functions as possible. When creating a layout, in most cases, you should proceed from the rules of saving space, because in many apartments the kitchen is a very small room.
From this video you can find out the opinion of experts about the main features of kitchen layout
The kitchen is usually divided into three zones:
- working;
- place for eating;
- passage area.
Layout and interior design of a 9 sq.m. kitchen.
m, divided into zones. In the working area there are tables for cooking and storage areas for food. In addition, there is a work triangle here, which includes a sink, refrigerator and stove. Experts recommend placing the refrigerator, sink and stove not next to each other, but near the cutting tables, so that the necessary things will always be at hand. The area of this triangle should not be more than 7 square meters. m, otherwise while cooking you will have to constantly run from one corner to another, which is not very convenient. In this case, the kitchen should occupy at least 5 square meters. m, otherwise its space will be too cramped.
Successful layout of a small kitchen of 5 sq. m
An example of the interior design of a small kitchen with an area of 5 square meters. m
The kitchen layout can be divided into 6 main types: corner, in the shape of a rectangular trapezoid, in one or two lines, as well as combined kitchens (“kitchen-island” and “kitchen-peninsula”).
Corner layout
The corner kitchen layout is one of the most successful solutions if you need a convenient work triangle. With this layout, household appliances and furniture are placed along two walls (adjacent), which will allow you to place a dining table without any inconvenience to the passage area. This type of layout is great for almost all rooms, except those that are too narrow.
Corner kitchen layout with an area of 12 square meters. m
Rectangular trapezoid layout
A fairly safe and convenient layout option, in which equipment and furniture are placed along three walls (due to this, through traffic is completely excluded). If you decide to leave about half of the work area free, you can use this space as a dining room. If the kitchen has a large area, an excellent option would be to use a combined scheme, in which a perpendicular dining table is located at the end of the corner work area. In the kitchen-dining room, the working and dining areas can be separated using a short perpendicular line of the table.
If your kitchen is small in size (less than 5 - 8 sq. m), then using this layout option is recommended only in a situation where there will be at least 2 meters of free distance between the ends.
United space
Increasingly, customers set designers the task of combining a room and a kitchen. There is nothing complicated about this.
There are many benefits from such a combination.
- Firstly, it creates a completely new volume that can be given a unique and comfortable look. Studio apartments are what they call combined premises today.
- Secondly, the living space increases, which is important for small apartments.
- Thirdly, the possibility of purely human contact arises when member seven in the kitchen does not fall out of the general conversation or simple communication.
- Fourthly, there is a great opportunity to decorate the entire apartment in various style directions. You choose the design yourself, specialists adjust the remaining elements to it (see also the design of a kitchen combined with a living room).
It should be noted that this is a fairly large number of advantages. But it is necessary to talk about the disadvantages of the combined space. And the main one is the smell that is released during the cooking process and spreads throughout the apartment, absorbing into furniture, clothes and other things.
The decision to install a good kitchen hood and ventilate the room more often will not be a 100% guarantee. Let's add here the fact that the studio apartment will have to be cleaned, cleaned and washed more often and thoroughly.
Interior of the combined space
Furniture for the kitchen in a one-room apartment
In principle, kitchens for a one-room apartment (meaning a suite) are selected according to the principle - convenient, beautiful, comfortable or not. There are simply no other criteria. If the kitchen space is large enough, then the options are, one might say, unlimited.
You can install ready-made kits, or you can make a custom-made kitchen set.
The price of one or the other will depend on the number of furniture elements and the quality of the materials used. In such a kitchen you can install a soft corner or a straight sofa, a large dining table, even a bar counter will look out of place here. And if the space is united, then the boundaries of the use of furniture elements greatly expand.
Furniture in a small kitchen
In the kitchen of a one-room apartment with small overall dimensions, you obviously can’t get around. But even here you can choose something original and functional. For example, a folding table and chairs; today, a table that extends from the kitchen unit is very popular.
You can install a corner, but it takes up a lot of space, however, its drawers, which are located under the seats, can be used as a place to store kitchen utensils. Manufacturers offer special podiums for refrigerators.
These are peculiar low cabinets with a large and spacious drawer. But the best option for a small kitchen is wall cabinets; the more of them, the better for the housewife.
Small kitchen design
Features of kitchen design in a one-room studio apartment
The basic rules of ergonomics in the kitchen remain relevant for a studio apartment. The only feature is the mandatory clear zoning of the room.
It is important to know! A studio is a cell of living space that is located in load-bearing structures (walls or columns). It eliminates the presence of partitions between rooms (except for bathrooms) and combines several functional areas in one room.
Functional areas of the studio apartment:
- Living area;
- Bedroom area;
- Food preparation and eating area.
Let's take a closer look at the kitchen and dining area. The location of the working wall is determined by utilities (pipes, riser, ventilation ducts). The issue of placing the kitchen and work surface is resolved automatically. The eating area and the living room area can be combined.
An L-shaped kitchen island with a two-level countertop that serves as a bar counter looks creative. A kitchen corner with a dining table fits into the L-shape. The compact solution forms a cooking and eating area.
Problems of kitchens in one-room apartments
The main problem of a small kitchen is the inability to fit everything you need into a limited area. A stylish room is not necessarily cozy, and the practicality of a room often harms its visual appeal. This dissonance baffles even experienced designers—especially those accustomed to working on larger-scale projects.
Traditionally, to solve the problem of a small kitchen area in a one-room apartment, experts offer one of the following solutions:
- Working with the interior is about using a variety of techniques to create the most practical space. For this purpose, designers add a balcony to the room, as well as part of the corridor, if this does not harm the overall layout of the apartment. In an isolated kitchen, you should use space rationally, allocate space for a work desk or a small folding sofa. The complex design is compensated by the convenience of future use of the premises. Connecting a kitchen with a room is considered an ideal solution to obtain a more spacious room, but is not very practical in terms of using this space. Such a merger is appropriate only if no more than two people live in the apartment. Decorating a combined kitchen is a more problematic task, since it is necessary to simultaneously create two images - both for the living room and for the food preparation area. Also important are the issues of the possibility of dismantling the wall (unless it is load-bearing) and the subsequent coordination of this procedure with government authorities, since renovated housing requires official registration. Moving the kitchen into the hallway is only possible if the size of the corridor allows you to place at least a small set and all the necessary furniture there. In addition, certain difficulties may arise with the legalization of the transfer of the “wet zone”. This option is ideal for those who rarely cook at home or prefer to order food in restaurants.
ADVICE! The kitchen connected to the living room requires careful zoning and equipment with a good ventilation system so that aromas do not spread throughout the apartment.
Solving the size problem
The right color and selected range of shades for finishing walls and ceilings is what allows you to create a stylish design. In this case, the classic rule of using light shades requires addition.
For example, for a room with windows facing south it is better to use cool light shades, and for a northern room warm pastel colors are more suitable. This simple technique will not only expand a small space, but also make it comfortable.
ADVICE! Fans of dark colors should not despair: careful and precise use of even black, graphite or dark blue is quite acceptable.
Recently, all-white interiors have become fashionable. Of course, such a design will look good.
But to prevent the kitchen from looking like a hospital ward or operating room, white should be wisely diluted with bright color accents. Designers recommend choosing the most neutral tone possible as the main shade: for example, gray or beige.
And use more expressive colors, patterns or ornaments in doses, stringing them onto the background like beads.
A light ceiling and walls in combination with a richer floor is an ideal design option. This technique enlarges the room and makes the room more harmonious.
Features of choosing furniture
After determining the main color direction, you can choose furniture for the kitchen. Since the small area of the room does not allow filling it with assorted and massive furniture, designers have to focus on the most functional and practical samples.
ADVICE! The style of a one-room apartment is transparent: minimalism, modern, classic or high-tech - these are the most likely solutions for a small home. The strict design of these styles allows you to create an original and livable space.
For such a kitchen, the ideal option would be to order furniture according to an individual design and size: slightly smaller countertops, narrow and tall upper cabinets, sliding doors instead of traditional hinged ones, an additional tabletop with a sliding mechanism - all this will help make a small room more comfortable. Designers advise minimizing the set and equipping the kitchen only with what is really necessary.
Expert opinion
Mikhailova Maria Vasilievna
Furniture store manager. Knows everything about comfort and interior design
If more than two people never gather in the kitchen, then a folding table with two stools will be quite enough for a comfortable meal, and such a dining area will not take up space.
The key to creating a cozy and comfortable space is built-in appliances, functional storage systems, placement of all appliances, dishes and products in optimal places.
Important details: light, textiles and decor
Equally important for the kitchen of a one-room apartment is the correct use of those details that may seem secondary. The notorious lamp or curtains in the interior play a more important role than the pattern on the wallpaper.
The ideal light in a small kitchen is a maximum of natural light and dosed artificial light. Instead of the usual massive chandelier under the ceiling, you should opt for spotlights, LED strip on furniture, and a neat sconce in the dining area.
For general lighting, you can use a laconic ceiling lamp, which should not attract attention, but only serve as a light source. Since natural light is extremely important for a small room, there is no question of any dark, voluminous and bulky curtains.
Simple and even strict roller or Roman blinds will help solve the issue of isolation and protection from excessive light, but will not steal precious centimeters of the room. Such asceticism is also appropriate in terms of decor.
A small number of decorations, figurines and parts that have no semantic or functional load will only add rigor and thoughtfulness to the interior. There is no point in cluttering an already small kitchen with unnecessary and useless elements, even if they look attractive or are dear to your heart.
Simple and expressive decorative elements will make the room more stylish: one or two paintings, a few memorable details and a vase with fresh flowers are enough.
Style selection
For the design of a kitchen studio, you can choose any style. The exception will be the traditional classical movements with elements of Baroque or Rococo. Here you should give preference to modern classics, which are especially relevant today, or the art deco style.
Kitchen studio in art deco style
Loft is an ideal style for a studio, since it originally originated in such an open and partition-free space.
Minimalism will make the studio kitchen visually even more spacious, which will be especially important for a small apartment.
Provence can be used in the design of a country studio in a private house or country house.
Scandinavian style is well suited for small studios with south-facing windows. A cool white color scheme will make the space visually more spacious and balance out the excess of daylight.
Kitchen design in a one-room apartment - rational and effective methods
The layout of most one-room apartments involves a small kitchen, which requires a sink, stove, furniture with a countertop, household appliances and a table with chairs. The design of the room, in this case, should be reasonable, the place for cooking should be comfortable, and the interior should be attractive.
Such tasks cause certain difficulties even for professionals. And although there are already quite a lot of standard designs, housewives are trying to decorate the kitchen in such a way that it acquires individuality and looks more spacious.
In fact, the design of a small kitchen has its own secrets, knowing which can significantly improve its visual perception and convenience.
How to increase the area of a small kitchen
Designers have many secrets in stock that will visually enlarge the kitchen. Here are some of them:
- use of white and light glossy surfaces in the interior;
- installation of a bar counter;
- moderation in accessories and decoration;
- high-quality artificial lighting;
- installation of built-in household appliances;
- creation of multifunctional storage sections;
- use of light textiles made from natural fabrics;
- an abundance of transparent and glass surfaces;
- wall decoration with wallpaper with vertical stripes;
- decorating the exit with a glass door.
About color
You should start by choosing a color scheme. The volume of the kitchen in a one-room apartment will visually increase and become spacious if the decoration, furniture facades and flooring are made in light colors.
If the windows of the apartment are oriented to the south, you should choose cool colors, and if they are to the north, warm and sunny ones.
A white ceiling will never “press” from above, and pastel-colored furniture will not limit the space. To avoid the effect of a hospital ward in the room, it is recommended to refresh its overall design with contrasting accessories or elements, stripes, small patterns on the walls or floor.
When decorating walls, do not forget that a vertically placed print on wallpaper or curtains can visually raise the ceiling, but narrow the room, while a horizontally placed print will expand the walls, but make the room lower.
As a contrast for a kitchen designed in a minimalist style, black or gray is suitable; for a modern kitchen, green or blue. Brown shades will fit into the design of most style solutions, and bright colors will look interesting in eclecticism.
But any accents must be harmoniously combined with the surrounding environment, otherwise there will be a clutter and, as a result, a visual reduction in space.
Studio style for a bachelor
The following styles are most often used in the design of bachelor studios:
- loft
- high tech
- minimalism
- modern
- futurism
A loft means a lot of free space and as few walls as possible.
High tech - many modern details, chrome ceilings, mirrors, large TV.
Lighting and textiles
A small kitchen should not have massive chandeliers or sconces. The best option would be backlights and spotlights installed for each zone separately. The design of the work surface in combination with the kitchen apron will only benefit from an LED strip placed under wall cabinets or shelves.
It is recommended to place the lamps above the table and stove, and if the layout allows, in wall niches. In addition, a small single lamp should be hung on the kitchen ceiling in a one-room apartment for general lighting, and if the ceiling is covered with plastic or when installing a suspended or tensioned structure, built-in lighting fixtures should be installed.
It is important to know that no matter how spacious the kitchen layout is, you should not install suspended or suspended ceilings if its height is less than 2.5 meters. They will reduce the volume of the room not visually, but actually.
Natural lighting should be approached responsibly. The kitchen should be light, so dark curtains on the windows will look out of place, even if the apartment layout is oriented towards the sunny side. Curtains should be chosen in soft colors, and in summer you can protect yourself from direct bright rays with reflective fabric.
An interesting option for a small kitchen would be roller blinds or Roman blinds that cover only the window opening, as well as vertical or horizontal blinds. The print on the fabric should not be large, and towels, napkins and other kitchen textiles must be selected taking into account the interior style.
Flooring
The floor in a small kitchen should be covered with easy-to-clean and moisture-resistant coatings. The best options are:
- linoleum;
- ceramic tile;
- PVC tiles.
Materials should be plain or with small, unobtrusive patterns.
Linoleum is cheaper and warmer, but it melts when it comes into contact with hot surfaces and wears out over time. PVC tiles are easier to install and more durable to use. It does not split or swell, and an element that has become unusable can be easily and quickly replaced with another.
Ceramic tiles are natural materials. It is more practical and durable than linoleum and PVC, but it can crack if a heavy frying pan or pot is accidentally dropped on the floor. This problem can be completely solved by replacing the broken tile with a new one. A significant disadvantage of ceramics is the high cost of material and installation work.
Rational kitchen design
Expediency and validity should be a priority when decorating a kitchen. The layout of a one-room apartment does not allow you to hide excess utensils and small household appliances in pantries or built-in closets located in the hallway.
Often they are simply missing or used to store clothes and shoes. Therefore, when thinking about kitchen design, it is necessary to provide for maximum placement of appliances and utensils in a limited space.
For small kitchens, it is recommended to purchase only the most necessary household appliances and compact furniture with sliding rather than swinging cabinet doors. When open, they will not take up extra space and will not cause inconvenience to the owner.
The work table can be made a little smaller in width, and kitchen rails or regular shelves can be hung above it. For a one-room apartment, such solutions are quite acceptable.
Do not forget that open shelves will require cleanliness of the dishes displayed on them and perfect order. They are limited in area, so unnecessary items that could clutter the kitchen will not appear on them.
There is one important point that you should pay attention to when choosing kitchen furniture. It refers to the volume of floor and wall cabinets, as well as the shelves located in them.
The correct internal layout will help hide pots, various jars of cereals, small equipment and all sorts of small things behind the facades. The distance between the cabinet shelves should not be too large, otherwise unused space will appear, which will ultimately affect the functionality of the furniture module.
Expert opinion
Mikhailova Maria Vasilievna
Furniture store manager. Knows everything about comfort and interior design
A pencil case that occupies space from floor to ceiling and wall cabinets located to the very top make it possible to place the maximum number of kitchen utensils in them. They should be laid out according to the principle of necessity.
Everyday utensils, salt, sugar, cereals and spices should be on shelves located within arm's reach. And household appliances used from time to time, holiday glasses, flowerpots and dinnerware can be placed on the upper tiers.
Furniture facades should not be chosen in bright colors. For the interior of a small kitchen, it is recommended to purchase sets with glossy or glass doors. Closets with a large number of small elements should be avoided; they will create the effect of disorder and clutter.
Often in a one-room apartment, washing machines are located in the kitchens, since its layout does not allow large household appliances to be installed in the bathroom. When choosing your favorite machine model, you should think about its dimensions. The more compact it is, the less space will be required to install equipment.
A folding dining table and chairs will fit harmoniously into a small-sized kitchen, and the refrigerator from it should be moved to the corridor or even the hallway. All this will free up space and increase usable area.
It is better to choose a stationary dining table for a small kitchen space in a round or oval shape. This will visually reduce its size. The presence of drawers in the design will allow you to store any kitchen or table items in them.
Large decorative elements should be discarded, as well as a large number of small details. Kitchen design should be simple and moderately strict. In this case, it will visually look more spacious.
How to choose an interior style
The interior style reflects the character of its owner, his preferences and lifestyle . For one-room kitchens, classic or minimalist styles are most often used, based on white color and natural materials.
- Minimalism is an abundance of straight forms and a complete absence of decor. Along with white, gray, beige, and sand are used. As a result, the space visually appears larger. Designers prefer glossy kitchen units; they reflect light and exaggerate the volume of a small room. Use built-in household appliances. Easy to care for and hygienic. Minimalism is suitable for those who value functionality and simplicity.
- Provence is a style of gentle and romantic natures. It is based on light wooden furniture, an abundance of natural textiles and various accessories. Provence came to Russia from France, so it is typical to use wallpaper with images of lavender fields or wooden panels with carvings. Decorate the kitchen with porcelain plates, figurines and dried flowers.
- Scandinavian style is ideal for small spaces. Scandi means simple furniture, high-quality lighting, ethnic patterns on the walls and fresh flowers on the windowsill. Scandinavians value practicality and restraint in the interior - what is needed for a small kitchen.
- Japanese style is a type of minimalism. Along with light shades, bright accents such as red, blue or green are also used in decoration. Much attention is paid to the arrangement of equipment and furniture and their functionality. There is practically no decor, and the window is framed by roller or bamboo curtains.
- High-tech is straight lines and geometric shapes, simplicity and conciseness of forms. The equipment is hidden behind the facades. Style loves transparent and metallic surfaces; they create a feeling of weightlessness and lightness, which hides ergonomics and thoughtfulness in everything.
Cardinal options
The most radical way to increase the space intended for cooking and eating is to buy a new two- or three-room apartment, the layout of which includes a large kitchen. But, unfortunately, not everyone can use it.
Most often, owners of one-room apartments solve the problem of increasing kitchen space in another way. They break down walls or partitions between the kitchen and the room. But this is allowed only if the structures are not load-bearing, and also with permission from the relevant services.
Designers offer numerous design options for the openings created as a result of redevelopment. They install:
- tables;
- bar counters;
- open shelves in the form of racks;
- sofas;
- screens;
- sliding doors;
- cornices with curtains.
If a one-room apartment has a large corridor or loggia, then sometimes the kitchen is moved into them. It turns out to be tiny and cramped, but the owners, in this case, have one more room. The main problem of such a redevelopment is the relocation of communications and ventilation above the slab.
A new design can transform a kitchen beyond recognition, so before you start decorating it, you need to carefully consider all the nuances that may affect its appearance and ease of use. This will save you from any disappointments in the future.
Basic solutions for the kitchen interior
Today, kitchen design in a one-room apartment is most often found in such options.
Kitchen-living room
Functional areas are distinguished using a dining area (bar counter, narrow kitchen island or small dining table), because moving it to the living area is an irrational decision, reducing the already small area of the living room-bedroom.
With such a layout, it is important not to forget about a powerful hood. In this case, a counter or island can be used as a mini-office, you just need to provide additional storage systems at arm's length and good working lighting.
Separate kitchen, but not only...
Owners of a small one-room apartment cannot afford the luxury of a separate kitchen without additional functional areas. Therefore, you need to use such reserves as a folding kitchen sofa or separate a small corner for a workplace.
Moving the kitchen to the hallway
This non-standard option is extremely rare. This is due both to rejection at the subconscious level (“cook at the entrance?”) and to the difficulties of moving the “wet” zone and communications. But if you rarely cook at home, then it is better to make a sandwich in the hallway and sleep in a separate bedroom than to sleep on a folding sofa in the living room.
Today, designers are trying to think big, without being tied to the original layouts, partitions and functional purposes of each room. The location of the kitchen can be changed at any time, even if it is moved to a former pantry, or in place of a bathroom.
The ideal kitchen design in a one-room apartment is based on the following statement: every square meter counts and should be used as efficiently as possible. Therefore, it is better to “castle” and make room for another corner than to huddle in a small room, afraid to change the original layout.
Zoning methods
A studio kitchen needs thoughtful zoning. To do this, they mainly use decorative techniques and certain furniture arrangement patterns.
Sometimes they resort to erecting partitions, but in order not to violate the original concept of the studio space, these structures should not be blank and solid, like the walls of an ordinary apartment.
Using several examples, we will consider the most common methods of zoning the interior of a kitchen studio.
Color
A bright yellow kitchen and a blue sofa - such a contrast clearly demonstrates the two different poles of the room.
In monochrome interiors, you can also use this technique, playing with different color intensities: for example, this scenario is a snow-white kitchen, light gray walls, and a dark, almost black sofa.
The photo below is another successful example of zoning using color. Against the backdrop of the snow-white kitchen, a seating area with a sofa and armchairs stands out.
Read about what color scheme is currently relevant in interior design in our separate article - watch.
Bar counter
The most popular and simplest zoning option is using a bar counter. For small studios, this solution allows you to rationally organize the space, since the bar counter, thanks to its compact size, can also act as a permanent dining area.
The bar counter can have several variations:
- wall-mounted or free-standing;
- built into the kitchen set as a continuation of the kitchen countertop;
- built into an island or peninsula.
Lighting above the bar counter in the form of pendant lamps creates an additional zoning effect.
Podium
Different floor levels can visually highlight certain areas of the kitchen studio. For example, on the podium you can make a sleeping or working place, a relaxation area or a dining room.
For small areas and for studios with low ceilings, this option is undesirable. And on average, with a room area of 30 sq.m. The podium will help organize storage. Inside you can equip drawers and even hide a pull-out bed.
Glass partition
The glass partition allows light to pass through and does not visually cut into the space, so it is ideal for zoning a kitchen-studio.
A transparent partition is an excellent solution for one-room Khrushchev apartments converted into studios. Since it is impossible to completely connect a gasified kitchen to a room, a glass partition or a sliding transparent structure makes it possible to visually unite spaces without breaking the law.
Kitchen-studio with a glass partition and a door in a one-room Khrushchev building
Decorative techniques and lighting
Most often, the easiest way to highlight a certain area is with lighting. A lamp suspended above the dining table seems to mark a common space.
Other simple and effective techniques:
- floor carpets;
- curtains;
- paintings, panels, etc.
Design of a combined kitchen and living room
If you dream of a kitchen combined with a living room, then we have to disappoint you - for one-room apartments such designs are definitely prohibited. Why doesn’t demolishing the partition cause any difficulties for two- and three-room apartments? The answer lies in the number of rooms.
According to sanitary standards, the layout must strictly separate residential and non-residential areas. Combining the kitchen and living room, like in a studio, without partitions, deprives the one-room apartment of living space.
For several rooms there is no such problem - even if the kitchen-living room is considered a non-residential premises, there are still living rooms, so projects, if they do not contain other violations, can easily be approved.
When thinking through the design, it is important to find out which wall separates the kitchen from the living room. All manipulations with load-bearing walls are strictly limited, demolition is strictly prohibited. Determine whether the wall is load-bearing or not by eye by the thickness of the partition. A better option is to contact a specialist technical office or study the architectural design of the house.
But that's not all. The kitchen is also allowed to be moved from a non-residential area to a residential area only in one case - if there is a basement or a store under the apartment, that is, non-residential premises. In all other cases - no.
And the last restriction concerns owners of gas stoves. Gasified kitchens must be separated by an interior partition for the safety of residents.
Although there are plenty of restrictions on redevelopment, it is still possible to implement the planned project. A combined kitchen and living room in a one-room apartment is possible if you widen the opening connecting the rooms and use sliding doors. In a successful design, the partition will become more of an interesting detail than an annoying nuisance.
Pros and cons of a combined interior
It is a mistake to believe that studios are just tiny apartments of up to 25 sq.m., with no room to spread out. The real estate market sells apartments with an open plan and an area of up to 50-60 sq.m., which is already equivalent to a full-fledged two-room apartment or three-room apartment.
Why are such apartments in demand? Here are the main reasons.
- Complete (or almost complete) freedom in arranging furniture.
In an open space completely devoid of interior partitions (the bathroom does not count), you can allocate space for a kitchen, living room, bedroom, office based on individual needs. It is this idea that is so attractive to residents of one-room “Khrushchev” and “Stalin” buildings, who break down the partitions between the kitchen and living room to create a single space with a comfortable kitchen and dining room.
The photo below shows a one-room Khrushchev house converted into a studio. The wall separating the kitchen is not load-bearing, so such a redevelopment can be agreed upon under certain conditions. The combination with the living room made it possible to place a large dining area and make the space brighter and visually spacious.
You can read about the conditions under which you can agree on a redevelopment to combine the kitchen and living room in our separate material - go.
- You can choose your own layout.
It can be much easier to build walls than to break them down. And you can build a partition in any convenient place. When the open space gets boring and no longer meets the needs, it can always be redone by arranging isolated rooms. Of course, if space allows.
- You can create a creative and custom design.
The ability to install a sofa and dining table not along the perimeter near the walls, but right in the middle of the room, will definitely be appreciated by creative people and everyone who is open to non-standard solutions.
- Lots of light and air.
Partitions create additional shadows and a feeling of enclosed space, which can have a depressing and gloomy effect. An open, spacious room is perceived better from a psychological point of view.
Of course, there are also disadvantages to this layout. And some of them are quite serious. Therefore, you should think a thousand times before buying such an apartment or converting your existing one-room apartment into a studio.
Minuses:
- Not suitable for everyone.
This will be a comfortable option for one person and possibly a couple. But for families with children or for a family in which there is one freelancer, who is often in the mood for work at night, this will be a real problem. The studio kitchen assumes that all household members will live in the same routine: wake up and go to bed at the same time.
- Kitchen arrangement options are still limited by the location of communications.
Some developers sometimes come up with not the most convenient planning solutions with a completely illogical location of the ventilation duct and sewer outlet.
- You can’t leave guests to spend the night in the studio kitchen. More precisely, they can stay overnight, of course, but in such conditions they will be uncomfortable.
- Lack of sound and smell insulation.
A noisy refrigerator, a humming hood, a buzzing blender - all this will irritate those who want to relax in complete silence in the living room while another family member is eager to cook a pie in the kitchen.
And the smells of fried fish will penetrate into all corners of the apartment, even if the most powerful hood is installed.
- It is not always possible to allocate a separate sleeping place.
In small studios with a room up to 18 sq.m., as a rule, there is a choice between a full bed or a folding sofa. Not a single sofa can replace a sleeping place with a comfortable mattress, and the need to regularly unfold it is not the most pleasant thing.
- An ill-mannered cat will walk on the table.
Not obvious, but a minus. If there is a pet in the house, then its fur can become a seasoning for any dish.
- No change of locations.
The same environment within four walls can become boring and cause apathy.
