Lighting in the living room kitchen: different options for zoning the space with light

General lighting design tips

Light in a kitchen combined with a living room plays an important role.
First of all, it is worth noting that planning the placement of light sources is impossible without careful planning of the future interior. Only after it has been precisely determined where and how the furniture will be located and what area each zone will occupy, can the location of the lamps be outlined.

Next, two questions need to be clarified:

Which areas and how should be illuminated?
What types of lamps and fixtures to use.

Each of them is important, so it’s worth exploring the issues in more detail. Then this knowledge will be necessary when placing points of light in the room. In addition, this is due not only to the external attractiveness of the interior, but also to the ease of use.

Advantages and disadvantages of a combined kitchen

One way to expand the space is to create a combined kitchen-living room. But if in small apartments it is not always possible to realize your plans, then in your own home you can easily design any layout.

But any project has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the significant drawbacks is the smell of food. Even if you have a fairly good hood, odors will still penetrate the living room.

For the first time, living rooms and kitchens began to be combined in the United States. But in the USA it is not usually customary to cook at home, therefore, for them, smells are not an obstacle to such a layout.

Another disadvantage of combined spaces is that a lot of garbage from the kitchen area will enter the living area. Therefore, cleaning will need to be done as often as possible.

But of course, in combined premises, the pros outweigh the cons.

Combined rooms visually expand the space, especially suitable for small rooms.
Thanks to the increased space, massive furniture and various kitchen appliances can be placed in the combined area.
The combined area is perfect for receiving guests. Housewives can simultaneously prepare food and communicate with family and friends.
The dining area makes it possible to place a large table.
A combined kitchen-living room will look modern and stylish.

Which areas should be illuminated and how?

In the kitchen, which is combined with the living room, there are several points that require lighting. These include:

work surface in the kitchen;
dinner table;
rest zone.

In addition, additional lighting in the corners of the room can be used to expand the space. Sometimes it is important to place a lower light under the kitchen cabinets along its entire length.

Bottom lighting under cabinets is a popular technique

For each zone, a color of different intensity and spectrum is used. Lighting in the kitchen area should be as bright as possible. In addition to the main source of overhead light, you should additionally illuminate the work area, stove and sink.

You can use several types of lamps, namely:

Chandeliers.
Pendant lamps.
Ceiling soffits.
LED strips.
Wall sconces.
Floor lamps.
Desk lamp.

For each zone there are optimal options, which involve the use of a specific type of lamps. For the kitchen area, spotlights and pendant lamps are most often used. In a large room, the kitchen can also be illuminated by a chandelier located in the center.

Dining tables are illuminated with pendant lamps or a chandelier. Soffits can also be used, but they must be designed for directional light. In this way it will be possible to achieve a sufficient level of illumination.

The choice of lamp type depends on the height of the ceilings in the room. Chandeliers and pendant lamps should not be used in a room with low ceilings.

The recreation area involves the use of soft and diffused light. Here it is better to use wall sconces, floor lamps and table lamps. You can combine several options, for example, install a sconce on the wall near the sofa and a floor lamp near the chair. If you plan to equip a work area in the kitchen-living room, then a table lamp would be a suitable option.

Chandeliers are not suitable for rooms with low ceilings

What to consider when organizing lighting?

To increase usable area and radically transform the space, many resort to combining the living room and kitchen.
A similar design idea is used in small apartments, small private houses or cottages. The issue of organizing light should be resolved before starting repairs. After functional areas have been outlined in the combined room, you need to determine the number and location of lighting fixtures.

When planning a kitchen-living room, they first decide in what style the interior will be designed, the same or different. In the first case, similar light sources are selected for the design, for example, spotlights located along the entire perimeter of the ceiling plane are suitable. In the second option, individual lighting is installed for each combined area.

To properly organize light in a room, they also take into account the color scheme of the interior, the number of furniture items, the presence of a working segment and a relaxation area.

The photo shows the design of a kitchen-living room with a ceiling decorated with lamps and black chandeliers on a pendant.

For a more functional design, it is necessary to consider the installation of details such as switches that help turn on the light in certain areas of the kitchen-living room. The most comfortable environment can be achieved due to the dim lighting effect, which is achieved thanks to the light flux control function. This solution is especially appropriate in a living room area intended for relaxation. Adjusted soft and pleasant light will not strain or irritate your eyes.

There is a certain rule in the interior design of a kitchen-living room: a large and spacious room needs a higher level of lighting, and a small room with a low ceiling should have a minimum number of ceiling lighting fixtures installed.

The photo shows the lighting in the living room combined with a kitchen in the loft style.

Features of light zoning

To illuminate rooms, light is used not only for practical purposes, but also for decorative ones. These types include floor and ceiling lighting. The floor can be mounted in the lower part of the kitchen unit, and the ceiling can be installed in the cornice.

There are many techniques with which you can divide space or expand it. Zoning with light is especially important if there are no other options to divide the room into zones. For example, if you need to divide a room into 2 parts, a number of pendant lamps will help. They will help divide the room in half.

Soffits can be used in groups. Located above the sofa, across the entire area of the ceiling above it, they will visually separate this area from others. A pendant lamp or chandelier above the dining table will help create a focal point on a specific object, in this case above the table.

Pendant light - a focal point above the dining table

The right light in the living room

The kitchen-living room is a multifunctional room, so a variety of light sources is very important here. The sofa area is a place for relaxation, which means the lighting in this part of the space should be calm and subdued. Of course, this part requires conventional ceiling light sources. A chandelier in the central part of the room would be a great option. In addition to this choice, a number of built-in lamps are perfect.

In addition to overhead light sources, it would be useful to use lamps in every part of the room. In the resting place you can place a floor lamp or place a miniature sconce lamp on the wall. The entertainment part of the room will be in perfect harmony with decorative lighting sources with the ability to adjust the light. It should be taken into account that the overall design of combined rooms should form a single space, which will be united by the correct choice of lighting sources.

Lighting for the dining and sitting area

The choice of lighting type and luminaires depends on certain factors. There are several of them:

room area;
ceiling height;
interior style;
number of zones.

It is also worth considering the intensity and nature of use of the room. Options may vary depending on the needs of the residents of the apartment or house.

In any case, in a kitchen combined with a living room, there are always 2 zones: a dining area and a relaxation area. Each lighting has certain characteristics.

Rest zone

In this case, the main thing is to use diffuse light of low intensity. It is also worth considering the style in which the living room set is made and, in accordance with this, choosing the nature of the lighting fixtures.

The part that is the living room is illuminated by diffused light

Dinner Zone

A place for eating can be equipped both in the kitchen itself and between it and the seating area. The area depends primarily on the size of the room. It is worth considering several of the most popular options for the location of the dining area and methods of lighting it.

Between the kitchen and the sitting area

This option will be the optimal solution for rectangular rooms of medium and large area. This method of arranging furniture is convenient from a practical point of view, as it is very logical. First, food is prepared, then eaten and then rested - the arrangement of furniture will fully correspond to this process.

It is better to illuminate a wooden table located in the center of the room with a pendant lamp or chandelier, but only if the ceiling height allows. Otherwise, it is better to use a ceiling light with a directional light.

In the kitchen area

The kitchen set and the dining table can be one.
Often the layout of the kitchen set implies exactly this arrangement of the place for eating. Furniture may include not only cabinets, but also a dining table. That is, the work area, hob, storage space and table form a single ensemble.

In this case, it is better to use spot light. A group of spotlights above the table is the best option.

The use of pendant lights will likely upset the overall balance. But they can be used in rooms with a large area and in the case of a U-shaped placement of the headset.

Light Source Options

Different types of lamps allow you to create a comfortable atmosphere in the design of the kitchen-living room.

Main lighting

Homogeneous or different ceiling lamps, such as a chandelier, serve as basic or general lighting. For a small room, one central chandelier is suitable, and for a room with an asymmetrical or elongated configuration, it would be appropriate to install several lighting elements.

For the main light in the guest area, several options are used in the form of a chandelier, pendant lamps, recessed spotlights, bus models or LED lighting. You can give the room a relaxed atmosphere thanks to table lamps, sconces or floor lamps. In the kitchen interior, a traditional solution is a ceiling chandelier placed in the center.

The overhead light should be unobtrusive, uniform and soft, but at the same time sufficiently bright and of high quality. Modern interiors are often equipped with lamps on special rails, which can be rotated in any desired direction and illuminate a certain area of the kitchen-living room.

It is better to illuminate a room with a low ceiling with overhead or mortise models, and for a high kitchen-living room you can choose pendant lamps.

The photo shows the main lighting in the form of ceiling lamps on hanging chains in the interior of the kitchen-living room.

Decorative lighting

The decorative function is performed by lighting and LED strips in white or multi-colored designs. With the help of such elements, you can highlight individual objects and accessories in the form of paintings, panels, vases, potted plants, elegant porcelain figurines, beautiful floor compositions and more. Tabletops, cabinets and other furniture are also equipped with LEDs to create an interesting floating effect.

The most popular decorative solution for the kitchen-living room is to equip a multi-level stretch ceiling with perimeter lighting or install a suspended structure with shaped niches or individual elements decorated with LED strips and spotlights.

Lighting decor can also be built into the floor or frame the podium.

An excellent option for additional light would be mobile light bulbs on clothespins. They are easily fixed in any desired area and, if necessary, can be easily transferred to another place.

The photo shows the design of a kitchen-living room with a suspended ceiling and wall panels, decorated with decorative lighting.

Functional

Light can be general and zonal. For a kitchen area, local lighting is less important than local lighting. It depends on the purpose of the room. The ideal option is to use several lighting fixtures that match each other in style. For example, installing pendant lamps, spotlights, movable shades or LED lighting is suitable.

It is appropriate to complement the dining area with hanging ceiling lamps that match the kitchen interior. You can choose a crystal chandelier, a model with glass shades, or a lamp with lampshades made of wood, fabric or other materials that are not afraid of dust, grease and other contaminants. A single lamp or several devices are placed above the table along one line or in the form of a circle, square or any arbitrary shape.

The photo shows ceiling spotlights in the design of a combined kitchen-living room in a modern style.

Illumination of the stove and work area

As mentioned above, the kitchen requires the most intense lighting. You should take the most careful approach to the lighting of food preparation areas, or rather the stove and work area.

It is advisable to highlight the sink as well. Most often, lamps mounted in wall cabinets are used for this. You can also attach fluorescent lamps at the bottom, under the cabinets.

Illumination of the work area acts as an additional source of light in the kitchen.

Distribution of kitchen areas using light

The more intensely any area is used, the more contrast it should be illuminated.

Considering the wide functionality of the kitchen-living room, the approach to choosing lighting for each zone should be individual

Work area lighting

The light above the cooking surface should be bright, but not irritating, and more saturated than that provided by the main source. Elements that illuminate the kitchen set should beautifully complement other things on it: furniture, kitchen apron, accessories. When choosing a small lamp, you can also focus on the walls above the work surface.

Kitchen work surfaces are the place where lighting should be of the highest quality.

Lamps for the work area can be overhead or recessed; the installation of the latter is often provided by kitchen manufacturers

LED strip is the most modern solution for illuminating the sink and work table

Dining area lighting

Light bulbs for the area where lunch or dinner takes place should not be very bright, and there should not be a lot of them. Firstly, it is simply unprofitable in terms of financial expenses, and secondly, too bright lighting above the table is annoying. Many people prefer to enjoy their meal in a quiet environment with calming, light lighting.

A low-hanging lamp will create a cozy atmosphere in the dining area for a pleasant pastime

A kitchen with a low ceiling should not be overloaded with complex lighting forms

Illumination of the stove and hob

Since fashionable stoves are sold with built-in lamps above the burners, there is no need to think about buying a backlight for the stove. The built-in lighting above the stove is used only if you need to prepare breakfast in the morning without waking up your household. To do this, you can also choose an LED strip placed under the countertop, obtaining not only a soft light source that does not distract from brewing tea, but also saving on kitchen decor by creating unobtrusive zoning.

To illuminate the hob, in most cases, the lamps built into the kitchen hood are sufficient.

Other places

In addition to installing elements that provide light above the dining and “working” areas of the kitchen, you can decorate niches and shelves with lamps, highlight some objects you love, and also combine flat surfaces with LED strip: the space under the countertop and the edges of cabinets. This will give the room a festive look. The multi-colored “ribbon” of LEDs looks gorgeous.

Among modern decorative lighting solutions, we can highlight glass apron lighting

Before redecorating a room, you need to imagine which lighting arrangement will be most convenient. It is also necessary to calculate their approximate number, highlighting the most “active”, functional parts of the kitchen-living room.

Optimal lighting is when uniformly distributed light flows softly and abundantly from the ceiling

There are several rules that must be followed in any case:

Current sources (sockets, wires, lamps) cannot be installed near the sink.
Highlighting the lighting above the island in the kitchen involves two or more different lights. At a minimum: one source, which is brighter, is above the “working” area, another, “palier”, is above the seating area, watching TV.
Pay attention to the architectural features. To adjust a small, angular space, you can place the lamp in the center of the kitchen. You can make a narrow kitchen visually wider by making an illuminated “strip” along one of the walls, getting rid of the “background” light source.
Lamps like sconces will distract attention from a low ceiling, especially if their light goes up.

For cozy home interiors, lamps that generate warm or neutral white light are better suited.

Work area lighting

The kitchen-living room can be used not only for cooking and relaxing, but also for work. Many modern designers create projects in which a desktop is placed along with the sofa and armchairs. Such a studio can only be equipped if the area of the room allows it.

It is better to illuminate the work area with table or floor lamps. You can place a table lamp on a table or a floor lamp next to it. In some cases, one suspended light source can be used, but this is not always convenient.

Kitchen combined with living room in a private house: advantages and disadvantages

A combined room interior is not uncommon these days. Initially, the reason for the emergence of such design solutions was the lack of space in small-sized urban apartments. In private homes, for quite a long time they refused to experiment with combinations, believing that the noises and smells of the kitchen are not compatible with the cozy atmosphere in which the living room interior should immerse us. However, at the moment, a kitchen combined with a living room in a private house is not only convenient and stylish, but also functional and ergonomic! See for yourself:

Still, the layout of your personal home is your own business, and if you have already made a choice in favor of combination, let’s understand the advantages and disadvantages of such a decision with us!

Kitchen living room in a private house: disadvantages

The first, and perhaps the most significant disadvantage of a combined kitchen is the spread of odors. The kitchen and living room in a private house must be equipped with a powerful ventilation system. Otherwise, unpleasant odors will fill the entire room. By the way, a conventional over-slab hood is unlikely to cope with such a load, which means that you will have to equip at least a semi-professional ventilation system in the kitchen.
Noise is the second disadvantage of a combined kitchen. If you are planning to use a blender, a whistling kettle and other noisy household appliances while your family is gathered to watch your favorite TV show or series, be prepared for the indignation of your family towards you.
Mess. The kitchen combined with the living room must be absolutely clean (ALWAYS)! An open kitchen is a certain responsibility, and if you are one of those who like to leave dirty dishes in the sink, get ready for the fact that every cleanliness deficiency will spoil the overall picture of your chic environment.

Kitchen living room in a private house: advantages

Ergonomics. Whatever one may say, combining space is a very convenient solution. Instead of two small and cramped rooms, you can get one, but it is very spacious and comfortable. A compelling argument in favor of combination, isn’t it?
The opportunity to be close to your family while working in the kitchen is another plus to the benefits of combining a kitchen and living room.
Kitchen living room is very stylish and modern. Get rid of unnecessary walls and cramped spaces, make a choice in favor of functionality and proper space planning! These photos will say it all:

Types of lamps for the kitchen-living room

It was already mentioned above what types of lamps can be used in a kitchen combined with a living room. By type of lighting they are divided into:

ceiling;
wall;
floor

Also, according to the lighting method, the light can be supplied pointwise or diffused. Warm and cold light are also used, in particular the first for the recreation area, and the second for the kitchen.

Warm light is used only for the living room

When choosing the type of lamps, it is worth considering several important rules:

All of them must be made in the same style.
The style of the lamps must match the style of the interior.
You can only use those whose lampshades are resistant to intensive cleaning.

The first rule does not exclude the use of light sources that are slightly different in style, but they must be in harmony with each other. Sometimes it is used to use light sources that are completely opposite in design in one room, but only designers can afford such a bold technique.

The best option is to choose different types of lamps from the same product line. Many companies produce several types of lamps within one series.

For each interior style, different lamp designs are used. Scandinavian style involves the use of lamps with white lampshades, while Provence uses fabric lampshades in warm shades. The classic is simpler in this regard, but the main thing is to maintain a balance.

Lamp location

The light in the interior of the kitchen-living room should be uniform and fill the entire area of the room, without leaving darkened corners. There should be no shadow in the working and dining areas. Lamps in the kitchen-living room are placed so that the light does not create glare and does not irritate the eyes. To do this, you should wisely choose lamps with a power that provides a moderate luminous flux.

It must be taken into account that if there are many light sources in the room, then they should have low power, not dazzle and at the same time not be too dim.

The photo shows the design of the kitchen-living room, complemented by spotlights and decorative LED lighting.

A certain lighting solution can contribute to the visual correction of the shape and size of the room. For example, in order to lengthen a room, it is appropriate to place several lamps in the longitudinal direction. Due to the transverse placement of lamps, it will be possible to give the kitchen-living room a proportional square outline. In a narrow room, by illuminating the far wall, the space will visually become much larger.

The photo shows an example of the placement of lamps in the interior of the kitchen-living room.

Lamps lined up in an even line lift the ceiling plane and impart weightlessness to the kitchen-living room environment. In order to smooth out the vertical and horizontal geometry of the room, lamps with reflectors are installed.

A completely different effect, concealing the height of the room, can be achieved through ceiling lamps with light rays falling on the walls. The organization of perimeter ceiling lamps will make the shape of the room more expressive and visually expand the space.

The photo shows the lighting design of a combined kitchen-living room, made in the French Provence style.

Decorative lighting

Decorating a space with light is not often used, although this technique makes the room more interesting and unique. The most common options are spot lighting of the floor and ceiling or using a diode strip.

You can give the interior a special warmth by lighting the inside of the cabinets. Illumination of an aquarium in a marine interior style can also be classified as decorative lighting.

Sometimes directional light is used for this purpose, which is designed to highlight a specific object in the room. These could be paintings, photos or other wall decor.

Often, with the help of lamps pointing upward, a suspended ceiling is illuminated.

Ideal kitchen lighting: what is important to know

There are a number of mandatory rules that must be followed when organizing light in the kitchen or dining room. Many owners pay attention exclusively to the brightness of the lamps. But this is fundamentally wrong. So, the following points should not be missed:

Overhead (ceiling) lamps are very popular. They are suitable for rooms that have access to natural light (windows). Such models can be point or stationary. They also often differ in design features: retractable, rotating. Such devices will help to accurately direct the light to the desired area during working hours.
If there are no window openings in the kitchen, then the entire emphasis is on selecting sufficiently powerful external lamps. They can be an elongated lamp or hang down on cords.
If the kitchen is located on the second floor of a private house, then an attic window opening can be made here, it will provide access to street light. In this case, the lamps will be auxiliary, so you can limit yourself to installing spotlights along the perimeter of the ceiling.
To properly illuminate the work area, you will have to use single lamps. The optimal models are those that can be adjusted in brightness and beam direction.
For kitchens with high ceilings, it is better to choose descending type lighting fixtures. They are very convenient and help to quickly change the direction of the light beam to the desired location. This is how the brightness and dispersion of light from the lamp changes.
The central lamp, placed on the ceiling and being the only source of light, will be convenient only in the dining area. Therefore, additional lighting in the form of LED strips or energy-saving lamps has to be provided to the cooking area.
Fluorescent light bulbs or cornice lamps often serve not only as additional, but also natural lighting. They create good lighting near the apron.
Excellent lighting in the kitchen - placed at a height of 80 cm above the work area. This way, the person does not block the light, so it will be comfortable to work in the cooking area.

In addition to the main light, many also practice installing backlighting. This option is optimal in terms of functionality and decor. Suitable for kitchens of any size.

Spot lighting in the kitchen under the cabinets Source eggersmann.ru

Lamps for the kitchen with strings Source sdke.by Rotating spotlights for the ceiling in the kitchen Source sdke.by

Pendant or spotlights

The use of types of lamps that are mounted to the ceiling depends on the height of the ceilings and the general style of the room. To properly distribute illumination, most often this light is combined with spot light, which illuminates specific areas.

Picture 8 You should combine spot light from spotlights and diffused light from pendant lamps

You can use pendant lights to divide a room into 2 parts, or as an accent on a certain area. It is better not to use them in a place of rest, since in this case the light source will be located in close proximity to eye level.

In rooms with low ceilings, the pendant light can only be placed directly above the dining table. Other options are not applicable in this case.

Layout ideas

The layout will depend on how the rooms are laid out. But you need to remember that the rooms being connected must perform the same tasks as before the connection. It is advisable to make a plan before redevelopment, in which it is necessary to indicate all the distinctive features and specifics of the premises.

In particular:

The area and type of rooms being combined.
Where do the windows go and how much light do these rooms have?
Number of residents.
Financial question.

First of all, the future space depends on the area of the combined rooms. Although even in a small space of 15-20 m2 you can fit a kitchen set, living room furniture and decor. Naturally, you won’t be able to place a lot of furniture here, only the necessary items.

There should be a minimum of cabinets in the kitchen; covers can be provided for the hob surfaces so that they can be used as cutting tables.

Such small rooms are rare; usually the area of the combined spaces is about 30 m2. As a rule, these rooms include several windows and are quite bright.

In such a space you can easily place a kitchen set, which can be anything, either straight or corner, and living room furniture. In addition, you can additionally place a dining area.

If the area exceeds 30 m2, and sometimes there are quite huge rooms, then any furniture and any decor can be placed in such spaces.
The best option is if such a combined kitchen-living room has access to the terrace.
Then the room will not need additional light sources.
It is advisable to make the terrace doors glass, and on the terrace itself you can make a dining area.

Kitchen-living room interior 20 sq.m.

The design of a living room with a kitchen should be well thought out, and the space should be ergonomically planned. Why? Because this area, in addition to stylistic decoration, must be functional and easy to use. The living room is a very important room in every home. It is a place of rest and relaxation for family and social events. Therefore, it is worth having an area with enough space for a table, sofa or corner with a coffee table, so that not only the owners, but also the guests feel comfortable. The kitchen, in turn, is the heart of every apartment. This is where food is prepared and eaten often. The room should be well laid out, with ample space for storage and planning. It is worth choosing furniture according to size, which will be made by a carpenter, usually to the exact parameters of an individual interior.

The interior of a kitchen living room of 20 sq.m can distinguish between these two rooms, dividing them, for example, with a table with chairs, a kitchen island or a bar counter. You can also highlight the area using different shelving or a multi-level ceiling with lighting. It is worth organizing neutral colors as a base. Strong color accents are used as a complement. A simple and inexpensive way to easily change the layout of the living room with kitchen without replacing furniture or painting the entire room. All you need to do is change the accessories, repaint one wall to give the interior a new look.

An interesting solution for those who do not spend too much time in the kitchen and do not need a lot of space for it, and also want to get an additional place for relaxation, for example, for a bedroom in a small apartment, is the design of a living room with a kitchenette. In this case, you move the kitchen into the living room, and decorate the bedroom from scratch. It could also be a children's room or an office - it all depends on personal needs.

Main lighting in the kitchen: chandelier or spotlight

It is known that a chandelier plays a big role in the interior. It practically does not perform its main function. It is replaced in a modern kitchen by spotlights. They allow you to concentrate the light beam not only on the functional area, but also make it brighter.

Combination of spotlights and chandelier in the kitchen Source happymodern.ru

A chandelier will be an interesting addition to the design. Will help diversify the space. Often, a central single lighting structure becomes a good decorative element. Therefore, from the point of view of benefit and practicality, it is better to give preference to spotlights and spotlights of a point design.

Kitchen with chandeliers for an individual area Source zelenograd24.ru Chandelier and “points” for complete lighting Source stroymasterok.com

Beautiful oversized chandelier for the kitchen Source ukrsmeta.ua

Kitchen-living room - interior design in practical solutions: important rules

A day area, devoid of artificially created barriers, allows you not only to visually increase the space of the entire room, adding at least a few square meters to it, but also to use the room functionally. Without unnecessary partitions and additional walls, the interior can look really impressive.

However, when arranging a living room with a kitchen, you must follow some basic rules. First of all, kitchen furniture cannot dominate the entire interior. Quite the opposite - the headsets must fit perfectly. Therefore, it should be remembered that the kitchen furniture matches the decor of the entire living area. You should also take care to have a consistent design concept across all service areas. The choice of color and finishing materials is important. You should remember the proportions between the individual zones - the dining room should not be larger than the living room or kitchen.

Designing a living room with kitchen

In each of the possible design examples, it is worth using the services of a specialist in this field. You can do this permanently in a design office. Online interior design is another way to get help from an architect. A kitchen open to the living room is becoming an increasingly popular solution. This type of space design is a very common architectural procedure that optically enlarges a small interior. In addition, the living room, combined with the kitchen, and sometimes with the dining room, allows the whole family to unite.

Where to start arranging the dining area?

It is better to start implementing a combination project after discussion and detailed analysis of all the nuances by designers and planners. By removing and moving the walls in the cottage as you please, you risk demolishing the supporting structure and reducing the strength of the entire building.

To achieve the necessary visual effect of a combined space, it is not enough to choose a couple of colors and textures. A fun and unique interior can be achieved through a thoughtful combination of details.

You can estimate the number of furniture and zones based on the total area after connecting the kitchen and living room. When choosing furniture, you should take into account the shape and dimensions of the resulting room. For example, the absence of a large number of sharp corners obliges the owner to choose furniture with smooth, rounded shapes.

If the resulting site for the implementation of your ideas is still small (up to 20 sq. m.), then when arranging it, it is worth using smart furniture options that can be easily transformed and moved from place.

At the initial stage, follow a simple algorithm:

Inspect the adjacent rooms, determine the purpose of the wall that separates them. If the wall is not load-bearing, repairmen can easily move it, remove it or transform it;
If you don’t have your own ideas, it doesn’t matter, invite a designer who will evaluate the external data of the rooms and provide several redevelopment options taking into account your requirements;
Identify the furniture you will keep and plan to get rid of. Conduct an audit. Assess the condition of internal communications in order to carry out their prevention or replacement during repairs;
Choose a style and color scheme for the kitchen-dining room. After preparing the plan and layout from the designer, all you have to do is make your adjustments and contact a contractor to implement the project.

If your financial capabilities do not allow you to turn to specialists to solve problems related to arrangement and planning, at each of the stages described above, set intermediate tasks and complete them as soon as you are ready.

How to plan lighting in the kitchen-living room

When designing a living room combined with a kitchen, it is necessary to change the configuration of the space, remove partitions and wall panels. In an expanded room, you will need to perform functional zoning, determine a resting place, a work area, and a dining room.

The kitchen space should have 3 main areas (sink, refrigerator, hob). In the guest area there is a large table and a sofa group. Before demolishing the panels, it is important to determine the load-bearing floors and coordinate the work with regulatory organizations.

When drawing up a plan, it is necessary to provide lighting in different parts of the room. The kitchen space and the guest area should be combined in style, design, and type of lighting. It is allowed to vary the intensity of lighting, the saturation of the tone of the walls, accent decoration using LEDs, wall and ceiling lamps.

Features of lighting a small kitchen

There can be a lot of lighting options in a small kitchen, but there are some subtleties and even restrictions on the introduction of such communication. Small spaces have their own characteristics.

Location of spotlights along the length of the wall unit on the ceiling Source ukrsmeta.ua

The most important rule is to provide basic and additional lighting in a small space. At a minimum, these are two light sources. For example, in the work area it is necessary to install separate lighting that will perform its functions at any time of the day or night. Elongated lamps with fluorescent or fluorescent lamps are successfully placed under the wall cabinets.

Oversized shades on a kitchen lamp Source comfort-da.ru

Also, for low ceilings in a compact kitchen, they resort to installing spotlights or spotlights. Options with a rotating mechanism, which allows you to adjust the direction of the light beam in each specific situation, work well.

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in electrical work.

Basic lighting and ceiling lighting in the kitchen Source kitchensinteriors.ru

When arranging kitchen lighting above a dining area, albeit a small one, a pendant lamp with a beautiful shade would be an excellent alternative. This option is practical and easy to manage. Moreover, it creates a visual accent on the interior and makes it complete.

Small bright lampshades and spotlights in a small kitchen Source ileds.ru

Lighting in the kitchen above the sink, work area and main ceiling Source roomester.ru

Original lighting in the kitchen Source cozyblog.ru

Original lighting is also welcome. These are often designed in the free space between the top of the set and the ceiling. To make decorative lighting look organic, plexiglass boxes are used, and LED strips are placed inside. The backlight shade is chosen depending on the predominant color in the interior.

Lighting in the plinth of furniture in the kitchen Source elmo.lt

LED lighting in the kitchen in the basement Source dizainkuhnibest.ru

Another good option that will diversify a boring and cramped environment is the design of lighting in the base of the headset. In working condition, it feels like the furniture is floating in the air, and the floor area visually becomes larger.

Addition in the form of neon LED lighting in the kitchen Source pixabay.com

Fashionable interior of a kitchen-living room in an apartment

A modern living room with kitchen can be achieved by removing the wall between the rooms. If you have a dark and cramped kitchen in your apartment, this will be the best solution. To give adjacent rooms a cohesive interior design, it is worth using the same flooring and maintaining consistent colors. Modern kitchen furniture has elegant fronts that can complement or contrast with the chosen furniture for the room. Uniform kitchen furniture is less noticeable, so it will not dominate the living room. Kitchen design doesn't have to be flashy. It is worth focusing on functionality and modern kitchen design. In the gym, on the other hand, you can allow yourself a lot of freedom. It's worth investing in a sofa that will serve as a relaxation area. The furniture recommended for modern living rooms is a corner sofa.

When choosing a living room with a kitchenette, it is good to plan both areas and choose furniture that will harmonize with each other. Don't forget to also remember about different lighting. One ceiling lamp is clearly not enough.

Selecting areas that need to be divided and illuminated

Combined lighting of the kitchen-living room involves the creation of accent areas. When zoning, the purpose of the plots and the dimensions of the room (width, length, height) are taken into account.

Options for dividing into zones:

visual (light accents, decorative items, color combinations in the decoration of walls and ceilings);
physical (delimitation of the territory by a set, a shelving group with lighting, columns or consoles).

In the kitchen space combined with the guest area, you can create lighting for the following areas:

kitchen work area;
food preparation area;
a dining table installed in the kitchen or separating the space for entertaining guests and the workspace;
sink;
center of the room;
the border between the cooking area and the dining space.

There should be plenty of light sources in the kitchen workspace. The lamps are built into the ceilings; it is possible to install 1 chandelier with diffused light in the center of the kitchen area. Separate lights are required for installation above the hob and countertop for food preparation. Lighting can be presented in the form of hanging devices or built-in devices for shelves and racks.

Additional lighting devices are located in the guest area. When selecting a design, take into account the location of the table in the room. For a centrally mounted tabletop, you can hang a chandelier with a pastel shade to provide diffused light to the area. For a table located near the wall, the optimal device may be compact sconces and LED fixtures.

The lighting for the sofa group, which is a space for relaxation, is recommended to be dim, with a warm glow. The chandelier in the center can be complemented by built-in fixtures on the walls.

In addition to hanging lamps, additional devices (floor lamps, sconces, floor structures) can be installed in each zone. In the spacious guest area, you can design devices with varying light intensity.