The term Khrushchev is known to everyone - these are 3-5 storey brick houses built in the 60s of the last century. These houses do not have an elevator or a garbage chute, the rooms are mostly adjacent and the bathroom is no more than 3 square meters, the kitchen, depending on the type, can be 6 meters. But not only was the living space small, the ceilings were also not too high. In standard Khrushchev apartments the height reaches 2.5 m. Despite the listed disadvantages, these apartments are very warm because they are built of brick, and compact rooms can be decorated beautifully and stylishly. The correct choice of curtains plays an important role in this situation.
How to choose curtains for the kitchen
Cooking areas often receive little sunlight. Taking this feature into account, it is necessary to select light translucent fabrics. This design method allows you to further increase the visual area of the kitchen. And lightweight fabric will not significantly reduce daylight.
Look great in the kitchen interior:
- combination of texture, print and color shade;
- fabric sheets the length of the window;
- shine on unique cornices.
Currently, multi-layer curtains with drapery have become firmly in fashion. Although it is believed that multi-layer curtains are not appropriate in a small kitchen, experts have created options for curtains with drapery that harmoniously fit into the atmosphere of the interior. They will be elegant if chosen a little shorter than the size of the window opening. By adding Provence style decor, you can more clearly emphasize the design of the room. The photo shows the interior of the kitchen.
Art Nouveau curtains
Heavy long curtains are not suitable for small kitchen spaces.
Translucent materials in light colors will visually increase the height of the ceiling.
Decoration examples
The simple interior of a living room of 18 sq.m., without any little details pleasing to the eye, looks uncomfortable and alien. However, everything needs moderation! To avoid overdoing it, you should choose small elements that will complement the interior and not overload it. Here are the main options for decorating a small living room:
- Cushions for a sofa or armchairs. They can be matched to the furniture, highlighted only by texture, or deliberately made a color accent.
- Curtains. It is imperative to understand that they must be combined with the overall style of the interior, otherwise there will be some kind of dissonance.
- Paintings, panels, photos are a great option to decorate plain, boring walls and add accents. Decorative vases, figurines.
Original lambrequins and light curtains
The most popular and practical in interior design would be light curtains made of organza or tulle for a small kitchen, creating an atmosphere of comfort and warmth. They are perfect for any interior design.
In order for the curtains to have a neat appearance for a long time, when choosing kitchen textiles, it is better to choose fabrics impregnated with special solutions that can repel dust and dirt. The photo shows an example of decorating a window opening with a lambrequin.
Lambrequin on the kitchen window
Short blinds
This type of window decoration is perfect for high-tech and minimalist styles. Multi-textured models can help avoid looking like an office, effectively combining several colors and materials. Photo-blinds with a thematic print applied to the slats will decorate the window in the Khrushchev kitchen in an original way. The design of such curtains can be refreshed by a charming composition or a pretty landscape, adding a “zest” to the interior, and also visually enlarging the space. For lovers of classic design, functional and beautiful blinds made of tulle are suitable; for interiors in ethnic style, Provence and country, bamboo blinds are suitable.
Canvas material
Before choosing roller blinds, you need to decide in advance on the choice of material. You need to understand that each of them has its positive and negative sides.
Textile
They are usually used in interiors where naturalness is required. The downside is possible deformation if the rules for caring for them are not followed.
Blended fabric
Thanks to the combination of natural and practical PVC fibers, the result is a fabric that is more resistant to shrinkage and abrasion, compared to fabric ones. This property makes mixed types of fabrics very useful.
Natural materials (jute, bamboo)
Roller blinds made of jute and bamboo come in various weaves. They can bring notes of the East into the interior and remind you of exotic countries on a winter day.
Polyester/PVC
This material is extremely resistant to sunlight, high temperatures and high humidity. It has bright, rich colors and is easy to care for.
Laconic and elegant Roman blinds
Roman blinds are perfect for decorating a kitchen window in a Khrushchev-era building; they stand out for their simplicity, ease of use and versatility of mounting - on the ceiling or on the window. When opened, it is a straight canvas, and when assembled, it has elegant and soft folds, which are straightened using a simple mechanism hidden on the back of the curtain. The folds are secured with cords. With the help of Roman curtains it is very convenient to regulate the volume of sunlight. Even when closed, light-colored curtains perfectly diffuse sunlight.
The photo shows Roman blinds in the kitchen.
Photo of Roman curtains
Methods for zoning combined space
After all the extra walls that interfered with breathing have been demolished, it’s time to properly divide the large rectangle into functional zones. In such small spaces, it is necessary to choose zoning methods that will not take up much space. Therefore, non-physical methods are most often used:
Zoning using different finishing materials. The separation of one zone from another can be purely visual. The desired effect will be achieved by wall and floor coverings, which will differ in a given area in color, texture or design. For example, in the living room it will be imitation brickwork, and in the recreation area it will be wallpaper or paint. There are floor tiles in the hallway, and laminate flooring in the living room, etc.;
Light zoning. This option does its job perfectly, looks beautiful and interesting and fills the apartment with light, which makes it visually more spacious. Each zone should have its own lighting fixture
In the recreation area, install several LED lamps in the ceiling or hang sconces. Floor lamps, diode strips, and spot lamps are also often used, the luminous flux of which can be directed to the right place;
Mobile screens are a great way to create a private space. And when not needed, they can be easily folded and put away in a secluded place;
Zoning with textiles is another beautiful way that does not require much space. Separating a sleeping area from a common space is very simple by installing a cornice on the border and hanging a beautiful curtain. The density of the material is selected at your discretion. If you want complete insulation, choose thick, light-proof fabric. But don't use too dark shades. If you just need to mark the border, both thread curtains and light tulle will do;
Transparent glass or plastic partitions also do the job well; Although bubble panels or narrow aquariums take up some space, they look very impressive and unusual; The most dimensional method is zoning with the help of pieces of furniture, sometimes it is simply a necessity. But do not forget that the back wall of the wardrobe can at the same time be a place to place wall shelves, a full-length mirror, or simply be covered with wallpaper and serve as a full-fledged partition.
Fabric roller blinds
Fabric blinds or roller blinds have many similarities with Roman ones. The main difference is that in roller blinds the fabric panel is twisted from bottom to top onto a special shaft. Raising and lowering of roller curtains occurs mechanically using a control circuit or automatically using a remote control. It is possible to install roller blinds directly on the light opening of the window, while saving space and not cluttering up the window sill, which in a small room can be used as an additional work surface or table. The design of fabric roller blinds can differ in fabric structure and color scheme.
Curtains for the living room in Khrushchev
To choose the right curtains for a small room for entertaining guests, you will need special and sufficient knowledge in this area. After all, it is a whole art to be able to combine decorative elements, creating a single, unique interior. It is important not only to have taste and the ability to understand details, but also to have experience. Therefore, you will have to be patient and use your imagination in the necessary direction. Curtains greatly influence the perception of the room as a whole. Let's consider the factors influencing the choice of curtains.
When choosing a design for the ideal curtains for the hall, you need to take care not only of their beauty, but also:
- the size of the hall, the size of the window opening, the height of the ceilings.
- natural light indoors. For example, in a room with windows facing north, it is not advisable to hang curtains of dark colors.
- destination. If the main purpose of the curtains is decoration, then you may prefer light translucent fabrics. And if curtains must protect the room from excess sunlight and prying eyes, then thick curtains cannot be done without.
Price. Elite group curtains have a high price and are inaccessible to many.
type of instalation
Curtains can be positioned in different ways, depending on the location of the opening and the need to open it.
- On a sash window - the most common option, when the drapery directly covers the glass. This way textiles do not interfere with opening the door and access to the handle is not limited. But you need to take into account that it will no longer be possible to open the window to its full width: the shaft on top will get in the way. There are different placement systems: mini, UNI-1, UNI-2. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
- For an opening - good when you want to get a curtain similar to a traditional one, because this way the canvas becomes more noticeable. This modification is also chosen for narrow openings, in which the rod on the profile will look ridiculous, and when the installed strip prevents full opening.
- In the opening - an intermediate solution between the first and second, when the product is mounted inside the opening. Used in cases where the previous ones are not suitable. It is better not to use this method in the bedroom because of the noticeable gap.
Curtain style for a small living room
The main task that curtains solve for a Khrushchev-era hall is to visually preserve or increase the space of a small room. For maximum effect, it is necessary to clearly understand that the curtains should not have a large number of solemn and lush elements, such as bows, ruffles, and decorative ornaments.
The laconic look of curtains looks more attractive in a small room. This is the main principle that professionals use in design and they are also suitable for most interior styles.
An interesting option for window decoration is modern types of curtains, which differ from classic ones in their style and design. This solution is only permissible if they fit the design style of the hall. Very fashionable roller blinds, Japanese, pleated. They can perfectly perform both decorative and practical functions. When choosing curtains for a hall in a Khrushchev-era building, close attention should be paid to their color scheme. An option for using curtains in a room for receiving guests is shown in the photo.
Curtains in a small room
Ceiling decoration
To finish the ceiling surface of a 12 sq. m hall in a two-room Khrushchev apartment, you can use the technology of creating suspended plasterboard ceilings. Drywall allows you to quickly make the surface of the ceiling smooth, organize different types of lighting, can be painted several times in a row, is relatively inexpensive, and lasts for many years without losing its original beauty.
To decorate the ceiling of a small hall, you can use suspended stretch ceilings with a glossy film. This option for finishing the ceiling surface is capable of reflecting light, which visually creates the effect of expanding the living room space. Due to this technique, the room looks much more spacious.
I would especially like to note the renovation of a small hall (12 sq m), where the ceilings were decorated using a combined method. The ideas are as follows: a plasterboard layer is combined with sections of stretch film. And the original lighting only adds charm to the surface. This interior is shown in the following photo.
Choosing curtain colors
Curtains for a small room should be organically combined with all interior details: walls, furniture, textiles, decorative elements. This is the only way to achieve completeness of the interior composition. For small living rooms, curtains in light colors with any brightness that allow sunlight to enter the room are perfect. For example, beige, cream, pink, light green, blue. The fabric needs to be light, especially if you decorate the curtains with a lambrequin.
When choosing the color of curtains, it is necessary to take into account the effect of color on a person’s psychological state. To create a relaxing atmosphere, use a palette of warm colors. There are neutral colors that are ideal in any design solution - cream, beige, brown. Shades of blue can add a little coolness.
Correct placement of furniture
When arranging furniture, you should take into account the places where you will have to pass most often, and make these passages as clear as possible. Also, the necessary gaps should be maintained near swing doors.
A corner sofa will be an excellent solution for a small living room
A sofa group with a table can be placed in the center of the living room, and a wall with a TV can be placed directly opposite. This way the sofa will delimit the zones, adding more comfort to the resting place. However, this option is not suitable for very small rooms. It is optimal to arrange furniture in this way in living rooms with an area of 19 square meters or more. m.
The arrangement of furniture must be planned so that there are sufficiently wide passages between them
Arranging a small living room in a Khrushchev-era building while maintaining a certain style is not the easiest task. However, with the desire, proper preparation and a carefully drawn up transformation plan, everything will work out.
