Young families or people living alone in an apartment are often faced with the fact that the kitchen there is 2 by 2 meters. It needs to be equipped, but I want to put a work area, a dining area, and equipment there, but there is not enough space. Usually these issues can be resolved with a competent approach to interior design.
Creating a small kitchen design is based on the visual expansion of space
Features of the layout and design of a 2 by 2 meter kitchen
The main differences between this type of room are the factors that influence space saving, both physically and visually. It is necessary to take into account every nuance that can neutralize the main drawback. This applies to:
- color solutions;
- furnishings, arrangement of furniture and equipment;
- style;
- room layout;
- materials used, etc.
The main thing is to carefully plan all stages of arranging the kitchen space and pay due attention to detail.
That is, the result significantly depends on whether the color scheme, shape, and furniture arrangement are chosen correctly. Here you will have to use every centimeter in order to save space and bring the 2 2 by 2 2 kitchen design to life.
How to make a small kitchen comfortable ↑
A few simple recommendations will help you create a practical and comfortable interior:
- order furniture specifically for a 2x2 m room with reduced table sizes and cabinet depths;
- to rationally organize space, buy compact-sized equipment;
- multifunctional furniture and furnishings - a window sill-tabletop, a transforming table, a folding table will make being in the kitchenette comfortable;
- Pay attention to built-in appliances - you can buy a hob that retracts into a niche or unfolds vertically.
Main principles to follow
Many famous designers create design options for such small rooms. These projects take into account the nuances and transform the space into a convenient place for cooking, eating and drinking tea. After all, the design of a small kitchen photo 4 sq. m. with a refrigerator is a real challenge for a professional.
You can make your kitchen more functional and spacious by increasing the height of the cabinets.
These are the masters who give advice, set out principles that should be followed if it is not possible to use the services of a specialist, but good repairs need to be done.
- If possible and necessary, you can redesign the premises. To do this, use a balcony or loggia to increase the square footage or achieve a different shape for the kitchen.
- Getting rid of unnecessary things that are not included in the list of items to be used does not relate to the intended purpose of the kitchen. This will free up space.
- Think through and make wall cabinets up to the ceiling to visually increase the distance between the walls.
- The surface of the window sill can be converted into an additional functional place - a work or dining place (here they even make a bar counter instead of a table).
- Light colors, shiny, reflective surfaces will expand the room.
- If possible, make doors with a sliding mechanism.
It is highly undesirable to use massive objects in the interior that visually make the room smaller
To prevent household appliances from taking up unnecessary space, it is better to integrate them into furniture. For this, there are special pencil cases installed in the kitchen 2 meters by 2 meters, including.
Recommendations for choosing finishes and materials
The most difficult decision you will have to make before renovating a miniature kitchen is what to decorate the walls with. Over an area of 4 square meters, splashes will even reach the opposite surface, so it’s worth taking care of ease of cleaning in the future now.
The following options will suit you:
- Tile or tiles from floor to ceiling. Choose small dimensions: maximum 25*25 cm.
- Washable paint. There are special compositions for kitchens, from the counter surface of which any liquids simply drain.
- Washable wallpaper. The most short-lived option, it is best to take vinyl ones.
- PVC panels. It is forbidden to use near open fire and high temperatures, so it is better to make an apron from tiles.
- Decorative plaster. Cover with a special protective compound against water and dirt.
The ceiling is usually painted with white water-based emulsion, or it is made of tension. In the second case, choose a glossy canvas; it visually increases the space.
In the photo there is a bar counter on the windowsill
The floor should be the darkest surface. In a small kitchen, linoleum is laid, laminate or tiles are laid. The last material is cold, so before installing it, install a heated floor system in the room.
Color scheme for a corner kitchen
A modern designer interior necessarily takes into account all aspects related to shades and their combination. Every competent designer will be attentive even with a small space, therefore, with the help of color, he will strive to correct the deficiency.
Decorating most of the interior in light shades is the simplest and most effective way to visually increase space
Light colors always make the room more spacious and fresh, but not every owner likes this option. Some people want drive, mood and energy. Then there is the best way - to accent some details in a bright, rich shade. The Scandinavian style assumes just such a concept, but it is important not to overdo it.
You can avoid the feeling of sterility with the help of one or two color accents, for example, through the bright finish of a kitchen apron
But it is advisable to make the ceiling as light as possible; this approach will not harm the interior, but will significantly and positively affect the feeling of this space. The same applies to the kitchen window; it is not advisable to “play” with too dark, saturated tones, let it let in more light. Then you will have to choose curtains that are not heavy; drapes or curtains are not advisable. Better are Roman blinds, roller blinds, and pastel-colored blinds.
Small equipment
Have you seen household appliances in a small kitchen? A toaster is in the closet, a blender is in a box, a microwave is on the dining table, etc. And all this is inconvenient to use, and all this interferes with cooking, but does not help in any way. And this issue is solved with the help of a simple wall “organizer”, a set of convenient shelves. For example, install a microwave oven on a low shelf (at a distance of 80 cm - 1 m from the floor). Next, make compact cells for the rest of the equipment, so that it is convenient to take it, open doors, press buttons, etc. Such an organizer can even be made in the dining area on one of the walls. With good fastening of the shelves and high-quality execution, you will get a multifunctional wall that will allow you to use the equipment for joy, and not take it out on major holidays.
It makes no sense to place all the appliances on the worktop; most housewives have an overwhelming number of them, and then the table simply becomes cluttered, which not only interferes with work, but also visually makes the room smaller. By the way, this type of organization can be used not only in a tiny kitchen, for a room 3 by 3 meters, it is also a good solution.
Light colors of furniture and decoration
A corner kitchen 2 2 by 2 2 can be made in the lightest colors, and the furniture and even the completely white finish will look appropriate if done correctly. It is suggested that when looking for the best option, you should not stop at classic white, but look at ivory or creamy, milky shades.
By decorating the walls to match the facades, you will visually “dissolve” the furniture in space and lighten the interior
To the objection that furniture or walls made in pastels are impractical, one can note the presence of high-quality materials and a variety of coatings that ensure easy care. Timely cleaning of the surface in case of unexpected or planned contamination will also help.
You just need to be aware of the possibility of creating a design that is too faded. It’s one thing when it’s a completely white style (perhaps with an accent), another thing when it’s a collection of shades that don’t meet style requirements.
Professional advice for direct kitchens
The optimal length of a linear kitchen is 2.5 m.
A direct kitchen project always begins with a sink, since the pipes are already installed. Traditionally, the sink is in the corner, so for the convenience of your hands you need to step back 0.5 m from the wall, especially if the sink is located on the right, your right elbow will constantly hit the wall.
Note! Beige kitchen - combinations of furniture and interior elements of a beige kitchen (88 design photos)
A cabinet for washing is more convenient 700-800 mm, and in the corner there is a cargo bottle holder that can be pulled out. So between the wall and the sink there will be a part of the countertop where you can dry dishes, etc.
If the length of the set is less than 2.5 m, you can move the sink between the stove and the refrigerator. With a long kitchen it will be difficult to redo the communications; a pump is needed.
The washing machine or dishwasher should be closer to the sink. The drain will work much more efficiently if the water drain is close. You won't have to carry dirty dishes far.
In a narrow kitchen, it is more practical to have deeper cabinets on the lower tier (at least 60 cm). If there is less than 1 m between the furniture and the dining table or wall, it will seem very cramped.
The working area for cooking is between the stove and the sink; a more convenient length is 40-80 cm. If it is shorter, it will be uncomfortable, and if it is longer, you will get tired of the unnecessary fuss faster.
If the refrigerator is located near the stove, then a gap of more than 15 cm is required. Especially if it is a gas stove, the side of the refrigerator should not heat up and suffer from constant splashes of grease.
In a long kitchen, it is better to have cabinets up to the ceiling; they hide a refrigerator, microwave oven, etc. To add volume to the room, it is better to buy a straight white kitchen. Cabinets up to the ceiling are comfortable and fit well into a kitchen-studio or kitchen-hall.
When ordering a kitchen, it is better to replace wall shelves 0.7 m high with 0.9 m. The space for kitchen needs will increase, long cabinets will visually raise the ceilings. Another interesting option is to hang cabinets in 2 rows.
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Built-in refrigerator: how to choose the optimal place in the kitchen set
To increase the area of a small kitchen, it is ideal that the facade blends with the color of the walls. Choose only light shades.
In a large room you can place a straight kitchen of 4, 5 or 6 m. There is enough space for deep drawers to hide household appliances. Strict cabinets are tall and spacious, so you can do without wall shelves.
Taking into account simple recommendations, you can adjust the space of even small rooms. By correctly choosing the size, color and depth of the cabinets, you will create the best straight kitchen in your apartment (house).
Arrangement of furniture and appliances in a small kitchen
For a kitchen with a small area, you should select universal furniture that performs several functions at once.
The furniture is arranged depending on the shape of the room itself: square, rectangular or combined - kitchen-living room 4 by 4. Each option has its own ergonomic strategy. In any case, you need to arrange each element, saving space, but not forgetting about ease of use, the trajectory of movement during cooking or preparing for eating.
Work zone
The work area in a small kitchen should ideally meet the same principles of a comfortable trajectory as in other circumstances. After all, this does not change the cooking process. It is better that the owners can move in a triangular pattern.
Good lighting must be provided above the work surfaces.
The refrigerator is often moved outside the room, this is also an option, but then the ergonomics are disrupted. Next to it there should be a surface for laying out food, then next to it there should be a sink, after which there should be a countertop for slicing and other food preparation. With one movement of the hand, the workpieces are processed on the stove or, a little further, in the microwave or oven.
It is better to replace a bulky stove with a compact hob, under which you can fit a dishwasher or storage system
In a square room they often make a corner option, and in a rectangular room - a straight one. The last variation is cheaper and simpler in design, since there is no need to spend money on designing and assembling complex shelves and corner cabinets. And in the corner kitchen 2 by 2 2 you can use unexpected space, often neglected by many.
Dinner Zone
The area intended for eating is usually located in the opposite corner from the sink. It has already been proven that it is better to choose a round table, it takes up less space. Some owners decide to install a bar counter, even under the window; this is an interesting solution that saves a lot of space.
In a small kitchen, any surface should not be idle in vain, even the window sill should be put to use
The chairs are also selected to be compact, stools are irreplaceable in this regard, they can easily be hidden under the table. But other small options may work just as well.
Modern designers often have many ideas for creating transformable furniture. Moreover, sometimes it replaces an incredible number of things at the same time - just move your hand.
It is best to choose a folding, sliding or folding table
The folding tabletop allows you to move freely around the kitchen while cooking.
Choosing a convenient layout for a tiny kitchen ↑
For a small kitchen, a straight or L-shaped layout will be convenient. Before ordering furniture, it is better to decide where everything will be located.
Kitchen in one line ↑
In a straight kitchen, the furniture is arranged in a line along the wall. You can install a refrigerator, sink and stove in one row near the work wall. There is a hood above the stove, and wall cabinets above the refrigerator and sink. There may still be room for a desk.
Straight kitchen with stove in the center, sink and cutting table
If the apartment has one tenant, a small refrigerator can be conveniently placed under the countertop. A 4-burner stove can be replaced with a two-burner panel - adding more cutting space.
You can install a refrigerator in the hallway if space allows. Storing food in another room is not very convenient, but it will add more useful space in the kitchen.
A straight kitchen where everything you need is compactly placed, excluding the refrigerator. A small hood allows you to place a wall cabinet above it
L-shaped layout ↑
In a corner kitchen, the corner is usually occupied by a sink, next to it there is a table and a hob. The space near a window or against a free wall can be used to install a small transformable table.
L-shaped kitchen layout
Layout of furniture and household appliances in a corner kitchen measuring 2,420 m by 1,890 m - convenient arrangement of the work area
U-shaped kitchen ↑
In a square kitchen, it is convenient to arrange furniture in the shape of the letter U; in this case, the window sill area can serve as a working area, and the transforming table can be removed under the window sill after use.
A room with a U-shaped layout, where everything you need is successfully placed
It is impossible to create a full-fledged dining area in a kitchen of this size for a family of two or more people. To eat in the kitchen you will have to use a folding table or folding table and folding chairs. A tabletop with rounded edges or a round shape will be convenient because... In tight spaces, contact with sharp corners is inevitable.
A bright red apron sets the mood for a snow-white interior
It is better to smooth out sharp corners
Functional design
Additional solutions ↑
- If there is a balcony nearby, the dining area can be moved there. You can combine the space of the kitchen and balcony and increase the area of the room.
- Many people prefer to combine the work area with the living room through the corridor. In this case, you need to install a good hood to prevent odors from spreading into the living room.
- The table can also be replaced by a bar counter mounted near the wall, if this option suits the owners.
Folding table
Choosing a style for a 2x2 meter kitchen with a refrigerator
When there are only two per 2 sq. m, also a refrigerator, it seems that choosing a kitchen style is extremely difficult. But there are several optimal variations that can visually make the room wider without becoming tasteless. Here a lot depends on the owners themselves; they decide whether they want a more calm environment or with an “elevated” mood. This is also possible if you set your priorities correctly and know when to stop.
Kitchen interior in a modern style with photo wallpaper on an accent wall
Modern kitchen with custom fittings and rounded countertops
Kitchen interior in Khrushchev with elements of classical style
The style chosen for a small room should take into account the features of colors, furnishings, lines and proportions. That is, there should be as little open space as possible, shelves - everything under the doors. Fewer colors and images, more light, shine and gloss.
High tech
It involves the use of the most modern technology that looks the part. Also, this style must include metal, glossy surfaces, and a lot of lighting. It can be placed in different ways, the main thing is that it illuminates every corner, not allowing darkened places to “hide” and steal part of the space.
Glossy facades of high-tech kitchen units contribute to the visual expansion of space
Blinds or roller blinds are suitable for decorating a window in a high-tech kitchen
Designers insist on dull reflective monochrome modules. But at the same time, they allow some kind of apron or other accent that emphasizes hi-tech. After all, it would be wrong to allow ambiguity of style in a space with the characteristics of a square.
Minimalism - neat and concise
Classic minimalism does not imply the presence of any decor, only monochrome, sophistication, clear, straight lines and closed facades. Usually it is a strict white color, less often gray, beige shades are common. “Violators” of the rules of design and style increasingly prefer to place a reminder of the joys of life in the form of a green flowerpot or a bright vase - a stand-out accent.
In a minimalist kitchen, everything is hidden inside cabinets, so there is always perfect order here.
Country
This is a rustic style, intended to evoke a feeling of coziness, a small room is just right for this. Natural materials will predominate here: wood, linen on Roman blinds, cotton tablecloth. But the colors are mostly pastel, with almost no images. A small floral pattern or a green bouquet in a vase is allowed here and there.
Retro-style wooden furniture is suitable for a country-style kitchen
Although a rustic interior suggests an abundance of decor, in a small room it is better to limit yourself to a few details
Scandinavian
It involves achieving the overall airiness of the room through the use of one of the white shades. But at the same time, a strong contrast is required in the form of a large painting with a rich multi-colored pattern or a red carpet, a crimson chair, etc. Moreover, it differs from minimalism by allowing shelves or niches, but in moderation, and then to place an accent that distracts attention from a small room.
Scandinavian interiors are usually based on white.
The kitchen apron is laid out with light ceramic tiles, wooden countertops are most often chosen
How to make the kitchen more spacious visually ↑
Light colors of furniture and decoration ↑
In a tiny room, designers do not recommend using too bright colors or contrasting color combinations. It is better to opt for neutral and light colors - white, cream, silver, gray. The floor should also be light; in a small room, a dark floor sharply limits the space.
Use of glossy and glass surfaces ↑
Glazed cabinets, glossy surfaces, mirrors (if there is room for them), plexiglass furniture will fill the room with freshness and make it visually more spacious. It is better to choose plain wallpaper or with an elegant pattern in pastel colors.
Paying attention to lighting ↑
Proper lighting can also visually enlarge the space and make the room more comfortable:
- in addition to the main one, use an artificial light source above each zone;
- you can build built-in lamps into the cabinets - illuminating every corner, they will visually make the room more spacious;
- It is better to refuse thick and dark curtains and choose light transparent short curtains and curtains for the kitchenette; Colored blinds, roller blinds and Roman blinds are very comfortable and look great.
Wall and ceiling finishing
A 2 2 by 2 meter kitchen practically requires a ceiling that is as light as possible, and you can make it glossy if the height allows you to install tension options. And the walls are not much different, because there is a wide choice of materials, but the colors are mostly pastel. Although tiles or painting are commonly used as affordable stylish renovation options.
The best solution would be a flat, monochromatic ceiling.
The glossy surface of the ceiling will make the kitchen space brighter
So, a small kitchen space has great potential if you approach the design competently, with knowledge of the nuances. They relate to the correct colors, furnishings, compactness and elimination of unnecessary things.
Straight kitchens along the wall 2.3 - 2.5 meters
It would seem like such a small thing - 30 cm, but it turns out to be a completely different project.
Options for installing a refrigerator in one line
If you install furniture and a refrigerator (60 cm) in one line, then under the countertop you can place three modules with a total size of at least 1.7 m: a sink (60 cm), a stove or hob (60 cm) and a kitchen cabinet from 50 to 70 cm ( there may be two of them, for example, 35 cm each).
In a 2.5-meter-long Khrushchev building, the dining area is also more comfortable: you can afford a round dining table.
Round tables take up less space than rectangular ones, but at the same time create an atmosphere of comfort.
Options without installing a refrigerator
Without a refrigerator, four furniture modules will be placed along a 2.5 meter wall.
An additional cabinet can be equipped with drawers for kitchen items.
The working area can be further increased by installing a tabletop instead of a window sill.
In this case, the refrigerator can not be taken out into the hallway, but installed opposite the work wall.
This complies with ergonomic standards, since you will get a correctly positioned working triangle. A sink, a stove and a workspace for cutting food are all within walking distance.
True, the area for the dining table will be somewhat reduced.
Photos of kitchen interiors measuring 2 by 2 meters
Which kitchen is better, straight or corner?
Today, there are two most common ways of arranging kitchen furniture - corner and straight.
The first type is in great demand and popularity. The peculiarity of a corner kitchen is that it is perfect for square rooms and will help create a comfortable and ergonomic design.
Often this method of placing furniture is performed with a beveled corner, into which the sink is subsequently installed.
Today, a corner kitchen in most cases has a modular structure, which makes it possible to arrange the sections in the order the hostess wishes.
The advantages of a corner layout include compactness and the ability to place the set in a small, but not narrow or oblong room.
As for straight kitchens, they represent a classic and universal way of arranging kitchen furniture. The distinctive features of this design are its convenience and functionality.
The linear layout is perfect for a kitchen of absolutely any shape, from square to rectangular. You will be able to get a large work surface on both sides of the stove or sink.
In addition, direct arrangement will allow you to play up the kitchen design in a very original color scheme, which will create a spectacular and eye-catching kitchen style.
