Design features of a narrow kitchen
To prevent a long kitchen from looking too gloomy, you should give preference to wallpaper in pastel colors. White in a milky shade, as well as peach and cream tones, will look good.
A cream-colored kitchen is a wonderful choice for a small kitchen.
If the kitchen is very long, you can place a bright painting on one wall as an accent, which will visually divide the room.
Furniture in a narrow kitchen will also look better with light-colored facades. However, this is not an axiom. The combined option will also look great, when the lower cabinets are made in deep bright light, and the facades of the upper ones are lighter.
Light facades and walls of the same color visually expand the kitchen.
An important role is played by the choice of flooring. The main task of finishing a kitchen is to visually expand the room. If you decide to use floor tiles, you can lay them diagonally.
If laminate is used, it should be laid perpendicular to the longest wall. A dark floor color will add a little depth and height to the room, while a light color will brighten the perception of the long kitchen tunnel.
Flooring greatly helps to make the most of limited space.
For the ceiling, the best choice is suspended ceilings. The lower they are located, the lighter the shade should be.
For example, with low ceilings, PVC stretch glossy ceilings will look good and visually enlarge the room thanks to the reflective surface. High ceilings can be decorated with canvases with stained glass or linear patterns.
The light ceiling does not distract attention and gives the kitchen additional volume.
Popular stylistic trends
A kitchen in a country house, like the one that everyone has in a city apartment, should be decorated in accordance with a certain style. There are no special restrictions here, everything depends only on the desires of the owner himself and the area he has. Typically, a country kitchen is designed so that it resembles a rustic interior. The following styles are quite suitable for this:
Provence is a delicate design that will be appropriate even for a small kitchen space in the country. The light design of all surfaces and furniture will give the effect of visually enlarging the space. It is best to use white as a background color, on which pastel shades of lilac, turquoise, pink or blue look great. Typically, the furniture for such a kitchen interior is selected to be slightly aged, which will allow you to significantly save on furnishings if there are items that cannot be placed in the apartment, and they have migrated to the dacha. Cute floral patterns, an abundance of textiles and various little details that are pleasing to the eye will allow you to create the atmosphere of a French province in a small country kitchen.
Russian. This colorful direction is chosen mainly by those who have a Russian stove in their dacha kitchen, which becomes the main object of attention. Carvings, handmade napkins, homespun rugs and old furniture are used in large quantities here. All elements in combination with each other resemble the decoration of a Russian hut.
Country is a trend that is rooted in the ethnic style of the American village. There is a place for a lot of wood, stone, and forged elements. Textiles used in the country are mainly those with a checkered print. This design is best suited for a kitchen in a country house, which is combined with a dining room. So, in the dining area there is a massive table with benches or wicker chairs around. At the same time, a small kitchen, or rather its work area, will no longer stand apart if it is decorated with rough-finished cabinets. Particular attention is paid to the kitchen ceiling, since it does not even have to be decorated; it is better to leave the supporting beams in their original form. This will only add a certain flavor to this small room in the country.
Which layout to choose for a narrow kitchen
There are several planning solutions for narrow kitchens.
Linear layout
The saddest option is a very narrow kitchen. In such a situation it is impossible to even combine a dining area with a set stretched along one wall. The refrigerator is placed in a row with the furniture, usually near the entrance.
Such a kitchen is also inconvenient because the housewife has to put on extra meters while cooking, constantly moving between the refrigerator, sink, stove and work table.
Placing the set along one wall is the most obvious solution, but not ergonomic.
Such kitchens are so narrow that to create a comfortable environment you have to move the dining area into the adjacent room. The only alternative is a narrow transformable table or a tabletop that folds away from the wall like a bar counter.
Several techniques will help brighten up carpal tunnel syndrome:
- place a TV on the wall above the entrance;
- stick photo wallpaper with a kitchen theme on the wall opposite the set;
- use wallpaper with vertical stripes or vertically directional patterns - they will visually shorten the room a little.
To enhance the feel of your kitchen, you can use patterns and shift the emphasis to decoration and color.
Parallel layout
This can be called a kitchen, in which a kitchen set will fit on both sides or there is room to place a dining area opposite the furniture.
In such a room it is already possible to arrange the work area more conveniently - place the stove and refrigerator opposite the sink. The main thing is that the width of the passage should not be less than 90 cm.
You can visually expand the room by replacing the top drawers with open shelves. You can, on the contrary, expand the kitchen upwards, solving the storage problem at the same time.
An additional row of drawers under the ceiling can be used to store rarely used household appliances or dishes. To prevent the drawers from hanging over your head, it is better to order a set with light-colored wall cabinets.
Light furniture will not “crush” in an already very limited space.
P-kitchen
You can arrange the furniture set in a U shape in kitchens that are closer to a square. In this case, the window sill on the window is removed and a work area with a sink is installed in its place.
A layout flaw can easily be turned into an advantage by relocating the sink.
For the housewife, this option is the most convenient in terms of cooking and storage. But to create a dining area, you will have to use again either a narrow table along the wall or a transforming table.
However, planning problems can be solved by placing the eating area near the window and placing a corner sofa there. In this case, the work surfaces should end in front of the dining area.
The place at the foot of the window is an ideal dining area in a small kitchen.
G-kitchen
This is another planning option, permissible in cases where the door to the kitchen from the corridor is not installed in the center of the wall, but asymmetrically.
There are 2 options for furniture placement here:
- The set forms a corner near the entrance, and a dining table is placed near the window.
- The set forms a corner near the window (the window sill is removed and a work area is installed in its place). A narrow dining table is placed near the free wall.
By placing cabinets and appliances near a narrow wall, you can reduce “tunnel syndrome.”
In conclusion, here are some general tips for planning a narrow kitchen:
- Move the eating area to a separate dining room. To avoid doors getting in the way when serving food, replace them with sliding ones.
- A bar counter along the wall will help solve the problem of daily lunches and breakfasts. You will have to receive guests in the living room.
- A corner sofa and stools will take up less space than a table with chairs.
- If the cabinets cover part of the doorway, simply narrow it by 25-30cm. This will solve the problem and there will be no need to rack your brains over planning decisions.
- Buy narrower kitchen sets - they will allow you to widen the passage and leave room for a table.
- Provide additional lighting - it is unlikely that one ceiling lamp will be able to provide the required level of lighting. You can stretch 2 rows of spotlights along the ceiling or separately illuminate the work area with lamps located at the bottom of the wall cabinets.
To make a narrow kitchen comfortable, you can order a set of individual sizes.
Lighting
The more light, the larger the room appears. Everyone probably knows this. But, if the room is 9 sq.m. Or in a private house you can slightly neglect this rule, but in a very small kitchen - not at all.
Here you need to make good overhead lighting, place ceiling lamps in two rows or sconces along one of the walls. For example, above the dining area, this would be best.
Narrow kitchen with window
The window in a narrow kitchen is the only source of natural light, so it needs to be pampered and cherished. Curtains should be short and translucent, blinds should be light. Since the window space is functionally important, it does not need to be cluttered with curtains.
Roller blinds, Roman blinds and blinds save space near the window, especially in the work area.
Near the window in a narrow kitchen you can install a dining table with a kitchen sofa. You can zone the area using lighting - place a couple of rows of spotlights along the ceiling along the working areas, and hang a long beautiful chandelier above the dining area.
If the dining area is moved into the dining room or placed along the wall, you can use this place more functionally. If you install a desktop near the window and combine the tabletop and window sill under a common tabletop-window sill made of artificial stone, such an area can look truly luxurious.
A large window expands the kitchen, letting in light and breaking up the long wall.
A bold option is to move the sink to the window. Of course, we will have to consider redesigning the water supply system. As for the radiator, you can make a cabinet for it with holes in the doors. The efficiency of the radiator, of course, will decrease.
If the kitchen faces north or is on an upper floor exposed to winds, you can move the radiator to an open wall. To prevent the mixer from interfering with opening the sash, install a bayonet model of the mixer, which can be removed and laid on its side.
Tastefully selected furniture, lighting and accessories will make even the most uncomfortable narrow kitchen cozy and chic.
Video description
In the video, the design of a country house in Provence style with a rectangular kitchen:
High tech
All things are in their place, there is nothing superfluous. All interior elements primarily carry a functional load.
The slogan of the high-tech style is: space, convenience and the dictates of the latest technologies. Source womanadvice.ru
Ecostyle
Every detail must be natural. Environmentally friendly materials are used for decoration: wood, stone, clay. To plastic and chemical products - a firm no.
The destination is characterized by a special atmosphere of closeness to nature. Source cavio.com.ua
Mediterranean style
Natural shades dominate: white – the color of the clouds, ultramarine – the color of the sea and woody ones. Source comfortoria.ru
The main palette of blue-brown-sand creates a cozy atmosphere. Massive beams successfully complement the overall design. Source img1.badfon.ru
Chalet
Cozy atmosphere of alpine houses Source external-preview.redd.it
Half-timbered
Always at the peak of popularity. The design uses exclusively environmentally friendly materials: natural stone, wood, leather. Source tetonheritagebuilders.com
Minimalism
Neat facades. Notice the lack of visible fittings. Complete freedom from unnecessary details and details. Source i.ytimg.com
Narrow kitchen with sofa
A narrow, cozy sofa will increase the number of seats at a narrow table and take up little space. This is a great alternative instead of a table with chairs getting in the way.
You can place a sofa along the window, creating a separate dining area. To fit into the style ensemble, the upholstery must match the color scheme of the table.
Light colors are the most suitable for furniture in a narrow room.
Narrow kitchen with balcony
The balcony in the kitchen is a real planning find. In the kitchen with a balcony there is a full-fledged place for the dining area. First you will have to carry out work to combine the balcony with the kitchen: remove the balcony door with the window, insulate and glaze the balcony, install wiring there.
Panoramic glazing will allow you to admire the city views while eating. The remaining partition can be used as a table for serving dishes and dirty dishes, or you can remove it by moving the radiator to a free wall. Then you can put a bar counter in the vacant space.
If there is a balcony next to the kitchen, it can take on part of the load of furniture and appliances.
A balcony-dining room is the best option for using additional space and does not require additional modifications. If the balcony is narrow, in any case it will help expand the space for the dining area.
If a spacious loggia adjoins the kitchen, then you can arrange a full-fledged dining room there. In this case, the 2 zones can be separated by an arch or transparent sliding doors.
Remember that any redevelopment work requires obtaining permission. It is even more necessary if you expect to ever sell your apartment.
Attaching a balcony and placing a dining group on it is the most logical solution for a narrow kitchen.
Additional tips for convenience
In order for the furniture to be arranged perfectly, not a single centimeter of useful footage is lost, you need to make it to order according to individual measurements. In order not to overload the space, instead of several classic cabinets, you can hang open shelves. Folding doors will “help” save free space. Don't forget about modern transformable furniture.
This arrangement will make the room more multifunctional.
To allow as much natural light as possible into the room, you should not hang heavy, thick curtains.
Light curtains will be enough.
Whatever design style you choose for a rectangular kitchen, if you follow certain rules, diligence, and wild imagination, you will get the housewife’s dream. The main thing is to take into account all your wishes in time, so as not to redo anything later.
The main thing is that you initially want to spend as much time as possible in this room.
Narrow kitchen-living room
If you are lucky enough to become the owner of a narrow kitchen-living room, you will have to reconsider the principles of furniture arrangement. All furniture should not be placed parallel to a long wall, because this will make the room stretch out even more.
A long set and a longitudinal arrangement of floor boards are two main mistakes in arranging a narrow kitchen. It is advisable to zone the room using furniture.
You might consider a kitchen with an island. The island can be used as a work surface, or you can install a hob on it.
The essence of this arrangement is the installation of large objects across the room: sofas, an island. A narrow room will seem more proportional this way.
You can divide the room into 2 zones: make a kitchen at a distance closer to the window, and create a living room closer to the entrance, or vice versa, dividing the 2 zones with a bar counter.
A sofa by the window is a romantic change in the kitchen interior.
Room decoration
Correct finishing can correct the irregular shape of a room.
The restraint and laconicism of such an interior is perfect for a narrow kitchen.
- Walls. Light, plain surfaces are preferable. You can highlight the apron. If “monochrome” seems boring, choose wallpaper with a pattern, only with a small one. It is allowed to decorate walls with 3D or photo wallpapers with a neutral or panoramic pattern.
- Floor. The design of a rectangular kitchen allows the use of any finishing material for the floor; the key here is the correct selection of the pattern.
- Ceiling. It should also be discreet and monochromatic. The placement of lighting fixtures must be thought out in advance. In the case of rectangular rooms, it is better to organize several light sources.
This could be a central chandelier, spotlights.
Small narrow kitchen
A small narrow kitchen is the most difficult layout option.
First you need to try the option radically:
- organize a dining room in the next room;
- demolish the partition with the adjacent room and create a combined kitchen/dining room;
- move the partition deeper into the next room, expanding the kitchen and reducing the room;
- if there is a balcony, combine the room with a balcony;
- expand the kitchen through the corridor.
For a family of 1-2 people, a small kitchen may be enough to prepare food, but you still have to look for a place for a table outside of it.
If all this doesn’t work out, you’ll have to figure out how to arrange the furniture:
- buy a narrow kitchen set, and for eating, arrange a narrow table that folds down from the wall. Folding chairs can also help save space;
- To increase the storage area, place the upper tier of cabinets under the ceiling. Use lower cabinets to install built-in household appliances - dishwasher,
- oven, refrigerator;
- rationally use the window sill to create a table;
- purchase a narrower 2-burner stove instead of a standard 4-burner stove.
Multifunctional furniture and appliances are simply a godsend for arranging a small kitchen.
A narrow kitchen does not tolerate clutter; perfect order should reign in it. It must contain decorative elements: bright utensils, flowers in pots, a painting or panel on a free wall - all these accents will not only attract the eye, but will also distract the attention of guests from the disproportion of the room.
Rails and hanging shelves provide additional space for placing appliances and decorations.
