Increasingly, the kitchen-dining room is turning into a kitchen-living room in our homes - and the interior of the kitchen has to be changed. Is classic-style kitchen furniture appropriate in this case? Will a kitchen island or bar counter help in organizing the space? Is it necessary to specifically hide the sink and stove in the kitchen-living room? And what trends in kitchen design are worth paying attention to?
Scandinavian style kitchen, cabinet handles replaced with modern door opening mechanisms
Every two years, Milan traditionally hosts the international exhibition of kitchen furniture EuroCucina, but this time the pandemic has made its own adjustments. The exhibition was supposed to take place in April - of course, it was canceled, having previously moved the dates to June. However, the exhibition did not take place in the summer either. Nevertheless, designers are ready to predict the main trends in kitchen interiors for this and next year.
Elongated black and white kitchen
The kitchenette utilizes wall space, from floor to ceiling. White color fills the kitchen with depth and lightness. If you decide to go for a high-end kitchen, know that it will add up to 25% of your storage space, but getting to it won’t be easy. You will have to stretch on your toes or climb onto a chair to reach the upper cabinets. Therefore, it is better to put there what you rarely use, for example, dishes for holidays.
Proper use of angle
Every housewife knows that the corner formed by two walls of furniture in the kitchen is almost impossible to use: simple cabinets do not provide access to the internal volume of the corner. This is where rotating shelves that are attached directly to the door can come to the rescue. They can be of various ornate and interesting shapes - for example, in the shape of a semicircle. When closing the cabinet, the shelf will go into the corner space. When opening, the housewife often does not have the opportunity to reach the farthest point. As a rule, utensils that are rarely used should be placed in such places.
Shelves that go around the corner can be made of any material
Corner kitchen
An excellent solution for a narrow space is to install a kitchenette in a corner. A kitchen without extra cabinets does not overload an area with low ceilings, and instead of shelves there are hangers for kitchen utensils. If you don't cook often, an induction countertop cooker like the one pictured here is perfect for you. It can be easily hidden in a cabinet or under a table. Even on the countertop it does not take up much space. This kitchen has added brightly colored utensils that don't feel claustrophobic in a cramped space. It's a good idea to use a screen on rings instead of a door.
Undercover sockets
The appearance of the outlets does not always harmonize with the overall design of the kitchen. An interesting and practical way to hide them is to arrange a separate small cabinet with sockets inside. This way you can kill two birds with one stone: hide sockets and organize a separate place for small household appliances that are rarely used, or accessories. This can be not only kitchen appliances, but any other.
You can even organize a place for charging gadgets in the kitchen.
Kitchen in the closet
The hidden kitchenette in the photo is an interesting phenomenon in itself! Imagine an ordinary cabinet, and behind its door there is a whole kitchen system, with a sink and an oven. This is convenient if you adhere to minimalism.
You see, quality may not suffer from quantity. No matter how many meters there are in the kitchen, it can be stylish and comfortable for living. Of course, ten people cannot cook on it. But maybe you don't need it. There will be a reason to gather in the soulful living room!
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Hide if you can: how to hide a kitchen in a studio apartment
Modern manufacturers of kitchen furniture offer many transformation mechanisms that allow you to hide the sink, hob, and even the kitchen work surface. Such invisible kitchens are especially relevant for studio apartments, where several functional areas and several rooms are combined into one large living space.
In Germany, this design is widely used in the kitchens of student dormitories, and all over the world in kitchens for employees, opening them only during the lunch break.
Such mechanisms are quite expensive; in Russia they are mostly made to order. True, some European companies have already mastered the mass production of “secret kitchens,” but few choose such a design for an ordinary apartment.
A kitchen in a minimalist style hides kitchen equipment due to a contrasting color scheme; the kitchen island is combined with a dining table
Disadvantages of the kitchen-living room
- Smells from cooking food and the possibility of smoke in the space will become an inevitable reality. Fans of fried fish or onions will have to think twice;
- The noise from operating kitchen equipment is also inevitable - the hum of the refrigerator and powerful hood, which is necessary to ensure that as little odors as possible reach the living room. This may cause inconvenience if there is a guest sleeping area;
- The need for thorough frequent cleaning in the food preparation area. If in the kitchen washing dishes can be postponed “for later”, then this is not permissible here, otherwise the entire space will be perceived as unkempt and uncleaned;
- If, due to his nature, one of the family members needs periodic solitude, then living in such conditions, he will be in constant stress. Therefore, when deciding to combine two premises, if it is a one-room apartment, it is important to take into account the habits and preferences of all family members.
The downside of this combination is the constant smells from cooking.
Kitchen niche: design in the living room
The kitchen niche in the living room should be sufficiently ventilated. This is due to safety requirements, being an important factor determining the comfort of apartment residents. Proper air circulation should reduce the penetration of unpleasant odors, for example, as a result of frying in the kitchen recess, which is located in the living room. If you have a kitchen niche, it is worth installing an additional hood, for example, a hood, which will contribute to improved ventilation.
How to “separate” a combined kitchen and living room
There are various ways to separate the kitchen work area from the living room relaxation area. The difference in floor level looks very nice, but this option is not desirable for older people and small children. In this case, it is better to make a two-level ceiling and use tiles or linoleum of a contrasting shade in the kitchen.
Columns, arches, small screens and partitions are also often used for zoning. Also a good solution is lighting; the kitchen should have bright lighting, and the living room should be more subdued and cozy. Hang blinds in the kitchen and beautiful curtains in the living room.
Perhaps the most popular way of zoning such a room is a bar counter, which separates the kitchen space from the living room. This option is especially suitable for young families who like to host friendly parties and buffets. The bar counter is quite a functional thing; it can be used as a place to eat, as a work surface, and as an interior decoration.
Advantages of a kitchen combined with a living room
However, it is still possible to realize your dream of a spacious dining room by combining the kitchen and living room. Today, more and more owners of 2- and 3-room apartments prefer to combine a kitchen with a living room. This allows you to visually increase the space of the room and make it more exclusive and functional.
The kitchen, combined with the living room, looks very fashionable and modern. The main advantage of this redevelopment is that as a result you get a spacious, bright room instead of two small ones. The kitchen, combined with the living room, is very convenient for parties and get-togethers with friends. Now you won't have to leave your friends to go to the kitchen and cook something, and you won't feel like you're locked in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun. Now you can prepare snacks and communicate with guests at the same time, and it’s easier to attract help.
Combining the kitchen with the living room is also very convenient. There will be no need to run with plates and teapots from the kitchen to the living room, everything will be greatly simplified. Redevelopment will allow you to save on purchasing a second TV; you can buy one large one instead of two small ones. It will also be easier for you to keep an eye on the kids playing in the living room, while you can do your own thing in the kitchen.
Kitchens with a niche in a panel house
Kitchenettes are most often found in studio apartments. They are located next to the front door. The kitchen niche should provide for the assembly of all necessary household appliances, as well as the storage of utensils, matching the design of the adjacent rooms. A small recessed kitchen is a great option for small spaces. The kitchen niche will be both aesthetic and functional. It is worth paying attention to the rest of the apartment, ensuring the integrity of the modern interior.
Placing a refrigerator in a small niche is the most difficult element. An easy way to save space is to choose a tall and narrow refrigerator model. This model will be ideal not only for a single person, but also for the whole family.
Another way to organize a kitchen niche is to place furniture in only one line. A kitchen cabinet can hide a refrigerator.
A ceiling lamp alone is not enough, so you will need to provide additional lighting.
Another way to arrange a small kitchen is to plan it on two walls, which is a more ergonomic solution. This design option provides better management of the entire space.
The kitchen niche should be separated from the living room by an additional piece of furniture. This could be a decorative bookcase.
How to hide the kitchen in the kitchen-living room. Photo ideas
Perhaps every person wants to have a spacious kitchen and dining room, where the whole family would gather around a large table and where they could receive guests. But ordinary standard apartments cannot boast of large sizes.
What you need to know
If you decide to remodel, first of all you need to get permission to demolish the wall and think through the design. The design of such a kitchen-living room can be quite varied.
You can demolish the wall completely or just part of it, but in any case it is necessary to zone the room, since functionally these are two different territories.
Disadvantages of a kitchen combined with a living room
However, a kitchen combined with a living room also has its drawbacks. If you are the owner of a one-room or two-room apartment, then before you decide to remodel, you need to understand that now you will have one less room.
- Whether you're willing to sleep next to the stove and refrigerator, also remember that you may have children and need a separate children's room.
- The combined space needs perfect cleanliness. Therefore, now you will not be able to leave unwashed dishes in the sink, you will also have to wash the floor every two days and give up light-colored carpets, as grease will settle on them.
Border between kitchen and living room
Is any wall between the kitchen and living room excluded due to the small area? Decide on a symbolic division of space. You can do this with furniture, flooring and lighting.
The simplest way is, of course, an island that can act as a table, but it will also serve as a cooking area if you decide to install an induction hob on it. Remember about the hood - this piece of equipment will get rid of steam and odors, but will also be an additional way to separate the kitchen from the living room. If the island serves as a place to eat, hang original lighting on it. A lamp consisting of three lampshades would be ideal.
Consider a large table. This solution will replace a kitchen island and is definitely better for large families as it will allow many people to spend time together. A rectangular table will create a small but comfortable dining room. If you are afraid that the furniture will overwhelm the interior, choose a transparent model, for example with a glass tabletop.
When thinking about how to separate the kitchen from the living room, consider using two types of flooring. Arrange tiles that are easy to clean, stain-resistant, and scratch-resistant. You can combine two types of flooring with parquet boards.
