How to hide a gas water heater in the kitchen: the best methods of disguise + safety requirements

The geyser is the main headache for lovers of modern and stylish kitchens. It is very difficult to follow fashion trends and stick to a single design when such an awkward colossus hangs on the wall. Especially if she is older than you, or even your parents.

However, there is a way out. Now there are many ways to hide or decorate this bulky but much-needed equipment. As a result, a foreign object will turn into an interesting design element, ideally suited to the overall style of the kitchen.

The easiest way is to buy an ergonomic designer model. Currently, there are many models of gas water heaters on the market - black, steel, plain in various colors.

There are also original ones - with all kinds of designs, for example, animal prints, floral and Gzhel themes, and even Palekh painting. The downside of this option is the high cost. But there is no need to hide such a column; you can be proud of it.

Hide or decorate?

Before deciding what to do with a geyser, you need to decide what financial capabilities you are based on and to what extent you visually dislike this device. If you are ready to allocate a small amount for a more harmonious appearance of the speaker, and it does not cause much outrage, you can simply decorate it. If the rejection is strong and you want to hide it completely, you will have to spend a more serious amount.

Kitchen design options with a column

Old Soviet heaters scared everyone away with their angular shapes - modern speakers look much more aesthetically pleasing, and they take up much less space in the cramped Khrushchev-era space. Therefore, very often the owners do not even try to somehow hide their presence in the interior.

However, if you can’t imagine a harmonious kitchen interior in a Khrushchev-era building with a gas water heater and absolutely want to disguise it, there are several sure-fire ways to do this.

Hiding in the top cabinet

This solution is perhaps the most common. The speaker is placed in a cabinet specially made for it, which is stylistically no different from the other elements of the kitchen set.

It is important to remember the need for air circulation, so the upper and lower slats of such a cabinet are simply removed.

What remains is a frame that does not at all contradict the established recommendations of gas workers. It can be located either to the left of the stove or to the right.

The so-called lattice doors are widely used. They breathe well and look cute and spontaneous.

It is also important: the cabinet in which the heater is hidden must be larger in volume, since a distance of 3 cm must be maintained to any other surface.

Between the lockers

This option is relevant primarily if you purchased a rectangular column with strict line geometry. It is placed between two other compartments of the kitchen unit - usually above the cooking area - and is practically invisible to others.

To enhance the camouflage effect, the body can be painted to match the facades of neighboring cabinets.

Alcove location

A method that should be paid attention primarily to those who prefer angular ergonomics to linear ones. The column is located on a load-bearing wall in close proximity to the adjacent one and is covered with a niche specially designed for this purpose.

Instead of a niche, you can use the corner compartment of the kitchen set, but be sure to ensure the required level of air circulation by removing the lower and upper strips.

Behind the closet in the corner

If your set does not occupy the entire wall, then there is still room for placement in such a natural niche for the heater. True, the stove should be located a little to the left, so that during cooking the steam does not rise exactly to the column and does not clog the walls of the body and the inside with fat.

Do you like this method of disguise? In this case, you will have to carefully monitor the flame in the heater and avoid excessive drafts that can extinguish it. Also get rid of massive curtains - replace them with comfortable roller blinds (see more photo examples of curtains in the kitchen) to maximize the distance from the window to the column.

The alternative is on the other side.

Under the top tier

This is also a kind of disguise as a kitchen set, with the only difference that the entire column is not hidden - its lower part appears in the open.

Putting it away in the closet

It is advisable to decide on such an option at the stage of ordering a kitchen set. Then a single style will be maintained, the speaker cabinet will not stand out from the rest of the furniture, and the space next to the gas equipment will be used as efficiently as possible.

What you need to consider when making such a cabinet:

  • Its dimensions must exceed the dimensions of the column - this is the main safety rule;
  • There is no need to make the roof and bottom of the cabinet, as well as the back wall - otherwise ventilation will be impaired, which, again, entails great danger;
  • A gas water heater in the closet will take up much more space in the kitchen than without it.

The front door of the box can be made blank - then the device will not be visible at all, and one can only guess about its existence. Or decorative - in the form of a lattice or other artistic elements. The latter option is more preferable not only aesthetically, but also from the point of view of air circulation.

An interesting option from a design point of view is a door made of frosted or slightly tinted glass. Such a “house” for a speaker will look impressive and original. Tinted glass will be especially appropriate if you prefer black appliances or if it is one of the main colors in your kitchen design.

Features of kitchen arrangement

When renovating an apartment with a water heater, you should select safe fire-resistant materials. You cannot cover walls near gas equipment with wallpaper. Ceramic tiles or plaster are suitable for a kitchen apron.

The photo shows a kitchen in beige and coral tones, the walls of which are covered with decorative plaster.

The ceiling in the kitchen with a gas water heater is covered with non-flammable materials: water-based paint, plasterboard and plaster. Plastic panels, wallpaper and enamel are prohibited. A suspended ceiling is allowed, but it should be installed at a distance of 30 cm from the column.

Despite all the difficulties and rules that must be followed when operating the water heater, the device has an undeniable advantage: its owners are very rarely left without hot water.

The photo shows a Scandinavian kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building with whitewashed ceilings. Thanks to the uniform color scheme, the room looks more spacious and brighter, and the painted pipes “dissolve” against the white background.

Hiding between closets

One option to harmoniously fit the speaker into the kitchen interior is to place it between wall cabinets. With this method, it is necessary to take into account that there must be at least three centimeters of free space on the sides of the device to ensure the necessary air circulation.

The walls of adjacent cabinets must be insulated with non-combustible material.

In this case, it is advisable to pay attention to the column itself - it should be a modern, attractive model that will look organically in the current kitchen design. It is advisable that the color of the column be additionally supported by accessories.

Skillful design solutions

The presence of gas equipment in the kitchen does not mean that it will no longer be possible to realize an interesting, modern room design. With the help of smart design solutions, the speaker can be used so advantageously in the interior that it will be almost invisible.

  • Choose a white kitchen set and against its background the metal body will not be noticeable. Light furniture will visually expand the walls, creating the illusion of space.
  • An interesting option would be with a contrasting black and white facade of cabinets, where the column can easily get lost.
  • For colored kitchen furniture, you can repaint the speaker body itself to match the cabinets.


A kitchen with a gas heater can look attractive


Open placement of a geyser is welcome in a kitchen interior with loft style elements

Properly arranging a column in the corner

If the water heater is located in the corner of the kitchen, it is easiest to put it in a corner cabinet. The requirements for it are the same as for other speaker cabinets - without a top, bottom and back wall. Essentially, it is just a door that closes the device.

Also, the corner column can be separated by a special niche, which will visually separate it from the general interior. Do not forget that the wall of the niche facing the device must comply with safety regulations - be covered with non-flammable material.

Ready-made kitchen projects with a geyser

There are many ready-made kitchen designs where a gas water heater is installed. Most often, a separate niche-cabinet is provided for gas equipment, which is designed in the same style as the rest of the kitchen furniture. According to safety requirements, it does not have back, top and bottom walls. With its help, the column is hidden and fits organically into the overall design. There is one feature - for each type of equipment there must be a niche cabinet of the appropriate size, which is best made to order. The distance from its walls to the speaker body should not be less than 30 mm.


Some furniture manufacturers produce sets that already include the installation of a gas water heater.


The best way to disguise a water heater inside furniture is if the water heater is suspended at the height of the cabinets

In ready-made projects for this type of kitchen, small sinks are used to save space, folding chairs or in the form of stools. Using a countertop in the form of a bar counter and lighting above the cutting table with a sink, the room is zoned. For kitchen utensils, there are cabinets in the form of tall pencil cases with maximum capacity. The doors are not hinged, but sliding.

We disguise it as a general interior

One of the easiest ways to “bring” a gas water heater into the kitchen interior is to cover it with the same wallpaper as the walls of the room. Or cover it with a vinyl film similar to them in style and color. You can also match the shade of the film for the water heater to the kitchen unit.

The best option is to paint the speaker with non-flammable paint to match the walls or furniture. Heat-resistant enamel, which is intended for coating metal, is best suited for these purposes.

However, you can use a regular spray can, then even a teenager can cope with the task. In this case, do not forget to cover the screen and handles of the device with masking tape, and also cover the surface behind the speaker.

Make sure that the blinds do not touch the column and have an indentation of several centimeters.

Some tips

You can design it so that the column does not stand out. To do this you can do the following:

  1. Wallpaper it with the same wallpaper as the rest of the kitchen.
  2. Cover with vinyl film with a wallpaper pattern applied on it.
  3. Using non-flammable paint, paint the column so that it does not stand out. This can be done, for example, using heat-resistant enamel.

In some cases, the column is designed as an art object. If this is done efficiently, the kitchen will add a highlight to the interior.

For decoration you can:

  • make a drawing using paint;
  • use magnets;
  • apply stickers;
  • You can use motivating phrases for design
  • use the surface to remind yourself of important things.

This option is the least expensive, but in order for the design to be beautiful, you need to try.

The geyser can be designed as a harmonious part of the kitchen interior. To do this, just use one of the proposed methods.

Related article: How to create a romantic mood in a room

How to hide gas water heater No. 2 (1 video)

Gas water heater in the kitchen (14 photos)

The best posts

  • [True or Hype] Is a stone floor in an apartment really 100% reliable?
  • Rooms in which you should not use decorative plaster
  • Easter traditions of decorating a room [from antiquity to the present day]
  • We live like in cartoons - interior from Futurama
  • New 2020: wooden bathtub [description+photo]
  • Let's light it: beautiful use of candles in the interior
  • Review of the chic kitchen from the movie "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"
  • Rosettes as a decorative item: fashionable and stylish options

Column as an art object

If you want to have a designer column, but don’t have the money for it, you can decorate the gas appliance yourself. All you need is a little diligence and attention, and a unique art object will appear in your kitchen, which can turn from an annoying bulk into the highlight of the entire interior.

So, ways to decorate a geyser:

  1. Draw a picture. It could be a conceptual image, an interesting pattern, a funny or cute picture. If you don’t have any special talent or artistic abilities, but the desire is great, you can use stencils. The result will be no less spectacular decoration.
  2. Decorate with stickers. Funny, contrasting, thematic - our choice. Vinyl stickers are best. They look elegant and dignified - they will become an original addition to the interior, and will not destroy its concept.
  3. Use magnets. Hang magnets from different countries on the geyser and you will get a very interesting rack. If there are children in the house, you can use children's magnets - funny or educational, for example, with letters of the alphabet or numbers. The main thing is to make sure that they do not hang carelessly, otherwise they will turn from decoration into chaos.
  4. Place motivational slogans and reminders on the column. Lose weight, don’t forget to water the flowers, greet a new day with a smile, call someone - the list of possible inscriptions is endless.

How to hang a speaker inside the kitchen

If you need to move the device less than one and a half meters, you can take this step without much thought - it will not require special permits or financial investments.

If the distance exceeds this figure, the action will be regarded as a reinstallation, therefore, it will be necessary to make changes to the existing project and lay gas lines.

You definitely can’t hang the column over a gas stove; it’s best to discuss other options with a specialist first.

When moving an appliance inside the kitchen, you need to carefully consider the rationality of this action and determine its pros and cons. Decide in advance what you need the free space for and whether the speaker will become a hindrance in the new location.

Moving the speaker outside the kitchen

This is quite a labor- and financially-intensive option. It is especially relevant if the kitchen renovation has already been completed, but the gas water heater does not fit there, or the water heater was not originally intended for this room. But it’s worth taking such a step only if there are no other options.

The new premises must comply with the standards determined by special services. The main ones are the volume of the room is more than 7.5 cubic meters, the height of the walls is at least 2.25 m, and the presence of a chimney.

Most often, the column is moved to the bathroom. However, if the bathroom is not large in size, such a step is unlikely to be beneficial. Instead of inconvenience in the kitchen, you get inconvenience in the bathroom.

How to hide communications

If the column can still be chosen to have an acceptable appearance and not be hidden, then the accompanying communications - pipes, hoses and chimney - are definitely not worth showing. They usually look awkward and can ruin the most sophisticated interior.

The most budget option is to paint the pipe to match the wall.

The most aesthetically pleasing option is to hide it behind a box. Either behind the same as the column itself, or behind a separate one.

It must be remembered that communications cannot be tightly walled up. They should always be freely available.

Features of placing a speaker within a small kitchen

The housewife tries to arrange the small kitchen especially carefully, because every piece of space, even the smallest one, is valuable. And the column, as a rule, occupies a significant part of the wall. In addition, in a kitchenette this device looks even more bulky and inappropriate.

First of all, the speaker in such a room should be installed in the smallest size. A mini speaker is easier to disguise and takes up little space. Another important point is that the closer the communications outlets are to the water heater, the less space the communications themselves take up. And then you can use all the already listed methods of decorating the device - hide it in a closet, decorate it to match the tone of the kitchen, or decorate it.

In small rooms, the most advantageous positioning of the speaker is in the corner, where it will not visually hide the space so much and will allow optimal use of the rest of the wall.

We are planning a kitchen renovation in a Khrushchev-era building with a gas water heater: the best design ideas


A kitchen with a gas water heater can look very attractive. For a person, a home is a kind of refuge from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
The design of any home should be cozy, because this is one of the main requirements for residential premises. Upon arriving home, a person needs to relax and recover from a working day. One of the family members, as a rule, spends most of the time in the kitchen and not everyone has spacious apartments. In addition to a lot of discomfort, the apartment project in Khrushchev includes a rather cramped kitchen, which often has a bulky gas water heater. And very often the upcoming renovation of such kitchens causes nothing but despair if you do not take advantage of the recommendations of designers, whose services not everyone can afford.

To create the most convenient, cozy and functional kitchen space with a gas heater in a small area, the designers have developed a lot of ideas, which will be presented below.


A geyser can become an integral part of the interior of your kitchen.

Kitchens with geyser

Kitchens in old-style multi-storey buildings are quite small and can often include a ventilation duct or gas water heater of their own design. These seemingly obstacles, which reduce the useful space of the kitchen to a minimum, making its design unattractive, can be played up in different ways or hidden by doing the renovation correctly.

The geyser provides the home with regular hot water supply, but also spoils the interior of the kitchen.

To leave this necessary and functional device in the kitchen, it needs to be correctly integrated into the overall interior of the room. The ideal option is a solution when the geyser becomes an integral part of the design project, while at the same time not being a bright accent that attracts attention.

With a properly planned design, a gas water heater can turn from a disadvantage of a kitchen into its advantage.


A gas water heater hidden behind the furniture facades will not attract attention and will not spoil the interior

What should you consider when renovating?

Renovating a kitchen in an old house involves drawing up a design project, according to which all further technical and decorative work is carried out. However, if you are undertaking a major renovation of a kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building yourself, you should take certain precautions:


It is not recommended to replace old communications without the help of specialists

  • Getting advice. Before making repairs and, immediately before starting work on dismantling the gas water heater from the old location, it is necessary to consult with fire safety specialists about a new place for the water heater.

Often, a gas water heater may be located above the sink, where it is planned to install a wall cabinet with a dish dryer, and it may be necessary to reinstall the water heater in another location.

  • Getting permission. If renovating a kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building involves changes in the communications system, you cannot do it without permission from the utility services. Failure to comply with this authorization may result in civil or even criminal liability.

Where and how to place a gas water heater in a kitchen in Khrushchev

Competently drawing up a design - the project of a small kitchen in Khrushchev, which includes a gas water heater, is quite difficult, due to the small area of ​​​​the room. And the optimal solution for such a kitchen is to merge the column with a wall cabinet, which is part of the kitchen unit.

Thanks to this “disguise”, such an inappropriate architectural element will not interfere with transforming the interior of your kitchen in accordance with your plans.


The built-in geyser will not interfere with the arrangement of a cozy interior

To hide the gas water heater correctly, you should pay attention to some nuances:

  • Cabinet dimensions. Since the minimum distance from the gas water heater to the cabinet wall must be at least 3 cm, it should be made to order according to individual dimensions, which a fire safety consultant will help you create.
  • Ventilation. Such a cabinet should have a sufficient number of ventilation holes.
  • Insulation. The cabinet walls must be insulated with heat-reflecting materials.
  • Holes for communications. The cabinet must include special openings for gas pipes, water supply pipes and smoke exhaust.
  • If the cabinet in which the gas water heater will be installed was purchased in advance, you need to check its dimensions in accordance with the requirements for installing the water heater, as well as insulate the walls yourself and make ventilation and communication holes.

    Attention: if you decide to install a gas meter near the gas water heater, under no circumstances should you do this! According to SNiP requirements, there must be a distance of at least 1.5 m from the gas water heater to the meter.

    Rules for installing a geyser (video)

    Arrangement of the work area

    The kitchen in Khrushchev has a small area, which can create certain difficulties when updating its interior, because it is very important that the design of this room is not only cozy, but also functional. Repairing a small kitchen with a gas heater should begin with the installation of electrical wiring, the marking of which directly depends on the location of the future dining and working areas and their features. How to arrange a work area in a small kitchen?


    In a small kitchen, make the most of the height space


    An open gas water heater can become a decoration for your work area

    It is not possible to fit a large amount of furniture and appliances into the interior of a small kitchen, so what is important here is not quantity, but functionality and quality. To ensure that your kitchen is fully equipped with everything you need, you should pay attention to a number of tricks and recommendations:

  • Space in height. In small kitchens, it is recommended to use the useful space not in width, but in height, using two-tier wall-mounted modules and pencil cases.
  • Using the window sill. Instead of a traditional window sill, you can install a tabletop and make the window area an extension of the work area.
  • Dinner table. As a dining table, you can use a folding version that does not take up much space.
  • "Correct" technique. To prevent the kitchen in the Khrushchev-era from appearing cluttered, it is recommended to hide the equipment behind furniture facades.
  • A gas water heater and built-in appliances hidden behind a furniture façade are the optimal solution for small kitchens

    What to do with kitchen appliances:

  • Hob. The traditional and bulky gas stove can be replaced with a hob with gas burners or a combined version. Modern industry can offer panels - transformers or folding varieties.
  • 2 in 1. Instead of the usual oven and microwave oven, you can use a combined version. The 2 in 1 oven is very compact and can be installed in any place convenient for you.
  • Dishwasher. For a small family, it is not necessary to purchase a large dishwasher; it will be enough to install a desktop version or a built-in model.
  • Washing machine. An apartment in Khrushchev does not have a spacious bathroom, so many people install an automatic washing machine in the kitchen. If you can get by with a small dishwasher, the washing unit can be built under the kitchen sink.
  • Fridge. If there is no space for a refrigerator in the kitchen, you can install a horizontal model under the worktop.


The built-in gas water heater must be located at a safe distance from the cabinet walls. When selecting a furniture set, you should take into account the dimensions of the water heater built into it.

Color solutions

When color designing a small kitchen with a gas water heater, it is worth considering that:

  • To decorate a small kitchen, it is recommended to use light natural colors; this will visually make the room less compact and add more light to the interior.
  • You can create a combined finish on the walls, which will contribute to the zoning of the room and diversify the interior.
  • You can choose a two-color furniture set, where the boxes and tabletops are made in pastel colors, and the facades are bright accents.

Conclusion

An apartment in a Khrushchev-era building is not very convenient for furnishing it according to modern standards, this problem especially concerns a small kitchen, the interior of which can often include a gas water heater. However, with the right approach, any flaw can be turned into an advantage by thinking through the design of the room and making competent repairs.

Kitchens with a gas water heater in Khrushchev (design photo)

  • Kitchen design with a geyser - there is always a way out. A gas water heater in the kitchen significantly narrows the design options for the room, but there is always a way out. Gas water heater or...
  • Kitchens "Mebelkomplekt" Country of origin: Russia. Catalog of models KindSunnyExoticComfortableModernAffableNobleAmenableAristocratic RichHospitableJuicyKindTraditionalGentleColorfulAiryBright
  • Kitchens Grattarola Country of origin: Italy. Catalog of models UraliaCanardCeresium CeresiumEssenziaAxisUllaUraliaAxisEssenziaTundraCeresiumUralia
  • Kitchens Antares Country of origin: Italy. Catalog of models OperaOperaOperaOperaPetraToscaToscaOperaOperaOperaOperaBrio PetraPetraPetraPetraSistemaSistemaPetraToscaSistema Sistema

What you need to remember when working with a gas water heater

A gas water heater is a high-risk device. Therefore, when installing, reinstalling and designing it, you must follow strict rules:

  • The device is installed on a wall covered with non-flammable materials; the opposite wall must be no closer than one meter;
  • There should be a free space of 3 cm on both sides;
  • The column must be located at least 10 cm horizontally from the stove; It is strictly forbidden to hang it above the stove;
  • Pipes cannot be hidden tightly - walled up in the ceiling, wall or floor. If the pipe passes through them, you need to leave a gap of more than 1 cm;
  • If the kitchen has a suspended ceiling, then the minimum height of its walls is 250 cm;
  • The distance from the speaker to the electrical cable and household appliances should be at least half a meter, and to the batteries - 200 meters.

And under no circumstances should you move gas pipes yourself. Permission from gas service specialists is required.

How to decorate a column

Closing the kitchen set

You can close the geyser (for example, Therm 4000), if it is installed in the kitchen, with a set. To do this, use a kitchen wall cabinet to disguise the unit. You can use only pieces of furniture that do not have back, bottom and top walls. The side panels must have a high level of fire resistance.

The front door or doors should open quickly and effortlessly. A perforated facade will be a big plus - this way the water heater is better visible and it’s easier to control its functioning. One of the options is roller shutters, which are lowered either completely or halfway, and leave absolutely open access to the device.

Painting the color of the walls and decorating An inexpensive and stylish option would be to paint the unit in the color of the walls. Solutions in black or white tones look original and tasteful. If the walls are not plain, heat-resistant enamel and stencils will help out. A hand-decorated model like the GWH 10 Fonte is a non-trivial approach that will increase self-esteem.

The best of the best: Top 10 geysers of 2017

Confident home designers can play with the contrast of wall colors and appliances. If other large appliances - a stove, a refrigerator - match the column, the interior will be complete.

Move to a corner

The optimal solution for a kitchenette in a Khrushchev-era building or a room of modest size is to place a device like FAST R ONM in the corner. If the model is light and does not stand out against the background of walls and furniture, then it practically does not attract attention. In addition, a shift from the previous location to a distance of up to one and a half meters will not require a change in documentation or permission from the gas workers.

Buy a designer household appliance

A modern solution would be to purchase a model like the Fonte Glass Metropoli, which has a fashionable design. Such units are suitable if there are no plans to repair or change kitchen furniture. In addition, they not only do not need “camouflage” - technology like Fonte Glass Paradiso itself is worthy of being the central element of the interior.

Between the lockers

If hiding the speaker “in a cabinet” is not an option, it makes sense to place it between the pieces of furniture in the kitchen. The photo shows the best examples of masking a gas heater using this method.

Change of interior style

The solution is suitable for those who are planning to renovate or upgrade their kitchen design. You don’t have to paint a “snow white” like Therm 6000, hide it or disguise it. Such a household appliance will organically complement and highlight the Mediterranean or country style.

Important to know: How to install a geyser: 5 main points

Moving the unit

You can also place a water heater in the bathroom - if you work hard and get all the permissions from the gas workers. Also, if safety requirements allow, you can move the unit to the hallway or living room. Mandatory conditions are the presence of a ventilation channel, and also that no one should sleep in a room with a gas water heater. The best examples of how to hide the device in these cases are in the photo.

Rating
( 2 ratings, average 5 out of 5 )
Did you like the article? Share with friends:
For any suggestions regarding the site: [email protected]
For any suggestions regarding the site: [email protected]
Для любых предложений по сайту: [email protected]