Свободная планировка кухни — очень a popular solution among designers. After all, with the help of such a technique, you can expand the space. This method is especially relevant in small apartments, where very little space is allocated to the kitchen. Let's consider all the pros and cons of a combined design, and then you will decide whether it is worth deciding on a joint design of the kitchen and living room.
By combining the kitchen with the living room, you canexpand the space of the apartment. According to statistics, a person spends no more than 2 hours a day in the kitchen, not counting housewives who "live there half their lives." 2 hours is also a long period of time, so you should arrange the room so that it is convenient for you, and not for hypothetical guests who visit you once a year.
Kitchen design: where to start?
If your kitchen is 6-7 sq.m, then even a family of three will have a hard time fitting in there. Of course, you can throw out all the cabinets and appliances from the kitchen, but what kind of kitchen will that be? Another thing is combining two rooms: you block the passage to the kitchen and “cut a window” from the living room. A refrigerator fits perfectly into the old passage, and this saves additional space. You need to keep in mind:
Remember, the kitchen is a wet area and should not be moved into the living room - the prep tables and sink should remain strictly in place.
If the ceilings in the house are quite high, you can raise the floor in the kitchen by 15 centimeters or more. This kitchen design has its pros and cons. The pros in this case are obvious:
- the ability to visually expand the space, because now there are 2 windows in the room;
- convenient location of guests in case of a celebration;
- the ability to use one TV set for 2 rooms;
- a full table, for which you can eat with the whole family, and not in turns.
There are also disadvantages to this design solution:
- the smell of freshly prepared food will spread throughout the house if ventilation is not strong enough;
- The sounds of household appliances will prevent you from relaxing in front of the TV or at the table;
- high cleaning requirements - every unwashed cup on the edge of the sink will catch the eye of guests, you will literally have to never leave the sink.
Weigh the pros and cons, then make a decision. Return to Contents</a>
Methods of zoning rooms
There are quite a few examples of zoning of premises,but they all adhere to the rule of not dissolving into each other, but being a small addition. First of all, remember, the design of the kitchen and living room should be separated at least visually! Return to the table of contents</a>A bar counter is the best solution in this matter. A counter can be a fragment of a wall that previously served as a partition between rooms.
One of the ways to zone a combined kitchenand the living room there may be a small fragment of the wall between them. If you are thinking about a bar counter after completely demolishing the wall, well, you will have to create a new structure. Any available material can be used as a finish - artificial stone, brick, wood, tiles. A bar counter that is a fragment of kitchen furniture will look ideal. The counter should stand strictly at the junction of 2 rooms, the kitchen and the living room. A bar counter is an ideal addition where you can:
- Cook;
- drink tea and snack, if alone at home;
- on it it is possible to arrange utensils for which eternally there is not enough space in a case.
If the ceilings in the house are quite high, you canallow a more radical solution - raising the floor in the kitchen by 15 cm or more. This method is very convenient if you want to not only visually separate the rooms, but also hide pipes, wiring and other "charms" of communications. You can emphasize the different floor heights with the help of floor coverings that create a contrast: often tiles are considered the preferred flooring for the kitchen, and for the living room, naturally, laminate, carpet and parquet. Return to contents</a>Dining table as a divider Massivethe dining table will not only be a good visual divider, but will also be able to create a cozy atmosphere for guests, saving a significant amount of space. We install a "light curtain" above the table, consisting of several lamps or lamps. Choose warm lighting solutions, so all the dishes on the table will seem more appetizing. You can leave a small fragment of the wall for zoning. It is great if there is a small wall on one side, and a bar counter on the other. The wall can be left flat, or you can create an interesting piece of furniture out of it, decorating it with a semi-arch or other complex shape. Return to contents</a>Lightweight portable partitions and furniture YouYou can easily divide the room using a translucent partition, a bookcase, a screen. This method is suitable for surface zoning, so only very bold experimenters can use it, ready for the kitchen design to remain the leading one. You can install a sofa, the back of which should be installed towards the kitchen, and the front - towards the TV and the coffee table in front of it. In this way, you will divide the space and save space, because the necessary furniture is already installed, in addition, it also has a secondary function of dividing. If the kitchen design does not match the upholstery on the back of the sofa, then place a long and convenient shelf behind it, which will help hide extra dishes. Combining is an excellent choice in favor of creativity and saving space.</ ul>
