How to make a tiny kitchen comfortable. Interesting and functional ideas for the kitchen

A tiny kitchen is a problem for any small apartment. I don’t even want to think about design: what kind of style is there if there is nowhere to shove a grandmother’s closet and grandfather’s table? Your best bet is to go to an antique shop. This is where you should start: get rid of the excess.

Functionality first, or how to actually enlarge the kitchen

The kitchen room has an aggressive specificity. High temperatures, grease, soot, humidity. It is necessary to select a finish that is resistant to harmful factors, not too easily soiled and easy to wash / wash. In no case should there be materials containing toxic components: food is prepared in the kitchen.

How to enlarge the kitchen visually

The two main factors that “eat up” space visually are dark or too bright colors and clutter. Let's see what color combinations are applicable in the interior of the kitchen.

Light pastel colors tend to visually enlarge the room. If the windows face north, warm shades are recommended: sand, beige, cream. In a sunny kitchen, you can focus on cool colors: blue, turquoise. They are associated with the sea, in the summer heat they will create a feeling of coolness. To prevent a light interior from looking monotonous and boring, bright or dark details are added.

More light. Many spotlights are both beautiful and convenient for the hostess. You can use LED lighting. Choose polished furniture - the kitchen will "expand" due to reflections and reflections.

If there is no door between the kitchen and the living room, it makes sense to finish the walls the same way: the same paint, wallpaper, panels.

Any textiles (curtains, tablecloth, upholstery) are light. Pastel colors, soft ornament. It is undesirable to use a catchy pattern or pattern. Excess decor overloads the space. Printed pattern should not be used - it looks heavy. Better texture.

More than two colors in the design of the room should not be used: the variegation will get on your nerves. Instead of contrasting colors, you can use embossed ornaments of the main color.

The same wishes for furniture: light. Alternatively, transparent. Glass shelves, cabinets, table, chairs.

Hang a mirror on the wall or make mirror doors near the shelves. Lay the glass on the table in the shape of the countertop. A not very bulky crystal chandelier will also contribute to the visual expansion of the space.

It is not recommended to replace large pieces of furniture with a large number of small ones. The kitchen will look cluttered. It is advisable to use furniture that is elongated in height: this way you can “raise” the ceiling.

If you plan to hang a panel, picture, photo on the wall, it is better to do it lower or higher than usual. And not in the center, but to the side. If you place two images on top of each other, the wall will look higher.

Accessories: two or three spectacular items that will enliven the room. Do not need anymore.

It is not recommended to put overgrown indoor plants or lush bouquets of flowers in the kitchen.

It is better to make the floors the same throughout the apartment. The use of different coatings zones the space, and this must be avoided. When laying tiles or laminate, a diagonal pattern is recommended, this is also a way to expand the area visually.

It is recommended to hang a cornice over a window or use a ceiling cornice: this will make the room visually higher.

If the apartment is small and the ceilings are high, it makes sense to lower them in order to achieve harmony. You can install a stretch ceiling, multi-level. The upper level is with photo printing (for example, an image of a blue sky with clouds).

What if the kitchen is also a dining room? Decorate the kitchen and dining areas in the same style, but with some differences. This eliminates the need to install extra partitions.

Choosing a style for a small kitchen

The most stylish is white. You can use not snow-white, but with shades: light cream, ivory, milky. A few contrasting elements will give the interior originality and sophistication.

Tiled and ceramic tiles. She doesn’t need to lay out all the walls, this is a kitchen, not a pool. But a two or three repetition of the pattern in several elements (apron, countertop, window sill, window slopes) will look stylish. Do not use a panel with a complex detailed pattern. It is better to choose light floral or abstract ornaments, stylized images.

Most styles apply painlessly in a small kitchen:

What styles are undesirable in a small room?

• Baroque. Pompous aristocratic design from the 17th and 18th centuries. Gilding, columns, heavy massive furniture, a lot of expensive textiles. The kitchen turns into a museum reserve.
• Victorian. He is royal, named after Queen Victoria. Eclecticism, luxury, excess of decor. Congestion.
• Gothic. Gloomy red and black colors will turn a tiny room into a crypt, cellar or torture chamber. The Gothic effect will be achieved, but can you, your family and guests comfortably exist in such a kitchen?

But what if the rest of the interior of an apartment or house is decorated in one of these styles? You can’t make all the rooms in one style, and the kitchen in another.

One of the solutions to this problem has already been proposed above: redevelopment, combining the kitchen with the living room. The room will become spacious, and a slight contrast in the design of two different zones will not seem superfluous.

What design techniques can be used without deviating from stylistic unity without redevelopment?

For gothic

• Stained glass on cabinet doors and sliding partitions;
• Carved and forged elements in the decoration of furniture and accessories;
• Crystal: chandelier, vases, glasses.

For Victorian

• Do not use drawers, in that era there were practically none. Opening doors only
• Materials of the era: marbled countertops, glass cabinets;
• Lighting: it is undesirable to refuse a chandelier. Instead of spotlights, install sconces;
• Flooring: It may seem strange, but linoleum appeared just then. You won't go out of style if you lay it down. In addition, it is cheap, practical, the floor is easy to clean.

For baroque

• Stucco. It is not worth using in large quantities, but you can use, for example, white polyurethane foam skirting boards for the ceiling;
• Gilded ornaments for facades;
• Twisted handles;
• Patina: gold, silver;
• Marble, quartz, glass;
• Stretch ceiling with photo printing in the form of a fresco.

Baroque style is focused primarily on light colors. Using ivory color or coffee with milk in the design, you will not leave the chosen era.

Any kitchen, even the smallest one, can be comfortable, functional and stylish at the same time. This will require:

• Willingness to part with old things and habits;
• Preference for multifunctional equipment;
• The predominance of light colors, shiny and glass surfaces;
• Maximum lighting;
• Stylistic flair or advice from a professional designer;
• Flight of fantasy and desire to start a new life.

Money, unfortunately, will also be required. In one quantity or another. Without them, alas, nowhere.

See a photo selection of interior design kitchens in 6 sq.m.

Photo gallery (23 photos):

Interesting ideas for the kitchen will help equip this important living space, where the hostess spends a huge amount of time. Especially in demand are interesting ideas for a kitchen in Khrushchev or interesting ideas for a kitchen of 9 sq.m, where limited space creates a lot of inconvenience, but you want a small room to look beautiful. Interesting ideas for the kitchen, embodied by one's own hands (the photo clearly shows how it looks), make it possible to make any kitchen comfortable, beautiful and practical.

The kitchen is a very specific room in the apartment: being one of the most, it performs a large number of functions.

There is a huge arsenal of equipment, furniture and various accessories. All this should, firstly, fit in a small volume; secondly, to be always at hand; and thirdly, do not spoil the decoration of the room.

Based on this, one can put forward the most important requirements for ideas for arranging a kitchen: they must optimize the use of the entire volume of the room; provide enough storage space for all kinds of items; create a beautiful interior without violating the functional features.

When arranging a kitchen, its decoration and interesting ideas (there are plenty of photo examples) are aimed at:

• expansion of space by combining with other rooms;
• optimization of storage conditions for kitchen utensils;
• optimal use of furniture and equipment, their placement and change in appearance;
• creation of original design of walls, floor, ceiling;
• arrangement and decoration of the working area and apron;
• zoning of the kitchen space;
• changing the appearance of windows and doors;
• use of lighting opportunities;
• the use of various decorating elements, ornaments and accessories.

How can you expand the space

The original arrangement of the kitchen in the direction of expanding the space can provide interesting ideas for a kitchen combined with a living room or a loggia (balcony). Such proposals are especially relevant for small spaces.

To implement the project, the intermediate wall is removed and the kitchen is connected to the living room with the dining area moved into the living room. When implementing such a project, it is important to provide a visual highlight of the kitchen and dining area.

Combining the premises allows you to leave only the working area in a small kitchen, and turn the living room into a relaxation area (receiving guests) and a dining room with a large beautiful table. Interesting ideas for the kitchen in this case consist in the formation of a decorative partition that highlights the kitchen area. A common option is to install a bar counter, which is of interest both from a practical point of view and in terms of design.

Other ideas can be suggested:

1. Two level floor. Two options are possible: raising the floor of the living room by 8-12 cm or the floor of the kitchen by 12-14 cm. The second option is convenient for the possibility of masking communications. An interesting solution could be the use of spotlights for illumination in the step. Another way of floor zoning is a different color and coating material (in the kitchen - ceramic tiles, for example) at the same floor level.
2. Two-level ceiling. The kitchen can be distinguished by the manufacture of a false ceiling with built-in lights. In the working area, as a rule, maximum lighting is provided.
3. Sliding partition. This solution allows you to get rid of an important drawback of combining rooms - smell. During the preparation of dinner, the doors close and isolate the kitchen.
4. The partition may have decorative features. Of interest is a large aquarium or another type of wildlife corner. The openwork partition with curly rooms looks very nice.

How to provide storage options

The kitchen is a container for many kitchen utensils, so interesting ideas for the kitchen in terms of storing various items are very much in demand.

You can put forward the following proposals:

1. Use of a sofa corner with a device in the space between the legs of drawers for storing dishes or drawers with a lift-up lid.
2. Using cabinet doors to hang pans, cutting boards, etc.
3. The use of one maximally high and narrow cabinet.
4. Installation of carousel-type shelves for food storage. Such "carousels" under the worktop will provide storage of the necessary products and are convenient to use. Shelves can be divided into sections: products, dishes, bottles, detergents.
5. Equipment on the cabinet doors under the sink, shelves and holders for detergents and inventory. In the space under the sink, a platform for a garbage container is equipped.
6. Wall mounting of a decorated metal profile with hooks for hanging kitchen utensils and cups.
7. Making an envelope for cutting boards. Such an envelope can be assembled from wooden slats with a height of 16-22 cm. Decoration is provided with paint or varnish. The envelope is fixed on the inside of the cabinet door under the work area, on the side wall of the hanging cabinet or directly on the wall in the work area.

How can you diversify the interior

You can give the kitchen interior attractiveness and originality in various ways.

So, for decorating tiles, the following technologies are offered:

• beads or decorative small stones are glued to the surface of the tile with special glue - this way you can create any plot and even a whole picture (images of flowers, greenery, fruit and vegetable plot, sunflowers are suitable for the kitchen);
• decoupage - fastening or applying standard (ready-made) patterns or ornaments (in the final form, the patterns are varnished);
• craquelure - creating an "antique" effect with the help of ready-made compositions that allow you to apply a cobweb-like grid.

Decorating with the use of textiles can provide any style of decoration and a special warmth of the interior. In this group of decor, elements such as curtains, tablecloths, pillows, napkins on the countertop, coasters for dishes, furniture covers stand out.

An interesting idea: the preparation of several sets of harmonizing textiles, which are periodically changed, providing a seasonal design (for example, symbolizing the arrival of spring). In addition, this approach allows you to influence the seasonal mood: in summer, create the illusion of coolness with green or salad tones, and in winter, add warmth with reddish or yellow hues. The decoration for any holiday will look impressive.

Ideas in the design of the walls allow you to radically change the attitude towards the interior. For the kitchen, it is rational to decorate the walls with the help of a composition from a different combination of shelves. You can install vases, indoor and decorative flowers, beautiful dishes, figurines on them. The murals and mosaics look impressive on the kitchen walls. In their manufacture, you can use stencils, vinyl stickers.

In the urban kitchen, the landscape on the wall looks good, and when decorated in high-tech style, abstract plots look good.

Decoration of glass elements gives a special charm. If ordinary glasses in kitchen furniture are replaced with mirror ones, then the volume of the room will visually increase. Undoubtedly, the use of frosted, corrugated (patterned), colored or stained glass will add attractiveness. With your own hands, glass interior elements can be diversified with appliqués, lace, and stencil patterns.

kitchen stuff

Various small decorative elements can unrecognizably change the whole look of the kitchen. What crafts to use depends on the owner's imagination.

We can only recall possible ideas:

• original lampshades for lamps;
• decorations in the form of paintings, collages for walls;
• coasters for dishes;
• holders, hangers, towel mounts;
• products from bottles and vases;
• old and original jars and utensils;
• candlesticks;
• all kinds of crafts and figurines.

Painting and coloring of the refrigerator body and other kitchen equipment (for example, a microwave oven) gives originality. Painted trays and cutting boards, beautiful towels, pot holders, aprons provide a special attraction.

The design of the kitchen provides a good mood and increases appetite. The original kitchen interior, regardless of the size of the kitchen, creates a special home microclimate.

I like

The kitchen is one of the small but frequently used rooms in the apartment (if we talk about standard Khrushchevs). Many housewives are wondering how to properly organize her interior so that everything is at hand, nothing interferes and visually looks decent. There are some tricky tricks and handy gadgets that will make life much easier and make spending time in the kitchen enjoyable!

U-shaped layout

Making the most of space is the main rule when designing a small kitchen. The most effective in a small room will be a U-shaped layout, when all the necessary zones occupy three walls. One is a sink, the other is a stove, and the third serves as a work surface. In this room, everything is at hand!

To get away from the feeling of tightness, use glossy surfaces. It can be a metal countertop, a glass kitchen apron or lacquered cabinet doors. They will increase the light falling from the window and additional light sources. So the room will appear visually larger than it actually is.

Hidden backlight

A secret technique that will transform your kitchen in the evening. Hidden lighting is usually hidden under hanging cabinets. It creates a feeling of weightlessness and lightness in the interior. With it, the kitchen looks very modern, sometimes even cosmic. And the backlight has a practical function - it will be much more comfortable for you to work in the kitchen with it than without it (so there will definitely be fewer cuts on your fingers!).

Lots of artificial light

There is never a lot of light in a small room, and it doesn’t matter whether it is artificial or natural. And in small kitchens, the window is often either tiny or completely absent, so make sure that the interior is as light as possible. Use point light sources, complement hanging cabinets with lighting, Designate areas that are important to you with stylish lamps. You will immediately notice how the room will change and become more comfortable.

Good old railings

Perhaps, millions of housewives around the world are grateful to the inventor of the roof rails. This storage system is so versatile that it fits into any style of interior, any layout and room size. And how much can be placed on the railing alone! What can I say if there are several of them. If you install it by the sink, then everything you need to clean up the room will be quietly placed here.
Position the railing by the stove and have all your ladles, beaters and spatulas in front of your nose. Choose the configuration of the accessory depending on your desires and the tasks that it must perform.

Practical use of empty space

No matter how strange it may sound, but even in small rooms there is a space that is not involved in any way, and in fact it could bring a lot of benefits, for example, corners. Here you can place open shelves, put a compact dining table or install a corner kitchen cabinet.

Storage systems in the doors of kitchen cabinets

When jars of spices do not have a specific place, it takes a lot of time to find them. To keep them always in order, organize some stylish storage systems right in the doors of kitchen cabinets. All the necessary parts for this can be found in any furniture store and they are inexpensive.

miniature shelves

Open shelves in the kitchen are good, but you can’t place them in every one. Large and full, yes, but miniature ones will be appropriate in a tiny kitchen. They can be placed at the window, at the hood, in the corner and even at the hanging cabinet on the side. They are great for storing spices, cups and other little things that are needed most often.

compact table

A small area is not an obstacle to placing a compact dining table. You can do without it in the kitchen with a creak, but how convenient it is when there is, where to sit down and calmly drink tea or eat a plate of borscht. Choose compact folding models or folding options.

Do you want the cooking process to be comfortable and easy? Then you need to know how to properly organize your workspace with your own hands, where to store kitchen utensils and how to use every inch of the kitchen. Read about all this in our article.

Convenient kitchen appliances make the cooking process more comfortable

About the need for competent arrangement of the kitchen

Despite the rapidly developing progress, work in the kitchen today remains manual labor.

According to research, if the kitchen is not properly arranged in one day, a person can run several kilometers along it, constantly returning to the workplace, bending over and crouching. At the same time, cooking and washing dishes stretches for hours, although this time can be easily reduced by wisely using the kitchen space.

The correct arrangement of appliances and utensils allows you to reduce the time spent on cooking

Naturally, mobility is not bad if you are struggling with excess weight. However, the kitchen is not a gym.

Experiments have shown that if you plan your kitchen space correctly, you can save 30% of the time and 60% of the journey. Therefore, nowadays it is important not only to choose the right kitchen equipment, but also to arrange it rationally so that the necessary kitchen utensils are always at your fingertips.

Ergonomically arrange kitchen equipment and sets, and you won’t have to walk around the kitchen so much

Rational use of space

Both large and small kitchen spaces can create significant challenges. For example, in large kitchens, the distance between objects can be so large that the owners have to make rather tedious movements between the sink, stove, countertop, refrigerator and dining table.

The headset should be positioned so as not to interfere with your movements

Buying a multi-section headset (the price of which is very impressive) in many cases also does not solve anything. So, you still have to move around the kitchen carefully so as not to hurt or knock over anything.

It turns out that the money was spent on all kinds of lockers, but there is no convenience, as it never was. In this case, practical ideas will be a real salvation, because the key to comfort and coziness is a reasonable attitude to every square centimeter of space. And it is in this case that modern materials and technologies will become your assistants.

Sequence of jobs

First of all, professionals are advised to pay attention to the correct sequence of jobs based on the cooking technology itself. So how is it convenient to equip the kitchen, or rather its working area?

Make sure that the so-called “working triangle” is formed in the kitchen (refrigerator, sink, stove)

• Fridge. It stores products, and accordingly, it is from here that the cooking process begins.
• Workplace. It usually cleans and pre-prepares products.
• Washing. A waste container should also be located in the same area.
• Final cutting. It includes shredding, cutting and other procedures.
• Heat treatment, cooking.
• Serving.

Designate several areas in the room for food preparation, washing and cooking

Height of lockers

In addition to the correct location of the work area, it is necessary to carefully consider the dimensions and height of the lockers.

Since every housewife wants to make the kitchen comfortable, last but not least, you need to pay attention to storing improvised means in convenient places. Research has shown that only 20% of people keep everything they need in the kitchen and do it right.

To become one of these lucky ones, you need to follow the suggested recommendations.

The photo shows the accessibility zones of kitchen utensils

The total height of the headset is conditionally divided into 4 zones.

• Very low. It is located at a height of up to 40 cm. Since it is poorly visible, it is rather inconvenient to use. In the lower zone, it is worth storing heavy medium-sized items that you rarely use.
• Low. Zone located 40-75 cm from the floor. Install drawers or shelves in it for large dishes or small household appliances.
• Medium. Zone at a height of 75-190 cm from the floor. The most practical and well-visible place. On such shelves it is worth storing dishes, cereals, cutlery - everything that you often use.
• High. An area above 190 cm. Since you will need to use a stepladder or a chair to get to it, you should not store anything frequently used there. The upper shelves can become a place to store expensive service or other accessories.

The most used devices are best placed at a height of 75 - 100 cm from the floor

Ergonomic space tools

No matter what size your kitchen is, every inch of it needs to be put to good use. For these purposes, you can use the following items:

• Cabinets with drawers. It is a real find for both large and small kitchens. Small cabinets contain everything you need, and lattice containers can store food supplies. Thanks to the guide rollers, this section rolls out easily, allowing you to see all the supplies and access them from any side. For those who love wall-to-wall cabinets, you can make them multi-tiered.

Retractable design allows efficient use of space

Roller guides make it easy to reach even the most distant objects

• Storage systems. Modern comfortable kitchens are also innovations in the field of appliances. Nowadays, kitchens have a huge selection of various storage systems that allow you to make the most of all hard-to-reach corners, voids and niches. For example, there is such an innovation as a three-level microlift that lowers the shelf with all its contents.

Modern storage systems make it possible to use every centimeter of space

Various kitchen furniture manufacturers offer many options for the lower tier, which include pull-out baskets, presented in different sizes and shapes.

Open shelves do not take up much space, but conveniently store jars of cereals

• corner sink. Many are interested in the question: is the corner sink in the kitchen convenient? If it's installed correctly, then yes. Corner sinks have appeared relatively recently and are gaining popularity due to their compactness. The owners of small kitchens will certainly appreciate them.

Corner sink - a practical option for small spaces

• Bar counter for the kitchen. A good solution for a small kitchen. In some cases, it can be a great alternative to the kitchen table. At the same time, it saves a lot of space. Comfortable chairs for the kitchen in this case can be hidden under the counter and do not take up extra space, limiting your workspace.

A compact bar counter can be a complete replacement for a large dining table

• Rails in the working area. The space between the countertop and hanging cabinets can be occupied by a narrow shelf or railing system. They house kitchen utensils, which take up a lot of space.

Talking about convenient things for the kitchen, one cannot fail to mention the roof rails.

It is convenient to store large utensils on the rails, which would take up a lot of space without them.

This simple instruction will allow you to free up kitchen space and use it more ergonomically. If you pay attention to every little thing and take into account every detail, then even the smallest kitchen can be made comfortable and cozy, not to mention large rooms.

Finally

A comfortable and practical kitchen is a place where you want to spend as much time as possible. In this article, you learned how to make the kitchen comfortable , at what height should one or kitchen utensils be placed, how to set up a work area and what accessories to use. Follow our recommendations and you will soon notice that cooking in the kitchen has become much more pleasant.

Be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the page for some more helpful tips.

In order to rationally use every centimeter of kitchen space, you should take the issue of planning the headset and the location of household appliances very seriously.

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On the picture:

1. "Customize" the size of the lockers

According to your height and kitchen. Most manufacturers of modern kitchens offer sets of standard sizes: the depth of the lower sections is twice that of the upper ones: 560 and 315 mm plus the thickness of the facade; a typical worktop has a depth of 600 mm. However, if necessary (for example, step back from the wall and "go around" the pipes"), the depth of the countertop can be increased to 630-650 mm. A custom-made table top can be ordered even with a depth of 1200 mm.

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On the picture:

Twincorners (pull-out baskets) and carousel-type turntables installed in the lower corner sections of the kitchen allow access to kitchen utensils stored in the farthest corner.

4. Open the door... with your foot or forehead

Push-up system. The push-to-open system (“push to open”) allows you to open the cabinet doors with one touch. It comes in electric (expensive) and mechanical (affordable, but you will need to overcome the spring force when closing). Now a heavy cauldron or a voluminous pan is easy to put on a shelf. In addition, you get trendy handleless headsets.

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On the picture:

Design as an engine of progress: in today's trendy sets, the doors do not open by a handle, but thanks to the push-to-open system - "press to open".

5. Soft close

With a damper. Modern kitchens are equipped with a device to slow down the movement of a drawer or door at the last millimeters - everything closes smoothly and silently without additional control. In addition, furniture with a damper will last longer. There are two damping systems: an optional damper installed in addition, and loops with integrated damping (the cushioning system is inside the loop). Both designs can also be installed on kitchen sets already in operation: in the first case, it is necessary to purchase a damper, in the second, to replace the existing hinges with new ones.

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On the picture:

Many manufacturers equip the cabinet drawers of their headsets with a smooth and silent closing system. Such damping prolongs the life of the furniture.

6. Install the equipment optimally

• The location of the hob. At least 10 cm from the adjacent cabinet, and at least 5 cm from the back wall and the edge of the countertop.
• Drawer above it. For optimal operation of the hood, its width should be no less than the width of the plate, but the depth is not critical. But the minimum distance from its lower plane to the stove is at least 65 cm for electric, and 75 cm for gas burners. Pay special attention to the performance of the hood: it must correspond to the volume of the room.
• Dishwasher + sink. They should be located side by side in a line, otherwise it is inconvenient to load the dishes. In exceptional cases, the dishwasher is installed at an angle to the sink. The dishwasher should be no more than 5 m away from the sink. The water supply hoses may be longer, but the pump inside the dishwasher is unlikely to withstand work at a greater distance from the water supply.

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On the picture:

The kitchen sink should keep the dishwasher "on a short leash", not letting go of itself more than 5 m - the maximum distance from the water supply for the pump inside the dishwasher to work efficiently.