Many of our Soviet-style apartments are not spacious and open plan. And we crowd into small and uncomfortable rooms, wanting to change the situation for the better. In this case, a combined kitchen with a hall will be an excellent design solution. This technique is gaining more and more popularity, and there are many reasons for this. This article will tell about the advantages and disadvantages of such a merger, as well as the choice of interior for such a solution.
Fashion trend in apartment design
The combined kitchen with the hall is one of the most popular methods of modern design. Moreover, such a merger is practiced not only in the conditions of small rooms of panel "Khrushchev".
But both the owners of modern studios and apartments, and the inhabitants of multi-storey cottages and spacious loft-style apartments are increasingly turning to such a design technique. This suggests that the modern design of the combined hall, kitchen (photos are given in the article) is relevant not only in cramped spaces, but will also look great in any apartment or house.
What you needwhat to do if you decide to redevelop?
Before starting repair work, you must obtain permission from the BTI organization to demolish a wall or other separate structure. This is necessary in order to avoid damage to the bearing side of the building, which can lead to sad consequences. Of course, it is quite simple to distinguish a secondary floor from a carrier one - the interior walls are much thinner. But this does not exclude a trip to specialists.
Please note that if you start a redevelopment without the approval of the city administration, then you will expect quite large fines. Only after receiving all the necessary documents, you can begin to combine the kitchen and living room. But before you start redevelopment of the apartment, it is better to thoroughly weigh the pros and cons. Next, you will learn about all the pros and cons of combining these two rooms.
Design Values
A combined kitchen with a hall will visually expand the free space, which, in turn, will increase the number of not only artificial, but also natural light sources, because two windows are much better than one. The merging of these two rooms is especially true for small one-room apartments, in which it is so difficult to place even the most necessary pieces of furniture.
Kitchens in Khrushchev, combined with the hall, will become much more spacious and functional, because now the working space will be increased due to the guest room.
A few more pluses
Sucha design technique will greatly facilitate the organization of holidays and friendly gatherings, which is especially important for hospitable hosts. Now the hostess does not have to run from room to room in search of additional cutlery or in order to serve a new dish.
If an ordinary room can accommodate no more than six people, then the combined kitchen and hall (photos are given in the article) significantly increase the possibilities. In addition, the merging of these rooms makes it possible to have lunch and dinner with the whole family, especially if it is large. After all, most standard kitchens are quite modest in size.
The fusion of these two rooms will especially delight those who cannot imagine the process of cooking without watching their favorite series or TV show. After all, now there is no need to purchase and think about where to put a new TV in the kitchen. Or you can get one large plasma panel and hang it so that it can be seen even while preparing dinner.
Disadvantages of this design
A combined kitchen with a living room is an option that has several inconveniences, which will be discussed later. First of all, these are smells and aromas that inevitably accompany the cooking process. The fashionable direction - the merger of these two rooms - came to us from Western countries, but for them this problem is not urgent. After all, the local women are often not engaged in thorough cooking. They only heat up already prepared food ordered in a cafe or restaurant. BUTConsidering how enthusiastically and how often our housewives like to cook, the problem of smell becomes quite serious. After all, even a powerful hood will not be able to completely rid you of the accompanying aromas.
There is another drawback, due to which the kitchen combined with the hall loses its attractiveness a little - these are the constantly disturbing sounds of a running blender or microwave, refrigerator or washing machine, as well as any other household appliances and flowing water from the tap.
Get ready to clean up
The kitchen, combined with the hall, has another significant drawback. If earlier these rooms were separate, then unwashed dishes or scattered kitchen utensils were not conspicuous, but were noticeable only when visiting the kitchen. Now both rooms are combined, and the untidy work area spoils the charm of the whole room. Even one carelessly thrown napkin can ruin the whole impression of the interior. So get ready for constant cleaning of both areas of the room. But such trifles will not be able to spoil the joy of a good hostess from the updated interior, made in all respects of modern design.
The hall is combined with the kitchen. Room zoning ideas
Don't think that the merging of these rooms means only the complete demolition of the wall and the dissolution of one room into another. If you prefer a small but cozy kitchen, then you can remove only half of the wall and decorate the rest with a partition or a bar counter. Or you can zone the room with curtains, screens, slidingsystems, flower stands and more.
In addition, according to the advice of designers, the combined kitchen and living room (photo below) should be slightly different, but meanwhile harmonize and complement each other. In this case, special attention should be paid to the border of the two interiors. Modern design offers several effective ways to zone a new space.
Bar counter
Installation of this fixture is the most common zoning method that offers a modern kitchen design with a living room. The rest of the partition that previously separated these two rooms can play the role of a bar counter. Such a design accessory is called stationary. For facing such a bar counter, wood or artificial stone is most often used. But you can save money and just putty and paint this peculiar piece of furniture.
Flooring
You can zone a room in many ways. And if it’s quite difficult to come up with something with a ceiling, then you can easily accentuate the transition with different floor coverings. In this case, tiles are used for the kitchen, and parquet, laminate or carpet for the hall. In addition, quite often designers offer to make a two-level floor. A small podium 10-15 cm high will not only divide the room into zones, but also help to hide all kitchen communications.
Kitchen Island
The following design method is only applicable for spaciousapartments. The kitchen, combined with the hall, is a small island, and is installed on the border of two zones. This technique not only perfectly divides the room, but also significantly increases the functionality of the room. In this case, the island kitchen can be represented by a bar or dining table.
Decorative openings and shelving
You can delimit the zones of a room in completely different ways. An arch, or a wide opening, as well as a variety of openwork racks or shelves will add originality to the room and emphasize the individuality of the owners of the apartment. Such decorative openings quite often decorate rooms in which there is a kitchen combined with a hall. The design (photo below) of openings and shelving can be whimsical or classic.
In addition, if you sometimes prefer to hide the kitchen from someone's prying eyes, then mobile partitions that can be moved apart or removed at any time will be the perfect solution for you. The advantage of these mobile screens is their transparency and the ease with which you can change the location of these partitions.
Furniture
The sofa will be an excellent border when zoning rooms. This piece of furniture can be placed so that, sitting on it, you find yourself in the hall, and going behind the back - in the kitchen. For such a case, impressive massive sofas with a wide back are suitable. If the back of this piece of furniture from the side of the kitchen does not look goodattractive, it can be hidden behind a rack.
A dining table is an equally effective way of zoning a room. This piece of furniture will not only divide the space of the combined room, but also add coziness and make the kitchen-living room more hospitable. To enhance this feeling, low-hanging luminaires will bring even more comfort and warmth.
Massive tubs and multiple shelves with live plants also perfectly delimit rooms. Such techniques are often used by wildlife lovers. In addition, rooms can be zoned using large and elongated aquariums.
Let there be light
Lighting plays a huge role in zoning any space, so it's important to keep the balance of light and create a smooth transition from one room to another. For the kitchen, it is better to choose a powerful and bright chandelier, which will become the main source of light. And as additional lighting, when bright light is not required, install spotlights in the bar area, above the sink and work surface. Recently, the installation of LED strip, which does an excellent job of zoning the kitchen and hall, is gaining more and more popularity. For the living room, it is better to choose a few soft sources, for example, sconces or floor lamps. Their subdued light will give comfort to the room and set you up for relaxation.
Choose color and style
The basic rule of modern design is: the interior should not bemonotonous and boring. The ideal solution for a kitchen combined with a hall would be the presence of several colors that harmoniously combine and complement each other. In this case, for each zone you need to choose your own shade.
Since the kitchen is used much less frequently than the hall, professionals recommend choosing more saturated bright and cold colors for it. In the living room, it is better to choose warmer and softer shades that set you up for relaxation and peace.
