Today, many apartment owners do not like to force their living space with extra storage cabinets. The closet in the apartment is a unique space. Even if you have a small odnushka at your disposal, it is better not to refuse additional space. There is always a place to store an ironing board, a vacuum cleaner and other cleaning equipment, as well as for winter preparations. It is convenient to store sports equipment in the pantry (skates, skis, rollerblades, etc.). It can accommodate construction tools or work clothes.
Not every typical project provides for a utility room. Therefore, many today are interested in how to make a pantry in an apartment with their own hands. In this review, we will consider the main options for arranging a utility room.
What is a pantry?
Let's take a closer look at this. Architects of the past generation often included in apartments such an element as a pantry. in stalins,Khrushchev, Brezhnevka, there is still such a thing as a closet. The entrance to it was usually located in a room or corridor. Today, many apartment owners choose to demolish the partitions, merging the storage space with the living area.
Today the fashion for closets is gradually returning. Even a small space, similar to a closet, can greatly facilitate the storage of large items. Having a pantry at home will make it much easier to maintain order and frequency. Lucky for those who, according to the project, have a room for a dressing room. However, if you do not have such space, this is not a reason to be upset. It is quite possible to equip a pantry in an apartment on your own.
As a rule, in an apartment building for a closet, a place is allocated near the kitchen, bedroom or hallway. In a private house, allocating space for such a room is much easier. It is convenient to use the space under the stairs for storing food, household goods and other things. Here you can place a lot of items that could not be found elsewhere.
Another purpose of the pantry is a warehouse for unnecessary things. You can hide anything in it, from winter jackets to a bicycle. Many people use this room to store canned food and other food.
Layout
Despite the fact that the pantry in the apartment is a small room behind a closed door, you should not clutter it with unnecessary items. You can save the aesthetic appearance of the room if you divide it into zones andarrange things. Don't try to fill every empty corner. Try to organize the pantry space so that everything has its place. In the pantry, as in the whole apartment, there is no place for rubbish and garbage. Try to get rid of unnecessary things in a timely manner. Otherwise, you can't avoid a mess. If the thing is not needed, it is better to give it away or throw it away.
In a large country house, it is much easier to organize a place for a spacious pantry. The main thing is to think over how the interior space will be used even at the construction stage. In the pantry, every centimeter of space matters.
How to store things?
So that a small closet in an apartment does not turn into a place for storing trash, you must follow a number of rules.
Here are some of them:
- To keep shoes better, each pair should be stored in a separate box. They can be signed so that when the season changes, you do not have to look at everything in a row. Ideally, you should print photos of shoes and stick pictures on the end of the box. Installing corner shelves will save space.
- Frequently used items should be placed on the middle shelves. These can be sports bags, laundry baskets, construction tools. Special drawers for things should be placed at arm's length.
- Vacuum cleaner, suitcases and large household appliances are best placed under the shelves at the bottom of the pantry.
- If you need to store out-of-season clothes in the pantry, you will need to place a bar along one of the walls. It is best to do this at a height of 1.7-2meters. Consider also a separate shelf for hats.
- The top shelves are best used for storing Christmas decorations and an artificial Christmas tree.
Partitions are the most practical and rational way to organize space. The optimal depth is 40 cm. The width of the shelves may vary depending on the layout of the room. It is not necessary to use all shelves of the same size. Also consider what will be the load on each section. If you install the shelves on special rails, they can be moved, swapped, thereby reducing and increasing the size of the sections.
Pantry sizes
So what do you need to know about this? What dimensions can storerooms have in an apartment? Photos of utility rooms in typical "stalinkas" confirm that they can be very roomy. In addition, in such houses there are often two pantries. True, apartment owners often prefer to dismantle partitions in order to expand their living space.
The pantry in an apartment in a panel house is usually much smaller. In standard "Khrushchev" the area of this room is only one square meter. It is commonly used to store ironing boards, household appliances and cleaning supplies.
The dimensions of the pantry in the "brezhnevka" make it possible to equip a full-fledged dressing room in it. According to the project, such premises are most often located next to the bedroom or in the corridor. In the latter case, you can use the space forouterwear storage.
Modern high-rise buildings often have storerooms on the floors. Such a separate utility room next to the apartment is very convenient. If necessary, you can bring a baby stroller or a bicycle there without staining the floors of the house.
Location
Let's take a closer look at this. Most often, in the projects of apartment buildings, the pantry is located in the hallway. There are also options with pantries in the stairwell. However, if you do not have a dedicated storage area at your disposal, you can organize it yourself. To do this, you will need to use any free corner of the apartment.
It will be easiest to arrange a pantry in the following areas:
- Dead end in the corridor: in apartments with a long hallway, you can cut down on free space and allocate a couple of square meters for a pantry. You can separate the room using a false plasterboard wall with a doorway. In this case, you can rationally use even such a small space. Here you can easily store household items and various accessories.
- Part of a living room, if the area of the room allows: it can be separated using a design similar to a wardrobe. The space inside can be used to store household appliances and personal items.
- Free niche in the kitchen: a great option for placing a pantry. In such a room you can store bulky kitchen appliances, rags, buckets, dishes, preservation, ironing boards, etc. Further. For sponges and cleaning products, you can make special holders on the door.
- Shelves above the doorway: this technique is usually used in a panel house in the absence of free space. The doors of such a small pantry can be made of the same material as the kitchen set. Additional storage space for blanks and utensils in this case will not be evident. It is not always convenient to use the space under the ceiling, but if there are no other options, then this method is quite acceptable. Even a small shelf can free the kitchen from unnecessary items.
- Balcony: if you do not plan to use the loggia space as a study or recreation area, then the free space on it can be used to organize a pantry. It is enough to put a small wardrobe here, or install shelves and close them with doors.
Design
This aspect should be given special importance. How to arrange a pantry in an apartment? Here we are talking more about the functional, and not about the aesthetic component. The purpose of the pantry also plays an important role. Before proceeding with the design, you need to decide what you will post here. You can use the free space as a place to store household appliances, a dressing room or a small grocery warehouse. Depending on the task, it will already be possible to decide on the necessary finishing.
When designing a pantry, it is important to adhere to the principle of practicality. It is better to choose simple and durable materials, withwork with which it will be easier to keep clean and tidy.
Let's consider the most popular finishes:
- Painted plaster: a simple and effective way. It will look good if the walls of the neighboring room are also covered with decorative plaster.
- Wallpaper: the easiest and most economical option. It is better to give preference to washable materials. Then, in case of contamination, it will be enough for you to wipe them with a damp cloth.
- Plastic panels: a practical and convenient option. This material is easy to clean.
- Drywall: not bad, but not a practical option. Scuffs, chips and scratches quickly appear on the surface.
- Flooring: Usually, the same type of flooring is chosen for finishing the floor in the pantry as in the next room. The most practical options are tile, laminate and linoleum.
Usually, the pantry in an apartment in a panel house has small dimensions, so it is better to use light-colored materials for decoration. This will visually expand the space. If you plan to use the pantry as a laundry room, then it is better to choose moisture-resistant materials. The stylistic design of the door should match the entire interior of the apartment. From the inside, additional shelves and hooks can be placed on it. In terms of practicality, it is better to use folding or sliding structures.
Lighting
When planning a pantry renovation in an apartment, think over all the nuances associated with lighting in advance. Then redo the lamps orswapping lamps will be quite difficult. And it is extremely unpleasant to search for the desired object in the twilight. If there is no possibility to conduct wiring in the pantry, you can use spotlights or battery-powered LED strip for lighting. And the built-in lighting on the shelves and ceiling will make the room more comfortable and cozy.
Ventilation
Many are interested in what kind of pantry should be in an apartment in Khrushchev so that fresh vegetables can be stored in it. Here, first of all, you should take care of ventilation. Even if there are only clothes and shoes in the room, it still needs ventilation. A well-thought-out ventilation system will get rid of high humidity and unpleasant odors in the room. To prevent pests and insects from getting inside, the ventilation openings will definitely need to be covered with a mosquito net.
Space saving
How to properly organize storage space if you have a small closet in the apartment? Photos of ready-made options will help you solve this problem. High shelving can double the usable area. It is best to use inline constructs. They do not take up much space and make the interior more comfortable and spacious.
How to make a pantry in the apartment with your own hands? You can easily install the shelves yourself, there is nothing complicated about it. To do this, you will need the shelves and corners themselves. Corner and U-shaped structures will help to place several times more things. To make the pantry roomy andfunctional, you can try to make a system based on a rotating corner block.
Custom applications
Why do you need a pantry in the apartment? In addition to the most common options, there are quite unusual solutions. Non-standard original ideas will help you make the most of even such a small space.
If you work from home and need a work corner, you can convert the pantry for this purpose. It is easy to place a table and a chair behind the door, and there are convenient shelves on the walls. On the door itself, you can place several hinged structures. However, this way of arranging a pantry is only suitable for very tidy people who can afford to give up additional storage space.
If a do-it-yourself pantry in the apartment was made near the bathroom, it can be used as a laundry room. The main thing is to allocate space here for a washing machine, shelves with household chemicals, a small dryer and baskets with clothes. This placement option will significantly save space in the bathroom or in the kitchen. To make the room more functional, a folding ironing board can be placed on the closet door.
How else can the pantry in the apartment be used? We have considered not all options for non-standard use of this room. In a small utility room, if desired, you can arrange a library or workshop. It all depends on your preference.
What kind of do-it-yourself pantry can you make in an apartment? Photos of ready-made solutions will allow you to choose an interesting andfunctional option. You just need to decide for what purposes you are going to use the room, and what things you will store in it. If the pantry is intended for a study or workshop, then it would be rational to place a countertop in the far corner. Small shelves and drawers can be installed on the sides on the walls. The design of the pantry in this case should match the style of the interior of the next room.
If you are going to use the pantry exclusively for storing food, then you will need a large number of convenient containers. It is better to give preference to transparent products. At the same time, the lids must be tightly closed so that insect pests cannot get to the food. Ventilated boxes are best suited for storing fruits and vegetables. They prevent the accumulation of moisture, which can lead to rotting products. At the bottom of the box, you can lay plywood or cardboard. It is better not to store household chemicals next to products.
To organize the pantry space in an apartment in a panel house, you can use designs with drawers. So it will be more convenient for you to search for the products you need.
You can organize the storage system in the kitchen using special swivel structures and shelves on the doors. For storage of small things, drawers can be provided. It is convenient and practical. To facilitate access to the upper shelves, install a mobile ladder. With it, you can easily get any things. To store a mop or a broom, it is convenient to use special fasteners on the door. The pantry will look unusual and spectacularsemicircular shape.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in detail what pantries in an apartment can be. Photos of ready-made solutions and recommendations for organizing space are also available in the article. With the right approach, you can make the most of even a very small room. Do not be afraid to experiment with the design of your apartment! Create all the conditions for a comfortable stay!
