Layout options for a small kitchen

Great luck to have a huge kitchen. It can accommodate both a place for a dining area and a large multifunctional kitchen set. It is much more difficult to arrange furniture in a small room.

In the secondary housing real estate market, we can find "Khrushchevs" with small kitchenettes from 5 to 8 square meters. "Stalinkas" have from 6 to 9 squares. And also "small families" with very small kitchens of 4-5 square meters. New buildings allow you to get an apartment with a spacious layout. But even here there are options such as a studio apartment, where the kitchen area is generally connected to a common living room.

It is important to functionally furnish the kitchen space in conditions of a lack of square meters. And the first stage is planning. Before undertaking repair work and the purchase of furniture, you need to draw up a general plan of the premises. It is worth pre-placing or (if necessary) changing the main communications. For example, water supply, wiring for electricity, perhaps additional sockets are needed, it is necessary to determine the outlet for ventilation. It is important to correctly assess the quality of the rough finish. Uneven walls, sloping floors can hinder the further transformation of the entire kitchen.

Ergonomics is a key aspect in the layout of a small kitchen. In other words, this criterion shows how convenient it will be to cook here. The gold standard of the kitchen is the "triangle rule".The idea is how to correctly put the main attributes of the kitchen: refrigerator, stove, sink, in order to make a minimum of body movements during the cooking process. Ideally, they are located at the “tops” of this planning triangle. With this arrangement, the efficiency in the kitchen tends to the maximum. And the opposite situation - in the case of the arrangement of the main elements of the headset in a straight line.

In this regard, the main planning options can be identified.

The most convenient way to place a kitchen unit. 100% compliant with the triangle rule. Takes up space along two adjacent walls. The shape can be symmetrical or L-shaped. The advantages of a corner kitchen are that it allows you to ergonomically arrange the work area, suitable for most layouts, except for elongated and walk-through kitchens.

Placing the kitchen in one line along the wall. Suitable for narrow, elongated kitchens where there is no place for a corner set. The dining group occupies an area at the opposite wall or at the end of the headset, depending on the peculiarities of the placement of doorways. A linear kitchen is not the most ergonomic option. But in the absence of an alternative, sometimes the only possible one.

The most functional arrangement of the kitchen allows you to observe the triangle rule. But for an ergonomic U-shaped placement, some conditions are required:

• the presence of three free walls;
• to maintain functionality, the length of the central part should be at least 2.5 meters, and the side blocks should be at least 1.6 meters apart from each other.

A decent setting for a small kitchen should take into account the availability of storage space, the ergonomics of the work area, and adequate lighting. Factory ready-made kitchen sets are not suitable for a kitchen with such a special layout. After all, even a small discrepancy in size can become an obstacle to installing a kitchen. An individual order for the manufacture of a personal kitchen is the best and most affordable option.

When planning a kitchen set, give up hinged doors. Drawers are more functional to use. For overhead cabinets, use a lifting mechanism. The dimensions of the boxes "in the old fashioned way" do not look as impressive as the wide ones of 600-900 mm. Let there be one or two of them - this will give the kitchen an original look.

This is especially true for corner headsets. To make the corner functional, a retractable grid or a rotating carousel is placed in it. This is a very convenient way to store utensils.

In the area of ​​the kitchen apron, use roof rails - hinged storage systems for kitchen utensils. The set includes a variety of hooks, glasses, shelves for storing cooks, spices and other utensils. This will significantly save space in your closets.

Arranging home appliances in a small kitchen can be difficult. A hob, an oven, a refrigerator, a microwave oven - it turns out that there is no place for the kitchen unit itself. Built-in home appliances will solve the problem of lack of space. It is better to place it in the kitchen in the form of a pencil case. A common arrangement is a built-in oven and microwave, or a dishwasher and oven. This will allow you to carve out additional space for spacious boxes.

Buying a dishwasher will make your life much easier. If available, there is no need for a large sink. Thus, the area of ​​the workplace will increase. The size range of dishwashers is huge, from full-size 60 cm units to tabletop mini-sinks for 2-3 sets of dishes.

It is recommended to install household appliances from the same manufacturer, since the design of different companies can vary significantly.

The ergonomics of the kitchen lies in the careful planning of the storage, washing and cooking areas.

There are a number of ideas on how to save space in your dining area. Extend the countertop along the window, creating a great spot for tea drinking. You may not need a dining area. This will increase the working surface of the kitchen.

You can organize a compact dining area using a bar counter and folding chairs.

Organization of order in the kitchen will be greatly simplified by using compact boxes and containers for storing food and kitchen utensils.

Drawers can be equipped with special dividers for easy sorting of content.

When choosing a table for the dining area, take a closer look at the transforming table. Modern mechanisms are easy to use. Designed for 4 people, the table turns into a full-fledged dining group for 6-8 guests, depending on the configuration. But it is important not to forget that such tables are not designed for heavy loads.

The corner sofa, in addition to the seats, provides additional storage space. Large drawers are usually hidden under the seats. You can plan a kitchen set taking into account visual expansion with the help of design tricks.

The option of tall cabinets under the ceiling will visually raise it and at the same time add free space in the headset.

An additional storage system can serve as a roll-back cabinet under the dining table. Sufficient distance for ease of use of the table - 30 centimeters from the edge of the table top to the front of the cabinet. To increase the working surface, you can use a table top for a hob or sink.

Avoid rough, heavy furniture - it eats up extra space and is clumsy to use. A glass table and thin metal chairs look much better in a small kitchen.

When choosing shades for kitchen design, it is better to give preference to light colors and glossy or mirror coatings. It is preferable to make a kitchen apron from light materials with a small pattern or without it. It is better to choose smooth facades for the kitchen with integrated handles. Austere design with straight lines is preferable. Styles such as minimalism, high-tech, loft, Scandinavian can be used in the interior of a small kitchen.

A small kitchen needs ample lighting fixtures. Light should be everywhere. Lighting can be basic, spot over the working area, over the dining room, lighting inside the cabinets. Different light sources will make the kitchen look bigger.

Planning a small kitchen is not an easy process, it requires carefully balanced decisions in the arrangement of furniture and the use of design ideas. Whenever possible, you should try to avoid common mistakes.

The use of dark shades in the design of the kitchen will make less visually free space. Don't get carried away by gloomy furnishings.

Many do not think how much space a doorway takes. The presence of a door at the entrance limits design and functionality. Perhaps it is worth replacing the classic swing door with an arch or a sliding opening mechanism.

Sometimes a small kitchen can only accommodate a kitchen set. You should not be fancy trying to leave the dining area in it. It is better to place it in another room, and cook comfortably in a more spacious kitchen.

Refrain from covering window openings with blackout curtains. It is better to abandon them in favor of translucent curtains or blinds. This will lighten the look of the kitchen.

The use of large patterns, massive decorations and an abundance of decorative elements in interior design is not for a small kitchen. A simple laconic interior is much more appropriate here. The choice of filling for the kitchen's functionality is much more important than the aesthetic component in planning a small-sized room.