In standard small-sized apartments, kitchens are small, and sometimes quite tiny. And choosing the elements of the situation for such a room, you will have to try hard - you can’t put the first furniture and appliances you like in a small room. How to choose the right kitchen set for a small kitchen, we will consider in this article.
Choosing a kitchen set
The most important detail of every kitchen is a comfortable and functional kitchen set.
There are three main options for the shape of the kitchen set:
- L-shaped - this is a corner set;
- U-shaped - a set with two corners, having the shape of the letter "P";
- linear, which is located along one wall.
Most often, L-shaped sets are installed in small-sized kitchens, since this form allows you to make the most of the “triangle principle”, which will be discussed below.
Such a headset is considered the most convenient and functional, as it has a sufficient working surface.
But single-row headsets also look good and often become the most advantageous option - a lot depends on the location of the window, the number of household appliances, and the organization of the dining area.
Cons - the minimum number of cabinets and a small work surface, but such furniture does not take up much space, and all work items are at hand.
materials
The facades of kitchen sets are made mainly from the following materials: MDF (wood fiber board), chipboard (chipboard) and laminated chipboard, as well as natural wood.
Sometimes they are complemented by glass or metal. Facades made of chipboard, MDF are covered with enamel, PVC film, veneer, decorative plastic.
Facades covered with enamel, are good because here you can choose absolutely any color for the kitchen set. Such a facade can be both glossy and matte, easy to clean, does not absorb odors.
Flaws: high cost, tendency to fade under the influence of the sun, fear of mechanical damage, while such facades require frequent cleaning - when touched by hands, fingerprints remain on them.
PVC film- the cheapest material to cover the facade of the headset. It can imitate absolutely any coating: wood, enamel, lacquer, stone, metal and others.
Material advantages: large color range, durability, strength, low cost. Cons: the film can peel off the panel, is afraid of high temperatures and is unstable to fading under the influence of sunlight.
Decorative plastic glued on top of the base. Compared to PVC film and enamel, it is more durable, is not afraid of shock and sunlight, is waterproof, and is not afraid of high temperatures.
There are few disadvantages of such material: glossy plastic often leaves fingerprints, and matte plastic is difficult to clean. Sometimes the plastic coating can be distorted.
Wood- a good option for the manufacture of kitchen sets, including countertops, but not cheap. Depending on the type of tree, the headset will have only its characteristic color, pattern. Most often, kitchen furniture is made of pine, spruce, larch, birch, oak.
The biggest drawback- high cost (1 linear meter will cost about 2-3 thousand rubles). And you can’t create a bright kitchen from wood - it’s a pity to spoil the natural material. Pros - environmental friendliness and aesthetics.
Advice! If you don’t have much money, but you want a high-quality inexpensive kitchen set, then choose decorative plastic, this is the best option.
For countertops, it is very important to choose durable and high-quality material, as this is the most important surface in the kitchen, where the creative process takes place.
The material must be resistant to moisture, temperature, be very durable. For the manufacture of countertops, chipboard, porcelain stoneware, metal, natural and artificial stone are used.
The simplest option is chipboard. The price depends on the thickness of the canvas, and the strength depends on the thickness of the coating. The material is moisture resistant, withstands high temperatures, but is easily scratched. 1 sq.m. such material with a thickness of 16 mm will cost about 200-250 rubles.
Porcelain stoneware it is not afraid of hot dishes, moisture, or exposure to sharp objects, but it looks very aesthetically pleasing. Countertops made of this material are made from tiles bonded with sealant, or from a single piece of porcelain stoneware.
minus material– high cost and complexity of processing. The average price is about 10 thousand rubles per linear meter.
Countertops made of natural stone slightly differ in characteristics from porcelain stoneware worktops, but are more expensive: a finished worktop measuring 1400 × 600 × 30 mm will cost about 30 thousand rubles.
Countertops are made of metal- of stainless steel. Suitable for suites and kitchens in modern and high-tech style.
It is a durable, heat-resistant material, relatively resistant to moisture. Minuses- requires careful polishing and is not suitable for kitchens in the "classic" style. The price is about 1500 rubles per linear meter.
It is very difficult to say unequivocally which material for kitchen sets is better: everyone must choose the material on their own in accordance with their desires and capabilities.
accessories
European-made fittings are considered to be a universally recognized standard of quality. The mechanisms produced by Blum, Hettich, Boyard, Edson have proven themselves well. The cost varies depending on the quality of materials and the complexity of manufacturing.
Such accessories will require additional financial investments, but the level of convenience and functionality of the kitchen will increase significantly.
Kitchen appliances
While arranging the kitchen, it is useful to use the principle of the “working triangle”, the tops of which are the sink, refrigerator and stove.
The maximum convenience in the kitchen creates the location of these points in the form of a triangle. They should not be adjacent to each other and at the same time it is important that they are close enough to each other.
Most objects can be successfully "hidden" in the kitchen itself: narrow built-in ovens, dishwashers. Instead of a stove, you can purchase a hob, and organize a box for storing kitchen utensils under it.
The microwave oven can be installed on special brackets mounted on the wall.
The refrigerator should be narrow but tall enough to hold all the food. Small built-in refrigerators are also on sale.
If the refrigerator is large, and a dining area is planned in the kitchen, then it is advisable to remove it into the corridor or the part of the apartment adjacent to the kitchen.
It is important to take the hood in a small size, and on top of it you can place a cabinet or microwave brackets.
Small appliances should be located based on the frequency of use: what is used more often should be at hand - on the lower shelves or on the countertop or in special drawers.
It is also possible to build a small flat-screen TV in the door of the kitchen set. The main thing is to choose a convenient place so that the handle of the next door does not injure the screen.
We increase functionality
The railing located along the apron is a good option for storing kitchen utensils. Its minus lies in one thing: all kitchen equipment remains in sight.
Stop your choice on high wall cabinets up to the ceiling: they will occupy the remaining centimeters from above, while giving an extra couple of shelves.
Refuse the swing doors of the headset: it is better to use blinds or doors that open up, as well as folding doors into an accordion.
It is also convenient to have a bottle holder - a small narrow cabinet that will take up the remaining centimeters somewhere in the corner, but will accommodate several containers with liquids.
Advice! Scales, clocks, timers and more can be built into a small set, which will increase the cost of the set, but give the kitchen additional functionality.
Choose a color
When creating the interior of a small kitchen, one should be guided by a simple principle: light shades increase the space, and dark ones hide it.
The kitchen should have as many light shades as possible, combined with bright or dark accents. The best colors for a small kitchen set are: white, beige, vanilla, light wood, light blue.
The color scheme should not be colorful: stop at 2-3 colors and combine them.
A combination of white, beige and black with a predominance of light shades looks good. You can also use bright colors combined with a neutral hue.
If the kitchen has a light wall covering, then the set can be bright red with a gray countertop, rich blue accompanied by light shades, grass green and other colors.
Also, the color of the headset must be chosen taking into account the color of the walls, floor and ceiling. For example, the color of the wallpaper should be the same tone as the headset. And the countertop can be made in the color of the kitchen flooring.
In a narrow small kitchen, it is undesirable to use a set with a pattern in the form of horizontal stripes - it will visually stretch the kitchen. But vertical stripes make the room more harmonious.
Advice! Do not use only white in the kitchen, otherwise such a room will become uncomfortable. Add a few highlights, even if it's a painting on one of the walls, to bring a small kitchen to life.
And finally, some useful tips:
- In small rooms, avoid installing unusually shaped furniture, bulky structures - they will make the kitchen bulky. And you can round the corners of the headset a little - this will add some free space.
- If you have chosen a corner set, then place the sink in the corner so as not to clutter up the work surface.
- To increase the working surface, a roll-out countertop is suitable.
- Use organizers for boxes - they will create order.
- Use a window sill, if it is wide, for cutting food.
- Sometimes in a small kitchen it is advisable to make a small bar counter - it will be used as an additional work surface or as a dining table, and in its corner you can place a spinning rack with shelves or baskets.
- When choosing a facade and a worktop for a headset, stop at glossy surfaces - they reflect light, which will make the room visually more spacious.
- The facades of the headset in a small kitchen should not be deaf and closed - they are supplemented with glass inserts, but made of frosted glass so that kitchen utensils are not visible.
You can make any kitchen functional and cozy, even a small one. A well-chosen kitchen set also plays a significant role in creating the interior.
Perhaps, there is not a single hostess in the world who does not dream of seeing her kitchen not only functionally comfortable, but also as attractive and cute as herself. The kitchen is the pride and place of the reign of every woman, but what if the entire kitchen realm fits into a “handkerchief” up to 8 sq.m.? Exactly! Plan the correct and convenient arrangement of furniture and think in advance which color of the kitchen to choose for a small kitchen.
Color will help expand the kitchen without redevelopment
If redevelopment of the walls in a small kitchen is not included in the main task of the overhaul (combining with the living room, using the balcony area, etc.), then it is worth considering design options with a play on the colors of the walls and furniture, resorting to a little visual trick, in which you can get visual enlargement of the kitchen kingdom.
Every woman knows that light colors visually expand the space (figure), blurring the boundaries, while dark colors, on the contrary, make even large objects less noticeable. But a black square in the middle of a white field tenaciously attracts the eye (remember from Malevich!) And does not give rest to the eye, therefore, from dark colors in the design for a small space limited by kitchen walls, it is more logical to use “darkened” ones - pastels.
As a bonus, at the final stage of our design project, we can quite afford to add a couple of bright, saturated smears to the interior to contrastly emphasize the light purity of the updated kitchen.
White-white-white color ...
The ideal color for purity is white. But the kitchen, where the walls and interior items are pure white, resembles a surgical ward rather than a cozy kitchenette, and this design looks frankly boring. In addition, keeping such a kitchen in perfect order is quite difficult for the hostess.
If this color of the walls and the headset is fundamentally important, then try to "dilute" it with variations of pearl, cream, silver, ivory or beige. These colors can be chosen not only as a wall covering, but also for the facade panels of the kitchen set, dishes and curtains, furniture colors.
Spring in the kitchen on a white base
If you decide on a color combination of white and another color, then here you can dream up: white is the perfect neighbor for anyone! Bright, saturated, local colors are a great choice, but we have already agreed to focus on bed colors.
The first in line will, of course, be pearl gray - combined with white - the color of true nobility and discreet design of walls and furniture. True, this design will not give the kitchen the desired freshness, it is better to turn to spring blues, yellows and greens. The freshest, most juicy shade of spring green color will, of course, be light green.
Advice! The design, made in white in a combination of light green in the kitchen interior, will enliven, refresh and expand a small room, give it a “spring fragrance”.
White and light green. What more?
The right of the dominant can be assigned to any of these selected colors, using them as the main wall covering or the main color for furniture will not spoil the impression, given that all shades of green give rest to the eyes and reduce psychological stress, while white adjusts to a peaceful mood and stimulates appetite which is important for the kitchen.
Flower placement options
It is not at all necessary to color the walls in a white-green mattress! You can bring one or another color into the interior due to the glossy surfaces of walls and facades, reflective mirror panels and air curtains, choose furniture and sets of appropriate colors in the kitchen.
Advice! Useful herbs growing on the windowsill in white flowerpots can successfully serve as a white-green decor.
Another solution: place these colors on the doors of the headset in a checkerboard pattern and “dilute” their rows with transparent facades. You can make the upper part of the hanging cabinets and shelves of the headset pure white (light green), and close the lower cabinets with light green (white) panels.
Change kitchen apron
A beautiful colored kitchen apron will also help to “revive” a small kitchen - a traditionally tiled place on the wall behind the sink and stove, under the hanging cabinets of the headset. You can repeat the white and light green colors when laying the tiles of a new apron, but it is much more interesting to repeat the color of the floor on the wall.
Another design - skinned. This is a large slab of tempered glass, on which photo printing is applied in a special way, and the pattern on the glass can be made according to your order in the colors and tones you desire.
Floors in the spring kitchen
To maintain a sense of freshness and separation of space, you should choose the color of sand or wild stone. Tile or linoleum of an unobtrusive light gray color will only set off a shade of light green. A floor painted in the same light green color of a more saturated tone than pastel will look juicy and unusual.
Advice! When choosing the color of the floor, remember: dark green, bright mint or marsh brown will “eat up” all the freshness of the resulting small kitchen space.
Lighting in a bright kitchen
To emphasize the design spring, it is worth taking care of the right lighting that can emphasize our design. Purchase a chandelier in the form of a flower bouquet or replace the old lampshades with others interspersed with juicy greens and other bright colors that stand out against the white ceiling and play with color highlights on the gloss of the furniture.
You can completely abandon the chandelier, replacing it with spotlights that will be reflected in the glass panels, giving the white-green kitchen a festive look, and creating the impression of dew drops scattered everywhere.
- Want to add color to your kitchen and make it even wider? Make a few horizontal stripes of orange, yellow or scarlet: and the kitchen literally "opened".
- Do you want to "raise" the ceilings? Stripes of olive or pistachio color, arranged vertically - at your service!
To keep the kitchen from being "cold"
If you are satisfied with the "light green on white" color of the walls and you are not a fan of avant-garde furniture, add a pair of vases with a bright pattern, designer original lamps or sconces, or a modular picture on the wall. A good design solution is a color screen when part of a wall or one wall is completely contrasted or patterned.
We select furniture
Considering that the kitchen set is already in place, we should try to install the necessary furniture in the remaining volume: a dining table, chairs, etc. In order for this furniture to fit harmoniously into the new interior, you should not only think about their correct placement, but give them the right color . What it will be - white, light green, sand - you decide, but in any case, the color should be glossy and fit into the design of the room.
Advice! A good opportunity not to give the small spring kitchen the look of a cluttered room is the transparent surfaces of the tables and chairs made of transparent plastic.
Classic white kitchens (2 videos)
The use of white in kitchen design (41 photos)
This issue of choice is especially relevant for Khrushchev, where there is nowhere to turn around. What to do with the refrigerator if it does not fit? What to do with the column, if a cupboard for dishes would “become” perfectly in its place, but now there is no place?
We will consider these and many other questions in our review. We will consider the most successful and interesting interior options for small kitchens.
What are the basic furnishings needed in every kitchen?
In a small kitchen, you can’t fit much, of course. For example, if you live in a Brezhnev-era house, then you don’t have to dream about a dishwasher, because there will be no space left for more important things.
What should it be, without which it will be very uncomfortable in the kitchen?
- kitchen worktop
- Cupboards that can hold dishes
- Stove for cooking
- Dishwasher
- Fridge
- Dinner table
Everything. Nothing more is needed. But, after all, you want to conveniently put on an electric kettle and install a dishwasher ... And sometimes a washing machine, because if the kitchen is only 6 squares in the Khrushovka, then the bathtub is only 2 meters.
How to be?
Yes, it's very simple: carefully look around and do not lose a single free centimeter from sight. Use the entire plane rationally, and choose universal furniture.
For example, why put a seating area in the kitchen without opening niches? You can put a lot in them, thereby freeing up space for installing a washing machine.
Or, why, in general, put this corner, if you can get by with a bar counter, which you will have instead of a window sill?
In general, there are a lot of options and, believe me, with the right approach, even the smallest kitchen can look very dignified and be comfortable.
Color matters a lot. But we will talk about this in more detail below.
Kitchen sets with closed cabinets
A row of closed cabinets below and a row of hanging cabinets are the most standard kitchen furniture today. In ready-made solutions, as a rule, cabinets for built-in appliances are not supposed, it comes in small blocks, like a designer.
Of course, with a strong desire, such furniture can be beaten in an original way, but more often it happens that the kitchen looks too ordinary. But, you have many places where you can put appliances, dishes, cereals.
Getting it, however, is not always convenient! It would be much better to store the same cereals right in plain sight, in large glass jars. But, if you hung the cabinets upstairs, then there is nowhere to place a shelf for such a purpose.
Kitchen sets with open shelves
In Europe, kitchens are now gaining more and more popularity, where the lower part is standard, and the top is ordinary long shelves, in a couple of rows. In fact, it is much more convenient and functional than the standard we are used to.
Open space makes the room feel freer. Also, on these shelves, the jars that we talked about above and utensils for cooking are perfectly located. But, here it is necessary to take into account such a moment: if your dishes do not shine with beauty and cleanliness, then it is better to keep them away from prying eyes and get them if necessary.
And if everything is beautiful for you, then the question of which headset to choose should not be. Of course, this option is better than the first. It takes up less space, is inexpensive, and at the same time stylish.
Homemade headsets
Rather than buying cheap kitchen sets that will crumble in three years and look dull, it is better to try to make furniture with your own hands.
Do-it-yourself kitchens do not literally need to be planed and sawn out. In building markets now there is everything and even more in order to assemble modular furniture (fittings and parts).
You only need to take a sheet of fiberboard in order to assemble the inner box of the kitchen, mark it and give it right there for trimming. There they will glue the edge for you. It remains only to collect.
Doors for cabinets also do not need to be made, they are ready-made, moreover, in almost any color and size. The prices for these modules are quite affordable, and if you assemble the kitchen yourself, the final price will be half that of the finished set.
There is no need to look for examples of such cuisines. Come and see for yourself and find the perfect combination.
Bar counter in a small kitchen
The bar counter can be placed in two places in a small kitchen: under the windowsill and instead of the wall that stands between the kitchen and the living room.
The wall can not be completely knocked out, but only part of it can be released. It will look great, the kitchen area will become more spacious, as there will be no need to put a dining table.
Behind the bar counter, which stands between, four people can fit at once. But, the problem may be elsewhere. Freeing the kitchen - you make the living room uncomfortable for the one who sleeps there.
Households will go to the kitchen at night, during the day the sound of working equipment and the smells of cooked food (not always pleasant) will be heard from there. Therefore, this option is good if the living room serves as a living room, not a bedroom.
Where to put the refrigerator if it does not fit?
If you still have a goal to install a dishwasher, it often turns out that the refrigerator just gets in the way. And in general, it interferes in tiny kitchens.
Taking it far is not an option, therefore, if we are talking about, then only one thing can be advised: put it in a closet, which is adjacent to the kitchen and serves as a pantry for conservation. In almost every Khrushchev, the arrangement is as follows, therefore, the idea is quite universal.
The only thing I would like to emphasize is that you should not leave the door on it, otherwise it will be inconvenient to get to the refrigerator. It is much better to hang some kind of curtain that will be in harmony with the textiles on the windows. And this is not a woman's option, but "Provence", so you know (this is us in case you doubt).
Where to put the gas column?
The kitchen geyser is an unsympathetic sight. But this is half the trouble. The bad thing is that it takes up too much space. And the point here is not even in size, but in the fact that there should not be any cabinets around it (for safety reasons).
So, if your kitchen is very small, and there are too many dishes and small appliances, then the gas water heater can be moved to the bathroom. True, running back and forth to set it on fire is not very comfortable, but a lot of space will be freed up. And soot will not spoil the ceiling so much.
And to be honest, there is nowhere to run in Khrushchev. Take just a couple of extra steps.
Optimal colors for small kitchens
For a small kitchen, any color of furniture is suitable. One thing is important here - the color of the "substrate", that is, the walls. They are the basis, and the color of the kitchen set will depend on what color you painted them.
In general, there is no difference what color furniture you prefer. Dark tones are also acceptable (they do not look bulky and, visually, do not take up much space), light tones are also acceptable.
Even a red set in a small kitchen will look very interesting and even bright green. But at the same time, keep in mind that this will then be the second background color according to the laws of gamut distribution, which we will write about below.
The color scheme is extremely important for a small kitchen. If you paint the walls in a bright or dark color, then it will automatically look even cramped.
In general, the ideal color for the walls is white. Absolutely everything looks good against such a neutral background: floor, paintings, decor, dishes. A white wall both expands and is the perfect backdrop for everything else.
But one white will not be full. It is necessary to pick up some second color to it, which will also be an important background reflection.
By all laws, only three colors “get along” best in a room, where one of them is the main one (60%), the second is auxiliary (30%) and the third is an accent (10%). For example, wood, which is usually used in kitchen façade cladding, is best suited to white walls as a second color.
But the third color, the most important, can be anything with these two dominant colors. Even red, even blue, even green.
It comes out very simple, but cozy and tasteful.
What styles of kitchens are unacceptable in a small square
Color is good. But there is also style. What exactly is suitable for a small kitchen - we have already said - simplicity. And now let's stop your attention on what styles will look just caricatured in a small area.
A square and small kitchen will look very bad if it comes to your mind to design it in modern style, which implies chic, spaciousness and lack of strict geometry.
Classics, neoclassics - also by. It will be a parody, not a classic interior, therefore, it is better to refrain from it.
Provence and eclecticism are also not very good, since these styles involve a large number of additional decorative elements, and since there is nowhere for you to place them, it still won’t look good.
Still, the best thing is minimalism and moderation.
Successful examples of headsets in a small kitchen
It is one thing to understand theoretically, and another thing to see visually. Here in this block we will show you what a kitchen set looks like for a small kitchen in real photos.
Please note that some of the photos show mini-equipment. That is, small refrigerators instead of ordinary ones, small cooking surfaces. All this saves space.
As you can see, kitchens in Khrushchevs can look very interesting!
A kitchen with an area of 8-9 sq.m can hardly be called quite small for our country. Of course, by the standards of the Mediterranean with their areas, this is not enough, but for us and for Europe it is quite familiar.
This photo shows the design of a kitchen set for a small kitchen, which is a little more than Khrushchev.
And here is an example, which are also very popular on this footage.
Our review has come to an end, you have seen various kitchen sets for a small kitchen, learned how to choose them and much more. We hope that our material was useful to you!
- White- Goes well with almost all colors. Best with blue, red and black; - Beige- suitable for blue, brown, gray and white; - Grey- a neutral color that can be the base. Pairs well with beige/cream, pink, red, purple, brown, blue; - Pink- brown, white, olive, gray, turquoise are suitable for this color; - Red- ideally combined with yellow, white, green, blue and black, a combination with gray is possible; - Brown- with bright blue, cream, pink, green, beige, light brown; - Orange- with blue, blue, lilac, violet, green; - Yellow- with blue, purple, blue, gray, black, lilac; - Green- suitable for golden brown, yellow, black, light beige; - blue- to red, gray, orange, pink, white, yellow; - Blue- to purple, green, yellow, orange, red; - Lilac- to yellow, green, brown, beige; - Black- universal elegant color. Looks good with all colors. Best combined with orange, pink, green, white, red, yellow.
Color plays a huge role in human life, it affects well-being, mood, performance, relationships. The kitchen is an important part of our home, we spend a lot of time there, so choosing the color of the walls for this room should be taken seriously.
Basic rules for choosing wall colors for the kitchen:
- A large drawing visually reduces the size of the room.
- Small drawing, on the contrary, makes the room seem more spacious than it really is.
- Geometric patterns on the walls of the kitchen in the form of intersecting stripes, like the ornament on Scottish kilts, create the illusion of a continuous space.
- The vertical pattern "raises" the ceilings, visually "increasing" the height of the room.
- The horizontal pattern and horizontal stripes on the walls "expand" the kitchen while reducing its height.
- Diagonal lines on the walls bring dynamics to the interior of the kitchen, creating the illusion of movement.
- Textured wallpapers look very extraordinary. By endowing the surface of the walls with new qualities, they are able to create an additional dimension in the room. Thanks to the play of shadows and partial shadows, curious color nuances and unexpected alternations of textures, you can get a lot of interesting effects.
- By when choosing the color of the kitchen, do not forget about your own tastes and preferences.
- Undoubtedly, the kitchen set must be in harmony in color with other design solutions for the room: ceiling, walls, floor. However, first of all, its color should cause you only positive emotions.Psychologists do not get tired of repeating that the coloring of the things around us directly affects the character, mood, well-being and even performance.
Small kitchen. Do you consider this your sentence to lifelong torment?
We hasten to reassure you: it is not so!
If you choose the right kitchen set for a small kitchen, plan the ergonomics of space and bring the style of the interior to perfection - your kitchen will have no equal!
And we will teach you to do it all yourself right now.
The optimal color and style of a kitchen set for a small kitchen
What shade is better to choose?
The choice of color is the most important issue in creating the interior of a small kitchen. After all, if the housing construction has not endowed you with a sufficient amount of square meters of the kitchen, design enters the battle!
There are two ways to expand the space: actually and visually.
In the first case, you will need to demolish walls, combine rooms, coordinate these works with control services and a lot of other troubles.
In the second, it is enough just to arm yourself with a jar of paint (obviously, the cost of this option is several times less).
After all, our brain is like Pushkin in love: “Oh, it’s not difficult to deceive me, I myself am glad to be deceived!” And it's really true!
Take a look at this picture: the light square seems larger to us, although it is exactly the same as the dark one.
It is the same with the kitchen: the lighter its interior will be (no matter if it is in modern style or not), the more spacious it will seem to you.
There is another secret to working with color in a small kitchen.
In addition to the fact that colors are divided into light and dark, they are conditionally divided into warm and cold. So, warm shades are more dynamic and strongly focus our attention on themselves. Therefore, it seems to us that there are "more" of them. With cold colors, everything is exactly the opposite. So, in order to visually make the space wider, experts recommend using a cold palette of colors.
But! There are exceptions to this rule. If your kitchen lacks natural light, warm colors can save the day.
What style to choose for a small kitchen?
Often the chosen colors largely determine the style of the interior, because most of them have their own well-established palette of shades: white and lavender for the Provencal style, white and beige for the Scandinavian, brick black for the loft.
But if there is not enough sq.m of the kitchen, it is important to take into account other features that are characteristic of each style.
Provencal cuisine cannot be imagined without decorative curlicues and elegant accessories, which, with a small number of meters, will occupy extra centimeters of usable space. On the contrary, the Scandinavian style of the economy class implies the presence of spacious storage systems, which is extremely important if not only the kitchen is small, but the apartment as a whole.
The loft is more practical in terms of decorating the kitchen work area, but due to the rather dark color palette, you will have to use the minimum amount of furniture in the finished kitchen.
A universal solution for a small ready-made kitchen is modern style, minimalism or American classics. In the first two styles, there is no strict reference to color (including when choosing a countertop), so you can safely use any palette of shades, and the American classic interior itself is very light and at the same time restrained (unlike the same Provence) , so it fits perfectly even in the smallest number of meters.
Features of furniture for a small kitchen
corner kitchen
A corner kitchen (including an economy class one) is considered an ideal solution for small spaces, as it allows you to create the most comfortable "working triangle" - a triad of washing, cooking and cutting zones in the kitchen.
The most important thing in choosing a corner kitchen set is the choice of a corner module. It can be straight or beveled. The tabletop is selected appropriate.
The bevelled corner module increases the area of the working area, however, it also takes up more space in the finished kitchen.
The direct corner module is more compact and is preferred for kitchens with a small area.
It is also very important to consider the method of fastening the facades in the corner module.
Corner module doors can be:
- swing
- folding
- bent
The latter are especially relevant if drawers are used in the corner module.
direct kitchen
The easiest way to organize a small economy kitchen space is to use a single-row (straight) layout.
It does not require special tricks in installation and allows you to fit everything you need on a small amount of square meters as much as possible on a budget.
Of the shortcomings - most likely you will not have enough cabinets and drawers for storing kitchen utensils.
Of the benefits - you can put in the kitchen a small dining table or kitchenette.
Kitchen with hanging cabinets
Wall cabinets are used to store dishes, food, spices, kitchen utensils - i.e. everything that is used most often and (preferably) weighs little.
For convenience, hang cabinets at eye level, but not lower than 60 cm from the work surface!
If you need a lot of storage space, make cabinets to the ceiling, but put on the highest shelves what you don’t use very often so that you don’t jump up and down every time.
Kitchen with folding (lifting) facades
In addition to standard hinged facades, there are so-called folding or lifting facades.
And it's just a must have for every small kitchen!
Take a look.
Kitchen with corner shelves
Corner shelves of the kitchen set - an additional opportunity to create coziness and comfort in your kitchen. They help to visually smooth and lighten the ends of the kitchen set. Here you can put some trinkets, jars of spices, a tea house or a pot with flowering hydrangeas.
Kitchen with roll-out and pull-out cabinets
Roll-out and drawer cabinets will definitely make your life in a small kitchen easier!
Instead of digging through the depths of regular cabinets (which are sometimes not so easy to get to, especially in the bottom line), you simply roll out the contents of the module and look for what you need. Isn't it lovely?
Facade options for a small kitchen
Facades are different:
- wooden
- metal
- glass
- combined
- plastic
In fact, the appearance of your finished kitchen is 80 percent dependent on the facades.
In many ways, the choice of facades depends on the style of interior design. Plastic is more suitable for a modern-style kitchen, wood for a Provencal or classic style kitchen, and metal for a loft. The same requirements for countertops, by the way, although stone is a fairly versatile material.
In terms of the visual feel of your kitchen, there is one general recommendation: use as little décor as possible. The fewer details, the less cluttered the space will appear.
It is also not advisable to make the top line of the kitchen darker than the bottom - the space will seem unbalanced.
Bar counter for a small kitchen
In a small economy-class kitchen, a bar counter may well replace a dining table. This will look especially relevant in a modern or loft-style kitchen.
It can be placed as an extension to a standard kitchen set (corner or straight), but now it is fashionable to turn it into a bar counter ... a window sill!
It is stylish, and beautiful, and functional, and ergonomic.
Take a look!
But retractable bar counters on a metal leg should be categorically abandoned - this is already a relic of the past.
Fittings and equipment for a small kitchen set
Storage systems
Modern kitchen sets are a carefully thought-out system of storage and organization of space. Of course, budget options are more limited in the choice of modules than premium options, which have a fairly wide range of kitchen accessories. However, there is always a choice.
So, a useful component of a kitchen set in a small kitchen will be cargo - a narrow modern-style roll-out cabinet for storing liquids: vinegar, vegetable oils, wine, etc.
For storing bulk products, a narrow cabinet-pencil case will be a useful acquisition.
Some kitchen corners have built-in drawers for storing kitchen utensils under the seat.
Small kitchen lighting
There should be a lot of light in kitchen design!
To make it comfortable for you to cook, to make it easier to clean, and in general, to make the kitchen look stylish and beautiful.
The very first source of light in your kitchen is a window and natural light. But it doesn't always work out the way we would like. Therefore, general lighting comes to the rescue. As a rule, this is a chandelier or several ceiling lamps (in the loft). Remember, if your kitchen does not have a hood, all the soot and dirt will settle on surfaces, including the chandelier.
Another important type of lighting is functional. In the kitchen, this is the lighting of the work area, often placed under the upper cabinets. Modern technologies make it possible to make kitchen aprons immediately with lighting, so that the cooking process is easy and enjoyable. Also functional lighting can be used in cabinets.
Decorative lighting is designed to make your kitchen more beautiful. It includes both various modern-style lighting and lanterns with candlesticks. More often it is selected according to the style of interior design.
Drawers
Drawers allow you to keep your essentials close at hand. For kitchen design, it is better to make several low drawers than one or two deep drawers (however, the cost in dollars may change due to the cost of components). Then you can arrange their contents in one row and find the right thing at a glance.
Small kitchen organizers
Organizers are a useful addition to kitchen drawers and cabinets, as they provide a separate storage space for each item or group of items (such as spices).
However, remember! Having an organizer is not enough to keep your kitchen organized!
To keep the kitchen in order, it is very important to put things in their places. Therefore, when choosing a place for something, be guided by where it will be more convenient for you to put the thing back (in the upper cabinet, in the lower cabinet or even in a drawer), and not where it will be more convenient to take it.
Pens
In a small kitchen, handles often cause torn clothes and bruises. Choose handles that are as streamlined as possible, and if possible, don't use them at all.
Roof rails for a small kitchen
Railing is a tube above the work surface, on which kitchen utensils are hung. Previously, hooks under the upper cabinets were used for this, but the beauty of the railing is that you can hang an unlimited number of items on it.
Placement of kitchen appliances in a small kitchen
Refrigerators
From a very small kitchen, it is better to take the refrigerator out into the corridor.
Built-in refrigerators will be invisible, but for this you will need a special kitchen set, which will take up more space than usual.
But the refrigerator can be a stylish accessory and a bright decoration for your kitchen, for example, if it is in an unusual color or made in a retro style (dollar value may vary).
Geysers
Geysers do not look very aesthetically pleasing in the design of the kitchen, so it is better to hide them behind the facade of the upper cabinet (with the obligatory preservation of the possibility of access at any time!).
Manufacturers of kitchen sets for a small kitchen
Kitchen to order
Making a kitchen to order will allow you to maximize the functionality of every centimeter of space in accordance with your individual needs and wishes.
Ready-made kitchens of modern manufacturers are mostly modular and allow you to assemble your own kitchen set yourself. Here are examples of small kitchen sets from the most famous manufacturers (the cost in dollars can be found on the official websites).
Kitchen Maria
Stolplit Kitchen
Kitchen Call
