Photo: smolenkaspb.ru A kitchen in a Khrushchev building is by no means a death sentence. Even such a difficult task can be overcome if you approach the solution with intelligence and imagination. Modern trends are increasingly based on minimalism, conciseness, simplicity and extreme functionality. And with this approach, even the smallest kitchen will become comfortable and sparkle with new colors!
Styles for the kitchen in Khrushchev
With interior styles for Khrushchev, everything is simple: avoid complex classic interiors with an abundance of decor and massive details, as well as overly pretentious and decorative styles, such as Art Nouveau.
But all the fashionable modern trends could not be more appropriate: minimalism, hi-tech, pop art. Pay attention to Eastern and Scandinavian trends; in these regions, the use of every millimeter is highly valued.
It’s more difficult with “intermediate” styles. Loft, country and even Provence can be fit into a small kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building, but this must be done very carefully, avoiding an excess of decorative and too rough, massive solutions.
Style directions
The smaller the size of the kitchen in a five-story building , the simpler the style should be. The most suitable option would be minimalism. It is characterized by a minimum of decor and color, clear lines and shapes.
The classic style is considered very controversial for small spaces. It can only be realized using a light color palette, for example, it could be light natural wood. Excessive decor and designs should be abandoned.
Another option is high-tech. This direction will make the kitchen design in a five-story panel building stylish and modern. The materials you should choose are metal and glass; the furniture should have smooth and clear lines.
The Provence direction involves an abundance of decor, decorations, and patterns on the walls. Because of this, the room will visually seem even smaller, so it is better to abandon such an idea.
Photo design of a kitchen in a five-story building in different styles is presented above.
Choosing kitchen furniture
For a kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building, there are several options for sets; the main thing is to correctly and clearly calculate all the dimensions so that there are no useless or non-functional indents and crevices. Remember to be rational!
Linear kitchen set
The linear, single-row layout fits into any kitchen area. If several people live in an apartment, pay attention to it. The set is installed strictly along one wall. It will not be possible to fit a large amount of equipment here, and it is better to choose the most built-in solutions.
The work surface will be slightly smaller, but there will be more space in the kitchen itself. This is necessary so that family members can properly stretch each other in the room. The dining area is opposite the suite. But if space is too small, you can move it into the living room.
Corner set
The L-shaped kitchen layout is suitable for Khrushchev houses in which one person or a couple lives. Here you can take advantage of the corner of the room. Typically this is a line along and adjacent to the wall with the window. You can conveniently place a sink in the corner. And underneath there is a spacious closet.
This layout also makes it easier to fit in the necessary equipment. There will be space left for working dishes and a microwave. Corner sets are optimal for square kitchens. In rectangular ones, they leave too little space and are inconvenient to use.
U-shaped set
Such kitchen sets are too massive, so they are rarely used in Khrushchev-era buildings. But if you don't need a separate dining area or prefer a bar counter format with a stool, consider this option.
Dining area for the kitchen in Khrushchev
If you need a separate table with chairs, take the time to search for suitable models. An interesting option is folding tables or tables that hang on the wall. When the tabletop is not needed, it can simply be raised or lowered.
Avoid large furniture. In particular, massive wooden ones, typical of classic interiors, require more space.
Choose chairs in the same way: as light and compact as possible. Thin light wood, bamboo, durable plastic, and steel structures look good. An interesting option is chairs that can be folded one into one.
Use built-in technology
The geyser hides perfectly in hanging cabinets, so it doesn’t take up space and doesn’t stand out from the interior. But keep in mind that for integration you will need a cabinet with ventilation holes, wall insulation and holes for a corrugated pipe.
Instead of a stove, use built-in table tops. If you don’t use it too often, feel free to take the two-burner model. There are also transformers and folding surfaces now.
An interesting solution is low or horizontal refrigerators and freezers; they are built into cabinets under the work surface. Considering that the refrigerator is the most massive kitchen appliance, this can be very relevant.
A practical addition is a microwave or miniature oven; they can also be built into cabinets. If you need to place a washing machine in the kitchen in Khrushchev, install it under the sink. Now there are even ready-made solutions for such joint installation.
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Refrigerator at the door/entrance
At first glance, such placement seems unusual and even inconvenient. But if you look at it, it’s just the opposite: immediately after returning home, you can easily unload all the packages and bags - and you don’t have to go through the entire kitchen to do it.
In addition, an additional zone is formed, which can be beneficial when modeling the interior.
If the layout allows, then you can even move it outside the kitchen. For example, place it in an adjacent corridor. But that's a completely different story.
How to visually increase space?
The area of a kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building very often does not exceed 6 square meters. Therefore, it is important to rationally use every free centimeter. To do this, designers around the world use common tricks.
Color
The simplest option is light colors throughout. They will make the kitchen visually larger, fresher, and create a feeling of lightness and airiness. But this is not the only secret of success!
You can make a room taller and wider with light, plain walls and a bright accent floor; the same effect can be achieved by a light covering with a small contrasting pattern. The floor to match the back wall draws out the room and adds air. A ceiling that matches the back wall will help balance the proportions for elongated rectangular rooms. A bright accent far wall works on the same principle: it visually reduces the depth and increases the width of the kitchen.
A powerful tool is stripes. Vertical ones raise the ceiling, horizontal ones move the walls apart. But don’t get carried away, this is a complex solution for small rooms with such extensive functionality as the kitchen.
A good option for a base is white, beige, cream, peach, pistachio or cornflower blue shades. You can combine them with red, blue, orange, green, yellow, blue, purple, sand, wood and chocolate.
Lighting
Organized lighting greatly transforms a space. To visually expand a rectangular elongated kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building, use an even row of spotlights. But not in the center of the ceiling, but along the wall. Otherwise, you can get the opposite effect.
Wall lamps with beams directed upward help to visually raise the ceiling. Refuse massive chandeliers and any other solutions that weigh down and overload the space. Scattered and reflected light gives volume best.
Texture and materials
The best friends of small rooms are gloss, glass and mirrors. Moreover, all this is great for the kitchen. Pay attention to glossy headsets and reflective surfaces of equipment. Chrome details enhance the effect and also fit perfectly into fashionable high-tech.
Another plus is functionality. Smooth mirror surfaces are easier to clean from stains and grease compared to textured ones. Although they will have to be carefully polished with soft cloths so that there are no streaks left. Transparent details work well to increase space. And also a combination of smooth wall coverings with matte ceilings.
Which color scheme is best for small spaces?
We think you already understand that the best option is a light color scheme. But, of course, you want something bright, interesting... What can we offer you?
The most important thing here is the color of the walls. They are the ones who “make” the visual volume. That is, if you paint the walls white, you definitely won’t go wrong.
At the same time, be very careful when choosing an apron for the work surface. You shouldn’t choose something very colorful and bright, because the walls are white. Due to the fact that the area is small, this small segment, visually, will occupy a significant part of the room.
Then, the color of the floor is very important. If you make it dark, then even if there are light walls it will “narrow” the room. Therefore, try to make the floor in light colors.
If you want a bright accent, remember the designers’ rule: it should be only 10% of everything else. That is, some bright chandelier will be enough for you, and you can duplicate its tone in the colors of the curtains or some painting. Read more about this in the rules for combining colors in the kitchen interior.
Additional Tricks
When planning the interior design of a kitchen in Khrushchev, pay attention to multifunctional solutions and transformers. A folding table will be a practical and functional purchase. Doors that slide into the wall rather than swing open are a godsend for all small apartments.
The wide window sill can be adapted to fit the work surface. Avoid dining nooks with massive sofas and armchairs.
Do not use heavy textiles, they take up space, gather dust, and make the room darker and stuffier. Instead of curtains and tulle, pay attention to compact roller blinds, Roman blinds, blinds and variations on this theme.
A stylish mosaic of small tiles above the work area looks interesting and visually expands the space. Due to the small area, even such an artistic solution will be inexpensive. If there is a niche left from the radiator under the window, you can build a cabinet into it to store kitchen utensils.
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What are the most popular repair options?
Few of the owners of Khrushchev-era apartments leave the layout in its original form. A lot of ways to modernize such a room have already been tested, therefore, in this article we will not open America to you.
Just let us remind you of the most successful solutions and provide clear examples.
In short, the best option in this case is a small redevelopment, with the walls moving. Otherwise, however, there is practically nowhere to turn around and there can be no talk of any originality.
Therefore, we will describe to you the best kitchen redevelopments in Khrushchev, and also tell you about the furniture modules that are best suited in this case.
But first, we will describe to you general recommendations that apply to absolutely any interpretations and cases.
Finishes and materials
For a small kitchen in Khrushchev, choose practical and functional materials. Keep in mind that they should at least be easy to wash. Do not overuse textured coatings, volumetric details and complex designs.
Floor
A convenient and practical floor covering for a kitchen in Khrushchev is tile or laminate. These are the same glossy materials for visually increasing volume.
Just choose the right class and brand of laminate. The kitchen is constantly dirty, high temperatures, greasy stains, and the risk of heavy utensils falling. The coating must be wear-resistant.
Ceiling
Tension structures are suitable for ceilings. They “eat up” much less height than plasterboard boxes and hide unevenness. And glossy and semi-gloss films create a reflective effect.
Stretch ceilings are unpretentious and easy to care for. They do not absorb odors and can be washed with a regular sponge or mop.
Walls
If the walls in the kitchen in Khrushchev are smooth, the easiest way is to paint them with regular water-based paint. The panels and tiles, although not too thick, still take up space. But high-quality kitchen wallpaper is more expensive and more difficult to glue.
The paint can be easily washed and renewed, and if desired, it is very easy to repaint the surface in any other color. The main thing is to perfectly level the base.
DIY small kitchen renovation. Step-by-step instruction
A small kitchen, if necessary, is even better to work on yourself, especially if the residents of the Khrushchev-era apartment building have never done renovations on their own before. Here they have enough space for training, and they can also order a repair team at any time at minimal cost and entrust the job to specialists.
If you still decide to act independently, you need to familiarize yourself with the preparatory work that is directly involved in the formation of step-by-step instructions:
- Completely define the design project before work begins. You need to decide not only on the finishing materials, but also on the furniture that will be used here. In some cases, it will directly influence the choice of cladding.
- Attention: when finishing a kitchen, it is extremely important to choose those finishing materials that can withstand aggressive loads for a long time. Otherwise, the repair will need to be redone after a year or even earlier.
- Remove all furniture from the kitchen. Nothing should interfere with work.
- Remove trim. It all depends on the planned repair complex. If a major renovation is planned, then it is necessary to clean everything from the walls, ceiling and floor, right down to the base.
- Prepare tools for work. You will need scaffolding or a stepladder, a hammer, a screwdriver, a drill, a screwdriver, brushes, rollers, and containers for mixing solutions. Depending on the specific material that will be selected for work, the list of tools can be changed or supplemented. But the ones listed are usually always used.
It is also important to remember the basic rule of renovation: they start working from the ceiling, then go down to the walls, and then move on to the floor. The sequence of the presented works cannot be changed, since otherwise everything will have to be redone, or you will have to try to hide defects, for example, when adhesive or paint drips onto the repaired floor while finishing the ceiling.
Kitchen remodeling in Khrushchev
If the layout of the apartment and possibilities allow, combine a small kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building with a living room or balcony. This will not work if the structure is load-bearing, but in most cases this is not the case.
Combining the kitchen with the living room
When you combine a kitchen with a living room, you get a full-fledged multifunctional studio in Khrushchev, which you can plan taking into account your preferences and lifestyle. The main thing is to take care of a good exhaust hood so that cooking odors do not stagnate in the room.
Combining a kitchen with a balcony
In this case, you will get additional valuable space. There are three main options: move the dining area onto the balcony; partially demolish the wall and use a low partition as a table, bar counter or work surface; completely remove the wall and get one continuous room.
This combination has one more advantage: you will forever forget about the useless collection of rubbish that accumulates on many people’s balconies. And naturally there will be more light in the room.
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Peculiarities
Kitchens built at that time have a couple of very significant disadvantages, and these are:
- Very modest area (only 5-6 squares)
- Low ceiling (2.2 meters)
- The presence of a gas water heater (we will describe why this is a minus below)
But, in contrast to these disadvantages, there are also significant advantages in comparison with block houses and these are:
- There are no load-bearing walls in Khrushchev buildings (that is, you can destroy and break everything)
- It is very easy to expand the area with adjoining rooms, and this applies not only to the living room
When you see the photos presented in the corresponding blocks, you will understand that Khrushchev is not a death sentence! True, with the right approach, it is quite possible to create a very stylish room design, and the kitchen will look miniature, but not cheap.
Kitchen design in Khrushchev - photo
In fact, there are more solutions for the design of small kitchens in Khrushchev than it might seem. Especially with the modern variety of materials, technology and multifunctional equipment. We have prepared a selection of photos so that you can see this with your own eyes!
Storage systems
It is worth choosing tall cabinets up to the ceiling. They can accommodate more things, thereby saving space. In addition, tall cabinets will visually raise the ceilings. On the shelves that are located above everything else, you should place accessories, dishes and other kitchen items that are not often used. And at eye level and below there should be things of daily use.
