How to arrange a small kitchen: designer tips
Recommendations from professionals for organizing a cozy kitchen space of 5 square meters:
- In order to furnish a room, it is better to choose transformable furniture such as folding tables and folding chairs. Wall-mounted, corner structures or storage systems up to the ceiling will allow you to effectively use the space.
- It is appropriate to replace ordinary hinged doors with sliding systems or design the opening in the form of an arch to expand the space.
- The beneficial use of the window sill will help; it can be converted into a countertop or sink.
- A kitchen set with a dark facade and a large number of fittings will make the room even more cramped and cluttered. Therefore, you should give preference to furniture with a light shiny and glossy surface, which will give the environment a fresh and stylish look.
- When decorating a window, you need to use light, transparent or lace ensembles, as well as shortened Roman or roller blinds. Heavy fabrics with massive and bulky lambrequins are an impractical option that hides the free meters of the kitchen.
- Drawings and patterns present on textile parts or wallpaper should not be too large or contrasting. It is much more harmonious to complement the room with soft vertical stripes or horizontal lines, which will allow you to adjust the space.
Design secrets
The design of a kitchen in Brezhnevka should be laconic, without pathos or pretentiousness. In the interior, carvings on the facades, stucco molding, and massive furniture will be inappropriate, making the space cramped and bulky.
In order to visually expand the room, make the kitchen spacious and elegant, adhere to the following rules.
- When choosing colors, give preference to pastel shades. It can also be beige, light green, sand, light brown, white. Avoid bright, colorful patterns and large prints.
- The best ways to decorate walls: washable wallpaper for painting, decorative plaster, panels. If there is one free wall, you can emphasize it with photo wallpaper.
- The height of the ceilings allows you to install a plasterboard suspended structure or a suspended ceiling. Another (more budget) option is PVC panels. As for the flooring, give preference to moisture-resistant laminate or floor tiles with small patterns or simply plain ones. It must be placed diagonally to visually enlarge the room.
- Pay attention to the kitchen lighting: the room should be bright at any time of the day. For a small-sized kitchen, wall sconces, spotlights around the perimeter of the unit and in the shelves, and built-in light bulbs in the apron area are suitable.
- In case of redevelopment in a Brezhnevka kitchen, the design should be combined with the style of the living room. Please note that the interior should not contain more than three different colors, otherwise the room will look tasteless. Combine classic style with modern, and Provence with rococo. If you wish, you can decorate the entire room in one of the styles and purchase furniture from one collection.
The best option for decorating a kitchen would be to keep the interior of the room in a single color scheme.
Everything is simple, concise and without pathos.
By decorating a kitchen in Brezhnevka (see photo on the website), you get the opportunity to show your creativity, independently arrange the room to your liking and taking into account the wishes of your household. By approaching the process with love and responsibility, you can get a result that will exceed all your expectations.
Layout 5 sq m
Before the renovation begins, a thorough analysis of the kitchen space is carried out, all redevelopment possibilities, monetary costs are taken into account and a graphic plan is drawn up, which shows all the necessary furniture and appliances.
The best way to enlarge a cramped 5 square meter kitchen is to combine it with a guest room. It is not necessary to completely dismantle the wall. An arch or sliding compartment-type partition will look great between two rooms. This creates a studio and the kitchen space turns into a cooking area, and the living room is a dining segment.
The photo shows the layout of a 5 sq. m kitchen combined with a living room.
Expanding a small kitchen of 5 sq. m is possible not only due to the functional arrangement of furniture, correct combination and zoning. If you exploit the area of a balcony, niche or recess, you will also be able to expand the boundaries of space.
In this case, when remodeling, it is much easier for the owners of a private house; the main thing is to remember about load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls.
Redevelopment and reconstruction
Even if 5 square meters of kitchen space is enough for you, consider remodeling. This is an increase in space by moving doors, eliminating mezzanines, combining the kitchen with a loggia, a nearby room or storage room. Have you long dreamed of moving a sink, gas water heater or heating radiator? Such changes are called reorganization.
These modern solutions will help:
- get a lot more space;
- make movement around the kitchen more convenient;
- organize a spacious dining room and cooking area;
- place all the necessary devices and gadgets in the kitchen.
Tip: first, find the technical passport of the apartment and transfer its drawing to the online planner. Perhaps it’s worth taking down the dimensions of the rooms again, because a slight error will later come out sideways.
What colors are best?
In the design of a 5 sq. m kitchen, it is advisable to use a light and monochrome palette rather than a contrasting and multi-colored palette.
To visually expand a 5 square meter room and solve the problem of insufficient light, white is perfect. This color can be present in the design of furniture facades, cladding, dining group, curtains and other textiles. If the interior seems too faceless, use milky shades or ivory colors, and also dilute the kitchen with glossy, stone and other textures.
A room of 5 square meters with windows facing north is recommended to be kept in warm yellowish, brown, beige or sand tones. For a room of 5 sq. m, located on the south side, cooler lilac, turquoise, olive, blue colors or metallic shades are suitable.
The photo shows the interior of a kitchen of 5 square meters in light colors with a brown wooden set.
Choice of colors
White kitchen - this color can be called the ideal choice for arranging a kitchen measuring 5 square meters. meters. This tone can make objects move away, which means the room will look more spacious and bright.
White color can be used in the decoration of walls, ceilings, and furniture. To prevent the kitchen from looking like a hospital ward, it is recommended to install a wooden floor in a natural wood shade.
The facades of the set may not be bright white - tones such as ivory, powdery, coffee with milk, and eggshell will help to enliven the interior.
Brown kitchen - this color should be used very carefully so as not to make the room too dark. It is preferable to choose the lightest shades of brown.
For example, the walls of the room can be painted the color of coffee with milk. It is recommended to make the countertops and floors brown. As for the headset, it is better if it is also light.
If the kitchen is located on the south side and is provided with sufficient sunlight, the windows can be decorated with light brown curtains with yellow or golden patterns - they will harmonize perfectly with the beige-brown shade of the walls.
A yellow kitchen is an excellent choice for a room whose window faces the cold north side. Light yellow walls will be a good backdrop for light gray furniture. You can also use yellow tones in the decoration of facades.
Gray kitchen - this color is perfect for decorating a small kitchen, but you should choose its lightest shades. When creating a high-tech interior, you can combine gray with a metallic tone.
The floor in the room should be made of dark gray porcelain stoneware. The set should be light gray; it will go well with gray synthetic stone countertops.
Gray walls won't look dull if you combine them with brighter curtains or window shades.
Purple kitchen - this color should be made additional by choosing a lavender shade as the main one. The lower facades of the furniture, countertops, and some decorative elements can be purple.
It is also recommended to dilute this color scheme with white or light gray. Light purple walls will be an excellent backdrop for creating a kitchen interior measuring 5 square meters. meters.
Secrets of finishing and repair
First of all, pay attention to practical finishing materials that have a long service life:
- Floor. The best covering for a 5 sq. m kitchen is tiles or granite tiles with increased wear resistance and resistance to mechanical stress. You should choose light-colored materials that have a matte, non-slip texture. Another solution is to lay the floor with a moisture-resistant laminate or cover it with budget linoleum with imitation of crumbs or gasoline stains. To visually enlarge a 5 sq. m kitchen, it is appropriate to lay out the flooring in a diagonal direction; a narrow room can be expanded by laying it transversely.
- Walls. Tiles or wallpaper will help you create an interesting design for a small 5-square kitchen. The walls can also be sheathed using MDF panels, imitation stone overlays or mirror inserts, giving the room visual volume.
- Ceiling. In a 5-meter kitchen, it is appropriate to install a glossy stretch ceiling with built-in spotlights. Thanks to the shiny surface in combination with lighting, it will be possible to achieve a visual expansion of the space.
- Apron. The working apron area needs the right choice of finish. A popular solution is to use ceramic tiles, mosaics, PVC panels, tempered glass, washable paint or decorative stone.
The photo shows walls covered with wallpaper with discreet patterns in the design of a 5 sq. m kitchen.
A responsible approach to the selection of cladding for a modest kitchen space of 5 square meters allows you to make the interior not only beautiful, but also functional.
The photo shows wallpaper with imitation brick in the design of an apron area in a 5 sq. m kitchen.
Decor
All small kitchens tend to feel cluttered and cluttered. Even magnets on the refrigerator can bring a feeling of disorganization to a 5-meter kitchen. Therefore, the most important principle of its decor is “less is more.” However, there is no need to completely abandon decorations and accessories, otherwise the interior will turn out to be too minimalistic. A couple of small paintings/posters/photo frames on the wall, a pot of indoor flowers and a wall clock will be quite enough to create coziness.
White small kitchen in Khrushchev
As for curtains, short and laconic types of curtains are best suited: Roman and roller blinds, blinds and cafe curtains as in the photo below.
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Kitchen furniture and household appliances: selection and arrangement
A small space of 5 square meters is difficult to furnish with a standard furniture set. Finding ready-made structures that meet the required dimensions may take an indefinite amount of time.
Kitchen interior 5 meters with and without refrigerator
To place this bulky household appliance, another room in the form of a corridor, an insulated loggia, a storage room or a living room is suitable. This option is considered not entirely practical and convenient, but at the same time it allows you to significantly free up space on which you can organize a full-fledged dining area or kitchen corner.
In a 5 square meter kitchen, which has a non-standard shape with recesses and recesses, it is appropriate to install a refrigerator in a specially equipped niche. This way you can make the most of your space.
In the photo there is a kitchen of 5 sq. m with a refrigerator located on the right side of the unit near the window.
For the device, choose a place near the window. The main thing here is that the unit does not protrude beyond the wall and does not cover the window frame. Due to exposure to sunlight, a violation of the temperature regime will occur and the equipment will become unusable much faster.
Another solution is to purchase a small refrigerator that can be built into a niche under the window and hidden behind the façade of the upper or lower cabinets.
Kitchen 5 m with washing machine
A model with a vertical loading method is built into a furniture module and hidden under a folding tabletop, which when closed is an addition to the work area or serves as a bar counter.
It is also most rational to place a front-loading washing machine under a stationary countertop. This will contribute to the maximum useful use of the work surface.
The photo shows a kitchen design of 5 square meters with a washing machine built under the worktop.
Kitchen design 5 meters with sofa
To decorate a small room of 5 square meters, preference is given to corner sofas or narrow linear structures, which are installed on the opposite side of the entrance to the kitchen.
If the room requires a niche, you can purchase a compact built-in sofa, made to order.
Examples of a kitchen with a gas water heater
In most cases, the column is hidden in a kitchen cabinet or a separate box.
It is also possible to place a gas water heater between the cabinets. To do this, the device must be harmoniously combined and not stand out from the overall furniture ensemble. An interesting option is to create an accent on the speaker and choose a set of colors that contrast with the device.
Furniture
In a small kitchen, it is important to find a rational use for every centimeter. The window sill is often used as a table, work surface, raised to its level or removed altogether.
You can place shelves on the slopes, and if you have a sink near the window, then rails for towels. This will complicate the repair somewhat, but will give positive results. Open glass or transparent plastic shelves will not burden the interior.
Also useful:
- narrow drawers with baskets for bottles of oil, vinegar, sauces;
- cabinets with large roll-out compartments;
- vertical shelves for pans, lids and cutting boards;
- retractable platforms - countertops or cutting boards;
- roll-out drawers instead of furniture plinths;
- boxes under the windowsill;
- cutting boards for the sink;
- corner cabinets;
- holes in the table top that can be closed with lids - for spices, bread, and waste from the table getting into the trash can without unnecessary movements;
- storage areas in seats - poufs or sofas.
Modern sets with radius cabinets will give the kitchen a streamlined shape and make it less dangerous without sharp corners. The smooth shapes of such furniture will complement similar tables and chairs.
Table
A round table shape is the best choice for a small kitchen. If a solid model does not fit in a corner, window or wall, consider a semi-circular or semi-oval table.
Modern design is rich in all kinds of transformers. Among them is a table that, when folded, hides in a niche or closed shelving with a folding tabletop. Retractable tables on wheels will literally move out of the suite.
Book tables, fashionable in the 70s and 80s, have regained popularity. Their free interior space can accommodate folding chairs.
Chairs
Ideally, they should be in harmony with the table, and even better, slide under it, taking up a minimum of space. The best choice is reclining, retractable, folding chairs that can be hidden in a niche or vertical drawer. They will compete with a corner sofa with storage drawers.
Which kitchen set is suitable?
In order not to give a cramped 5-square-meter kitchen an even more overloaded look, it is recommended to equip the room with a suite that has tall cabinets, deep niches, drawers, shelves and modules.
A straight design will fit organically into a small space. Thanks to its location along one wall, it is possible to significantly increase the cooking area. It is best to install a straight model near the longest wall. You will have to transfer communications, but you will be able to save free square meters.
A fairly convenient option is to place an L-shaped set near two adjacent walls. This way, in a 5 square meter kitchen there will be two free walls that can be used in any way. With a corner configuration, everything is within arm's reach during cooking.
No less comfortable for the housewife is the U-shaped arrangement. The only negative is that the headset is bulky. This design is more suitable for a 5 sq. m square kitchen.
Since it is quite difficult to place a full-fledged dining table in a 5-meter room, it is replaced with a folding tabletop, equipped on the opposite side of the set. When assembled, the tabletop will take up minimal space, and when unfolded it will comfortably accommodate a small family.
The photo shows a corner set with hanging shelves in the interior of a kitchen with an area of 5 square meters.
In order to save real space, they purchase built-in household appliances. A full-size stove can be replaced with a hob with two burners.
Correct layout option
The main task of the designer is to fit in the working and dining areas in the kitchen, if possible. This is done in several ways.
The most popular are 2 of them:
- arrangement of furniture in the letter L;
- linear layout.
In the first case, the rule of the so-called working triangle is involved. Here one of the corners of the kitchen and 2 walls are used. Near them you can conveniently place a sink, stove and refrigerator. However, the kitchen set will have to be replaced with a bar counter or a small table designed for 2 people.
Linear (straight) layout helps save some usable space. However, it is not as comfortable as the L-shaped one. The hostess will have to constantly move along the line.
An undoubted advantage of placing furniture along one line is the ability to install a dining table (for 3-4 people) in the kitchen.
Sometimes it happens that the room is used exclusively for cooking, and the dining area is moved outside of it.
In such cases, the kitchen layout is U-shaped or double-row:
- If you arrange furniture in the shape of the letter U, then all the necessary items will be at hand. But this layout looks good in a square kitchen.
- Furniture in 2 rows is an ideal option for arranging a narrow room. On one side there is a stove, a sink, a table for cooking, and a dishwasher. The other is designed for the refrigerator, oven and microwave.
Expert opinion
Olga Kovalenko
Since 2010 I have been engaged in interior design and architectural design.
In both cases, the distance between pieces of furniture should be at least 90 cm.
Lighting organization
The design of a 5-meter kitchen involves two-level lighting with main and auxiliary appliances. A chandelier is hung in the center of the ceiling or above the dining area, and spotlights or decorative lighting are built in above the work surface.
The light flux should be diffused and have a slightly yellowish tint. In combination with mirrors or glossy surfaces, such lighting will give the kitchen additional space.
The photo shows a 5 square meter kitchen, decorated with a ceiling chandelier and table lamps.
Style, color and materials
Each style direction involves the use of a specific color scheme and materials. And here you may find yourself faced with a difficult choice between purity of style, durability, convenience and cost of your kitchen.
Designers unanimously claim that a large number of objects and decor on the work surface visually reduces the interior. And from this point of view, the best style for our kitchen will be minimalism. On the other hand, it will be tiresome to take something out of the drawer several times a day and hide it back - you know, so as not to burden the interior. After all, it is much easier to use roof rails, even if they contradict the style.
By analogy, for small rooms we recommend furniture with straight fronts without handles, which can turn out to be very inconvenient and impractical after many years of habits. Such facades are easier to clean, but they also get dirty faster.
Often kitchens in a modern style involve the use of natural materials. For example, the Scandinavian style that suits our kitchen is white walls and facades, maximum light and wooden elements. But wood is a rather capricious material that has its own requirements for humidity.
In our opinion, the best solution for a kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building would be a compromise. Choose materials that are resistant to moisture, high temperatures, mechanical damage, and are easy to clean and that match your ideas of beauty and comfort.
No matter how your kitchen is decorated - in a modern or classic style, the following will help increase the space:
- light color scheme of the walls - shades of white, blue, green, and any other colors;
- powerful multi-level lighting;
- open shallow shelves, glass or glazed facades;
- glossy, mirror surfaces or inserts;
- the advantage of light colors of furniture over bright or dark ones;
- diagonal laying of flooring;
- 3D wallpaper on the kitchen apron or near the dining area.
Photos of kitchens in popular styles
For those whose kitchen space is an attribute of the apartment, and not a place where the whole family arrives, a calm Scandinavian style is suitable. The main signs of the Nordic direction are light finishes, unpainted wood and various decorative elements in the form of self-woven paths and simple lamps.
The minimalist style shows a predominance of artificial and natural materials, such as steel, plastic, wood, glass, ceramics and natural stone. Thanks to convenient built-in appliances and solid facades, the kitchen space of 5 square meters acquires a laconic appearance. Chrome fittings will help to dilute the design, and the original hood will serve as an accent.
The photo shows a kitchen design of 5 square meters in a minimalist style.
The interior composition in the high-tech style is characterized by straight lines and strict geometry without unnecessary intricate details. The use of materials in the form of durable plastic, steel, tinted or transparent glass is encouraged. A room of 5 sq. m is furnished with designer furniture pieces in a lightweight futuristic design.
Style selection
When arranging a small-sized kitchen, it is important to choose a style for it that will look organic in a small area.
Room size 5 sq. meters is not suitable for creating such pompous and heavy interiors as Renaissance and Baroque - they require the use of expensive natural materials, and a lot of space is simply needed to implement such projects.
The best options would be the following interior styles:
- Country is a rustic style loved by many, simple and uncomplicated. To create it, you can use synthetic materials that imitate natural ones.
- Classic style - suitable for both urban kitchens and country house kitchens. The elegant and simple interior looks great even in a small room.
- Provence is the lightest and most romantic style. Thanks to the use of white and light shades in its creation, even the smallest kitchen will look spacious and filled with light.
- High-tech is a strict style that involves the use of lightweight synthetic materials. Suitable for people who like laconic forms and maximum functionality of space.
- Minimalism - the name speaks for itself. To equip such a kitchen, you need a minimum of decor and maximum functionality.
- Modern - suitable for lovers of so-called luxurious simplicity. The interior is created using expensive natural and cheaper synthetic materials; it looks elegant, stylish and at the same time quite practical.
Design ideas
If there is a window in a kitchen with an area of 5 square meters, it is recommended to use the space around the opening and arrange cabinets or wall shelves. It is appropriate to integrate the window sill into a hanging tabletop, which will become a kind of dining table or work surface.
In Khrushchev apartments, under the window opening there is an additional niche, which is refined inside, supplemented with shelves and doors to match the color of the kitchen unit and turned into a full-fledged cabinet.
The photo shows a balcony in the interior of a narrow kitchen with an area of 5 sq. m.
For a kitchen space of 5 square meters with an adjacent balcony, redevelopment with a combination is used. The additional area of the loggia can be converted into a dining area or the window sill can be converted into a bar counter.
Photos of living interiors
The best photographs of real interiors will allow you to choose your own design solution for the “Brezhnev” kitchen.
Video on the topic. Remodeling a kitchen in Brezhnevka.