Combining the kitchen and living room tempts you with the possibility of a double win: you can get a spacious seating area and at the same time expand the kitchen space. Kitchen-living room area of 25 sq. m is one of the fashionable trends in home improvement. Let’s figure out what features this layout has, and what you need to know to make the interior stylish, comfortable and practical.
Interior with fireplace Source aviarydecor.com
What you need to know about the pros and cons of combination
Owners who decide to redevelop are going to receive the following benefits:
- Opportunity to show your imagination . In a standard-sized kitchen you have to adapt to a modest square footage and limit your desires. The open floor plan will turn your dreams into reality. It doesn't cost anything to move the sink to the windowsill, install a stylish bar counter, or decorate the interior with a custom-made kitchen with an island.
Design in a calm palette Source hzcdn.com
- Possibility to adjust the size of zones . It depends on the preferences of the owners whether the kitchen will remain small or its area will double, and the process of preparing breakfast and lunch will turn into a pleasant experience. A large living room will be needed in a house where guests often visit.
Black and white design Source flamp.ru
- Possibility of communication . A 25-meter kitchen-living room unites relatives; all family members can cook and communicate, including the one who is currently conjuring dinner.
Modern classics Source hzcdn.com
It is important to understand that the idea of a combined room may have the following disadvantages:
- Impossibility of arranging a studio room . The problem becomes insurmountable if you start a redevelopment and it turns out that the wall that needs to be removed is load-bearing. SNiP rules prohibit demolishing load-bearing walls, and it will not be possible to coordinate such a project with the state.
Design with a kitchen located in a niche Source hzcdn.com
- Difficulties of redevelopment . When arranging, you will have to take into account the geometry of the rooms, the number of windows and doors, and the location of communications. You will not be able to move the sink outside the wet area if the apartment is located in an apartment building. To legitimize the alteration, you will have to come to terms with this (and similar) rules and act within the framework of the SNiP instructions.
For creative people Source design-homes.ru
Bright details in the studio interior Source hzcdn.com
- Design limitations . Design ideas for a kitchen-living room of 25 square meters also have their own subtleties. m; the design of a square room will differ from the design of a rectangular-shaped interior.
In a complexly shaped room Source hzcdn.com
- Difficulty of operation . Kitchen smells are not always pleasant. If they do not go beyond the boundaries of a standard kitchen, then there is no insulation in the studio, and the aromas spread unhindered throughout the room and are absorbed into the upholstery, carpets and curtains. For a spacious studio, one hood may not be enough; a powerful ventilation system will be required.
With a spacious seating area Source design-homes.ru Zoning with an arch Source design-homes.ru
Design Guidelines
If for you the advantages of the interior outweigh the minor disadvantages, then it’s time to plan future renovations. At the initial stage, they carefully study the plan, finding out where the load-bearing walls are. It is prohibited to demolish these structural elements in old buildings, so you need to consider partial removal of the fence. In this case, both rooms will be united by an interesting spatial solution.
Important. It is worth considering that all fundamental changes, such as relocating a water supply system, sewerage system, or gas stove, are carried out only after agreement with special services.
Next, you need to design the zoning of the space on paper, allocate a place for preparing dishes, a dining area, and places to relax. The room is proportioned depending on its shape, length, and number of inhabitants. For a small family where they cook little, the kitchen area can be small, which allows a significant part of the area to be left for organizing relaxation with a sofa, armchairs, and a spacious area.
You can delimit the place for food and relaxation in various ways: color, finishing texture, furniture, bar counter, partition. This will be discussed in more detail later in the article, but for now we will consider options for designing a kitchen-living room with different configurations.
Subtleties of redevelopment
If you are lucky and the wall intended for demolition turns out to be non-load-bearing, you can calculate how much area will be freed up after demolition. Let the width of the structure be 10 cm and the length 3 m. The area occupied by the wall is obtained by multiplying these numbers: 3x0.1 = 0.3 m2. It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s enough for a medium-sized gas or electric stove, for example, 50x60 or 60x60 cm.
Kitchen-dining room in a modern style Source repaireasily.ru
Before starting renovation work, at the planning stage, the following issues need to be addressed:
- Agree on the rework in advance. Before drawing up a design project, you must obtain permission to demolish the wall and move pipes (if required).
Classic studio layout Source dekor.expert Original selection of the cooking area Source hzcdn.com
- At the planning stage, locations for electrical outlets are selected and the location of lighting fixtures is thought through. Separate lighting will be needed for each functional area.
Dining room with copper lamps Source hzcdn.com
See also: Projects of houses with a kitchen
In a narrow room Source renonation.sg
- Choose a design style and color palette. An interior in light and pastel colors is preferable, as a light ceiling appears higher and the studio itself visually looks more spacious. On the other hand, the living room and kitchen area are 25 square meters. m is enough to decorate it using dark and rich colors.
Perky pop art Source design-homes.ru
Using dark shades Source design-homes.ru
- Finishing materials are chosen based on the style.
- Determine what furniture will be needed and how to arrange it.
Wood and brick finishing Source pinimg.com Linear kitchen with island Source hzcdn.com
Preparatory stage
At the design stage in a private house, it is easy to provide for the supply of communications: heating, water supply, sewerage, electrical, ventilation, etc. This allows you to avoid unpleasant situations when you need to hide long ventilation ducts connected to the hood, as well as various technical boxes. If you are working with a finished room, you have to take into account the existing location of cable and pipe entries.
In an apartment, this is somewhat complicated by paperwork, obtaining permits to move walls, as well as regulations prohibiting the location of “wet” areas above living rooms. But if your apartment is on the ground floor, then your possibilities expand, because... there are no other people's bedrooms and living rooms under your living space.
Since the studio includes a high-tech kitchen area, it is necessary to provide easy access to communications without destroying the decorative finish. If a pipe suddenly leaks, the plumber must be able to fix the problem in any section of the pipeline.
When working with craftsmen, ask them for detailed pipe and wire layout diagrams. This will allow you to avoid overspending due to absurd accidents in the form of pipes broken by a hammer drill.
Layout
Kitchen design begins with determining the priority area. If your family often cooks a lot, you will need a spacious work area. A young family without children will most likely want to have a large living and dining area where it is convenient to receive guests. The kitchen will be comfortable if you do not forget about the following points:
- Furniture is arranged taking into account the working triangle rule. To prevent the housewife from wasting energy while cooking, the refrigerator, stove and sink are installed no further than 1-1.5 m away.
Recreation area Source ashui.com
- Determine locations for large household appliances and the required number of sockets.
- One of the disadvantages of the combined space is the noise of operating household appliances. Some units may need to be replaced with quieter ones. If the sound of running water annoys you, consider quality plumbing fixtures.
Non-standard layout Source nobilia-russia.ru
Rectangular kitchen-living room Source ivd.ru
Selection of furniture
In a combined room, you should not arrange furniture as you please. There are certain rules and recommendations. To save free space, the elements are installed in a straight line or in the letter G. Large furniture is also not desirable. An excellent option would be hanging drawers; you can store all kitchen utensils and necessary little things in them.
It is very important to arrange the furniture correctly
It is better to start furnishing a room with furniture from the work area, where it is important to create comfortable conditions for cooking
Young designers often match kitchen fronts to the color of large furniture elements. All appliances are built-in, neutral shades. If the furniture is bright, the finish should be light, without patterns or designs.
It will be easier to maintain cleanliness if you choose upholstered furniture with practical upholstery
It is also not recommended to clutter the recreation area; a minimal set is sufficient. The sofa is placed with its back to the kitchen, opposite the TV. There is no need for heavy curtains; they will weigh down the space; it is better to give preference to light fabrics.
Space zoning
Zoning is an important element of studio design; it is carried out both using objects and visual methods. You cannot do without competent zoning if you want to get truly comfortable housing. Studio with living room area of 25 sq. m are divided into functional areas in the following ways:
- Sliding structures . A variety of screens, sliding doors and stationary partitions help hide the kitchen from prying eyes. An irreplaceable thing if there are guests in the house who are unlikely to be inspired by the prospect of sleeping in the kitchen.
Zoning with open shelving Source hzcdn.com
- Furniture . A sofa, a bar counter, a dining group - a natural way to highlight zones. The sofa can be rotated at the desired angle, and in addition you can use a chest of drawers, a cabinet or a rack (preferably through).
With a bar counter Source ikomek.kz
How to zone?
Initially, you need to decide how many people sit at the table at a time, whether you cook every day or a couple of times a week. This will determine the required set of kitchen equipment, as well as the area it should occupy. You also need to consider how many people the dining table will accommodate. This affects the dimensions of the dining area. About 60 cm is allocated for each person so that diners do not interfere with each other.
For a small family, a bar counter that can accommodate 2-3 people is enough.
A small round cafe-style table is designed for a company of 4 people. At the same time, more people can be seated on a sofa around a round table than on chairs around a square one.
You can separate one zone from another in various ways.
- Corner sofa . Looks good in pictures. But in reality it is more suitable for larger rooms. Because the proximity of the kitchen will inevitably lead to the appearance of greasy stains even with a powerful hood. Do not place the sofa with its back flush against the bar counter. No matter how careful you are, crumbs will periodically fall onto the soft upholstery.
- Retractable and stationary screens . A convenient solution when you want comfort. You can always hide the kitchen from view and enjoy the comfort and softness of relaxation. In this case, you can use accordion doors. But slider systems with a 90-degree rotation of the blade are more compact.
- Curtains . The fastest and cheapest option. Thread models allow light to pass through, create a separate space and maintain a sense of unity in the room.
- Cabinets and racks. Low and high furniture can organically divide the total area into the necessary segments. Alternate closed and open areas so that there is some transparency and light can freely penetrate into all parts of the studio.
Style selection
A studio of this size is practically unlimited in the choice of style, and the design of the living room is 25 sq. m may be different. In Russian studio interiors, extreme style solutions are rare; modern style is common. It is almost impossible to see a kitchen-living room in a high-tech or eclectic style. But other directions are popular:
- Classic . An indispensable option for creating a truly comfortable interior. Classic design is unthinkable without natural materials and carefully selected accessories.
Timeless classic Source design-homes.ru
- Minimalism . A balanced palette, minimal decor and modern materials, including plastic, metal and glass. The Scandinavian and Japanese options are not so ascetic.
With a touch of minimalism Source hzcdn.com
Arches for the kitchen-dining room
An apartment with an indoor arch is quite expensive, especially if it occupies about 6-10 meters. This is an excellent option for an elegant interior in the Baroque or Rococo style. The arch can also be made in a minimalist style.
The arch helps create an original design and at the same time zones the room
Here you can add sculptures to the design, create a fresco, or insert stained glass details. And it is not necessary to make everything from classic materials; you can use various plasterboard or foam elements to add liveliness and volume.
The design and design of the arch must be thought out taking into account the stylistic direction of the interior
The main thing in designing an arch for a dining room is to think about the placement of furniture and to wisely separate one part of the room from another. In a modernist or high-tech style, you can place certain figures in the openings, place equipment or fresh flowers.
Briefly about the main thing
The design of a modern kitchen-living room is based on the idea of an open plan. It is built in such a way as to optimally connect zones of different functionality: kitchen, dining room and living room. Before you begin redevelopment, you need to make sure that the rooms can be combined.
Before the start of repair work, the alteration is agreed upon. At the planning stage, an interior style is chosen, a color palette and finishing materials are selected to match it. Furniture and lighting fixtures are also chosen in advance. For a studio space, it is important to properly separate the places for resting, eating and cooking.
For zoning, furniture, partitions, lighting, colors and textures of finishing materials are used. The size of the room allows you to choose any of the popular style solutions.
Designer tips for decorating a kitchen-living room 25 m2
It is not at all necessary to adhere to the described styles; you can create your own individual interior. But to make the room look beautiful and please the owners for a long time, you should listen to the advice of designers:
- You need to choose 1-2 primary design colors, another 2-3 can be used in individual elements and decor. With more, the room will turn into something like a circus booth.
- Lamps and fixtures should provide comfort in the evening and at night, as well as zone the kitchen-living room. Designers recommend using several types of artificial lighting so that its intensity and direction can be adjusted.
- White color looks beautiful in the interior, but the housewife should know that the surfaces will have to be washed 2 times a day, so for flooring and furniture it is better to choose neutral matte tones: beige, brown, gray, yellow, orange.
- A room of 25 meters uses a minimum of furniture and equipment; glass elements can be used to expand the space.
When drawing up a kitchen-living room project on their own, it is better for the owners to consult with friends and relatives; they will help find weak points in the design and ergonomics of the room.
Color spectrum
There are many options for decorating rooms, and you need to choose the one that seems cozy and comfortable to all family members. Popular styles in kitchen-living room design:
- classical;
- Provence;
- modern: loft, futurism, minimalism, hi-tech;
- unification of these areas.
The color scheme depends on the chosen design. Classic style involves light colors and lack of contrasts. Preferred colors: beige, white, golden, brown. The interior actively uses decorative elements, thick curtains with ruffles and folds.
In futurism and hi-tech, light and dark colors are used. The combination can be black and white, light with bright or dark accents, or vice versa. Decorative elements are almost never used; all small items are hidden in cabinets and bedside tables. 1-2 decorations are allowed on the walls: a painting, a clock.
The loft style is based on natural materials and tones: white, gray, brown, black. Surfaces are designed to match the texture and color of concrete, wood or brickwork. Stone, wood, and metal are used in furniture.
Provence is full of warm colors: red, yellow, orange, white, natural shades. A large number of decorative elements are allowed: ruffles, frills, pillows, bedspreads, tablecloths. There are always flowers or ikebana on the table in the kitchen; floral prints are welcome on the walls and in textiles.
Color spectrum
There are two main techniques for decorating combined rooms - to combine the space even more or to emphasize its delimitation. In the first case, make a uniform neutral background throughout the room - white, beige or gray. In the second, combine different colors and materials, make contrasting inserts and leave colored accents.
A safe choice is a black-gray-white or beige-brown palette. But not just them: yellow will make the room warmer and brighter, blue - cooler and airier. Red and orange invigorate and tone, purple puts you in a creative mood, and green calms and relaxes.
The main thing is not to overdo it: 1-2 two primary colors and 2-3 accent colors are enough. Otherwise, the risk of overloading the interior and making it tiresome is too high. Eclecticism and bizarre combinations are in fashion, but moderation is important in everything: if you experiment with colors, stick to the simplest shapes and textures.
Footage and color of a living room with two windows
What the interior of a living room with two windows will look like is influenced not only by the openings themselves, but also by other factors, for example, the size of the room and its color scheme. Often this room has an area of about 20-25 square meters, which is quite enough for the harmonious organization of space. At the same time, designers believe that this is a small area, which means that in the decoration and choice of textiles it is better to give preference to light colors. Furniture and other interior items should not overload the space; textiles should be light and airy.
If we talk about furniture, then its quantity should be minimal, because modern design requires the presence of free space. Large and massive cabinets located in the living room will look stupid and inappropriate. For walls, use a monochromatic finish in light or pastel colors; windows should also not be a bright spot against the general background.
As for the set, it is important to purchase furniture for relaxation, namely: a small table, armchairs and sofas. Often, Scandinavian style is chosen to decorate a living room with two windows, but it is better to leave the windows open
If this decision confuses you, then instead of curtains you can buy blinds. The main furniture is two sofas located opposite each other.
If the living room area is more than 30 square meters, then you can use bright and rich colors for decoration, for example, burgundy or brown, a combination of white and black. The spacious hall can be divided into zones, forming a dining space and a relaxation corner. If the square footage allows, then the “dining room” can be raised to the podium, using parquet of a different color to finish the floor. You can also use sliding transparent partitions to zone the space, which can be easily removed if necessary. As for textiles, there are no restrictions here either, so you can use heavy, satin, velvet or bright curtains.
The most difficult thing to decorate is a small or narrow living room with two windows. There are a lot of restrictions here, primarily regarding the choice of style for decorating the space. Designers recommend choosing between modernism and minimalism, because only these styles imply a complete absence of pretentious details and unnecessary items. In such a living room there can only be a seating area, which consists of a sofa and a pair of armchairs with a TV located opposite the seating area.
Arrangement
How to equip a small studio apartment without involving specialists? When creating the design of a small-sized studio apartment of 26 m2, you don’t have to turn to professionals; the main thing is to listen to the basic advice and instructions, carefully look at a variety of photos of the interiors of small apartments and select the furnishings and design as you wish. This way you can come up with your own design idea, making it stylish and functional.
The layout idea can be seen below:
Remember!
When refurbishing a small studio apartment, the main success factor is the correct organization of space
.
To do this, you should visually divide the apartment into separate zones and isolate them from each other.
. For example, separate the cooking area from the living room, and the relaxation area from the corner for guests.
When deciding on space zoning issues, do not forget that the apartment must have a single style
To implement zoning in the design of a studio apartment with an area of 26 square meters, it is enough to use different materials when finishing the ceiling, floor or walls
. They may differ in both texture and color.
Glass partitions or beaded curtains are no less successfully used today to delimit individual zones.
Advice!
For small apartments, glass partitions are an ideal option.
When decorating the interior of a small studio apartment, you should use the following basic principles:
Important!
In small apartments, you can increase the area by connecting the balcony to the room, having previously insulated it.
The balcony can be equipped as a sports area, or you can enlarge the kitchen if you have a very tiny one.
You should also use transformable furniture. For example, in a small kitchen it is worth giving up the dining table and increasing the window sill, which can be folded after meals. It will adhere to the wall without interfering with the passage in the kitchen when you are not eating, and it can be expanded at any time.
Peculiarities
When arranging the interior of a studio, it is important to consider several main features:
- The apartment has no partitions; they only separate the bathroom.
- Most studios are 23 sq. m. have a rectangular shape with one window or loggia. With rare exceptions, such rooms are square in shape, however, as practice shows, it is for a studio of 23 square meters that a square is not a very convenient shape.
- Premises without loggias and balconies are most often divided into two zones: a kitchen and a recreation area. If you have additional space, you can attach it to the main one, or make a full-fledged office.
