A country house is a dream for most people living in big cities. Only here you can escape from the hustle and bustle, noise and work, enjoying the singing of birds and the beauty of the surrounding nature. For a comfortable stay, it is important to plan the building, make it cozy for yourself, taking into account your tastes and interests.
The kitchen-dining room is an interesting solution for combining rooms, allowing you to receive guests at a large dining table. How to properly organize space, creating a stylish and luxurious relaxation area? Read about it in our article.
At what stage of renovation should I decide on the style of the kitchen?
In general, it is quite absurd to choose a kitchen style if the renovation of the house has already been completed. In this case, you will still have to build on what already exists. After all, you wouldn’t make a kitchen in a country style, while the next room is in the avant-garde style, for example?
That is, the concept of choosing a kitchen style does not exist at all. You need to choose the style of the whole house and the kitchen will be part of the overall concept.
Therefore, let’s say this: we need to think about it in advance, before it’s built yet. And, if we are talking about the most ordinary house, with the most ordinary and unremarkable facade, then you can choose any style and customize the outer part of the house to suit it as much as possible.
Tip 9. Remember the features of a small room
If a wooden house means a dacha where the family gathers only on weekends and holidays, then the kitchen can be quite small. Moreover, most people in our country like to cook outdoors - barbecue or barbecue, and the stove is not used so often.
However, thoughtful design can be a huge plus. It is important to follow one principle - to use the minimum necessary things for cooking.
Designers share some secrets on how to create the perfect interior in a small kitchen in a wooden house with your own hands:
- the decoration should not be massive, as it will put pressure on a person, and besides, it will take away precious centimeters - stone and block house are prohibited.
- minimalism in practice - you should limit yourself to only the most necessary list of things, for example, a sink, a couple of cabinets under a wide countertop and several open shelving;
- if you want to add coziness and uniqueness to the kitchen, then you can make the furniture yourself or at least decorate it with your own hands with painting, carving or decoupage technique - no special frills are required;
- transformers will make the kitchen more comfortable and functional - these can be shelving on wheels, a tabletop with a pull-out board, a folding cabinet, and so on;
- It is important to think about the number and size of household appliances. For example, in a country house you can most often refuse an oven, and choose a single-chamber refrigerator - it will be quite enough to store food supplies for a couple of days;
- you can abandon the standard stove in favor of a hob with two burners - this will significantly save space;
- If you don’t plan to cook often in the kitchenette, then you can get by with miniature versions of household appliances. For example, to create a comfortable working triangle, a narrow 40 cm sink, a hob with 1-2 burners and a single-chamber refrigerator are suitable. In addition, you can put a bar counter and use it as a work and dining area.
Even a small kitchen can be made stylish and comfortable at the same time. The main thing is to decide in advance what tasks will be performed on it.
Advantages and disadvantages of a large kitchen in a private house
A large kitchen, about 20-30 meters - in countries with a warm climate this is very, very good, but in the North or in other cold countries - it’s just good, or even bad.
In general, in practice, owners of oversized kitchens from countries with harsh winters do not enjoy the space for long. More specifically, before the first heating season.
Heating a room without dividing walls is not a cheap pleasure, especially if the ceilings are not the standard 2.5-3 meters, but six meters high (this is the height that comes out if you leave the hall of a two-story house without a ceiling).
And yes, the owners of such kitchens pay for the first or second winter, and in the third they put the house up for sale. But no one wants to take him, no one is foolish. With our prices for gas and firewood, you have to be a millionaire to decide on such a plan.
In a word, first of all think about whether you can heat a large kitchen. And then dream about design. Otherwise, in a chilly and cold kitchen, where you will have to move around in felt boots and a fur coat, no interior will please you.
What about the benefits of a large kitchen? They certainly exist. It’s beautiful and comfortable, and you can put anything there: even a sofa, even a rocking chair, even a buffet. In a large area, you don't have to worry about odors permeating the entire house; they dissipate perfectly.
So, a large kitchen has no disadvantages, except for one thing: heating is expensive.
Does it make sense to combine a kitchen with a dining room in a private home?
If you're looking to renovate a home where the kitchen and dining room are separated by a wall, here's what you need to think about: Does the kitchen have a wood stove that heats both sides of the wall?
If yes, then feel free to break down the wall, leaving only the piece with the “rough” one: this is enough to heat both the dining room and the kitchen. If there is no oven, then be prepared for the fact that the batteries that you currently have may not be enough.
After all, when there is a wall, it also warms up during the heating season and retains heat. And when there are no walls, then the heat goes away much faster and you need more batteries (and gas for their uninterrupted operation).
Then, one more point: a private house is a private house. Usually it involves a plot of land with a vegetable garden. And, if there are children in your house who often forget to take off their shoes when they run in for a drink of water, then we advise you to hold off on breaking the wall, otherwise the dirt from the shoes will be not only in the kitchen, but also in the dining room.
Connecting link
Clearly zoning the culinary area and dining room is more suitable for open plans and large areas. But even small rooms are not deprived of this effective technique, just do not make it too obvious. Thus, the bar counter often acts as a natural limiter. Only the usual look goes out of fashion - they are replaced by countertops with storage systems and expressive finishing of the base.
The static height of the “breakfast counter” does not always meet the needs of all family members. Typically, a level of 110 cm is recommended for short owners and 130 cm for tall ones. This run-up is easily compensated for by special models of adjustable chairs.
Chairs can be fashionable too:
- transparent chairs made of modern plastic;
- classic look of seats and backrests in combination with a modern base-stand without legs;
- vintage stools.
A kitchen island is another invention that allows you not only to cook in comfort, but also to highlight the dignity of the interior. This will require increased costs if water is supplied. But the dining table can be a natural extension of the island, saving time and space.
It’s not only through furnishings that you can zone a space. Floor-mounted functional solutions are also available:
- The dining room can be placed on a podium when the interior has a clear geometry.
- A floor with LED lighting under artificial stone will decorate the recreation area and add light.
Where and how to place a wood stove between the kitchen and dining room
The stove should be in such a place that it can heat both sides of the room well, that is, the stove also serves as a zone separator. And also, keep in mind that the stove that is being heated is very, very hot and being next to it is stuffy.
Therefore, calculate its location so that it does not end up next to the dining area. In addition to the stuffiness, it will be inconvenient for you to approach it because of the furniture and throw firewood.
Small kitchen
A small kitchen requires a special approach when planning space. An excellent solution to the problem are mini-kitchens, presented in a wide range on the consumer market. The L-/L-shaped (angular) and single-row (linear) layout of furniture and household appliances looks most advantageous.
How many heating radiators need to be installed?
To keep it warm, you need to buy 4-5 sections per 10 square meters. But, if you have some kind of corner, nook, then you can safely add 1 more section, since uneven rooms are heated worse.
So, if you have 20 squares, take 10 sections. And divide this amount into radiators, which need to be placed not on one side, but on two, so it will be warmer.
How to light the kitchen-dining room well
You can’t spoil porridge with oil, and you can’t ruin a kitchen combined with a dining room with light. Don't skimp on lighting points, otherwise the room will look gray and dull.
Make sure in advance that there is a lamp above each zone. You can hang pendant lamps above the dining table, spotlights above the work area, and, on top of that, one common chandelier (or even two or three) for the entire room.
Of course, no one forces you to turn on all this at the same time. It’s simple, it’s very good when there are lamps and you can turn them on as needed.
Color palette and finishing materials
Warm colors are the best option for the interior of the dining room-living room in the house. They look soft, lift the mood, promote communication and go well with the dishes served on the table.
The saturation of shades can be varied as desired: from vanilla yellow and cream to terracotta and muted burgundy.
- A classic version of wall covering is wallpaper with a traditional pattern - flowers and stripes. The repetition of the same pattern on curtains, upholstery of chairs and tablecloths looks especially elegant.
- Venetian plaster looks more formal and is best suited for dining rooms of at least 40 square meters with high ceilings and large windows.
What interior items, appliances and furniture are needed?
It all depends on what style and interior of your kitchen you have. If you have Provence, then you definitely need to put a buffet for dishes, but if you have minimalism, then you don’t need anything special...
In general, a large kitchen should have everything: a dishwasher, a microwave, an oven. However, all this is available in a small kitchen. You can't install anything special except a working island. In a large kitchen this is what you need. You can also equip a bar counter; in a large area it is appropriate, functional and aesthetically pleasing.
TOP 5 modern techniques of zoning and finishing in interior design
The interior decoration of the kitchen-dining room is based on the principle of zoning. There are three zones: tall modules with built-in appliances, a main serving surface with a sink and hob, and a dining area. Sometimes the island makes its own adjustments to the layout. Thus, decoration often uses different zoning principles: one color is used in the culinary area, and another in the dining room, to create two different moods. The interior design of the kitchen-dining room does not have to be contrasting. One accent color or highlight is enough.
Kitchen interior with dining room with sliding glass doors to the living room
The modern interior of the kitchen dining room often has zoning with sliding glass doors. This option looks very elegant and European. Beautiful glazed ornaments look elegant and at the same time laconic.
Interior of a kitchen with a dining room with zoning of a kitchen island with a bar counter
The interior of the kitchen-dining room with a zoning kitchen island looks as modern as possible. In this design project you can also find a built-in wine refrigerator and a luxurious display cabinet for dishes.
Fashionable kitchen peninsula with breakfast bar and breakfast nook
The next option for zoning the interior with a peninsula looks even more unusual and exclusive. The semicircular part of the peninsula is elegantly decorated and designed for three.
Modern interior of a kitchen-dining room with an accent kitchen apron
The interior of the kitchen dining room can be zoned with color, for example, by highlighting the culinary area with a bright apron or decorating the floor in the kitchen with marble, and in the dining room with wood, but with porcelain tiles of the same brand. This option will look very fashionable.
Features of the design of the kitchen-dining room with access to the terrace
A kitchen with access to the terrace is just a dream! What features might there be? Nothing special, except that you need to think about how the interior looks from the terrace itself. This applies to houses where the windows facing the terrace are almost floor-to-ceiling.
In this case, both the street part and the inside are practically one whole and everything needs to be taken into account. Under no circumstances should furniture be placed so that the side of the cabinet, or even the back, is visible from the terrace.
How to beat many windows
If you have many windows, then each of them needs separate curtains. It looks very ugly when people hang one cornice and creepy tulle with flounces on 2-3 windows.
It's old fashioned and disgusting. It is better to hang some pictures and cabinets between the windows than to cover this wall completely. We also highly recommend that you place a sink by the window. In a private house it looks simply wonderful and appropriate, unlike apartments.
Important points when equipping a kitchen space
IMPORTANT! When planning the design of your kitchen to make it comfortable and functional, take into account the principle of the “working triangle”. What is he?
3 important zones - refrigerator, stove, sink form a triangle, located next to one another. So, stove-sink: this distance should be no more than 1.8 m and no less than 0.6 m.
In between them, it is optimal to place a food preparation area.
Refrigerator-sink: in this case, the ideal distance would be from 0.5 m to 2 m. The gap is an excellent option for placing a “loading and unloading” zone, auxiliary kitchen appliances: a food processor, a toaster, an electric kettle, etc.
Your kitchen with an area of 18 sq. m? Set up an island table for work. It is super functional and can serve as a food preparation area, a place to store kitchen items, groceries, or play the role of a bar counter where you can have a snack and breakfast.
You can also build in a cabinet for storing wine, a dishwasher, a sink, a stove or a small refrigerator.
If the kitchen is less than 18 sq. m, the installation of a peninsula is more functional. Due to the end, which rests against the set or the wall, it is compact.
How to zone a kitchen-dining room
Now, let's look at the photo to see what different options for arranging furniture in the kitchen interior look like. There is no point in chatting and giving lengthy recommendations in this block. This is the case when it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times.
Where to put a sofa in the kitchen-dining room. Notice how well the sofas are positioned here. Choose any option!
Where to hang a TV in the kitchen-dining room. It is very important to choose the right place. The screen should be visible to the housewife who is cooking, to those sitting at the dining table and to those sitting or lying on the sofa. In a word, the TV should be seen by everyone who is in the same room, but in different zones.
How to arrange a buffet in the kitchen-dining room. Just look and take note of what a buffet might look like in different areas of the kitchen.
A couple of tips on choosing materials
Construction materials are an important consideration. We highly recommend using only natural materials: wood, stone, ceramic tiles. For example, bright kitchen aprons with photo printing, which look pretty good in apartments, look very strange in a large area. Well, they’re out of place and that’s it!
The same goes for furniture. Polish MDF kitchens look very bad over a large area. It’s better to make the set yourself, from seamless lining. It will be very interesting, quite affordable, and most importantly, such a kitchen will look expensive and appropriate.
Kitchen-dining room design using examples in specific styles
And this block is all photos. We will give short recommendations here, but basically, just watch and be inspired.
Kitchen-dining rooms in classic style
As we already wrote above, a kitchen in a classic style can be afforded by those whose façade matches. In general, this is one of the most expensive options and, in truth, it does not always look good in a modern design.
It is much better if you make the interior in Italian style rather than in classical style. Italian is similar to the classics, but it is much more modern and not so pretentious. It is cozier and looks more homely than monograms, pretzels and other classic chic.
Kitchen-dining rooms in rustic styles
Nowadays, interiors in the Provence style, in the country style, in the style of a noble estate are very, very popular. This is not surprising, because such spaces simply breathe comfort and warmth. There is beautiful furniture, nice curtains, Viennese chairs, and grand pianos...
Photo of the Provence kitchen-dining room:
Photo of a kitchen-dining room in country style:
There's nothing cozier than a manor-style kitchen. Here you need not only a buffet, but also a writing desk and other elements that were present in manorial estates. Be sure to place a chair by the fireplace. However, it’s better to look at the selection of photos:
Kitchen-dining rooms in modern styles
In general, this is not the most comfortable type of design for a private house and a large area - it is not very good. Modern style or minimalism looks much better in a small apartment.
Here, see for yourself and draw your own conclusions. In our opinion, it is unconstructive to waste such a large area on such faceless mediocrity. Photo of a kitchen-living room in a modern style:
We hope you liked our article and got some fresh ideas for interior design. Write in the comments what else you would like to know and what tips on kitchen-dining room design you are missing in this article!
Tip 5. Decide whether you need to cover the walls, floor, ceiling and with what
The most banal and best advice regarding finishing a kitchen in a wooden house is to use natural materials. With their help it is easy to get a stylish and ergonomic room.
But you shouldn’t forget about some features of the room, for example, high humidity in the kitchen - such a microclimate will simply spoil untreated wood.
Interior decoration should not be intrusive; its main principles are comfort and compliance with the idea of a country wooden house. Artificial materials are excluded, since they will neutralize this very idea.
Walls
The most popular methods of wall decoration:
- painting;
- drywall;
- Wall panels;
- stone or wood.
Let's consider each option.
Painting
A simple and inexpensive way to update your interior. The most important thing in painting is to properly prepare the surface for it:
- clear;
- polish almost to a shine;
- prime;
- Prescribe with a special composition - an antiseptic.
It is easier and better to work with a spray - this way the paint or varnish will apply more evenly.
Advice! To preserve the living energy of wood, it is better to give preference to transparent materials, such as varnish. If there are uneven stains on the surface of the wood, then a tinting varnish will help out.
If you want a more modern and stylish interior, then you can combine several tones of wood - but in this case it is better to contact a professional designer.
Drywall
If you want to quickly, easily and relatively inexpensively level surfaces, use drywall. The most important thing when working with it is a reliable profile or frame. Drywall has three more advantages:
- it can be finished with whatever and however you like - plastered, painted, covered with wallpaper, tiles, and so on;
- it can be used not only on walls, but also on the ceiling;
- under it you can hide communications, heat and sound insulation, wiring, and so on.
Wall panels
If you need to quickly hide the walls, but don’t want to deal with additional finishing, as is the case with drywall, then your choice is wall panels. They can be divided into two large classes:
- Wooden (lining) - if you don’t want to lose the “spirit” of a living home.
- Plastic ones are a cheaper option, but also more practical, since they do not absorb odors and water, are easy to wash, and can even be easily cut with a regular knife, which will be convenient when attaching.
Both types of wall panels are mounted on a frame.
Decor and stone
In spacious houses, where you don’t have to fight for every centimeter of space, you can afford more refined and impressive cladding - for example, from beams, boards or even stone. A popular type of decoration now is a block house. These are wooden boards that imitate the laying of logs.
Although the paneling is wooden and made a little “antique”, it is as easy as shelling pears to handle: thanks to the tongue-and-groove system, it is assembled like a construction set.
If you need to somehow delimit the space, you can highlight some zones, for example, near heating objects, with a stone. It is not necessary to use natural material - it is quite possible to get by with imitation.
In the kitchen apron area in a wooden house, painted tiles or mosaics will look interesting.
Floor
The floor is one of the most important parts of the decoration, since it is what can be said to represent the foundation. It must be durable, reliable and safe - not slip. In addition, it is important to take into account practicality - it is desirable that dirt is easily washed off.
Several materials fit these characteristics:
- Matte textured tiles - they definitely won’t slip even if liquid is spilled; they can be made of ceramics, porcelain stoneware or stone. It is advisable to install a “warm floor” system under such a covering, otherwise you may get sick during the cold season.
- Parquet, board, laminate - these options are used outside the fire hazardous area, as well as away from places of high humidity.
Ceiling
The ceiling can be decorated in almost any way:
- just paint;
- make suspended structures from plasterboard;
- stretch the fabric.
Each method has its pros and cons. For example, hinged and suspended structures can hide communications and wiring, but it is not advisable to attach beams to them. For this reason, it is best to preserve the natural ceiling, paint it in light colors, and tint the beams to match the color of the floor.
