Khrushchev's apartments are still relevant in the real estate market: buying such an apartment is often very profitable, since their prices are very affordable. Residents of Khrushchev-era apartments, and realtors, know one feature of these apartments: the so-called refrigerator under the window, which was built in during the construction of the house. Modern designers have come up with many options for transforming this usable area, which will be discussed further.
Refrigerator under the window under the tree
Refrigerator under the window with wooden doors
The history of Khrushchev's kitchen window sills
During the construction of Khrushchev houses, household appliances were an expensive rarity. Not every family could buy a good refrigerator right away. In addition, the available models were very large and were not suitable for small-sized kitchens in Khrushchev’s new buildings.
Refrigerator under the window under the kitchen unit
Plasterboard shelves under the window
Engineers found a solution: a refrigerator under the window in a Khrushchev building. For that time it was an ideal solution, although it had its own characteristics. Kitchens in Khrushchev were perfect for this design; in winter, in the part where the refrigerator was located, it was cold enough to store food.
Refrigerator under the window
Storing workpieces under the window
After some time, household appliances became more accessible to the population, manufacturers began to produce smaller models, and the need for a built-in refrigerator disappeared. But the niche in the wall remains, and residents of Khrushchev’s apartments often have the question of what to do with this interior element. There are two options: repair the opening and use it as a refrigerator or kitchen cabinet with a reduced temperature, or remake the Khrushchev refrigerator and use it for other purposes.
Refrigerator box under the window
Sink under the kitchen window
Glazing of a winter refrigerator
Materials such as glass, plastic or wood can be used for the winter refrigerator door. Frosted or transparent glass is used to glaze the structure. But, regardless of the choice of material, condensation may accumulate in the Khrushchev refrigerator, which will lead to the appearance of fungi and mold. Insulation of the niche under the window must be mandatory. In addition, it is additionally recommended to install a vapor-permeable membrane.
Insulation inside the niche is not done if the external walls of the house are covered with foam plastic.
Options for covering a window-sill refrigerator with plasterboard are not acceptable. The material may deteriorate due to extreme moisture and temperature changes.
The option of completely dismantling the winter refrigerator is allowed. The rear partition does not bear the load, so it can be completely removed and glazing can be made to cover the entire height of the window to the floor. This will allow much more light to enter the room. Such a decision will require special permission.
Option one: finishing a Khrushchev refrigerator
The main disadvantage of space under the window is open ventilation and condensation. And modern repair and decoration of the refrigerator under the window, respectively, have the following goals:
- make the temperature difference on the walls less;
- keep the temperature under the windowsill low;
- make this element of kitchen design as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
There are two ways to maintain the desired temperature and eliminate condensation: using moisture-resistant and thermally insulating building materials or installing closed ventilation. Coolers and air conditioners for such a small space are difficult to find and installation will require significant costs. The easiest way is to insert a small fan into the ventilation hole: it will not only allow cold air to pass through, but will also prevent it from stagnating in a small space.
Niche under the window in the kitchen
Refrigerator trim under the window
However, it is even easier to insulate the external wall and use thermal insulating materials for finishing: plastic, polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, polyethylene foam. Tile retains the cold best, but condensation forms on it, so finishing with tiles will require the use of special thermal insulating additives in glue or cement, and ventilation must be of very high quality. As insulation, you can use mineral, glass or foam wool, thermal insulating concrete or the same polyethylene foam.
It is important to completely prevent the exchange of air between the refrigerator and the kitchen; to do this, you need to make tightly fitting doors. Ordinary wooden ones are not very suitable - they need to be adjusted very precisely so that there is no heat leakage. Doors made of plexiglass or plastic would be ideal. Sliding metal and plastic double-glazed windows are also hermetically sealed, which can be made to order from companies involved in glazing apartments and balconies.
However, the glass in such doors will cool greatly and reduce the air temperature in the kitchen. To avoid this, you need to order double insulated glass units or replace the glass in them with transparent plastic.
Remodeling a refrigerator under a window Refrigerator under a window with plastic doors
Door trim
The appearance of the refrigerator directly depends on the doors that will be used. If you decide to leave everything as is, it will be enough to refine and insulate the old doors a little. In other cases, you will have to order the design most suitable for the kitchen interior or try to do something yourself.
Insulation and decoration of old doors
It’s worth clarifying right away that when using old doors, a significant energy-saving effect is unlikely to be achieved. To ensure the preservation of coolness inside the cabinet, it is necessary to seal the doors as tightly as possible, and this is only possible with perfectly smooth surfaces and the presence of a seal.
White self-adhesive seal: D - profile
You can glue a rubber seal, but it will most likely not be possible to straighten crooked wooden doors. Of course, the seal partially compensates for unevenness, but doors of this design do not have fittings that would ensure tight pressure. Therefore, you will have to make something locally, depending on specific technical conditions.
An inexpensive and accessible option is to insulate the doors on the side of the refrigerator with foil insulation and glue a sealing rubber band where the doors join the frame. As an external decor, you can use self-adhesive film of a suitable color.
Metal-plastic construction
Plastic doors with sandwich panels
Installing a metal-plastic block is a simple and effective way to seal a refrigerator cabinet and keep heat in the kitchen. This is especially convenient if your home is undergoing a planned replacement of windows, since most manufacturers provide a discount on their products for large orders. However, the surveyor should be called only after the final completion of the opening.
Plastic profile with frosted glass looks more interesting
When ordering, you should not choose an expensive multi-chamber profile, since the window will not be subject to temperature changes and other atmospheric influences. A sandwich panel installed instead of a double-glazed window will help you save a little and hide the contents of the refrigerator.
The finished frame is waiting in the wings
Thanks to the variety of colors and textures of PVC profiles, choosing a design that best suits the kitchen interior is not difficult.
An interesting option with mirrors instead of glass
Installation of furniture doors (chipboard, MDF)
To ensure that the external design of the refrigerator cabinet does not stand out against the background of the kitchen unit, the optimal solution would be to make them with exactly the same finish. The ideal option is to order the doors along with the kitchen set.
Option two: cold cabinet
Since almost no one needs a refrigerator with open ventilation and cooling nowadays, the opening under the windows can be converted into a kitchen cabinet. In this case, ventilation is no longer needed - the hole can be sealed with polyurethane foam or concreted. The outer wall can be left uninsulated if condensation is weak on it, or thin insulation with high thermal insulation and moisture-resistant properties can be used.
Refrigerator under the window with lighting
To reduce the likelihood of condensation, the doors should be made airtight, as in the case of a refrigerator. If you order double-glazed doors, you can make lighting inside the cabinet; it will be practical and beautiful, especially if the glass is made translucent or stained glass. You can also use mirrors instead of glass: such doors have little practical value, but this option will visually increase the space of a small kitchen.
An alternative to doors can be a cabinet with drawers - this is no less practical, but this option will reduce the thermal insulation of the opening, since it is quite difficult to select hermetically sealed drawers.
Shelf instead of a refrigerator under the window
Advantages and disadvantages
The refrigerator compartment under the window is converted into almost an additional cubic meter of space. At least if you remove the refrigerator and do not replace it with a small version with a freezer. The device inside the wall does not require careful maintenance. At the same time, cleaning the insides will be difficult. Ergonomics will also be a questionable point. Not everyone likes to bend over and over again for groceries.
Before choosing a built-in refrigerator, you should ask yourself the question of air microcirculation. The battery will have to be removed, so the problem of cold wind in winter should be somehow solved. It is better to treat the inside of the refrigerator to protect against mold caused by condensation. The difference in temperature indoors and outdoors affects. It wouldn't hurt to trim the interior walls with ceramic tiles.
Option three: heating radiator
If apartment owners are most concerned about the temperature in the kitchen, they should avoid using the opening for storing food or kitchen utensils. Instead, the opening can be completely or partially sealed and a second heating radiator can be built in or a larger one can be installed. To fill the opening, you will have to carefully lay the brick, then plaster and putty well. It may be necessary to replace the window sill.
Radiator instead of refrigerator under the window
Non-standard solution
In addition to the usual ones, there are many interesting ways to turn the “Khrushchev refrigerator” into a stylish piece of kitchen interior.
One of them is to arrange a car wash. At the same time, the internal space of the niche is perfect for placing water pipes.
Such sinks have many fans - it’s nice to wash dishes in front of a window where trees grow and you can see the blue sky.
However, before reconstruction, you should think carefully and weigh the pros and cons, because in this case, splashes and drips of soapy water will have to be constantly removed from the window glass.
Another non-standard solution is to install a home safe in the kitchen niche. The depth of the niche will allow you to place a fairly large safe box in it, and the massive brick walls will allow you to properly seal the external facade.
Option four: fireplace
Many people dream of having a real fireplace in their home, and the opening under the windows in a Khrushchev-era building allows them to fulfill their dream. The outer wall of the opening will also have to be insulated and finished with materials with low electrical conductivity and moisture resistance - and you can put an electric fireplace there that imitates a real fire.
Refrigerator under the window with sliding doors
But if what is more important is not the appearance of the electric heater, but its power, then you can build an oil heater or a stone quartz heating panel into the opening. But it is not recommended to use reflectors and fan heaters in the opening - they require free air exchange, which will not be available in such a small space.
This kitchen design will require the creation of proper electrical wiring and grounding.
Radiator grill under the kitchen window
How to deepen your niche
If during the renovation it was decided to leave a niche in the kitchen, then there may be a need to deepen or expand it. It is not advisable to expand the Khrushchev refrigerator too much, since there is a possibility of damage to the supporting structure, but it can be deepened.
If the thickness of the rear wall allows, then it is enough to partially dismantle the thin partition. To do this, knock down some of the bricks laid across the masonry. Then the surface will be plastered with cement to protect it from moisture and cold. It is better to entrust the work to specialists, because the improved cabinet under the window sill in the kitchen will need to be properly plastered, insulated and the finished structure mounted.
Option five: washing
The sink in a small kitchen takes up a lot of space. This becomes even more problematic if residents need a dishwasher. And the opening under the windows will save usable space. To wash by a window, you will need to redesign the sewer and water pipes and replace the window sill to install a sink there. To finish the opening you will need moisture-resistant materials and insulation to avoid condensation on the walls and pipes.
To install a dishwasher, you will need to change the kitchen electrical circuit. In the same way, you can install a washing machine under the window.
Cabinet under the kitchen window
Preparing the wiring diagram
To draw up a power distribution diagram at your dacha, you can use two options:
- classic - using a regular pencil and paper;
- modern - using specialized computer programs.
When performing work, it is not necessary to comply with established norms and rules. It is enough to accurately display the installation locations of switches, sockets, lamps, equipment, junction boxes, as well as the location of cable lines. It is first recommended to draw a schematic plan of a country house.
Electrical wiring diagram in a country house
Option six: French window
The window opening in the Khrushchev kitchen is very small and provides little light, especially if the apartment is located on the north side of the house. In this case, natural light can be increased using a French window. The main difficulty lies in dismantling part of the outer wall. For such work, not only qualified construction specialists are needed, but also official technical permission for redevelopment.
Refrigerator under the window with glass shelves
A French window can be complemented with a classic balcony: it does not require a special concrete platform, it is very narrow and is built into the wall. But you can also get permission for a modern French balcony, which requires a concrete platform no more than half a meter wide. Such a platform can also be partially built into the wall. The railings for such balconies are usually made of wrought iron and are very beautiful.
Refrigerator under the window with glass doors
From the above we can conclude that even a refrigerator under the window in a Khrushchev apartment can be used if you approach this issue wisely. There are many options for using it, the main thing is to choose yours.
Installation of refrigeration chambers under the window
One of the scenarios involves using a ready-made niche. In this sense, you only need to provide openings for communications, ventilation and heating of the door/doors.
The second method means partial dismantling. We remove the old box, clean the surfaces and prime them before facing. We are taking measurements for the subsequent installation of the new structure and the refrigerator inside it. We insert the new box into the niche, and there is a refrigerator compartment.
In the third case, we dismantle the window sill. We clean everything. We replace damaged bricks with new ones. We use plaster and deep primer for high adhesion and strengthening of the existing finish. Then we make plasterboard sheathing.
If the window faces the courtyard and there is no load-bearing reinforced concrete beam under it, then you will be able to obtain permission to install a window block. In the case of the south side, nothing will work, because the exposure to the sun in the summer, combined with the heat generated by the refrigerator outside, will make this part of the kitchen too hot.
Refrigerator reconstruction technology for food storage
In Khrushchev's brick multi-storey buildings, the wall thickness according to building standards is 51 - 64 centimeters. Moreover, the lower the apartment is, the wider the masonry. The thickness of the wall in the opening under the window, which was used as a refrigerator, is 45 centimeters.
During the construction of such houses, slag was used to insulate the walls. It was poured into the gaps between the brick rows. In many niches, holes were often left for ventilation.
To build a good Khrushchev refrigerator, in which there will be no excess moisture, it is necessary to carry out a complete reconstruction of the old niche. In this case, a rather important stage is its external design. You can complete the entire refrigerator finishing process yourself.
Preparatory work
In order for the refrigerator to be spacious enough, you should initially remove a layer of plaster and one row of brickwork. In this case, horizontally located concrete lintels should not be touched, since they are load-bearing elements of the wall.
After freeing up the internal space, the thickness of the partition going out will be 25 centimeters. Then you need to clean the entire inside of the opening from dirt and dust.
Screed
When the process of preparing the niche is completed, you can begin leveling the walls. For this, a cement-sand screed is used. It allows you not only to level all surfaces, but also to close the gaps present in the masonry. After the mortar has completely dried, the walls must be coated with a primer.
Construction putty and gypsum mixture are not suitable for interior work, since they are not able to withstand the effects of frozen condensation. For air circulation, it is necessary to leave a ventilation hole on which a protective grille is placed.
Insulation of the external wall and internal space
The best option is to insulate the refrigerator from the street. Expanded polystyrene is used to create external thermal insulation. Plates of this material are laid on a previously leveled wall surface. The permissible difference is no more than 1 centimeter.
Expanded polystyrene - material for external thermal insulation
The material is attached to a special construction adhesive and additionally fixed to the wall with dowels. All joints are hermetically sealed with sealant or polyurethane foam. The top of the expanded polystyrene is reinforced with mesh and finishing.
To save as much space as possible in the refrigerator compartment for internal thermal insulation, you should use fairly thin insulation with a low level of thermal conductivity. Rolled foil isofol and foam text have these qualities.
The insulation process is performed in the following sequence:
- Cut a sheet of foam text to the size of the rear inner wall of the niche. Make a cone-shaped hole in the prepared material at the level of the ventilation passage, the narrow side of which should go out onto the street. To regulate the temperature in severe frosts, it is equipped with a special handle in the form of a loop.
- Prepare thermal insulation material for the surface under the window sill.
- Secure all cut sheets of foam text using “liquid nails” or construction foam.
- Fix isofol up to 10 millimeters thick on top of the glued insulation. The side walls can also be decorated with such foil sheets.
Cover all joints of the material performing the screen function with special tape.
To maintain the temperature in a winter refrigerator, you can use a small fan that is installed in the vent. Such a device will forcefully suppress cold air into the refrigerator compartment, and will also protect it from stagnation inside.
The insulation of doors is also important. Their internal thermal insulation is performed using foil-coated isofol. Not only the walls of the doors are like this, but also their frames.
Decorative finishing
When choosing the interior lining of the refrigerator under the window and selecting the material for the doors, you should take into account not only practicality but also aesthetic qualities. The following materials are well suited for finishing a niche:
- Ceramic tile. This option is ideal for interior decoration. The tiles should be laid using an adhesive solution with frost-resistant properties. Ceramic products with patterns imitating natural stones look especially beautiful.
- Plastic. This can be clapboard or sheets of plastic material cut to size. When choosing a facing product, you should take into account its strength and quality.
- Gypsum board. For finishing the interior space, only moisture-resistant sheets are used. They are impregnated with a primer on top and coated with paint.
To ensure that the winter refrigerator has an attractive appearance and is in harmony with the surrounding interior, you should pay attention to the choice of doors. You can make them yourself or order the necessary design from the craftsmen. Good for decorating doors:
- Metal-plastic. Doors made of this material are airtight, which allows you to completely protect the room from the penetration of cold air. For small winter refrigerators, a design with one door is suitable. For fairly large niches, it is better to install doors made of two panels.
- PVC. You can make such doors yourself or order them from furniture makers. The sliding door design made of polyvinyl chloride or aluminum panels will look original.
- Glass. Transparent doors look beautiful in combination with LED lighting. You can add a special touch to modern design with tinted glass doors.
The finished design of a winter refrigerator can be made to order. The material and color scheme of the product is selected to match the overall interior of the room.
A convenient cabinet for storing food, built into the wall, will never be superfluous in a small kitchen. With the help of modern building materials, you can turn an old Khrushchev refrigerator into a practical and convenient element of kitchen design. And the simple design of such a product allows you to do all the work yourself.
