Kitchen ideas: home furnishing tricks and design tips

The kitchen can look interesting and extraordinary, regardless of its size and other nuances. But nevertheless, these nuances must be taken into account in order to more easily achieve their goal. Let's see how the area of ​​the kitchen affects the arrangement of the kitchen, and what needs to be done in various cases.

In a spacious room, you can easily make a truly original, unique renovation. Arranging the space to your liking is also simplified. A set of furniture belonging to different styles will look very interesting. In this case, the atmosphere becomes relaxed, and every family member will like something. Another advantage of the large area is the ease of dividing into zones with different designs.

But it should be clear that the kitchen is still one. Therefore, elements that are similar in color are used in all zones. When equipping a kitchen in a wooden house, you need to maximize its flavor, and not ignore it. Whichever approach is used, the design concept should be simple and straightforward. Then all design moves will be perceived well.

But not always so lucky, in many cases it is necessary to solve the problem of insufficient area. There are many design ideas to deal with this defect. As with other rooms, it is recommended to use light and neutral colors. They will instantly move the space apart, the walls will seem more distant from each other.

It is enough to introduce skillfully dark elements into the composition to get an interesting plot. Another easy way to improve the look of a small kitchen is to maximize natural and electric light. Therefore, it is advisable to either abandon curtains altogether, or use curtains made of translucent fabrics. Experts recommend placing a lot of local LED lamps in different places.

Yes, such a recommendation seems to be somewhat stereotyped, but with skillful application, any such thought disappears. As for furniture, the use of transparent objects becomes a completely original choice. Thanks to visual weightlessness, they and the entire interior will be lightening. It is advisable to use at least 1 or 2 pieces of furniture visually stretching upwards. Patterns and designs should be applied sparingly, or at least done in a dimmer range.

But there is not always money, time to radically redo the kitchen space. Then you can simply rearrange what is already in the room. As practice shows, skillful placement allows you to effectively use 8-10 square meters. m. On the other hand, it is easy to overload a room with an area of ​​12-14 sq. m, mindlessly arranging furniture and appliances.

The problem should be solved thoughtfully, systematically.The first step is to prepare the diagram on paper. When compiling it, attention is paid to:

• the slightest irregularities in the walls, floor, ceiling;
• corners;
• structures of complex shape;
• technical communications;
• sewer holes;
• water supply outputs.

Both a kitchen set and a refrigerator, a washing machine, and other items must be carefully measured with a tape measure. If it is not more usual planning on paper, but the use of special software, this is exactly what you should do. It is important to keep in mind security considerations as well. So, making a sewer pipe too long or pulling a long hose, they risk damaging them with any carelessness.

Do not bring the hobs closer to the windows by more than 0.5 m. This could blow out the fire in an accidental draft. Also, keep in mind that a corner placement is highly impractical. Grease splashes are extremely difficult to remove from the corner wall. For a similar reason, sinks and sinks are rarely placed on corners.

There should be a gap of 0.9 m from the table to the working area.Otherwise, it will be difficult to walk around the kitchen with utensils in hand. With all the variety of kitchens, the arrangement of furniture is divided into 7 universal types. The linear circuit is only used in the smallest rooms. It always implies the convergence of the zones in which food is stored, cut and prepared.

If the area of ​​the space is slightly larger, furniture and household appliances are displayed in two strips. But we must remember that when the distance between the individual parts of the composition is more than 1.3 m, the work becomes much more complicated. The arrangement in the form of the letter "L" allows you to form comfortable "triangles" - a table, a sink, a refrigerator. The table can be placed where there is more free space.

The U-shaped scheme is appropriate only over a large area. An attempt to put furniture close to three walls in a small kitchen will only result in inconveniences. Usually, the walls are the two main planes, and the third, the smallest, is the space under the windows. Designers believe that the upper part should be occupied only on one wall, and not on all at once. It is important to provide that even in a room cluttered with all the necessary furniture, there is at least 3 m of free floor from wall to wall.

Without resorting to rearranging furniture and household appliances, it is quite possible to enlarge the kitchen visually. Appropriate techniques help even in "Khrushchev" apartments, where there is always a lack of space. Traditionally, the best solution for a small area is to use white. It is not recommended to use dark furniture unless absolutely necessary, despite its increased practicality. The slightest scratches, externally noticeable seams, and so on are strictly prohibited.

But the perfect execution of white implies a reasonable amount of it. It should not give the impression of a hospital room or laboratory. You should definitely think about bright inclusions. This rule must be observed even in a low room.

If the standard white color seems dull and faded, it is simply replaced with cream, beige, and sometimes milky. But it's a bad idea to dilute the kitchen with three or more tones. When choosing a drawing, it is better to give preference to the smaller version, which externally will distance the surface. If there is no experience in using geometric ornaments and a competent understanding of them, it is better to choose other design techniques.

The use of glass blocks can also be of great benefit. Along with increasing illumination and expanding space, they are needed as a means to zone a room. Modern glass products can be decorated with drawings and ornaments.To fill the voids, decorative details are used, chosen at their discretion. You can choose glass blocks of the most different geometric shapes.

An atypical way of setting up a kitchen is to hang a plate dryer in the gap between the sink and hanging cabinets. Along with saving space, such a solution protects furniture from excessive moisture. It is also recommended to think about turning the sink volume into an impromptu workplace.

It is advisable to provide a separate shelf for cookbooks, telephones and e-books. Then you can safely cook, constantly checking the recipe. Another original technique is to turn the kitchen cabinet doors into an auxiliary storage space. Usually shelves are hung there or simply hooks are screwed on. However, these ideas can be combined.

A window sill-table deserves special attention. Practice shows that it saves usable space and at the same time makes the kitchen more original. Importantly, a tabletop installed on a windowsill can have a different functional role. If you plan to use it for cutting food, the table top is made as a logical continuation of the headset. But you can also build in a sink there, if you just think over how to lay communications.

There are many ways to place dishes in the kitchen. In a small space, vertical storage complexes are a good solution. Now designers have learned how to create compact shelves. Hanging baskets are often a good idea for storing dishes. And the so-called roof rails will allow you to arrange the same cups, plates and other items horizontally.

Usually they tend to hide kitchen utensils from prying eyes. But if you can't put pots and pans in one drawer, you can do exactly the opposite. Cooking utensils are hung on perforated panels attached to the hood or the door itself. In order to make the most of the corners of the kitchens, they use retractable racks and specially designed drawers.

When the kitchen has an exit to the balcony, this immediately expands the design possibilities. But they must be implemented correctly and skillfully. The most important moment when fitting the balcony environment into the overall composition is the careful choice of curtains. Most often, roll-up translucent structures are now used.

Along with the imitation of solid canvases, the doors to the balcony can be decorated in another way. Tulle and curtains will be quite appropriate. Most often, such decorative elements are used in classic kitchens. As for the blinds, it is best to choose those made of wood, they will be especially well included in the ecological situation. When replacing a typical door with a French one, the opening itself already turns into a decorative element.

The key principle of kitchen lighting is to differentiate between levels. Three functional areas are usually distinguished:

• for dish washing;
• working segment;
• dining area.

The illumination level is chosen carefully. There should be no dark or too brightly lit corners. This is both inconvenient and increases energy costs. Therefore, there is a simple rule: by increasing the number of lamps, each of them is made weaker. Such modern design approaches look very good, such as:

• LED strip along the apron;
• spot illumination of the working segment;
• hanging a sconce next to the dining table.

It is necessary to determine the power of the backlight taking into account the color of the kitchen as a whole and its individual surfaces. The difference in the amount of reflected light between light and dark elements can be up to 4-5 times. It is recommended to experiment, think over different ways of arranging lamps. If you are creating a classic-style interior, you can use a traditional ceiling chandelier. In an elongated kitchen, you can complement the main lamp with hanging shades.

The plafonds themselves are directed either downward (to illuminate a strictly defined circle) or up (for a cozy desaturated light). Spotlights in modern rooms are used as the main filling. And in classic cuisine, they play a subordinate role, focusing on individual zones. The work area is often located under the cabinets - then the light sources are attached to them from below. Thinking over the direction of the streams of light, they are never directed directly into the eyes.

Having familiarized yourself with the basic requirements for kitchen lighting, it is easy to understand that the lighting adjusts to the headset, not the headset to the lighting... This also determines the order of their design. The general luminaire must be equipped with a dimmer so that the intensity of the luminous flux can be adjusted. A high quality switch is quite expensive. The cheapest dimmers break down quickly.

It is very good if the lights in different parts of the kitchen can be switched on separately. Together with energy savings, this allows for the highest comfort. In the kitchen, in any case, they select lamps with a neutral white, and ideally with a warm glow. The cheapest lamps, emitting a bright bluish light, provoke vague anxiety, distort the natural color of food.

Decorative items are just as important as quality lighting. Parts of various sizes can be used. For all the differences between the designers, they believe that design elements should look equally good day and night. A flawless classic option is the use of paintings. For several centuries they can be found in the most luxurious and solemn interiors.

A set of small canvases or one plot is hung in the kitchen. Of course, they also take into account the specifics of the premises themselves. What looks good in one place makes a bad look in another.

Along with art pictures, wall letters can also be used. Their advantage is an equally good view in any room. Mirrors will simultaneously expand the space and make it exclusive. It will be very good to use them to replace part of the wall. The most original solution turns out to be the use of mirrors with atypical geometry or non-standard colors.

According to any experienced designer, you can safely use mirrors with convex edges. Yes, the human figure is not fully reflected in them. But the room will be decorated with "bunnies" and glare; judging by the reviews, they look very good. Unusual decorative items can also be:

• Photo;

• collages;

• selections of porcelain;

• plaster patterns.

All this can be done with your own hands, and it is very simple. Original wall murals will help transform even the most formulaic kitchen. Bridges, bird's-eye view of cities and isolated street views are almost a win-win option for photo wallpaper.In the kitchens of classical and environmentally oriented styles, the walls are decorated with landscapes and still lifes. A completely modern and not too boring solution is chalk wallpaper, which looks as relaxed as possible.

Potted or vase-planted flowers are attractive in any kitchen style except high-tech. They are usually displayed on shallow shelves or on racks. In case of an acute shortage of space, the pots are hung or placed on the floor. If you choose a Japanese style of kitchen decoration, you can use bonsai.

The way out of the situation is practical life hacks for life. So, improved cutting boards can be both decoration and useful thing at the same time. Some of them are even capable of weighing the laid out food. It is convenient to take warming containers with potholders, the shape of which is determined by personal preferences. Decorative and practical properties are harmoniously combined in modern coasters for pots or pans.

There are other interesting decorative items for the kitchen:

• plates with paintings;

• broken ceramic mosaic;

• embroidered napkins and tablecloths;

• CDs covering the kitchen apron.

For all the importance of decorative elements, there are other points that designers pay attention to. They always point out that any recommendations should be taken critically. If even some component seems unnatural in a particular environment, but you really like it, you can safely use it. A bay window, a niche, a column, a beam - all this can become an advantage from a disadvantage.

The "freshness" of the atmosphere in the kitchen can be emphasized by the technique of imitation of a grassy lawn. This photo shows what a similar idea might look like in practice. It blends harmoniously with the light wood top.

And here is a harmonious corner kitchen using white and pink colors. A rich dark floor is used to enhance the visual effect.

Some original minded designers prefer tiled surfaces. The photo shows how a similar interior might look like. In this case, the experts chose a mosaic design. Undeservedly little attention is paid to "chess" compositions in kitchens. Corresponding figures can be used both in the design of the floor and in decorative pillows.

Practical tips for arranging a kitchen in the video below.