The combination of two premises into one - a spacious one in which everything can be placed and there will be space - has been used for a long time and is one of the modern solutions for organizing housing. This is a good way to expand the space in apartments where there is a small kitchen or it is not possible to make a fairly spacious living room. Sometimes it's just a desire to follow current trends and live in an apartment with a lot of air.
When the premises merge (most often this is a kitchen combined with an adjacent room), part of the corridor, hallway or pantry can also get into the total area of the kitchen-living room. The result of such a redevelopment is a room where everything that you wanted to put in your living room and kitchen is placed. And there will still be enough space for the comfortable movement of the whole family and spending time together (photo of the interior design at the end of the article).
Attention! Earned on our website kitchen designer. You can familiarize yourself with it and design your dream kitchen for free! May also come in handy
wardrobes designer.
In houses built recently, such a layout is assumed initially. Therefore, the design developments of the interiors of the kitchen-living room are of interest not only for those who are tired of the cramped kitchenette and narrow corridors. Solving the problem of aesthetic and convenient placement of furniture and appliances, creating a single comfortable space is not an easy task. After all, it is important to make each area of the room functional and useful, not only beautiful.
A kitchen-living room that has its own style and harmoniously combines aesthetics and functionality - this is the task that the apartment owners solve independently or with the help of professionals.
If you combine the living room and kitchen together: advantages and disadvantages
A space with a minimum number of walls, in which individual zones flow into each other, together creating an atmosphere of comfort and beauty - such a solution in creating a kitchen-living room design has its own Benefits:
- a large space in which you can place everything, embody any idea and create a comfortable, modern room;
- when preparing dinner, you do not have to squeeze between the refrigerator and the table;
- table setting for a meal is greatly facilitated, it ceases to be a task that requires a solution, and turns into an aesthetic everyday life;
- a kitchen where there is enough space for everyone - without the hustle and bustle;
- you can cook while interacting with your family and watching the children.
Of course, there are also moments with which you have to come to terms:
- kitchen odors, which will have to be disposed of with the help of appropriate equipment, which will cost a lot (powerful hoods with low noise levels);
- you will need to get used to the fact that the kitchen is on public display, so you will have to wash the dishes right away and clean everything up.
Of the tangible shortcomings, only these two can be named, however, with the correct organization of work on the ergonomics and design of the kitchen-living room, they are not even noticed.
You will have to invest in creating effective ventilation, as well as find furniture that can be washed and cleaned periodically. All materials used in the interior must have surfaces that are insensitive to moisture and temperature fluctuations, especially if a lot of food is being prepared.
Organization of the kitchen-dining-living room space in the apartment
The network contains a large number of projects for organizing a space that has a multifunctional purpose, most of all kitchen interiors are there. The authors of these solutions are usually foreign designers, their ideas are successfully used in our country. However, you need to consider a slightly different approach to family eating.
In Russia, many families prefer to cook on their own using natural products. That is, the hostess will spend much more time in the kitchen, preparing breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Ready meals or semi-finished products have not yet become widespread in our country - perhaps because of their price or quality, which is inferior to home cooking.
Therefore, thinking over the design, you should immediately take into account this point - all materials for decoration, furniture should be selected with this in mind. The very arrangement of interior items and equipment must be carried out according to strict rules. The kitchen-living room in a modern style is a combination of innovative technologies with color, softness and comfort. Everything should be thought out to the smallest detail.
It is optimal when each area of the room has its own space - that is, you need not one design solution for the entire room, which houses the kitchen, dining room and living room, but two or three. In any case, it should be clearly separated from the rest of the interior - there are several ways for this.
Island
It is a module that includes several elements of the kitchen (more details). Used for barely outlined, conditional division of a room into two. It does not completely overlap it. It can be approached from either side, but it is the border of two zones.
Each side can correspond to its part - from the side of the kitchen area, repeat its color, from the side of the living room, be a different color.
Peninsula
A module that is not self-contained, but mounted with one end to the wall. The use of this element immediately solves the problem of visual separation of the kitchen-living room (photo), in addition, it is used for serving and small meals in close company.
By placing hanging cabinets above it, the kitchen area becomes almost completely separate, while maintaining a sense of unclutteredness. The peninsula is especially suitable for a kitchen-living room in an apartment that is not the most spacious.
Ideas for its multifunctional use are not limited to anything. From the side of the living room, you can arrange it as you like - equip with shelves for books, place a storage system on it. From the kitchen side, you can put dishes in it or build in elements of household appliances.
The peninsula is suitable if, for example, in an apartment building it is impossible to completely demolish the wall between the kitchen and the next room. In this case, part of the wall remains in the interior and is used to install the peninsula, the doorway expands.
Partitions
The separation of the two zones can be done with various partitions, screens. For example, in the kitchen combined with the living room, install a partition with a built-in fireplace. The fire can be seen only by those who spend time in the living room, or positioned so that it can be seen from both sides - both the kitchen and the living room.
Canteen
If the kitchen and living room are together, then the dining room can be the space separator of these two zones. Correctly positioned table and chairs serve as an excellent border, the presence of this element allows you to use the area as efficiently and economically as possible, freeing up space for storage systems.
Upholstered furniture and carpets
From the side of the living room, a sofa, angular or linear, armchairs can serve as an excellent space divider. The carpet on the floor will accentuate the border. In design, such furniture sets create cozy isolated spaces in which it is convenient to communicate and spend time.
Levels
Separating zones using floor levels is effective if the ceiling is high and the room itself is spacious. The kitchen usually rises on a small podium, which can be emphasized by lighting.
For these purposes, the ceiling is also used - a multi-level suspended ceiling is created, together with the lighting system, it will clearly outline the boundaries of the kitchen-living room.
Lighting
Intelligent lighting is the ideal zoning element in any variant and in any area. Each zone should have its own separate lighting, and the organization options can be varied:
- traditional chandeliers, selected according to the task;
- spot lighting;
- ribbon illumination;
- combining different ways.
Lighting elements can be placed both on the ceiling, which is always effective, and below. Wall lamps and cozy floor lamps do an excellent job.
The lower surfaces of the wall cabinets can be used to accommodate the lamps - this is how it is convenient to illuminate the workplace.
Style color solutions
There are several universal color solutionsthat will make the room modern and aesthetic, in line with fashion trends.
For example, light colors are always relevant for modern kitchen-living room design. For a small space, light shades with a predominance of white are suitable - even a small room will be visually enlarged.
It is also necessary to take into account the location of the room relative to the cardinal points - for the north side, colors are relevant that can add light and space. The color scheme should not be monotonous - there should be color accents in the design that will grab attention and emphasize the general idea.
As for style, modern design allows not only strict reproduction of style moments in the interior, but also eclecticism, allowing you to do whatever you like - subject to the general harmony.
One Diversity - Unifying Elements
Despite the presence of two or three zones in the room, it should give the impression of a single whole. For this, finishing materials are used, which are used to decorate surfaces.
It is ideal if the same style of walls, ceiling and floor is maintained throughout the room, because the interior of the kitchen and the living room is developed immediately. An exception may be a kitchen apron - it is made of particularly durable materials that can be cleaned and washed.
However, do not forget that by adhering to the same color when decorating the walls and ceiling, you can get a room with blurred boundaries. Therefore, even choosing white as the main color, you should remember about accents that will give shape to even a monochrome space.
It will be very cozy and warm in a room where white is combined with surfaces and interior items made of natural wood. Houseplants in beautiful bright pots, a bright carpet in the living room area can also be accents.
The use of contrasts is always relevant - in this way you can create an original appearance of the room, guided only by your instinct and taste. Numerous examples posted on the web will help you generate your own approach to the problem.
Especially when you consider that light and white shades can be combined with almost any color - including black.
Dark colors, used correctly, can expand a space. For example, a dark lower tier will make the ceiling look taller.
Always up-to-date and fashionable warm colors: shades of beige, creamy, sandy colors. In a room decorated in these colors, it is always light and cozy, light air.
You can solve the color problem by using gray as the basis - the most neutral and versatile shade. In the kitchen, it will go well with metal surfaces and household appliances. To add coziness, you can use inclusions from natural wood or surfaces in warm colors. One bright wall can solve the problem of creating a color spot - in a large room it will be an accent. If the overall color scheme of the interior is in one color, the surfaces are monochromatic, then this will add color and relieve the monotony.
There can be a drawing on the wall or just a beautiful wallpaper. Any option will help to achieve the goal - to give the space certainty and shape.
Photo: modern interior design of the kitchen combined with the living room
Of course, in addition to the design of the living room kitchen in the apartment, the owner of the house will have many worries. We'll have to redo the wiring, bring out the number of sockets sufficient for a multifunctional room, take care of communications and ventilation. However, the result will pay off all the trouble - a spacious room in which it will be convenient to cook, gather with the whole family and receive guests.
