Design Tips
A number of rules that are followed when decorating a room:
- Using reflective shiny coatings you can visually expand the space, make the room larger and taller. A similar effect can be achieved with a glossy stretch ceiling, mirror surfaces and decorative elements with a smooth texture.
- To enlarge the living room, pastel cool colors are suitable. Refreshing blue, blue, green or pink shades will fill the atmosphere with airiness. Stripes in the design of the floor in the form of a simple laminate, dark-colored parquet or carpet will help expand the space.
- You can decorate the room, as well as create the illusion of a spacious room in it, by using correctly selected photo wallpaper with a perspective image or ordinary wallpaper with graphic designs in the form of horizontal or vertical lines.
- To prevent the room from looking too cluttered, the living room in a Khrushchev-era building should be furnished only with the necessary furniture of a compact size.
- As a style solution, it is better to choose discreet directions. For example, neat Scandinavian design, laconic minimalism or futuristic hi-tech are ideal.
The photo shows the design of a living room in a Khrushchev building in the high-tech style.
Which color scheme to prefer?
If the living room is small, which is typical for most apartments in Khrushchev-era buildings, it is advisable to select the tones for the walls from a light range. The floor can be made a little darker than the main tone solution, but not darkened, or you can resort to the rules of contrast.
It is advisable to order a suspended ceiling, light or boiling white, glossy. Moreover, you should place accents in the room as decor, but do not overdo it with decorations.
Two leading colors in the design of the living room are enough. Cream and beige, olive and ocher or gold go well together. Classic black and white, gray colors with blue or peach are beautiful. Lilac, as well as cream with red, blue, and green, also look unsurpassed.
You can design it in the Scandinavian style, but you shouldn’t overdo it with light colors, so as not to create the effect of a hospital ward. Pastel colors with bright accents look very nice.
Layout options
A small living room in a Khrushchev-era apartment remains a walk-through without redevelopment. The arrangement of furniture in such a room should be carried out in such a way that objects do not interfere with free movement and do not block the passage. For a walk-through hall, an excellent solution would be to choose a more restrained style direction and install transformable furniture elements.
In a square room, designers recommend determining in advance where the furniture and decor will be located. It is better if all objects are placed at an equal distance from each other. In a square-shaped living room, there is no need to choose a special place for a furniture set, since its location will not affect the size of the room in any way. The main advantage of this layout is the saving of free space in the center of the room.
In order not to make the rectangular room even more disproportionate and not to lengthen the space, it is not advisable to place furniture near one oblong wall. The interior will look more visually balanced if you use combinations and horizontal divisions in the decoration of the walls. For example, the upper part of the plane is painted, and the lower part is covered with wallpaper with patterns. A warm color palette will help expand the rectangular long hall.
In a one-room panel Khrushchev house, the layout of a studio apartment is also appropriate. In this case, all partitions are demolished and the room is combined with a hallway or kitchen. For those who do not accept radical methods of remodeling the room, you can only partially dismantle the partitions or replace the doors with arches.
The photo shows a remodeled living room in a Khrushchev-era building, combined with a kitchen.
How to make, calculate, install
The design of a Khrushchev house with a fireplace can be very diverse; it is important that such a device can fully provide the comfort and coziness that is achieved by installing and having a traditional stove in a private house made of brick or logs. As a result, you will feel the same, but only in the city, while such an imitation of a Russian stove will become no less attractive, and the small dimensions and area, which is typical for modern residential premises, complexes in this case will not become a serious obstacle that cannot be bypassed and decide experimentally.
The most popular option and type of heating device is the electric fireplace, its advantages are as follows:
- In the hearth of the heating unit, a fairly modern and realistic imitation of fire is reproduced, with animation, 3D and 5D effects, sound, crackling firewood, pleasant tunes and melodies;
- Electric fireplaces in an apartment allow you not only to decorate the room stylishly and tastefully, but also to heat it, if its area has reasonable limits. It is impossible to heat the entire apartment at once using an electric firebox, since the maximum power of the products does not exceed 5 kW;
- This option will become a “highlight” and addition to any room interior; you can use it in combination with classic, retro, art-porn, hi-tech, modern style. the firebox can be supplemented with a portal or you can choose a lining that matches your color and texture.
A fireplace in an apartment is not only an advantage, but also a number of certain disadvantages and inconveniences that are associated with the fact that such heating equipment is expensive, even the simplest models cannot be purchased for less than 10,000 rubles, and a full-fledged unit will cost you about 50 000-80,000 rub.
Also, when purchasing or choosing, you need to take into account the number of rooms, the features of their layout and the area of the residential property, and then determine the optimal, most suitable place to place the firebox, so that the heat generated from it is evenly distributed in all directions.
It is best to install and install the object in the brightest, most spacious, central room; this is easiest to do at the time of construction and repair work. This way you can route the electrical cable to the required place, successfully hide and decorate it!
If you decide to purchase or make a decorative fireplace for your apartment with your own hands, then there are two options: the first is to purchase a ready-made model in our online store and the second is to assemble a false variation with your own hands. When assembling a fireplace with your own hands, you must use only high-quality materials at hand on a non-flammable basis - metal profiles, plasterboard, cladding of the frame is done only with materials that are suitable in style, texture, and color.
Hall zoning
Due to the successful zonal delimitation of the living room in the Khrushchev, the design of a room with a modest area becomes functional, comfortable and aesthetically attractive.
Rest zone
This segment includes elements in the form of a comfortable sofa and armchairs, a small coffee or coffee table and a TV. You can highlight and mark the boundaries of the recreation area using finishing materials or decorative details.
In the photo there is a recreation area in a Khrushchev-era apartment, highlighted with patterned gray wallpaper.
Office in the living room of Khrushchev
A work area with a desk, computer desk, chair or armchair is usually equipped near a window. An ergonomic solution would be to choose a corner design with storage systems in the form of hanging shelves and drawers. The window opening in the living room with an office is decorated with transparent curtains and the work area is equipped with additional lighting fixtures. It is appropriate to install a partition, screen or shelving as a zoning element.
Sleeping place in the living room of Khrushchev
It is better to place the place with the bed away from the doorway and separate this segment with a screen, curtains, shelving or plasterboard partition. Another successful zoning option would be the use of different floor coverings or the construction of a podium. Installing sliding systems will help to isolate the sleeping area as much as possible.
Children's area in the Khrushchev hall
It is appropriate to use not too noticeable zoning, for example, lighting, color or furniture items. In a one-room apartment in Khrushchev, the children's area can be separated by a screen, curtains, or divided by a sliding partition. In this way, it will be possible to create a comfortable individual space for both the child and the parents.
The photo shows the interior of a room in a Khrushchev-era building divided into a hall and a children's area.
Dinner Zone
In the interior of a living room in Khrushchev, a dining area with a table and chairs is placed near the window or taken out onto the attached balcony. In order to highlight the dining area, you can choose lighting, contrasting finishes or a multi-level ceiling.
A stylish, effective and modern solution for a small room is a bar counter, which will perfectly replace a dining table and save space in the room.
Zoning the living room in Khrushchev
To make a small living room truly comfortable and functional, you cannot do without zoning. But the choice of solutions for Khrushchev is not so great, because partitions, massive cabinets, voluminous curtains and even sliding screens take up space.
— The simplest way of zoning is island arrangement of furniture. A sofa corner with a TV and bookshelves is separate, a work area is separate, a green corner is separate.
— Local illumination is the tool just for you. Make independent lighting of individual zones, and it will itself indicate their boundaries.
— Combine different colors and use accents: a rug near the sofa, one bright wall on a neutral background, textile decoration.
— A radical solution is to demolish walls or partitions. Most often, living rooms in Khrushchev are combined with a balcony or kitchen. Just keep in mind that in the first case you will need high-quality thermal insulation, and in the second - exhaust hood and ventilation.
— If you want to leave a plasterboard partition or podium, use them for business. You can build niches, drawers, drawers or entire modern storage systems there.
Living room colors
A color palette, which has its own aesthetic and physical qualities, can radically affect the visual perception of space.
Gray living room in Khrushchev
For some, a design in gray tones may seem boring, faceless and even gloomy. However, such an achromatic range is most suitable for creating a laconic interior in a small room in a Khrushchev-era building. Bright decorative objects such as curtains, sofa cushions or paintings look advantageous against a gray background.
The photo shows a living room in a Khrushchev-era building, made in gray tones with the addition of white and beige.
Brown living room in Khrushchev
Versatile, practical natural light wood tones will harmoniously fit into small spaces, both in classic and modern styles. It is better to use coffee, terracotta and chocolate palettes in doses as accent inclusions.
Beige tones in the living room interior
A fairly common color scheme that makes the interior of the room incredibly comfortable and homely. Beige tones help relax the nervous system, set the mood for relaxation and fill the atmosphere with warmth.
The photo shows a beige and white design of a modern living room in a Khrushchev apartment.
White color in the hall
The most advantageous option for the design of a small living room in Khrushchev. White shades allow you to visually enlarge the room, add freshness and additional radiance to the interior. For a harmonious combination with this color, any tones are suitable. It would be appropriate to brighten up a white room with accents in green, yellow, pink or other colorful colors.
Color solutions
The most common color solution is the choice of two-color wallpaper, with a pattern or plain. But you can also find an unusual design solution using several colors. If you prefer multi-color wallpaper, then it is better to turn to a professional, since choosing it yourself may turn out to be wrong. The wrong combination can turn a cozy room into an absurd combination of colors. Making a choice on your own is quite difficult.
Light wallpaper creates a light, airy atmosphere in the room and is best suited for small spaces
Green wallpaper is associated with nature and evokes only positive emotions
Blue wallpaper gives the interior a sophisticated, luxurious feel
Cheerful yellow color lifts your mood and fills the room with sunny warmth
Gray wallpaper will serve as a good background for light furniture
Two-tone options
You can choose two-color options yourself if you know some rules. Some choose contrasting options such as black and white, or red and green. If you don’t like flashy colors, but prefer tranquility, then it’s better to opt for plain wallpaper, warm or neutral shades. It can be brown, white, beige, gray and other shades.
It is better to give the main background in the room a light shade, and the sofa area can be highlighted with darker wallpaper
You can divide the room into two parts, cover two walls with a single color shade, and the others with a bright one, or use a pattern that matches the color. There is an option to divide the wall into two parts, upper and lower. The upper one is usually pasted over in a single color, and the lower ones use patterns. This allows you to visually increase the volume of the room. If there is not enough lighting in the room, then it is better to choose wallpaper in light shades, but if there is a lot of light in the room, then you can choose bright or dark colors.
You can separate wallpaper of different colors using a paper border
Finishes and materials
Finishing solutions for the living room in a Khrushchev apartment.
Floor
A calm and cozy design of a living room in a Khrushchev-era building can be achieved through flooring in the form of parquet boards, laminate or carpet. A reliable board made of natural wood will not only decorate the interior of the room, but will also last for quite a long time.
The photo shows a light parquet board on the floor in the interior of a living room in Khrushchev.
Walls
A monochromatic wall design will help achieve a visual unification of space and lighten the interior. For this, textured plaster or ordinary light paint can be used.
The traditional way of finishing is wallpaper. The surface of the walls in the hall is covered with a wide variety of paper, modern non-woven, washable linens, glass wallpaper or liquid wallpaper.
Using wall cladding, it is possible to zone a room, as well as achieve a visual change in its configuration. For example, one accent plane, decorated with brickwork, wood panels or photo wallpaper, will help make a narrow and elongated living room in a Khrushchev-era building more even and spacious.
The photo shows a living room in a Khrushchev-era building with walls covered with plain and patterned pink wallpaper.
Ceiling
In the interior of the hall, the use of plaster, painting, and installation of hanging or tension fabric is popular. For a small room in a Khrushchev-era building with a low ceiling, a complex multi-level structure is not suitable. A coating in the form of a glossy film that reflects light and visually expands the space will look best on the ceiling in the living room.
The ceiling plane must be equipped with spotlights around the perimeter or in a chaotic manner.
The photo shows the interior of a living room in a Khrushchev building with a two-level suspended ceiling structure.
Play area for children
Small household members should also be given a corner for games and relaxation. Such zoning is very beneficial when children grow up in the family.
It’s worth setting up a wall bars with a horizontal bar and a swing. Both girls and boys will appreciate this. There is no need to separate the play area except by laying a rubberized non-slip floor covering or a sports mat in this area.
Furniture selection and location
For the interior of a living room in Khrushchev, a classic straight sofa of a simple geometric shape with laconic textile upholstery is suitable. A folding corner model with an extra bed makes efficient use of real space. This assembled design does not take up much space and provides a convenient place to store bedding and things.
In the hall, the entire wall from floor to ceiling can be equipped with shelves, racks, or a wardrobe can be installed. This product is highly functional and can accommodate a large number of clothes and other necessary items. Open hanging shelves will look light, will not overload the room and will allow you to place various decorative accessories, books and other elements.
The photo shows an option for arranging a small living room in a Khrushchev-type apartment.
For an elongated space, choose a linear arrangement of furniture. There is a sofa near one long wall, and the parallel plane is complemented by modular cabinets and a TV.
In a small room, you can use a place near the window. In this case, it is appropriate to equip the space next to the window opening with a low stand with a TV device. In order to make the room more spacious, you should place armchairs near the window or place a sleeping area.
Design of a Khrushchev apartment 43 m2
As experience says, a “Khrushchev” can be turned into an unusual, bright space in which nothing will resemble dull, outdated housing. Thanks to the imagination of the owners and the use of modern interior techniques, the apartment has literally been transformed.
The first step was a major redevelopment.
- An arched entrance to the kitchen was made from the entrance hall. An interesting, bright olive color scheme harmoniously combines with white walls, a kitchen apron, and part of the facades. A crimson sofa and a light table complement the unusual, festive interior.
- We expanded the bathroom, removing the partition between it and the corridor, and combined the bathroom and toilet. Instead of a bathtub, a spacious shower was installed. A washing machine was also installed here.
- We moved the wall of the narrow bedroom further into the corridor, and installed a spacious dressing room at the blind end instead of the inconvenient storage room provided according to the basic design. Instead of doors, they hung heavy, thick curtains.
- Old double-glazed windows were replaced with modern ones, increasing the window openings. Laminate was laid on the floor: light gray in the kitchen and warmer, golden in the living rooms.
A relaxation area was installed in the living room niche. In order not to “cut up” the space, to make it unified, the walls of the niche were finished with the same laminate as the floor. This made it possible to give the interior additional comfort and remove visual boundaries. The accent wall is made in a deep, very beautiful dark blue color, reminiscent of the velvet night sky. The owners refused to use curtains, which made it possible to further visually increase the space of the rooms.
Curtains, decor and textiles
The main rule in decorating a hall in a Khrushchev-era building is the complete absence of elaborate decor and complex draperies. It is appropriate to decorate the window in the room with light tulle and light porters, Roman or Japanese curtains.
Textile accessories made of velvet and velor will visually weigh down the interior of the living room, so it is advisable to choose elements from more airy fabrics, such as satin, silk, cotton or satin.
The photo shows a hall in a Khrushchev-era building with a window draped in tulle with patterns and light brown curtains.
A floor vase will fit perfectly into the corner of the living room; you can hang several small paintings or one large canvas on the wall.
An electric fireplace or an aquarium integrated into a wall, cabinet or chest of drawers will become a real interior decoration. The built-in container will give the atmosphere a special mood and save useful square meters in the hall in the Khrushchev-era building.
The photo shows a decorative false fireplace in the interior of the living room in a Khrushchev apartment.
Types of wallpaper
Different types of wallpaper can be combined with each other, for example, use more wear-resistant fabrics in the lower part of the wall, and cheaper wallpaper on top
Non-woven
This type is very dense and durable because it is made from cellulose fibers and a binder is added under high pressure. The application of such material is unpretentious, it does not wrinkle, waves do not form, etc. They are much stronger than paper ones and will last for many years, so when choosing wallpaper for a hall in a Khrushchev-era building, you can spend a little more money, but the price remains reasonable.
Non-woven wallpaper often has a textured surface and can be designed for painting
There are two types of non-woven wallpaper - those made entirely of non-woven material and those produced on the basis of non-woven material. The second option is paper wallpaper covered with non-woven fabric; they are not as durable and strong as those made entirely from this material; they can also be repainted several times, which is a huge plus. You won't need to remove the covering to change the color, just paint them and update the room.
Wallpaper will last longer if you separate it from the floor with a practical painted coating
Vinyl
Vinyl wallpaper has one difference - it is a bright and rich pattern that is moisture resistant.
Vinyl wallpaper on a non-woven backing has a leveling effect and can hide minor wall imperfections
Vinyl wallpaper is paper or non-woven wallpaper, but polyvinyl chloride is applied on top of it. They do not tear when applied to the wall, have increased strength, and are difficult to scratch, so if there are children or pets in the house, then such wallpaper will be the best option.
Textile
Textile wallpaper absorbs sound well, thanks to the coating it does not fade and lasts a long time, and also has thermal insulation. They are environmentally friendly, and the variety of colors and patterns is amazing.
Textile wallpaper is practical and durable, but is more expensive and more difficult to apply
Despite all the advantages, this model is very easily soiled and does not tolerate moisture; they also accumulate dust, which can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner, but such manipulations take time.
Combined
To combine means to combine several colors or types with each other. Usually these are different colors or shades, or a combination with a pattern, so the room does not seem overloaded with pattern. This way you can disguise imperfections in the room and create an aesthetically beautiful look. Dividing the hall into functional zones will help with different combinations.
Using various combinations of wallpaper, you can brighten a room, highlight zones, “raise” the ceiling or “move apart” the walls of the room
Due to the strength and heaviness of the wallpaper, they must be glued with especially strong glue, because they may not support their own weight.
Lighting Features
In a living room with a distinct rectangular shape, it would be appropriate to install two identical lamps instead of one central chandelier. For a very small room, a compact flat model with bright LED lamps is suitable.
A room in a Khrushchev-era building is equipped with spotlights, table lamps and bulky floor lamps are replaced with wall sconces.
In order to give the room lightness, it is advisable to choose lamps with glass or mirror shades.
Cabinets, shelves, racks, niches and plasterboard structures can be supplemented with LED lighting or built-in light bulbs. It is better to decorate the TV area with soft and subdued lighting.
Techniques for increasing space
There are two options to make the room larger:
- First and difficult: Demolish the wall into the next room. But this will require permission from special services and quite large financial costs.
- Second and simpler: Achieve the effect of enlargement through the use of light colors, mirror surfaces, and built-in cabinets.
Of course, the room itself will not change, but visually it will seem larger and more spacious.
Design examples in various styles
Scandinavian style is characterized by incredible warmth, comfort, beauty and laconicism. The design uses light shades, wooden objects, natural textiles, and also welcomes the presence of rough, unprocessed textures. Various decorative items in the form of a checkered blanket and sofa cushions, live potted plants or cute handmade items are especially suitable for a Scandi interior.
Decorative simplicity, muted color palette and light provincial charm are the main characteristic features of French Provence. This style involves natural materials, a lot of light and visual space. The room is furnished with light wooden furniture with an antique touch and decorated with linen or cotton textiles. To complete the design, a few small trinkets are added.
The photo shows the design of a rectangular living room in a Khrushchev-era building in a classic style.
In a loft-style living room, it would be appropriate to arrange modular furniture pieces with simple geometric shapes. A leather sofa and armchairs in combination with a coffee table made of wood or metal are perfect for the living room. The room can be decorated with unique decorative elements, posters, figurines or art objects.
The photo shows interior design in Provence style in the living room of a Khrushchev-type apartment.
Decor elements
Despite the lack of free space, a decorative fireplace would be appropriate in the living room. The imitation can be made from gypsum stone and a glass panel. The source of the flame will be candles. The implementation of the idea will create a feeling of special comfort.
Decorative pillows should be placed on upholstered furniture. The main thing is that the shade of such products does not contrast too much with the overall style of interior design. The use of an abundance of mismatched accessories will clutter the room and tire the eyes.
A good idea is to use paintings decorated in soothing colors, triptychs and decorative posters above the sofa.
Chests of drawers, shelves and racks can be furnished with a moderate amount of unusual, elegant gizmos. It is recommended to select accessories based on the style and color scheme implemented in the room.
How to increase space?
Even if you don’t plan to demolish the walls, you can really increase the usable area of the three-ruble ruble by wisely managing the available territory:
- avoid unnecessary details of the situation, do not clutter up your home. Any item used in the design of an apartment must be functional;
- focus on height: cabinets rising upward, proper arrangement of furniture, proper lighting;
- hang mirrors, place transparent glass surfaces;
- The pantry can be turned into a convenient dressing room by installing shelves, hangers, and a chest of drawers for storing small items. A dressing room will be an excellent replacement for a closet, allowing you to significantly save space;
- a loggia or balcony can become a work office, a cozy nook for tea or a miniature gym. It is necessary to insulate the loggia or balcony so that it can be used all year round;
- Instead of ordinary swing doors, it is better to install sliding doors or accordion doors. This allows you to win up to 1 m2;
- lighting should be bright and abundant. Instead of one massive chandelier, use several spotlights. Methods for their location can be easily found in photos on the Internet. Well-lit rooms always look more spacious.
Everything must be legal
When planning a major renovation, consult with experts. They will tell you what changes can be made and what changes are strictly prohibited.
When drawing up a project, you must consider:
- in some cases, dismantling walls may be prohibited;
- any change in the configuration of the walls must be agreed upon and registered;
- you cannot move the bathroom, as this can damage the sewerage system in the entire multi-story building;
- If you have a gas stove, combining the kitchen and living room is prohibited. Install an electric stove or use a light partition.
To create a project, the services of professional designers may be required. Especially if you are going to change the configuration of the walls of the apartment. Turning to specialists guarantees you a competent project, which is much easier to coordinate.
You need to know that any changes to the layout must be agreed upon and registered. Before starting work, it is necessary to collect a package of necessary documents and obtain a licensed project for future housing that complies with construction standards.
Choosing flooring
The original floor covering of Khrushchev houses is wooden boards, which are designed for a service life of no more than 20-30 years. They need to be replaced, especially if you are planning a major renovation of your apartment. If you are going to use linoleum or laminate, you must first remove the old boards and level the floor.
An excellent floor covering for a 3-room apartment is tile. To install it, you do not need to additionally level the floor surface. Thanks to photos from the Internet, you can choose beautiful tiles without leaving your home.
If you have combined your three rooms into a studio, zoning is a necessary condition. A multi-level floor with a different coating looks incredibly impressive. The walls are also painted in different colors (use wallpaper, paint or decorative plaster). The result is a stylish, spacious home with plenty of air and light.
