Apartments - studios have been incredibly popular in the last few years, and quite justifiably: in small areas, the absence of partitions provides space and light.
This type of layout is used both in houses of the old housing stock and in new buildings, where developers initially offer ready-made options.
Merging the kitchen and living room is key here. How to achieve the most comfortable, safe, but modern layout of the kitchen in an apartment or studio?
Mini kitchen for studio. Its features
The main feature of a mini-kitchen for a studio is the absence of a wall between it and the rest of the apartment.
In a small studio, one zoning method is sufficient. In a larger room you can combine two or three.
There are no obstacles to the spread of odors, including unpleasant ones. Take care of ventilation.
The less the facades of the set are fragmented, the more harmonious and holistic the interior of the studio apartment will be.
Those in the apartment constantly see and hear what is happening in the kitchen. No soundproofing.
Important! Of primary importance in such a kitchen is the quietness of the appliances and a good, powerful hood.
A small kitchen set with tall cabinets up to the ceiling is more spacious, so it is ideal for a small studio kitchen. In the second tier lockers you can store all the things you rarely use.
2-level finishing
In large rooms with a high vault, a raised floor, under which communications and pipes are hidden, allows separating recreation and eating areas from the kitchen. This is a fairly effective technique, however, by increasing the height of the floor, it appears that the room is “falling” under it.
Advice! For kitchen flooring, it is better to use materials that are resistant to humidity and temperature changes: tiles, porcelain stoneware or natural wood; they are easy to use, do not require special care, and can last longer than laminate or linoleum.
To zone the kitchen-studio, a multi-level ceiling made of plasterboard sheets is also used. It is important that it fits naturally into the overall environment and does not violate the integrity. This division of useful space looks best in the interior decoration of spacious country cottages.
Basic requirements for kitchen furniture for a studio
- Environmental Safety. You will have to breathe toxic substances that will be released from low-quality furniture the entire time you are in the apartment.
- Ergonomics. Everything should be arranged so that cooking becomes as easy as possible.
- No inconvenience when cooking, for example, when opening the doors of different cabinets.
- Furniture design is important. It is imperative to keep in mind that a studio apartment, when viewed from a general perspective, is perceived as a single whole.
If your upper cabinets are standard height, lower the ceiling level above the kitchen unit. This way the kitchen is less conspicuous and will fit organically into the interior of the kitchen-living room.
Advantages and disadvantages of a kitchenette
Pros:
- Convenience. Everything is at hand, no unnecessary movements.
- Low cost. Kitchen units for spacious rooms will cost more.
- Easy to transport and install. Thanks to its small size, everything is much easier and cheaper to do.
As a zoning tool, it is good to use a bar counter, which can simultaneously act as a dining table. This option is especially suitable if you are not planning large dinners or get-togethers in your kitchen and, as a result, there is no need for a large kitchen table.
Minuses:
- There is little space to store food, cereals, etc.
- Small work area. Sometimes this creates inconvenience, especially if more than two or three people live in the apartment.
- You have to limit yourself in choosing technology. You can’t fit a spacious refrigerator or cabinet in such a kitchen.
Cozy kitchen studio in a small apartment. Bold and bright red accents on the elements of the kitchen set look very organic in the overall interior.
Zoning comes first
The first thing you need to do is separate the kitchen from the rest of the room.
This will make it easier for you to distribute the remaining space, and the room will look neater. How can I do that?
1. Plasterboard partition. The main advantage of this method is the minimum space required. In addition, their price is low.
The design looks beautiful, which descends from the ceiling and noticeably expands downward. It can be supplemented with lighting or small shelves for small items can be built into it - this way it will become a functional part of the interior.
The method is simple, but, in our opinion, devoid of practicality - in small studio kitchens, every square decimeter is valuable.
2. It is better to use a structure with shelves as a partition. For example, a stylish closet half the height of the wall will look good.
It will not only isolate the room from the kitchen, but will also serve as a storage area for kitchen equipment, saving you from the need to install additional containers.
3. Another way is to install a bar counter. The solution is not quite familiar to our apartments, but stylish and convenient. The rack cover can serve as an additional work surface, and hidden compartments for storing dishes and long-life products are often installed in its base.
If you want to achieve the effect of a single room without partitions, separate the kitchen area from the rest of the room using stretch ceiling level transitions or floor color.
Note: This method is more suitable for fairly spacious studio apartments, so analyze whether you have enough space. Otherwise, the room may visually shrink.
Kitchenette style
- High tech. It is dominated by glass, metal and gloss. Everything is in cool colors. Sharp lines. Maximum of modern technology.
- Minimalism. Considering that the kitchen is small, that's it. No bulky parts. The number of objects on the surface is extremely reduced.
- Modern. Lots of metal, gloss, glass. Designs of any shape are allowed, as long as it is convenient.
- Japanese. Natural materials predominate. The shape of the furniture is as simple as possible. A combination of dark and light tones in the design.
Studying a finished design project or a photo in magazines and the Internet, many decide to remodel their own home into a studio by combining the kitchen with the living room.
Important! Styles such as palace, baroque, classic, and Mediterranean are not suitable for decorating a small kitchen. Some of them involve elements that narrow the space or have other disadvantages.
How to choose household appliances
Even the smallest kitchen should be equipped with all the necessary household appliances, which are essential in the cooking process. Before purchasing, you need to carefully evaluate all the nuances.
So, if the kitchen space is very small, it is not worth cluttering it with unnecessary equipment that will only be used once every few months. First of all, you need to find a place for the essentials.
The optimal solution to lack of space is to purchase built-in equipment. This option will allow you to place all the necessary equipment compactly. The overall look of the kitchen will be stylish and modern. You can purchase a refrigerator that is narrow but tall so that its width takes up minimal space.
As for other devices, it is best to give preference to those that combine several functions at once.
Mini kitchen for a loft-style apartment
Layout
Linear
The kitchen and living room should be a continuation of each other. Too sharp a transition between different zones should not be made, giving preference to natural partitions - furniture, differences in floor or ceiling levels, contrasting finishes.
This type of layout involves arranging furniture along one of the walls. In studio apartments, in kitchens combined with a living room, it allows you to effectively separate the kitchen and dining space. In addition, the cost of the direct configuration is less than other configurations, since a corner cabinet and end cabinet are not needed. The main disadvantage of a linear layout is that it is not always convenient to move between the stove, sink and refrigerator located in one row.
Corner
Zoning with furniture preserves the integrity of the kitchen-studio and does not create clutter in the space.
The name speaks for itself. The furniture is located on two adjacent walls of the room. This layout allows you to save space as much as possible and at the same time effectively divide it into zones. The main disadvantage is that it is not suitable for rooms with complex shapes (with niches, projections, etc.)
U-shaped
Installing built-in appliances in a studio kitchen will save space and make the interior look seamless and neat.
In this case, furniture is placed along three adjacent walls of the room. The main advantages of this arrangement are that everything is always at hand, the working surface area is extremely large, and there is maximum space for storing food and all kinds of kitchen utensils.
The appliances built into the kitchen set will help save space, and at the same time will also look very organic in the overall interior.
In a studio apartment, the symmetrical shape allows for a smooth and harmonious transition between the working and dining areas. In this case, one of the sides does not reach the wall, but is like a peninsula, visually delimiting the zones.
The distance between cabinets facing each other should not be less than 1.2 m, otherwise the doors will be inconvenient to open. If the distance exceeds 2 m, the necessary objects, on the contrary, will be far from each other.
Carefully thought out lighting in a studio kitchen will help create the illusion of more space.
Important! Find a use for the window sill. It can be used as a tabletop or placed on the window as a small shelving unit with shelves.
Hidden possibilities for kitchen furniture
You shouldn’t skimp on a hood for a studio kitchen. It should be powerful and quiet enough so that smells and sounds from the work area do not disturb those in the living area.
Designers have come up with many solutions to save as much space as possible for a small kitchen: carousels, lifting mechanisms, retractable columns, etc.
- Carousels are several round shelves located on the same axis, one above the other. When rotated, they provide access to the necessary things. The carousel is installed in a kitchen cabinet or attached to the facade. Both wall and floor modules are acceptable.
- Lifting mechanisms are used to lift facades up and fix them in this position. Allows you to get rid of all the inconveniences associated with swing doors.
- Pull-out columns are used in tall kitchen cabinets and usually accommodate several baskets. Thanks to ball guides, the columns smoothly extend, revealing their contents.
In small kitchens, not a single square meter should be wasted; you need to make the most of the space.
Efficient use of space
- Everything should be arranged in the order in which the food is prepared. First, the refrigerator, where we get food from. We wash and clean them. To do this, we head to the countertop and sink. Afterwards, some of the products need to be cut or other actions performed with them. This requires a work surface. Then we put everything on the stove or in the oven.
- One of the most effective solutions is the working triangle. The option has been popular since the middle of the last century. The refrigerator, stove and sink should be located at the vertices of an imaginary triangle. The distance between the vertices is not less than 1.2 m, but not more than 2.7 m. Movements within such a triangle are minimized. Storage areas, sinks and ovens are within easy reach.
- Built-in technology. Remove what you can from inside the headset. Space is saved a lot. Kitchen appliance stores have an endless selection.
- Open shelves instead of wall cabinets. The option is controversial, but in some cases the most optimal. You can quickly get everything you need, and it’s cheaper.
For the design of small modern kitchens, choose light shades. Cool tones give the room additional volume, while warm tones add homeliness.
Kitchen ideas
First, decide which zone will be the main one. A studio kitchen can combine a dining area, a bedroom, and a relaxation area.
- Color zoning. Often combined with those in texture and materials. Usually, one color scheme is chosen for the main zone, and a contrasting color scheme is chosen for the rest of the space.
- Zoning with light. Very effective, but requires more professionalism. Lamps are placed at the borders of zones or, conversely, exclusively in places where lighting plays an important role.
Proper zoning is the main key to a sense of order in the kitchen studio. In addition, using some zoning techniques, you can change the area of a particular zone, make the kitchen partially/fully isolated or, conversely, open.
Very often furniture is used for zoning: a sofa, a partition or a bar counter.
The kitchen in a studio apartment can be fenced off with a sofa, bar counter, island/peninsula or shelving unit.
Transformable kitchen
An attractive, but, frankly speaking, expensive solution. Allows you to save space as much as possible and visually exclude kitchen furniture from the decor in the apartment. You can hide the equipment in a closet, behind beautiful facades or mirrors.
If in an apartment with a standard layout a radical difference in the design of rooms is permissible, then in the interior of a studio kitchen all zones should support each other in style and color scheme.
Appliances
No kitchen, including even the smallest one, can do without a refrigerator, stove (hob) and sink. This technique is required. It is advisable that the appliances for the mini-kitchen be built-in.
Important. Make sure that the equipment is as silent as possible. You will have to watch TV, work at the computer, talk to the sounds of operating devices.
To make the kitchen area look neater and as little cluttered as possible, hide the refrigerator, dishwasher and hood behind the facades.
Lighting and interior
They need to be thought through very carefully. In addition to the main ceiling lamp, it would be correct to use sconces or spot models. An LED strip can be placed in the sink area and work surface. The main thing is that everything is in harmony with the design of the kitchen and the apartment as a whole.
Good lighting is a vital necessity for a kitchen in a studio apartment, especially if it is located away from the window and is small in size.
Materials and decor
Paramount importance should be given to the convenience and practicality of materials. Everything should be easy to clean, environmentally friendly, durable, and not a favorable environment for bacteria and microorganisms.
To decorate the walls, you can use various stencils or even make drawings yourself. On open shelves you can place multi-colored mugs or something else bright and individual. Do not hide jars of cereals and spices; they give the kitchen a special flavor.
Avoid excessive diversity, abundance of decor, voluminous textiles, and massive furniture.
Sofa
This method will help to separate the kitchen and living room areas without additional techniques - repairs or construction of partitions. If you place a table and chairs on the conventional border of the kitchen, and a sofa on the border of the living area, then the studio will “split” by itself without losing the feeling of air.
You can install either a straight structure or a corner sofa: in the first case, the back will be the divider, and in the second, the protruding part.
What should you pay attention to when choosing a kitchenette?
- Size. If the family is not large, then it is better to prefer compact kitchens for a studio apartment. The more space you can save, the better.
- Material. This was mentioned above.
- Functionality and convenience. This is especially true if you have to cook a lot.
- Design. In a studio apartment you will see your kitchen all the time. Everything is open to guests who come to you, too. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the design of the kitchen area.
- Furniture manufacturer. It is better to prefer an imported manufacturer, however, there are some good ones among domestic ones.
Kitchen furniture is not limited to cabinets and shelves. Closers, shock absorbers, extension mechanisms - all these details seem insignificant, but will quickly show their true importance.
Stylish design solutions for a mini-kitchen for a studio
- Furniture up to the ceiling. Allows you to save space as much as possible and looks attractive.
- On walls and cabinets you can make hanging shelves or baskets for storing frequently used items and small household appliances.
- An excellent solution is a bar counter. Inside it you can arrange shelves and a small cabinet.
Kitchen furniture is not limited to cabinets and shelves. Closers, shock absorbers, extension mechanisms - all these details seem insignificant, but will quickly show their true importance.
What cabinets are included in the kitchen set?
When choosing a kitchen set, pay attention not only to its shape and layout, but also to what elements are included in it.
Depending on the size, it can include from 6 to 12 or more modules. The basis of the set are compact lower and upper cabinets, which, if necessary, are complemented by other pieces of furniture.
Lower cabinets
The lower modules of the kitchen are represented by floor cabinets and cabinets. They have increased functionality and can be used:
- as a storage system;
- for embedding equipment;
- for placing a working surface - tabletop;
- for installing a sink.
Most often, lower cabinets are used to store dishes, textiles and non-perishable products - for example, cereals, sugar, coffee or tea.
The cabinet located under the sink is convenient to use for placing a trash can, rags for washing floors and household chemicals.
Wall cabinets
Upper wall cabinets are mounted on the kitchen walls. They can be either open shelves or equipped with doors, or they can be combined, combining a closed compartment and a shelf at once.
To make hanging cabinets comfortable, they must be located at a certain height. If the module hangs too high, the owner will not be able to reach it, and if it hangs too low, there will be a risk of hitting her head.
The top cabinet should be installed at a height of 45 to 110 cm above the countertop.
Tips and tricks from experts
- Make a stretch ceiling. Looks attractive and easier to clean.
- Keep plants and flowers in your apartment. Even one flower in a vase can completely rid a room of the conspicuous coldness and lifelessness of the furniture.
- Be sure to buy a powerful, but at the same time as silent as possible, hood.
In a small studio kitchen, you should not use brown, black, purple and other dark colors, as this will make the room visually smaller.
In conclusion, one more important tip. When designing and arranging a kitchen for a studio, think first of all about yourself, focus on whether you and your family members are comfortable. If funds allow, it is better to make a mini-kitchen to order. Remember, guests, friends, acquaintances will come and go, you will live in such an apartment permanently.
Partition
Unlike curtains, this method of separating the kitchen from the room will require more costs during renovation. The choice of design depends on the area of the room, the purpose of zoning and the degree of illumination. If the studio is compact, it is better to refuse to erect a full-fledged partition. An excellent solution would be a decorative structure made of thin wooden slats.
You can zone the space using a glass or sliding partition. The first will visually separate the kitchen and slightly muffle noise. The second will create a feeling of privacy, but will take up a lot of space.
Modern designers offer many practical ideas for separating the kitchen in the studio. When choosing the right one, you should focus on financial capabilities, the shape of the room and personal preferences.
