Small kitchen with a gas heater: how best to place the heater to expand the usable space, 55 photos

Renovating a kitchen is not an easy task, especially if it is small and there is no centralized water supply. There are many options for how to renovate a kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building with a gas water heater beautifully. For example, a custom-made set or an unusual interior style. There are other methods that are listed in the article.

Advantages and disadvantages of kitchen design with a column

It is possible to get a beautiful kitchen design in a Khrushchev-era building with a gas water heater. However, there are many limiting factors:

1. Inability to move the device. If you order the wrong set or if you come up with a good idea for a place for the unit too late, it will take a long time to re-issue documents at the gas service and time for installation work.
2. It is difficult to integrate a speaker into the interior of a kitchen in a small apartment due to limited space. Kitchens require space to accommodate all the dishes and appliances, and a water heater takes up a lot of space.
3. There are many pipes attached to the water heater. This requires additional camouflage, and free access to them must remain in case of repairs.
4. For finishing the exhaust pipe, only materials with hermetically sealed insulation and heat resistance, which do not have much in appearance, are allowed.

The main advantage of the speaker is constantly hot water, which cannot be compared with design restrictions. But the design of a kitchen with a gas heater can be made stylish. For example, you can decorate the front panel of the device. You can place any thematic drawings for style.

When embodying high-tech style, the water heater can be disguised as a high-tech device. And for a loft, a large number of unfinished pipes will add the necessary industrial atmosphere.

Hiding between closets

One option to harmoniously fit the speaker into the kitchen interior is to place it between wall cabinets. With this method, it is necessary to take into account that there must be at least three centimeters of free space on the sides of the device to ensure the necessary air circulation.

The walls of adjacent cabinets must be insulated with non-combustible material.

In this case, it is advisable to pay attention to the column itself - it should be a modern, attractive model that will look organically in the current kitchen design. It is advisable that the color of the column be additionally supported by accessories.

Options for expanding free space

Having planned a kitchen renovation in a Khrushchev-era building with a gas water heater, you need to take care of the functionality and visual expansion of the space. After renovation, the room should be as spacious and comfortable as possible.

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There are several ways to increase the area of ​​the room:

• To increase space, do not purchase bulky furniture with large decor. Choose cabinets with glass, glossy facades. They will lighten the room due to texture and reflection of light;
• if open doors are indoors, then it is better to replace them with an arch;
• Use the space under the windowsill to store dishes and equipment. To save space, you can choose a mini-fridge or move the refrigerator to another room;
• the same applies to water heaters. There are different sizes of gas water heaters. If the family is not large and there is no high water consumption, then opt for more compact units;
• The design of a small kitchen with a geyser is made in light and natural shades, because they allow you to increase the space. Large drawings, on the contrary, narrow the area and are avoided.

In addition to general methods of enlarging rooms, you can use installation or dismantling work with redevelopment:

Interesting! Redevelopment requires large investments and re-registration by specialized authorities.

Column as an art object

If you want to have a designer column, but don’t have the money for it, you can decorate the gas appliance yourself. All you need is a little diligence and attention, and a unique art object will appear in your kitchen, which can turn from an annoying bulk into the highlight of the entire interior.

So, ways to decorate a geyser:

1. Draw a picture. It could be a conceptual image, an interesting pattern, a funny or cute picture. If you don’t have any special talent or artistic abilities, but the desire is great, you can use stencils. The result will be no less spectacular decoration.
2. Decorate with stickers. Funny, contrasting, thematic - our choice. Vinyl stickers are best. They look elegant and dignified - they will become an original addition to the interior, and will not destroy its concept.
3. Use magnets. Hang magnets from different countries on the geyser and you will get a very interesting rack. If there are children in the house, you can use children's magnets - funny or educational, for example, with letters of the alphabet or numbers. The main thing is to make sure that they do not hang carelessly, otherwise they will turn from decoration into chaos.
4. Place motivational slogans and reminders on the column. Lose weight, don’t forget to water the flowers, greet a new day with a smile, call someone - the list of possible inscriptions is endless.

Main types of devices

There are three types of geysers, which differ in the method of ignition.

With manual ignition

In Soviet times, a small kitchen with a gas water heater had only manual ignition. This is the oldest type of device. To ignite, you need to turn the gas supply knob and bring a lit match.

With piezo ignition

Nowadays, small kitchens are often made using piezo ignition. Instead of matches, a button is used to fire the burner. Then open the valve and get heated water.

Automatic

For automatic models, water heating begins after opening the water taps. There is no need to press buttons or light a match. Because the spark automatically goes to the burner. The spark supply system is powered by finger-sized batteries, which are rarely replaced due to low energy consumption.

What kind of gas water heater is needed in the kitchen is determined by the required power. Large families with large consumption volumes are advised to use more powerful models from 24 kW. This amount is enough for washing dishes and showering. In addition to power, the devices differ in quality. The most reliable ones cost about 15,000 rubles. and heat the liquid to 50C°.

How to hang a speaker inside the kitchen

If you need to move the device less than one and a half meters, you can take this step without much thought - it will not require special permits or financial investments.

If the distance exceeds this figure, the action will be regarded as a reinstallation, therefore, it will be necessary to make changes to the existing project and lay gas lines.

You definitely can’t hang the column over a gas stove; it’s best to discuss other options with a specialist first.

When moving an appliance inside the kitchen, you need to carefully consider the rationality of this action and determine its pros and cons. Decide in advance what you need the free space for and whether the speaker will become a hindrance in the new location.

Safety precautions for installation and operation

To ensure the safety of a kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building with a water heater, you must adhere to the rules for installing and operating the device.

Before use:

1. Look for flammable objects near the burner.
2. Make sure there is no gas leaking.
3. Check if the burners are working properly. They shouldn't smoke. If present, use is prohibited.
4. The flame color should be blue. If you see yellow or red tints, you need to call a professional to clean the surface around the burner.
5. If there are malfunctions or defects in the device, it is disconnected from the network. Even when the speakers are turned off, smoking and the use of lighters is prohibited.
6. If you find a leak, call a repairman and open the windows. Trying to repair it yourself is prohibited.

Before installation:

1. Make sure the rooms are well ventilated. Installation usually takes place in kitchens or bathrooms, because there are hoods there.
2. Do not block the water heater's access to air.
3. Do not place the device near flammable objects. If your kitchen has a gas stove, then the water heater is not placed above it so as not to cause a fire.
4. Do not bury the device with bricks, plasterboard, or tiles. This will interfere with inspecting the performance of the device and carrying out repair work. Moreover, in the event of a malfunction, it will not be possible to quickly detect them, turn off the gas and call the experts, which can lead to disastrous consequences.

Some believe that Soviet devices could explode. This will not happen if you keep an eye on it, do not violate safety regulations, and periodically call specialists for inspection.

People are also afraid of gas leaks. In modern devices, an additional burner is installed for ignition. It prevents gas from entering the room until fire and sparks occur. When the fire turns off, the valve shuts off the gas. If the fire goes out on its own for unknown reasons, the valve will also work.

Interesting! When installing a water heater, it is better to use steel pipes with the longest service life instead of aluminum corrugation. And frequent replacement of corrugations can cause breakdowns, even a fire.

Properly arranging a column in the corner

If the water heater is located in the corner of the kitchen, it is easiest to put it in a corner cabinet. The requirements for it are the same as for other speaker cabinets - without a top, bottom and back wall. Essentially, it is just a door that closes the device.

Also, the corner column can be separated by a special niche, which will visually separate it from the general interior. Do not forget that the wall of the niche facing the device must comply with safety regulations - be covered with non-flammable material.

Real photos of placement

Look at real photos of the best placement of water heaters:

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How to hide communications

If the column can still be chosen to have an acceptable appearance and not be hidden, then the accompanying communications - pipes, hoses and chimney - are definitely not worth showing. They usually look awkward and can ruin the most sophisticated interior.

The most budget option is to paint the pipe to match the wall.

The most aesthetically pleasing option is to hide it behind a box. Either behind the same as the column itself, or behind a separate one.

It must be remembered that communications cannot be tightly walled up. They should always be freely available.

Which style to choose

Before decorating the gas water heater, you need to choose a style for decorating the kitchen. The most common directions:

• Loft. The style is suitable for those who do not want to change anything and want to leave everything as it is. The direction is characterized by open communications. Therefore, a visible gas water heater will be more appropriate than ever. In addition to it, the gas meter, pipes and riser are left in plain sight. They transform the kitchen, and their color and style set the tone for the entire design;

• Provence, country. For these areas, the equipment can also be left in a visible place, slightly aged with special paint. In this style, you can paint the body with paints and paste it with decorative stickers. The main thing is to choose the right scenes, for example, with rural motifs, butterflies;

• High tech. Chrome surfaces look beautiful in this style. A gas water heater in chrome fits organically into the interior of the kitchen and can be combined with a hood, fittings or countertop. Equipment in this style is rarely hidden in a closet, since its design can become a full-fledged element of the interior;

• Scandinavian style. A direction characterized by mannered coolness. To add a bit of peace, the interior is decorated in light colors. The kitchen set, refrigerator, floor, and ceiling are made white. The same applies to household appliances and geysers. An exception may be the floor; it is usually done in light brown.

Arrangement of the work area

In a small kitchen it will not be possible to place a large number of pieces of furniture

In such a situation, the main attention should be paid not to the quantity, but to the quality of the furniture. The most important thing when choosing furniture for a small kitchen is functionality.

Any kitchen must have a refrigerator, and, of course, a stove; You can’t do without a sink. Household appliances – only the most necessary.

A traditional stove can be replaced with a hob, which will significantly save space. Manufacturers offer modern folding designs and many other interesting and practical models.

You can cook in the microwave or purchase a small oven.

Use the space under the sink. Install a dishwasher or small washing machine there.

Instead of a conventional refrigerator, you can purchase a built-in model, which is located horizontally. Such technology options are now in fashion, and they also look very original. In addition, this way you will get additional space. A standard refrigerator can be placed in the hallway.

Advice. To save space, choose a folding table model or take a closer look at transforming tables.

The window sill can be used as an additional useful surface.

The main problem of a small kitchen is clutter. When starting to renovate a room, first of all, throw away unnecessary things that have accumulated over the years.

Avoid shelves and cabinets that are popular in kitchens: they visually make the room smaller. Use pencil cases instead.

An excellent replacement for small shelves are metal rods. They are good for storing kitchen utensils.

Doors that open freely in cabinets hanging on the walls should be replaced with automatic ones or a roller mechanism should be selected to move the doors left and right. They look more compact and do not “eat up” extra space.

The door takes up quite a lot of space in the kitchen. It is best to install sliding doors or remove them altogether. Sliding door designs do not take up space at all.

For a small kitchen, it is recommended to purchase a corner model of the kitchen set. It can be used to separate the cooking area from the dining area. The work area will be equipped inside the kitchen unit.

Often a bar counter also acts as a zone separator.

In addition to the fact that it can be safely used for its intended purpose, when preparing a large number of dishes for the holidays or while waiting for guests, it can be used as an additional surface - both when cooking and when serving a festive table directly in the living room.

Surface finishing

In a small kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building, you don’t need a lot of building materials for surfaces, but you shouldn’t spend your budget irrationally. A huge number of colors, quite successful imitations of textures and textures of modern finishing materials allow you not to limit yourself in anything. And if you want parquet on the floor, then the latest collections of porcelain tiles allow this. The classic rule is a darker floor compared to the side background. Black and white tiles look very impressive even in a small area.

The ceiling, as a rule, in Khrushchev-era buildings is not high, and a simple white design is the best choice. There is no need to come up with complex shapes and bulky hanging structures. If you want maximum effectiveness, then it is better to highlight the walls.

When combining different materials for the side surfaces, it is not necessary to rely on color. This can be a monochrome design, although the accent area is not canceled, for example, highlighting the dining area. The combination of wallpaper, painting, and wall tiles promises certain benefits:

• always more practical than using only wallpaper, even washable ones;
• cheaper than just tiles;
• more environmentally friendly than using plastic panels.

We disguise it as an interior

One of the easiest ways to “bring” a gas water heater into the kitchen interior is to cover it with the same wallpaper as the walls of the room. Or cover it with a vinyl film similar to them in style and color. You can also match the shade of the film for the water heater to the kitchen unit.

The best option is to paint the speaker with non-flammable paint to match the walls or furniture. Heat-resistant enamel, which is intended for coating metal, is best suited for these purposes.

However, you can use a regular spray can, then even a teenager can cope with the task. In this case, do not forget to cover the screen and handles of the device with masking tape, and also cover the surface behind the speaker.

Make sure that the blinds do not touch the column and have an indentation of several centimeters.

Right choice

Modern equipment is presented in quite a variety of forms, from budget to expensive:

• colored: pastel shades, black;
• white with subtle ornaments, exquisite patterns;
• with images – Eiffel Tower, landscapes, abstraction;
• beautiful display with pleasant backlighting;
• various shapes - more square or rectangular;
• external compatibility with the hood.

Not all beautiful water heaters, and those in an attractive price segment, are good from a technical point of view. What you should pay attention to yourself:

• maximum degrees of protection against all kinds of risks;
• number of floors and water pressure affect the required power and productivity, especially in apartments of old construction;
• number of exit points.

Not all models have the power required for comfortable operation, but their size range and shapes will give you a chance to choose the ideal one. Improved representatives will easily allow you to place them anywhere in the smallest kitchen. For example, tall, narrow modifications are suitable for placement on a countertop, while more square ones with the same technical characteristics will allow you to easily place them in a suitable kitchen cabinet.

Decorating

The easiest and cheapest way is to apply stickers. Choose heat-resistant materials and colors that will harmonize well with the overall interior.

If the device is located near a window, close it with a curtain. To do this, install the cornice on top, at some distance from the body. Hang a curtain made of thick, opaque material.

Do you want to create an art object in the kitchen? Then arm yourself with paints and a brush. You can paint in a themed style or paint the cladding in the colors of the walls or kitchen units. Here is the decision the owner of this model made:

The design can also be applied using a stencil and heat-resistant enamel for metal work. Quite a simple solution, especially for people without artistic skills.

The best geysers at an average price (7000-12000 rubles)

If the hot water is turned off, a gas water heater will help out in this situation. To choose the right model, it is worth considering popular devices. The rating includes speakers at an average cost, which are the most popular among consumers.

Zanussi GWH 12 Fonte

Instantaneous water heater with steel body. Heats water up to 50 degrees. It has simple mechanical control and electronic ignition.

The burner is made of stainless steel, and the heat exchanger is made of copper.

This ensures quick heating of water and long-term operation of the device.

Characteristics:

• productivity - 12 l/min;
• inlet pressure - 0.15-8 atm.;
• power - 24 kW;
• chimney diameter - 11 cm;
• control - mechanical;
• dimensions - 35x61x19 cm;
• weight - 9 kg.

Advantages:

• modern design;
• battery ignition;
• fast heating;
• high performance;
• high-quality assembly.

Flaws:

• expensive components;
• noisy work.

Electrolux GWH 10 NanoPlus 2.0

A product from a well-known brand, equipped with electronic gas ignition and easy to use. Hot water heats up instantly when you open the hot water faucet.

The unit is highly efficient.

To regulate the heating temperature, ergonomic knobs are provided on the control panel.

Characteristics:

• productivity - 10 l/min;
• inlet pressure - 0.15-7.89 atm.;
• power - 20 kW;
• chimney diameter - 11 cm;
• control - electronic;
• dimensions - 33x55x19 cm;
• weight - 8.08 kg.

Advantages:

• Beautiful design;
• gas control;
• high power;
• safe use;
• maintaining temperature.

Flaws:

• low quality of components;
• temperature changes with low pressure.

Bosch WR 10-2P23

Reliable column with a chimney, equipped with a copper heat exchanger. The material is resistant to prolonged exposure to high temperatures and provides maximum results when using gas.

The case is made of stainless steel, resistant to corrosion.

High power provides heating of up to 10 liters of water per minute.

Characteristics:

• productivity - 10 l/min;
• inlet pressure - 0.1-12 atm.;
• power - 17.4 kW;
• chimney diameter - 11 cm;
• control - mechanical;
• dimensions - 31x58x22 cm;
• weight - 11 kg.

Advantages:

• modern design;
• simple settings;
• convenient use;
• quiet operation;
• temperature maintenance;
• work at low water pressure.

Flaws:

• one hose included;
• you need to buy a hot water supply.

Electrolux GWH 12 NanoPlus 2.0

A geyser from the reliable Electrolux brand with a digital display on which you can set the desired water temperature.

The unit is equipped with a safety valve and an overheating protection system.

Due to the simple mechanical controls, it is easy to understand how to use the device.

Characteristics:

• productivity - 12 l/min;
• inlet pressure - 0.15-8 atm.;
• power - 24 kW;
• chimney diameter - 11 cm;
• control - mechanical;
• dimensions - 35x61x18.3 cm;
• weight - 8.22 kg.

Advantages:

• automatic ignition;
• safe use;
• copper heat exchanger;
• simple controls;
• flame control.

Flaws:

• frequent battery replacement;
• poor performance with low water pressure.

Zanussi GWH 12 Fonte Turbo

Practical model made of high quality stainless steel. The copper heat exchanger ensures maximum gas performance.

Due to the simple and intuitive control system, you can easily understand how to use the device.

Characteristics:

• productivity - 10 l/min;
• power - 20 kW;
• chimney diameter - 6 cm;
• control - mechanical;
• dimensions - 33x55x19 cm;
• weight - 10.4 kg.

Advantages:

• stylish design;
• display;
• simple settings;
• built-in ignition;
• high quality heat exchanger.

Flaws:

• noisy work;
• small guarantee.

Bosch W 10 KV

The device combines everything necessary to ensure continuous hot water supply. Suitable for residential areas with good ventilation.

The body is made of enameled steel, and the heat exchanger is made of copper.

This ensures high-quality operation and durability of the device.

Characteristics:

• productivity - 10 l/min;
• inlet pressure - 0.15-12 atm.;
• power - 17.4 kW;
• chimney diameter - 11.25 cm;
• control - mechanical;
• dimensions - 40x85x37 cm;
• weight - 8.22 kg.

Advantages:

• automatic ignition;
• high performance;
• simple controls;
• heating water at several points.

Flaws:

• noisy work;
• poor quality gearbox.

Doors

It is advisable to remove the door to the kitchen, as this will significantly widen the opening and enlarge the room as a whole. But you will have to purchase a hood so as not to spread odors throughout the entire apartment.

There is a more interesting way, but which is not suitable for all kitchens - to put the door on rails and make it sliding or folding. This will make the space lighter, provide comfort, but the requirements of inspection organizations will also be met.

Often in Khrushchev buildings there are large doorways. You can take advantage of this and narrow them down to 70–80 centimeters. The 20 centimeters of wall that appear will never be superfluous.