Currently, small-sized housing is not a thing of the past. Many families buy it at a low price and inherit it; not everyone has the opportunity to immediately purchase spacious apartments. Many are not upset and manage to develop a functional and fashionable design for a one-room Khrushchev house, in which 3-4 people live and there is enough space for everyone.
Perhaps the most strange, impractical and often defying logic planning was carried out during the Khrushchev program for the construction of affordable housing.
As a result of total savings and errors in the planning of buildings, many of our compatriots still “enjoy” the fruits of the construction thought of those times.
Khrushchev buildings are “famous” for their small rooms. Raising the ceiling will allow you to make them larger. It is advisable that the ceiling and walls be decorated in light colors. This will visually expand the space. They can be plain or vertical striped.
A one-room “work of architecture and construction” cannot be done without redevelopment.
The windows can be left undecorated and without curtains, this will help let more light into the room. If you want to decorate, monochromatic curtains or options with parallel prints would be preferable.
No matter how wide the window sill is, there is no need to clutter it; it is better to convert it into a desktop or shelf.
The original interior of a one-room Khrushchev house involves a large number of partitions. This is not relevant, not practical. Walls are absorbers of precious free space; the right solution would be to remove unnecessary elements. It must be remembered that during the redevelopment process there is a possibility of damaging the load-bearing structures of the building; you must first draw a plan for the desired changes, submit them to the local BTI, and obtain official permission.
If the wall is load-bearing and you want to expand the space, you can simply remove the door located in it and expand the opening.
With the help of competent design and skillful renovation, you can make even such a modest space cozy, comfortable, convenient and attractive in appearance.
In the process of creating the design of a one-room Khrushchev house and redevelopment, it is prohibited:
- Remove already installed ventilation systems (can only be strengthened by installing an air conditioner);
- Clean up and block free access to gas pipes;
- Move the bathroom.
A Khrushchev apartment with a comfortable and practical interior is a much more attractive option for our compatriots than a rented, albeit standard, one-room apartment.
Lighting Basics
When planning the interior of a one-room Khrushchev house, it is important to correctly place the lighting elements. There should be a lot of light. When zoning, it is not necessary to hang the main chandelier; spotlights will be enough. Light bulbs can be of different colors and shades, with their help you can play with the contrasts of walls, ceilings, and furniture.
It is important to determine the possibilities of using the provided number of square meters with maximum benefit, practicality and rationalism.
In one available room it is necessary to place recreation and work areas, a dining area, because in small kitchens, as a rule, there is no room for a dining group.
LED lighting elements are placed on the ceiling, which turn on individually, highlight the main areas of the room with light, and shade some corners of the apartment.
The compact dimensions of your “one-room apartment” will allow the use of expensive finishing materials of high quality production while maintaining the framework of an affordable and affordable budget.
See also: Living room design in Khrushchev, photo.
Style and colors in the interior
Recently, small one-room Khrushchev houses have been decorated in Scandinavian style. The main advantage is the use of only light colors, which visually expands the space. Provence style and minimalism are also considered for decoration.
You can get an aesthetically attractive, stylish and practical design of a “Khrushchev” without ruining your family budget.
In addition to light shades, mirrors are actively used in the design of the room.
Which option will be most suitable for your “Khrushchev” depends on the geometric parameters of the living room, the size of the utilitarian premises and your budget for redevelopment and repairs.
The most commonly used color in a one-room Khrushchev apartment is white. This is an ideal background option that visually increases the size of the room by almost 2 times. If you want variety and brightness, it is enough to dilute it with 2-3 richer shades. For example, a large sofa in a neutral color with lots of bright pillows, colorful paintings on the walls, fancy coffee tables.
Accents can add personality to a room. But don't use too many bright colors.
You can try using a well-known design technique for saving space - wherever possible, use modular furniture and build in folding mechanisms.
See alsoDesign of 1 room apartment 30 sq m
Typical series of Khrushchev buildings: the main pros and cons of houses
At one time, this was a way out to solve the housing problem. The projects included mainly five-story buildings. The Khrushchev plan was small in size. The typical difference is related to building materials:
- brick;
- panels.
To properly plan the areas of a one-room apartment, you will need to perform redevelopment.
The opportunity to save money led to the construction of panel houses in the 60s of the last century. The desire to provide young families with housing - small, but their own - justified such architectural solutions, but this is where all the advantages of such creations end. There are plenty of disadvantages - compactness of corridors and staircases, lack of elevators, disgusting sound and heat insulation, uninsulated rooms, their small areas, overhanging ceilings. According to the project, the service life of the panels was 25 years.
It is necessary to remove partitions only those that can be demolished without harm to the structure of the house.
Brezhnevka
From the mid-60s to the early 80s, residential buildings were designed “tuned” in accordance with the introduced construction GOSTs. A garbage chute and an elevator were mandatory if we were not talking about five-story buildings. Living rooms were isolated. Kitchens were still small. The insulation is disgusting, the panel seams could come apart. In the 80s, they began to improve the layout, increasing the area of apartments and the number of floors of houses (up to 10 floors).
The best option would be to remove partitions, as this will increase the area of the room and create a very comfortable and modern studio apartment.
Monolithic
Multi-story building, variety of shapes and fast construction are the advantages of monolithic construction technology. The layouts are different. Internal partitions made of aerated concrete and gypsum blocks. The frame is monolithic. The outer wall is made of panels, bricks or foam blocks.
It is prohibited to touch load-bearing walls, ventilation and gas pipelines, as well as to locate a bathroom above a neighbor’s living room or kitchen.
How to arrange furniture correctly
Before purchasing furniture for a small one-room apartment, you need to draw up a preliminary plan in which the arrangement is visible and every free centimeter is used. It is better to throw away all interior items that have not been used in the last year.
A small room should have as little clutter as possible.
Recommendations for the distribution of furniture.
- If the sofa is against the wall, then the space above it can be filled with a rack or shelf.
- To save free space in the center of the room, custom-made cabinets can be installed in free corners according to individual sizes.
- If the corridor is very small, then instead of cabinets you can hang several shelves on the walls.
If new furniture is installed in the room, then it is better to update the renovation. Otherwise, new things will only emphasize the shabby walls or floor.
A folding sofa is a key piece of living room furniture during the day and organizes a relaxation area, and at night it turns into a sleeping place.
See alsoHow to furnish a one-room apartment
Design Features
The main design nuances on which the comfort of the interior depends:
The ergonomics of furniture arrangement has a huge impact on comfort, so it is especially important that large objects do not interfere with free movement in space and have a logical arrangement. Angular and vertical placement of elements is preferable. As furniture in a room of 36 square meters, it is best to install transforming models, for example, in the form of a wardrobe-bed, a folding sofa, a table-book or a folding tabletop, which will fit well into both the dining room and the office. Mirrors will help to achieve visual expansion of space
Such decor gives the atmosphere lightness and spaciousness, and also creates a very stylish and beautiful design. To save space, traditional swing doors can be replaced with sliding structures. This solution is appropriate both for interior walls and for cabinet doors. It is not advisable to use lighting fixtures that are too massive and stand out from the overall interior. Lighting in the form of laconic floor lamps and geometric lamps with minimal decor will look more harmonious in the design. You should avoid heavy textiles and thick curtains. It is preferable to replace them with light tulle curtains, Roman shades or blinds. The design of a small-sized apartment in Khrushchev will be advantageously complemented by photo wallpaper with a panoramic image, which will visually expand the boundaries of the room and create a special atmosphere in it.
Zoning of a one-room Khrushchev house
All one-room Khrushchev houses are small in size, but they can also be made comfortable for living with the help of redevelopment.
The first thing you need to do is remove all possible walls and partitions. A studio apartment is an ideal option. Here you need to do zoning wisely and divide the space.
Use corner sofas, which provide ample seating (and some models can fold out to provide ample sleeping and lounging space) without taking up as much space.
The practicality of such sofas lies in their ease of use.
With the right approach, you can create an unlimited number of areas for work and rest. It is preferable if there are a minimum number of doors, that is, two: to the entrance and to the bathroom.
If a family of 3 or more people lives in a one-room apartment, it will be more comfortable if the areas for work and rest are separated from each other. To do this, you can use a floor shelf, a screen, or a thin partition.
A studio apartment is progressive, stylish and modern.
Gender plays an equally important role in zoning. This is done using finishing materials: tiles, laminate, wood.
See also Apartment design 36 sq m
Hallway
The corridor occupies only 3 square meters. m. In the entrance area there is an open hanger and a shoe rack that do not clutter up the space. Opposite the door there is a decorative wall: gypsum tiles are painted white and slightly expand the narrow space. Underneath there are wires and communications. The masonry is justified since the house is brick.
Lighting in Khrushchev
The design of a one-room Khrushchev house, especially a studio, implies individual lighting for each zone. It adds zest to the interior and allows each family member to do their own thing or relax without disturbing others.
To make the room seem larger, the color of the walls should be lighter than the floors (significantly), but slightly darker than the tone of the ceiling.
Spotlights mounted in the ceiling will allow you to highlight each zone. There may be a main chandelier, but if it is not necessary, then its absence will not spoil the interior in any way.
Ideal if there are several windows in the main room. They can be expanded to increase the amount of natural light in the room.
White has many shades and you can use any of them as a base shade for finishing surfaces.
See alsoBleached oak in the interior: color solutions, photos
Apartment redevelopment
Fashionable design of a small apartment almost always involves redevelopment of the premises.
Most often, such an event is carried out in relation to the living room, hallway and kitchen. Although the last visit is not recommended to be combined with living rooms. The smell of gas and cooking food can prevent you from enjoying your long-awaited vacation. But if this does not become an obstacle for the inhabitants of the Khrushchev, then welcome to the relatively spacious studio. If the kitchen is planned to be left as a separate room, then the owners of the Khrushchev-era apartment will become the owners of a completely modern European living room.
The design of a 2-room apartment in Khrushchev in this case involves the creation of an isolated bedroom or children's room. In any case, redevelopment will require the involvement of specialists who will determine which wall can be demolished and which will have to be left in its original condition.
Before dismantling work begins, the new apartment plan will need to be approved by the relevant authorities.
Nuances of interior design
Modern technologies make life comfortable even in a small one-room apartment. Simplicity and minimalism are in fashion. For example, a few years ago in every home there was a TV on a cabinet. Now this is not relevant; it can stand on a hanging stand or be attached to the wall. This allows you to significantly save space.
When decorating small rooms, it is best not to use more than three basic colors. This rule is as old as time, but has been tested in many real design projects.
If the family is small, then it is not necessary to buy large kitchen refrigerators and freezers. Now there are even models that can be installed in the corner of the room. Or buy a horizontal model, which additionally acts as a shelf or tabletop.
It is better not to use wallpaper or any other finishing material with large prints.
See alsoDoors in the interior: choice of color, shape and type of construction
Layout methods
The creation of a future project is of great importance. But in order to implement the plan, it is necessary to obtain permission from the competent authorities for the reconstruction of the premises or the demolition of walls. But it is worth considering that in all one-room Khrushchev houses the walls are not load-bearing, so if you remove at least one of them, the building will not crack, much less collapse.
Once permission to demolish the wall has been received, you can begin designing the common space. But be sure to remember that the only goal should be visual expansion and organization of the entire space.
Planning can be done in two ways:
- demolition of walls - they can be demolished between the common room and the kitchen. To expand the area of the bathroom, if there is a wall partition there, it can be removed;
- the second method is to plan the space using furniture and installing portable fencing structures.
Design of functional areas
| Bedroom | To accommodate a bedroom, 6-8 square meters is enough. m. It can be allocated or separately, or it can be a comfortable sofa during the day and a bed at night. Additionally, you can separate the sleeping area with a closet. Place a soft carpet on the floor. |
| Living room | Occupies the main part of the room. The TV can be hung on the wall, a table can be placed against the wall if the size of the room allows, 2 armchairs, a sofa. All furniture elements can be installed in a semicircle. For ease of viewing, the TV can be hung on a rotating rod. |
| Study | It is enough to allocate a corner of 1-2 square meters. m. Place there a table for a computer or laptop, an armchair or a comfortable chair, a shelf for books and “stationery”. |
| Children's | If a full-fledged family with a child lives in the apartment, then it is necessary to allocate a place for the baby. It could be 8-10 sq. m. The children's area can be separated by a closet, a small partition, or a curtain. |
| Kitchen | This is a special zone for which you will need to allocate at least 6 square meters. m. The kitchen room can be covered with wallpaper that differs from the wallpaper in the main room; the floor and ceiling can also be finished with other materials. |
| Bathroom | In Khrushchev apartments, the toilet and bathroom are separate, but very small. Therefore, when remodeling an apartment, the wall between them is removed, and the space becomes larger. Instead of a bathtub, it is better to install a shower stall. |
For rooms with a modest square footage, it is better to choose only wall decor; precious meters will be useful for placing furniture.
It is not recommended to place a large number of accessories in one-room Khrushchev houses. And in the kitchen you can put several candlesticks, a vase, and hang small towels.
The bedroom can be decorated with 1-2 paintings or photographs.
See alsoImitation wood on the wall in the interior - an unusual design element
Loggia
Another decoration of the apartment is a balcony of 3 square meters. m. It was re-glazed, lowering the level of the parapet. Almost panoramic windows let more sunlight into the apartment, making it seem more spacious. The windows offer a beautiful view of green trees and a picturesque church.
Thanks to the professionalism of the designers, a small apartment has become visually larger and much more functional. Specialists implemented several basic ideas that became key in creating a useful and comfortable interior for living.
