With the emergence of studio fashion, more and more often owners of standard apartments are beginning to rebuild their homes and turn them into some kind of combined option. Balconies and loggias are sacrificed, which, as a rule, do not have a clear functional purpose. Having become an extension of the apartment, these (not always, by the way, tiny) premises become work rooms, gyms, dining rooms, libraries, miniature gardens and recreation areas. The design of a room with a loggia is developed depending on the needs of the owners: whichever area they need most is the one they equip. Transforming a “cold” balcony into a living area is a long process, fraught with a number of difficulties, the first of which is the project for dismantling the partition and its subsequent approval. Let's talk in more detail about how to make a fundamentally new stylish room from the abode of broken skis and three-liter cans.
Beginning of work
Initially, it is necessary to obtain permission from the administration to carry out redevelopment. Since the wall is not load-bearing, the project will be immediately approved and we can begin.
The design of the combined balcony can be virtually anything.
- First of all, it will be necessary to remove the threshold that separates the room from the loggia.
- Next, the wall is removed and the surfaces are leveled. The old finishing of the balcony, if necessary, is also removed, leaving rough concrete.
To merge or not to merge?
There are a lot of advantages to organizing a single space, but there are also some negative aspects, so before deciding to take a radical step, it’s a good idea to think carefully about the current situation.
The undoubted advantages include:
- Real increase in room area. On average, after adding a balcony, the bedroom will become at least 3 square meters larger.
- Possibility to arrange an additional functional area. Depending on your needs, this can be a full-fledged dressing room, a work area, an additional sleeping place or a relaxation area.
- Originality of the interior. The non-standard design of the window and the presence of additional zones will make the atmosphere in the room at least individual, and with a successful design - with a claim to exclusivity.
- Excellent natural light. When combining a bedroom and a balcony, the glass area of the wall will noticeably increase. This will allow the rays of daylight to penetrate into all corners of the room.
- Increase in housing costs. By increasing the comfort of the space and the possibility of its non-trivial design, in the event of selling a home, you can safely ask for an amount significantly higher than the market price.
Zoning
In the living room, combined with a balcony, you can highlight the main area and the space by the window. But you don't have to do this. Therefore, the floor and ceiling can be finished the same everywhere. To highlight different functional areas, you can use the following methods:
- use different flooring materials or finishes of different shades;
- the same as in the previous version, only in relation to the walls;
- make multi-level ceilings for one of the zones or use a different ornament for the ceiling;
- delimit zones with columns or statues;
- use decorative light sources to decorate the border or different lamps, chandeliers for each zone;
- hang curtains.
Design of a balcony with a mini-greenhouse Source avdeenko.super.perevorot.com
The design of an updated living room should be a single whole, so stylistic consonance and unity are encouraged. But modern trends allow the use of the method of contrasts, when one or several zones stand out sharply against the rest of the background. Despite all the contradictory contrasts, you should not feel discomfort when you are in such a room.
Legal twists and turns
The balcony area is not residential, so any manipulations with it will require special permission. You need to be prepared for the fact that the process of legitimizing the upcoming redevelopment will last for several months, because you will have to go through more than one authority.
First of all, you will need to consult with architects and find out whether it is even possible to carry out such manipulations in your particular case. If the answer is positive, you should immediately order a working draft, because only if it is available will you be given the go-ahead by the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the sanitation station, the BTI and the housing inspection, the gas service and others. Of course, you will have to run, but for those who are determined to improve the quality of their own life, this will not be a particular obstacle.
How to legalize alteration - approval in BTI
Collecting documents to obtain permission for redevelopment by attaching a balcony to a living room is necessary if the wall is completely removed. Actions to dismantle a door or window without disturbing the concrete structure do not need to be legalized. The only thing is that when you sell the apartment, everything will have to be returned to its place.
It is necessary to coordinate actions with the design organization before the rework begins. In order for the repair to be legal and to avoid problems in the future, you must go through the following steps step by step:
- Apply to the district administration or sanitary and epidemiological station;
- After receiving permission, create a project;
- Carry out the connection strictly according to plan;
- Invite BTI and administration employees to accept work, take photos and take measurements;
- Receive a new technical passport for real estate with changes made to the area.
It is very difficult to legitimize an already completed combination of rooms. The BTI must make a technical conclusion, indicating the past condition of the premises and current changes. Submit this document and the apartment plan for approval to the SES. The government agency will give a guaranteed refusal. You can try to go to court with him. The chances of winning the case and avoiding a fine are very small. The signatures of all residents of the apartment building who agree with the redevelopment will increase the likelihood of a positive decision.
Kitchen
A kitchen combined with a balcony occurs in cases where the kitchen itself is small in size; the balcony allows you to slightly expand this area. As a rule, the entrance to the balcony is located on the side of a narrow wall.
- By removing partitions, you can free up a lot of additional space.
- This allows you not to use compact headsets with small work surfaces, but to install full-fledged ones.
- In this case, models in the shape of the letter “L” would be an ideal option.
- A small part of the set will occupy the wall on the balcony under the windows; it is also recommended to organize a work area there.
- During the daytime, it will be perfectly illuminated naturally.
You can also place such a set differently by making a dining area on the balcony. In any case, the loggia will need to be additionally insulated so that it retains heat.
The design of the combined balcony will be classic and light, because light colors are used in the kitchen. Dark ones can also be used, but preferably in small quantities, because they can visually make the room smaller.
Decorating a room for a combination
When the dismantling work is completed, it is time for finishing. The final interior depends on individual preferences. You can create a single design or divide the space into several functional areas.
After the combination, natural light will significantly improve, since much more light penetrates through the loggia than through a typical room window
Ceiling finishing
The classic option is a white ceiling. It is better to install a tension fabric. This will allow you to organize additional lighting and add backlighting. The light canvas also visually expands the space and increases the height of the walls. Therefore, for small rooms this is the preferred option. You can make several tiers and transitions. But this can visually reduce the height of the ceilings.
The stretch fabric allows you to quickly get a perfectly flat ceiling
Another popular solution is a stylish ceiling made of wooden slats
Wall decoration
Wall decoration depends on the overall style of the space. You can choose a single cladding for all walls or select separate finishing elements for different areas. When organizing zoning, it is important to leave a general concept. You can change the color of the walls to several tones to indicate the boundaries of each segment.
The photo shows an example of finishing a balcony in a loft style
Finishing the attached loggia in Provence style
Laconic interior of a balcony in Scandinavian style
The cladding materials can be anything, including various types of wallpaper, decorative plaster, panels, etc. It is not recommended to use wood elements. Close proximity to a window will negatively affect their properties. The wood will begin to crack and dry out.
Floor finishing
Laminate, linoleum or tiles are suitable as flooring. The main difficulty in decorating the floor is related to the threshold, which is formed at the junction between the main room and the balcony structure. And if it cannot be eliminated, then you can play with it in the interior. For example, redesigning it as a step. It is important to take into account the presence of a threshold and unevenness of the floor when installing the floor covering.
Laminated panels are often used to finish the floor on an insulated balcony.
Ceramic tiles are the most durable flooring option
Choosing furniture for the interior of a combined room
The furniture placed must fully match the style of the space. If an increase in area was required to expand the room, it is better to give preference to compact and multifunctional items. You should not choose bulky, massive parts that will visually “eat up” square meters and the room will look small and cluttered.
The choice of furniture for the balcony depends on the availability of free space
If you need a table in the living room, let it be small, preferably glass or in a light color scheme. A loggia increases the usable area, but it is better to organize the installation of furniture in such a way that everything looks fresh, spacious and light.
Bedroom
Bedrooms combined with a balcony are much more common than other combination options. This option is especially common in warm regions. On the balcony there is a sleeping place and a small table with a chair. This is quite enough for relaxation, while the rest of the interior will be located in the room itself.
Thus, the room will have a lot of free space, which can be divided into zones, or purposefully used for specific tasks, for example, by equipping an office.
- The interior of the combined balcony in this case can be absolutely anything.
- In the event that the bedroom itself is used as an office, and the loggia is used as a sleeping area, the shades between them will differ.
- On the balcony it is recommended to use calm tones that will set you up for relaxation and a pleasant pastime.
At the same time, it is advisable to use restrained shades in the office, such as gray. Neutrality will allow you to concentrate on specific thoughts about work, which will increase your productivity. Furniture in the office includes a large desk and a couple of chairs, as well as cabinets and shelves for books and other items.
There is nothing in the loggia except a bed and a small table or side table for convenience. If partitions between these rooms are removed, it is necessary to build a screen; for this you can use thick curtains that will hide the sleeping area from view.
Separate interior of living room and loggia
If you have insulated the loggia, but for some reason decided to leave the door, you will end up with two rooms separated from each other.
In this case, curtains are usually hung on the window in the living room, which can hide behind them the door to the loggia and part of this space.
- Then you can arrange it as you wish, and sunlight will not penetrate into the living room.
- Don’t forget about the color scheme, which will be used not only in the living room, but also on the balcony.
- If the room is narrow, it is better to avoid dark colors, because they will still conceal the space, visually making it smaller.
- Light decoration will help expand the room. This will be relevant for owners of Soviet-built apartments.
Pay attention to the furniture. You should not buy some items just because they are fashionable and popular.
Do not forget about the harmony of finishing materials and furniture, because their combination in the interior is very important. If you chose wallpaper with a pastel shade, then look for dark furniture. If, on the contrary, the walls are of cooler colors, then the furniture should be appropriate.
When arranging furniture, keep in mind that access to the balcony should always be freely accessible. Don't clutter it with unnecessary items. Various original ideas are welcome, but again the arrangement must be done wisely.
On the balcony behind closed doors you can organize any space. Most popular ideas:
- Summer and winter garden for indoor plants;
- Children's play area;
- Work zone;
- Mini gym;
- An organized storage space where all things will be organized and not just accumulated chaotically.
In any case, the choice will be yours. Think about what you want to see in this space, calculate the costs and, if possible, remodel the balcony.
Pros and cons of combining interiors
In any case, even if you do not have a combined space, the question arises: is it necessary to do this? Usually there are quite strong arguments in favor of redevelopment, but there are also nuances that stop this from being done.
There are some advantages to this idea:
- The space is expanding, an additional area for new arrangement appears;
- The degree of natural light in the room increases;
- You can take out separately something that could not be placed in the apartment space.
Before you start merging, it’s worth studying not only the pros, but also the cons:
- Large costs in terms of money;
- Difficulty in repairing because you have to demolish the wall;
- If repairs and insulation are not carried out correctly, the wall may freeze and mold may appear;
- More energy will be spent on heating because the space will increase.
If the disadvantages make you think about abandoning the idea altogether, consider another option.
It is not at all necessary to tear down the wall and remove the door. You can simply insulate the loggia and not touch the passage. This will reduce costs and make repairs easier.
Arrangement of the loggia
If in your apartment the living room is adjacent to the balcony and there is no partition between them, that is, the loggia is insulated, this is the most successful option. This connection allows you to expand the space, fill it with more light and use the area rationally.
It is only important to coordinate these two spaces with each other, uniting them with a single style and the same building materials for decoration.
If the spaces are not connected, the loggia remains uninsulated, then unity between each other should still be felt. The loggia should become a continuation of the living room, its summer use. The passage should not be blocked by a sofa or other pieces of furniture.
Combined loggia interior with living room
Since the loggia always has large windows, the sunlight entering the room will always be bright and warm. To prevent the sun from interfering with your business and not blinding you, it is better to think about some kind of curtain system.
The flooring should be the same both in the living room and in the loggia space. You can choose both tiles and wood flooring.
- If you don’t want to leave the loggia completely without a partition, you can make an imitation of an arch or even install glass doors. It is best to make them sliding so that they do not get in the way when opening.
- Even if you have an insulated loggia, it is still worth thinking about selecting materials that will be resistant to temperature changes and various precipitation. Don't forget about their safety. So, the tiles should not be slippery even when damp.
- Some place a separate zone in the loggia space. For example, they set up a workplace or make a place for a child to play. All options are acceptable, but the style of the living room and loggia should not differ from each other.
When decorating a loggia, it is better not to use materials darker than in the hall. Such a contrast will not add beauty to the room, and besides, such a space will not look uniform. If a garden of house plants is organized in place of the balcony, then you should not overdo it with them, because the incoming light will be blocked.
