How to furnish a small kitchen: tips from designers
Recommendations from professionals on organizing a cozy 5 sq. m. kitchen:
- In order to furnish the room, it is better to choose transformable furniture such as folding tables and folding chairs. Wall-mounted, corner structures or ceiling-high storage systems will allow you to effectively use the space.
- It is appropriate to replace ordinary swing doors with sliding systems or design the opening in the form of an arch to expand the space.
- Use the window sill effectively; it can be converted into a countertop or sink.
- A kitchen set with a dark facade and a large number of fittings will make the room even more cramped and cluttered. Therefore, you should give preference to furniture with a light, shiny and glossy surface, which will give the environment a fresh and stylish look.
- When decorating a window, you should use light, transparent or lace ensembles, as well as shortened Roman or roller blinds. Heavy fabrics with massive and bulky lambrequins are an impractical option, hiding free meters of the kitchen.
- Drawings and patterns present on textile details or wallpaper should not be too large and contrasting. It is much more harmonious to complement the room with soft vertical stripes or horizontal lines, which will allow you to adjust the space.
Layout 5 sq. m.
Before starting the renovation, a thorough analysis of the kitchen is carried out, all the possibilities of redevelopment, monetary costs are taken into account and a graphic plan is drawn up, which shows all the necessary furniture and equipment.
The most optimal way to increase the cramped kitchen of 5 sq. m is to combine it with the guest room. In this case, it is not necessary to completely dismantle the wall. An arch or a sliding partition of the compartment type will look great between the two rooms. This creates a studio and the kitchen space becomes a cooking area, while the living room becomes a dining area.
The photo shows the layout of a 5 sq m kitchen combined with a living room.
It is possible to expand a small kitchen of 5 sq m not only by means of functional arrangement of furniture, correct combination and zoning. If you exploit the area of the balcony, niche or recess, you will also be able to expand the boundaries of space.
In this case, when redeveloping, it is much easier for the owners of a private house, the main thing is to remember about load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls.
What colors are best to choose?
In the design of a 5 sq. m. kitchen, it is advisable to use a light and monochrome palette rather than a contrasting and multi-colored palette.
White is perfect for visually expanding a 5 sq. m. room and solving the problem of insufficient light. This color can be present in the design of the furniture facades, cladding, dining group, curtains and other textiles. If the interior seems too faceless, use milky shades or ivory colors, and also dilute the kitchen with glossy, stone and other textures.
A 5 sq. m. room with windows facing north is recommended to be kept in warm yellowish, brown, beige or sand tones. For a room of 5 sq m, located on the south side, a cooler lilac, turquoise, olive, blue color scheme or metallic shades will do.
The photo shows the interior of a 5 sq m kitchen in light colors with a brown wooden set.
Secrets of finishing and repair
First of all, pay attention to practical finishing materials that are distinguished by a long service life:
- Floor. The best covering for a 5 sq. m kitchen is tiles or caramogranite with increased wear resistance and resistance to mechanical stress. You should choose light materials with a matte non-slip texture. Another solution is to lay the floor with moisture-resistant laminate or cover it with budget linoleum imitation of crumbs or gasoline stains. To visually enlarge a 5 sq. m. kitchen, it is appropriate to lay the flooring diagonally, a narrow room can be expanded by laying it transversely.
- Walls. Ceramic tiles or wallpaper will help create an interesting design for a small 5 sq. m. kitchen. The walls can also be covered with MDF panels, overlays with imitation stone or mirror inserts, which give the room visual volume.
- Ceiling. In a 5-meter kitchen, it is appropriate to install a glossy stretch ceiling with built-in spotlights. Thanks to the shiny surface in combination with lighting, it will be possible to achieve a visual expansion of the space.
- Apron. The working apron area needs the right choice of finish. A popular solution is to use ceramic tiles, mosaics, PVC panels, tempered glass, washable paint or decorative stone.
The photo shows walls covered with wallpaper with discreet patterns in the design of a 5 sq m kitchen.
A responsible approach to the selection of cladding for a modest kitchen area of 5 sq m allows you to make the interior not only beautiful, but also functional.
The photo shows wallpaper with imitation brick in the design of the apron area in a 5 sq m kitchen.
Kitchen furniture and household appliances: selection and arrangement
A small space of 5 sq. m is difficult to furnish with a standard furniture set. Searching for ready-made designs that match the required dimensions can take an indefinite amount of time.
Interior of a 5-meter kitchen with and without a refrigerator
Another room in the form of a corridor, an insulated loggia, a storage room or a living room is suitable for placing this bulky household appliance. This option is considered not entirely practical and convenient, but at the same time it allows you to significantly free up space in which you can organize a full-fledged dining area or kitchen corner.
In a 5-square-meter kitchen, which has a non-standard shape with recesses and recesses, it is appropriate to install a refrigerator in a specially equipped niche. This will allow you to make the most of the space.
The photo shows a 5 sq m kitchen with a refrigerator located on the right side of the kitchen unit by the window.
A place near the window is chosen for the device. The main thing here is that the unit does not protrude beyond the partition and does not block the window opening. Due to the penetration of sunlight, the temperature regime will be violated and the equipment will become unusable much faster.
Another solution is to purchase a small refrigerator, which can be built into a niche under the window, hidden behind the facade of the upper or lower cabinets of the kitchen set.
Kitchen 5 m with a washing machine
A model with a vertical loading method has a built-in furniture module and is hidden under a folding tabletop, which when closed is an addition to the work area or serves as a bar counter.
It is also most rational to place a front-loading washing machine under a stationary tabletop of the kitchen set. This will help to make the most of the work surface.
The photo shows the design of a 5 sq m kitchen with a washing machine built into the worktop.
5-meter kitchen design with a sofa
To furnish a small 5 sq m room, preference is given to corner sofas or narrow linear structures that are installed on the opposite side from the entrance to the kitchen.
If the room is designed to have a niche, you can purchase a compact built-in sofa, made to order.
Examples of a kitchen with a gas water heater
In most cases, the water heater is hidden in a cabinet of the kitchen set or a separate box.
It is also possible to place a gas water heater between the cabinets of the set. For this, the device must be harmoniously combined and not stand out from the general furniture ensemble. An interesting option is to create an accent on the column and choose a kitchen set in a color that contrasts with the appliance.
Which kitchen set is suitable?
In order not to give a cramped 5 sq m kitchen even more overloaded view, it is recommended to equip the room with a set that has high cabinets, deep niches, drawers, shelves and modules.
A straight design will fit organically into a small-sized apartment. Due to the location along one wall, it is possible to significantly increase the cooking area. It is best to install a straight model near the longest wall. You will have to transfer communications, but you will be able to save free square meters.
A fairly convenient option is to place an L-shaped set near two adjacent walls. Thus, in a 5 sq. m kitchen, there will be two free walls that can be used in any way. With a corner configuration, everything is at arm’s length during cooking.
A U-shaped arrangement is no less comfortable for the hostess. The only drawback is that the set is bulky. This design is more suitable for a 5 sq. m square kitchen.
Since it is quite difficult to place a full-size dining table in a 5-meter room, it is replaced with a folding tabletop, equipped on the opposite side from the furniture. When assembled, the countertop takes up a minimum of space, and when unfolded, it will comfortably accommodate a small family.
The photo shows a corner kitchen set with hanging shelves in the interior of a 5 sq m kitchen.
In order to save real space, built-in household appliances are purchased. A full-size stove can be replaced with a hob with two burners.
Lighting arrangement
The design of a 5-meter kitchen involves two-level lighting with main and auxiliary devices. A chandelier is hung in the center of the ceiling or above the dining area, and spotlights or decorative lighting are built in above the work surface.
The light flow should be diffused and have a slightly yellowish tint. In combination with mirrors or glossy surfaces, such lighting will give the kitchen additional space.
The photo shows a 5 sq m kitchen decorated with a ceiling chandelier and table lamps.
Photos of kitchens in popular styles
For those whose kitchen is an attribute of the apartment, and not a place where the whole family stays, a calm Scandinavian style is suitable. The main features of the Nordic direction are light finishes, unpainted wood and various decorative elements in the form of hand-woven paths and simple lamps.
The minimalist style is dominated by artificial and natural materials, such as steel, plastic, wood, glass, ceramics and natural stone. Thanks to convenient built-in appliances and blind fronts of the set, the kitchen space of 5 sq. m. acquires a laconic appearance. Chrome fittings will help to dilute the design, and the original hood will act as an accent.
The photo shows the design of a 5 sq. m kitchen in minimalist style.
The interior composition in high-tech style is characterized by straight lines and strict geometry without unnecessary intricate details. The use of materials in the form of durable plastic, steel, tinted or transparent glass is welcomed. A room of 5 sq. m is furnished with designer furniture pieces in a lightweight, futuristic design.
Design ideas
If there is a window in a kitchen of 5 sq. m, it is recommended to usefully use the space around the opening and arrange cabinets or hanging shelves. It is appropriate to integrate the window sill into a hanging tabletop, which will become a kind of dining table or work surface.
In Khrushchev-era apartments, there is an additional niche under the window opening, which is refined inside, supplemented with shelves and doors in the color of the kitchen set and turned into a full-fledged cabinet.
The photo shows a balcony in the interior of a narrow kitchen of 5 sq m.
For a kitchen area of 5 sq m with an adjoining balcony, a redevelopment with unification is used. The additional area of the loggia is equipped for a dining area or the windowsill is converted into a bar counter.
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