General information

The clients are a young childless couple living in Nizhny Novgorod. The old Khrushchev-era apartment, 40 square meters in area, has two rooms with low ceilings (2.5 meters) and one combined bathroom. The clients dreamed of a cozy and light interior in Scandinavian style, but with expressive details.

Layout

The walls were not moved and no redevelopment was carried out. The kitchen remained small, only 5 sq. m. But the designer managed to fit a convenient place for cooking, a bedroom, a living room and a home office, as well as storage systems in the apartment.

Khrushchevka layout diagram Khrushchevka layout diagram with furniture

See other examples of layouts in Khrushchev-era buildings.

Kitchen

Maria used a whole arsenal of techniques to arrange everything she needed in a tiny kitchen. The kitchen wall cabinets were chosen to be high, reaching up to the ceiling: all the dishes fit in them. Instead of a table, a bar counter with a beveled angle was installed – it connects to the windowsill and the cooking countertop, thereby creating a complete composition.

Above the dining area there are open shelves for decor and kitchen utensils. The stove was replaced with an oven and a cooktop with two burners.

Kitchen before renovation Kitchen before renovation kitchen in a Khrushchevka

Tiles with patterns and washable paint were used for wall decoration. Practical tiles were laid on the floor.

Kitchen set kitchen in a Khrushchevka

Also see how to decorate a kitchen in a Khrushchevka.

Living room

The large room has a lot of natural light due to the two windows. The living room is designed for relaxation – there is a soft sofa for watching TV, a library with open shelves for books, a place for reading in the form of a comfortable armchair.

Living room in a Khrushchevka Living room in a Khrushchevka TV and wall unit

The interior of the living room looks laconic and stylish not only thanks to the furniture, but also to the color scheme: gray-turquoise walls set the mood, and white furniture and beige laminate add light.

Wardrobe in the living room Window

Bedroom with a workspace

The bedroom walls are painted deep blue. They add coziness and serve as a wonderful background for the discreet furniture. The room has a place for sleeping and working: a desk with a desktop computer is located in the corner. The bedside table is wall-mounted and adds airiness to the decor.

There was almost no budget for decor, but the designer created an unusual composition from inexpensive frames, painting them gold.

Bedroom in a Khrushchevka Desk Bedroom entrance

See more examples of bedroom design in a Khrushchev-era building.

Hallway

Open shelving units for storing outerwear and shoes were placed in the hallway: they were purchased at IKEA. The floor was tiled and continues into the kitchen, visually not “breaking up” the cramped space.

hallway in a Khrushchevka before renovation Entrance hallway Hallway view from the living room Hallway view from the entrance

Be sure to look at the ideas for decorating a hallway in a Khrushchevka.

Bathroom

Before the renovation, the toilet was right next to the washing machine and it was inconvenient to use it. It was moved to the place of the sink, and a rectangular sink with a special siphon was placed above the washing machine.

The small bathroom was finished with white tiles, which made the room seem more spacious. A closed storage cabinet was hung above the toilet.

Look at examples of bathroom design in a Khrushchev building and a detailed article on how to arrange the interior of a toilet in a Khrushchev building.

bathroom in a Khrushchev building before renovation bathroom in a Khrushchev building Bathroom after renovation

List of brands

High-quality Delux paint and Mainzu Ceramica Decor Treviso tiles for the kitchen apron were used for finishing the walls.

Laminate on the living room and bedroom floors – Quick Step Eligna, light gray Italian oak.

Floor covering in the hallway and kitchen – Dual Gres Chic Chester Gray tiles.

Furniture and lighting:

  • In the hallway – a hanger with a section for shoes from IKEA Pinnig, an open storage system from IKEA Elvarli.
  • In the bedroom – an IKEA chest of drawers Tissidal, IKEA Micke desk, Loftdesigne 5517 model sconce, Eglo Lighting 85977 pendant lights, Loftdesigne 7879 chandelier.
  • In the living room – IKEA Fabrikor display cabinet, Lightstar Muro sconce, Favourite Drolling chandelier, Gubi Grasshopper floor lamp.
  • In the kitchen – IKEA furniture.

Scandinavian style is distinguished by restraint, but its laconicism is closely intertwined with expressiveness. Renovation on a limited budget turned the old Khrushchevka into a space for people who value peace, nature and home warmth.