Cozy kitchen: how to make a small kitchen beautiful

Tips to make your kitchen cozy

The kitchen can be more than just a place for preparing food. It is possible to make it a place where you will always want to return. Following the rules and recommendations for organizing space, the room will become bright, atmospheric, and bringing joy. With all this, the general interior style will be preserved, and the design will serve as a reflection of the individuality of the owners.

Cozy kitchen in country style and pleasant yellow color Source comfortoria.ru

Choosing and buying a beautiful set is only the first step towards creating a unique interior. The spirit of liveliness and warmth in the kitchen will be given by indoor plants, artistic elements, decor and original prints of textiles or wall decoration. You can draw attention to detail by equipping the working area of the used area with unusual devices.

Cozy thanks to textiles, chair covers, an unusual apron, fresh flowers Source domoholic.ru

Recommendations for organizing a cozy kitchen:

If the room is small, then visually expand it with light walls, curtains, cabinet furniture and a mirror.
The dining area can be combined with the working area, but for this it is better to use a piece of furniture such as a bar counter.
It is better to choose the color of the walls in warm or light colors. The most popular tones are beige, sand, ivory, soft yellow, olive, brown, delicate pink, muted orange, juicy peach, fawn (the color of buffalo skin or aged linen), white, light blue, grass green, mint.
If the walls are made monochromatic, the details will look advantageous against their background. And there are usually a lot of them in the kitchen.
Stick to equal proportions when maintaining free space and choosing the size of furniture.
Choose multifunctional household appliances - 2 in 1, 3 in 1, so as not to buy a large amount of equipment and not overload the space. A microwave oven will significantly save space, because it performs the functions of an oven, defrost and steamer (if such a function is available among the options).

Wallpaper or multi-colored plaster in the kitchen will not create excessive diversity or overload of the palette if only the free part of the wall is decorated with it. An example of such a technique would be a panel. The finishing is distributed over a small area of the wall and even decorated with a beautiful frame (foam plinth, strip with a textured surface). Wallpaper, paint or decorative putty can be alternated in shades that are close to each other. Separately, we will consider several ways how you can make the kitchen more comfortable.

Against the background of milky-colored furniture, brick, beams and floors are highlighted Source m.fotostrana.ru

Storage systems

Rails - an open storage system for hanging kitchen appliances:

a set of cooking utensils;
tea or coffee cups;
glasses, glasses on a stand;
clock with timer; weight cantor;
hot stand;
small saucepan, colander;
grater for vegetables and fruits;
kitchen towel, oven mitts.

The classic roof rail is a metal pipe. It is attached using small brackets to the top of the kitchen apron, above the stove or sink. Hooks, clamps, and clothespin holders of different sizes and configurations are strung on the pipe. If everything is hung beautifully, it will look elegant and tasteful. Innovations in railing systems have reached the point where metal pipes can now be dispensed with. Instead, transformer shelves with hooks and fasteners are used.

Classic railing for placing cooking utensils, spices, oils Source detectivebookshop.ru

Inside metaboxes and tandemboxes (retractable structures in cabinet tables) you can put various glass jars, bottles and other small things. Such systems help hide away from view what interferes with making the kitchen cozy. Baskets with inner fabric covers will look great on open kitchen shelves in a country, chalet, Provence or Scandinavian style.

Drawer-baskets are conveniently placed at the bottom of the unit Source roomester.ru

Original storage ideas

An ideal kitchen is designed in such a way that after cooking and eating, all utensils fit freely into the cabinets. And here housewives often face the problem of lack of space. But what are our drawers and shelves filled with?

Often, housekeepers store a lot of different utensils in the kitchen, while in everyday life they use only two saucepans and a couple of frying pans. If you are one of them, urgently go through all the drawers and get rid of unnecessary junk! Put in a box and hide those things that are useful only during the holidays. Believe me, each of us can comfortably get by with a small set of kitchen utensils.

Today, designers offer a lot of ideas for miniature kitchens: retractable carousels and grids, built-in tables, sliding and lifting structures for shelves and doors. They make our time in the kitchen much easier, but they are quite expensive.

An excellent solution is to allocate space for an additional row of drawers almost above the floor. Here you can place a lot of useful things (for example, cereals, sugar, salt), and build another tabletop in one of the top ones.

Organize a multifunctional, convenient island in the center of the kitchen that will serve as a work surface, a dining table, and a place to store bulky dishes.

Impeccable orderliness of items in a small kitchen will be created by the original arrangement of wall cabinets and niches parallel to each other on both sides of the space, with the stove and sink located at the end of the kitchen.

Window sill-tabletop

The original design of the window sill with its elongated and rounded edge can add comfort to the kitchen interior. Such a structure can serve as a bar counter or an additional tabletop for preparing food or eating. The materials used to make such a window sill are plastic, chipboard, artificial stone, solid wood.

A window sill-countertop in the kitchen is a bar counter and a work surface Source oz90.ru

How you furnish it is how you live it: placing furniture in a small kitchen

Linking functional elements (stove, sink and refrigerator) to installed communications requires compliance with certain placement rules:

1. A gas stove is usually installed near a gas pipe.

2. You should not place the refrigerator next to the stove, as it cannot withstand the effects of heat.

3. The cutlery drawer should be located close to the sink so that you don’t have to carry them too far after washing. It is also convenient to place a cabinet for drying plates at the top above the sink.

4. For a small room, custom-made built-in kitchen furniture would be optimal. It has an abundance of different designs with retractable and folding elements.

5. Kitchen furniture should be installed along one of the walls, having previously decided on the location of the work area and refrigerator, after which you can begin to place a soft corner or dining table with chairs.

6. In a miniature kitchen, try to use any space convenient for mounting furniture. Wall-mounted corner cabinets and open shelves, above which it would be good to organize spot lighting, are perfect for these purposes.

7. An excellent method of saving space is to connect the stove, sink and work surface with one countertop. With the advent of high-quality new building materials and improved technologies, portable communications have become commonplace. Today you won’t surprise anyone with a workspace on the windowsill, which smoothly turns into a tabletop, next to which there is a sink and hob.

Decoration

Decoupage of uniform and monochromatic surfaces can make them more colorful and the interior lively. This method is useful where you are not going to change the kitchen set, but need to update it. For decoupage, they take a special decorative film, one side of which is glued to the front of the cabinet, and the other is smooth and waterproof (it can be safely washed with water). Such films are sold in a wide range of colors in the hardware departments of supermarkets.

Decoupage in the center of furniture facades Source interiorexplorer.ru

If you are bored with the monochromatic color of the tiles on the kitchen backsplash, you can diversify the surface using stickers. They are also made from a material that is not afraid of water. These can be floral patterns, bright fruits, berries or vegetables. To create a romantic mood, paste on images of lanterns, butterflies, moths, autumn foliage and harvest symbols (pumpkins, grapes, apples).

Stickers in the shape of fish add originality to the entire interior ensemble Source ideas.sawhd.com

The decor of the space on the window can be living plants. A miniature vegetable garden is both beautiful and useful. There are various spices and herbs that grow well at home. Lush lettuce leaves of different shades, dill, parsley - everything can grow in a long, low box. The “vegetable garden” will not take up much space on the windowsill, but will add vitality and natural charm to the interior.

Indoor plants in pots will always add liveliness to the interior Source i.pinimg.com

On a note! If you enjoy growing herbs for your family, you can purchase a hydroponic system and create a real garden. One of such systems is an American-made home vertical garden or mini-vegetable garden, from.

Headset placement, zoning

Comfortable and safe use of a cozy kitchen depends on the distances between its objects - furniture, communications, household appliances. Here are the main distances that must be observed when arranging a kitchen:

from the refrigerator to the heating radiator, oven or stove - at least 1 m;
from the sink to the stove – 1.3-1.8 m;
from the refrigerator to the sink – 1.3-2.3 m;
from the floor to the microwave installation - at least 135-140 cm;
the level of the microwave, oven in relation to the user is 6-8 cm below his shoulder;
the height of the hood in relation to the hob or stove is 60-75 cm;
the distance between the sink, built-in dishwasher or washing machine from the sewer drain and water supply pipes is no more than 80 cm (in extreme cases, no more than 1 m);
the minimum working surface of the countertop on both sides of the hob or stove is 38-40 cm;
optimal free space on both sides of the sink is 45-60 cm;
the distance from the wall or corner to the dishwasher, washing machine, refrigerator, stove is 30-30 cm.

Always follow the Work Triangle rule. Its area should be no more than 5-7 square meters. m. Then the housewife will not get too tired, running from the refrigerator to the countertop or from the stove to the sink. The longest distance in the spatial triangle should not exceed 3-4 m.

Secret No. 1. Smart planning

The choice of layout often depends on the capabilities of the room - area, architectural features, etc. But there is a universal rule that will help you choose the most convenient option in any situation - the principle of the working triangle. According to him, you can organize the workspace in the kitchen in such a way as to save as much time as possible during the cooking process, avoiding unnecessary movements between the refrigerator, stove and sink.

In the picture below you can see what the working triangle will look like in different layout options.

For a small kitchen, a corner or linear layout would be optimal. Read about which one is better in a separate article - go ahead.

Any layout is suitable for spacious rooms. But with all its possibilities, one cannot help but take advantage of the chance to organize a beautiful and functional island or U-shaped kitchen.

In a large kitchen it is possible to install column cabinets and integrate appliances into them.

The built-in microwave oven and oven at chest level are more convenient to use than when located under the countertop. In the latter case, you have to bend over in order to check the readiness of the dish or pull it out.

In the photo below you can see several examples of small and medium-sized kitchens with a convenient location of the sink, refrigerator and stove.

When designing a kitchen, also remember a few guidelines about distances:

between the refrigerator and the hob/oven - at least 15-20 cm;
between the sink and the stove - at least 50 cm;
in aisles, between furniture - at least 1.2 m.

It will be useful to study the material on how to make a corner sink convenient - watch.

See also recommendations for arrangement from designer Daria Pikova in the video:

Zoning and planning

The workspace should be homogeneous, all approaches to it should be free. Therefore, no tall objects are installed in the center of the working area of the headset - refrigerators, columns with built-in household appliances, tall narrow cabinets, shelving. Such elements are placed at the edges of the furniture set.

Usually, for convenience, the kitchen is divided into:

work area;
dining area;
recreation area (if usable space allows).

The workspace is fully equipped with furniture, appliances, and plumbing. A small table and chairs are installed in the dining area. For relaxation, use a soft corner or a sofa with an armchair.

Tips for a comfortable kitchen

Consider the location of household appliances

If you regularly use an extended list of household appliances - a meat grinder, blender, juicer or coffee maker, evaluate the frequency of their use. It is convenient for one person to take out the necessary device once a week and put it away immediately after use. For someone else who values every minute, a place for permanent installation of equipment would be more suitable.

Organize a quick access zone

In such an area, closer to the entrance to the kitchen, place what you use every day. Cutlery, tea and coffee cups and tea and coffee supplies, salt and sugar, seasonings, paper napkins, a jug of clean water and simple snacks like crackers or fruit. Then you yourself will automatically find everything you need in the morning “by touch”, and the guests will not be confused and will switch to self-service instead of a decorous and noble wait for tea to be served under the pretext “I don’t know what and where you have here.” It's best if these everyday items are on open shelves rather than closed ones - but it's a matter of matching the style of the kitchen.

Provide lighting in different areas

Consider additional lighting with spotlights or LED strip - insufficient lighting of the sausage on the cutting board can lead to a cut on your finger. At the same time, excessively bright light in the center of the kitchen is not the best solution. Install 2-3 lighting fixtures in work areas. And above the dining table, a lamp with a lampshade creates a cozy atmosphere.

Decoration with curtains

An empty, undecorated window is not suitable for all styles. This design technique is usually used in styles where laconicism reigns in everything (high-tech, constructivism, loft, minimalism). Or the specifics of the style suggest that you need to preserve as much free space as possible, as is done in the Scandinavian or hygge styles. With the help of curtains it is easy to make a kitchen of any non-ascetic style cozy.

Kitchen in hygge style - windows without curtains, white color as a symbol of impeccable cleanliness Source avatars.mds.yandex.net

Decorating a kitchen window with a curtain:

types of curtains - short and straight curtains, Roman blinds, roller blinds, curtains made of light fabrics;
heavy and dense fabrics are not suitable;
delicate tulle will ideally decorate the window;
by using thread curtains, you can model their drapery in different ways;
curtains made of simple cotton or linen fabric will bring more naturalness and naturalness to the interior;
silk ones will add chic and shine to the atmosphere;
guipure, chiffon and tulle - airiness, romance, tenderness;
You can decorate a plain fabric with embroidery, applique, thin ruffles, not too voluminous bows, stylish tiebacks.

For kitchen windows, light-colored curtains or drapes are usually selected. Multilayer designs (drapes with lambrequins and rich drapery) fill the interiors of bedrooms or living rooms, but not kitchens. Lambrequins can be used, but they should be as modest as possible. Airy transparent or translucent fabrics are welcome here. If camouflage is important, then choose a material that is dense, but not heavy, without accessories (fringe, protruding tassels).

Floral prints of light curtains add charm to a Provence style kitchen Source kuhnitut.ru

Correct lighting

The yellow color of the luminous flux emanating from lamps can awaken the appetite, lift the mood and create a relaxing atmosphere. This lighting is perceived by the eyes as the most comfortable. This nuance is important for those who spend a lot of time in the kitchen after a busy day at work. You can even choose a chandelier design (frame, shade) in yellow or golden color.

Two rules for making your kitchen cozy with lighting:

Bright lamps for the work area.
Dim – for the dining area.

To prevent the lighting from one chandelier from seeming scanty, several sconces are placed along the walls. Spotlights above a kitchen unit or linear ones above a kitchen apron are an ideal solution for illuminating a work area. In the area where there will be a soft corner and a dining table, it is better to use dim light with a yellow tint. Two or three sconces are just right for this.

The kitchen is locally illuminated with different lamps with dim lamps Source 1zoom.ru

Note! If your kitchen furniture has glossy facades or has mirrors or glass, then you need to place the lamps so that when they are turned on they do not create glare.

Make the kitchen socially friendly

All the most important conversations happen in the kitchen. When you have a large family or often have guests, you probably communicate while cooking. It is inconvenient to maintain a dialogue with your back to the interlocutor.

If space allows, place an island or bar counter in the shape of an G in front of the kitchen unit. In a small kitchen, place the dining group not opposite the kitchen furniture, but slightly diagonally from it.

Tip from Flatplan

The “open kitchen” concept is trending right now. Make the kitchen as visible as possible so you can communicate and cook at the same time.

The dining table should be such that it is comfortable for everyone to gather around it. It is important that everyone can see and hear each other. A round or oval shaped table is better suited for this. If it is oblong, then without sharp corners. The dining area is best placed by the window.

Flatplan project “Napoleon Dynamite” with a comfortable dining area by the window.

Built-in household appliances

It is hidden household appliances that will allow you to create order in the space so that cabinets, tables, cabinets and chairs dominate the room. Against a background of orderliness, it is easier to create accents using decor, kitchen utensils or textiles. Equipment of different colors and designs, and even placed haphazardly around the area, brings more chaos into the space. Against such a background, it is very difficult to decorate and decorate the room.

Cozy kitchen in Japanese style - household appliances are hidden behind the facades Source kuhnitut.ru

Create architectural accents on walls and ceilings

The photo clearly shows the advantages of an L-shaped kitchen, even considering its small area. Thanks to the same color and style as the living room, the kitchen feels like a natural extension of it.

By using protruding partitions of varying heights on adjacent walls and ceilings, the designers created a flexible and practical space. Built-in furniture looks very compact. It is becoming increasingly popular to make the ceiling visually deeper and more expressive through various architectural details.

Share your ideas on how else you can improve the design of a kitchen with a custom layout!

Choosing a kitchen apron

The finishing of a kitchen apron performs two functions - to serve as a protective surface for the workspace and at the same time to be a decorative element. Materials used for this:

tile;
skinali - heavy-duty tempered glass with decor;
decorative plaster;

Skinali is used to make beautiful panels with photo printing. Using this material, various illuminations are created on the kitchen apron - panoramas of a night metropolis, natural landscapes, flowers, butterflies, vegetables, fruits or berries on a large scale. The paintings look especially interesting - Gzhel, Khokhloma, Vladimir, Mezen. To create textured surfaces, various decor in the form of a relief pattern is additionally applied to the glass and engraved.

Skinali with photo printing on the kitchen apron display a cute village Source door39.ru

Focus on accessories

Accessories for a cozy kitchen are often used:

beautiful textiles;
decorative cutting boards;
painted trays;
an unusual set of containers for spices;
a set of jars for cereals, salt and sugar;
original butter dishes, sugar bowls, salt shakers, pepper shakers;
silicone napkins in abstract or funny shapes;
coasters made of juniper or pressed cork chips;
paintings, panels, photos;
a set of rare or entourage dishes;
candlesticks, figurines, piggy banks.

Indoor plants are an integral part of kitchen decor. Light-loving types of flowers are placed near the window and on the windowsill. In the corner of the dining area there are shade-loving ones. Placing flower pots on top of a kitchen cabinet is not recommended. Firstly, it is inconvenient to water. Secondly, the hot air and steam coming from cooking will spoil the plants. The upstairs contains only those plants that are not afraid of heat and humidity, and the kitchen is equipped with an excellent exhaust and ventilation system. On the dining table or shelf you can put a violet, a miniature succulent in a cute pot.

Country style kitchen - cabinet with curtains, Roman blinds on the windows, curtain Source pocketmags.com

A minimalist kitchen looks cozier in warm colors with flowers and fruits Source arxip.com

The basis of kitchen ergonomics: the work triangle

I would like the main area in the kitchen to be the dining table, where the family gathers. Life is such that the hostess or owner spends much more time not at the table, but in the “work triangle”. This is a space in which the following zones are located at the conditional vertices:

refrigerator where food is stored;
a sink where food and dishes are washed;
a stove where food is directly prepared.

The “work triangle” is where the vast majority of movement and movement in the kitchen occurs. It is not called a triangle by chance: it is considered ergonomic to arrange the refrigerator, sink and stove in such a way that an equilateral triangle “fits” between them. This way, the apartment owner will spend a minimum of time on unnecessary movements and will be less tired of kitchen chores. The rule applies universally to interiors of any style, standard and individual layouts and any kitchen area.

A working triangle with a length of 120-270 cm on each side is considered ergonomic. With a distance of less than 120 cm it will be a bit cramped and it is unlikely that you will be able to cook comfortably. Too large sides of the triangle mean pointless expenditure of effort and energy when cooking. If you are the happy owner of a spacious kitchen, consider a functional division into a kitchen area for culinary exploits and a dining room with a dining area. The problem of small-sized kitchens is more common; we’ll talk about them separately below.

Vertices of the “work triangle”

As it happens in life, only on the diagrams in smart books the layouts look unambiguous. In fact, even the three simple zones of the work triangle in different apartments differ in functions, cost and dimensions.

Fridge

An addition to the standard refrigerator is a separate large freezer if you like to store berries from the dacha for future use. The option of a complete absence of a refrigerator in the kitchen is unlikely - even notorious workaholics bring home not only work, but also perishable food.

Let us immediately warn you against a tempting but dead-end solution - if possible, do not place the refrigerator in the hallway, living room or hallway in order to save space in the kitchen. Instead, look for compact refrigerator models, folding dining tables, or kitchen units with pull-out boards for food processing. Then what you need will be at hand. Running from the refrigerator to the kitchen and back, and even with obstacles in the form of beloved children and a spouse who urgently found something to do exactly the width of the corridor, will become a reason for mutual irritation.

Plate

A traditional stove with four burners and an oven underneath is suitable for a large family. For one or two people, a compact two-burner hob and an oven with a capacity of up to 20 liters will be enough - you can place this on a strong hanging shelf. Another option for compact solutions is a multicooker. It’s unlikely to be suitable for gourmets and large families, but just what you need for a bachelor’s kitchen.

Sink

A sink with two compartments is more functional - one deep, the other smaller. Determine the depth of the first compartment as follows: the largest pot or frying pan that can be found in the house fits there. Don't be lazy and freeze. The small compartment is convenient for rinsing a mug or washing vegetables or fruits if there is already a mountain of dishes in the main compartment. A mandatory element of the sink is an area for drying dishes and food. Do not skimp on the width of such a zone, otherwise the dishes after washing will clutter the free space of the table.

One-and-a-half mortise sink with wing “VATTUDALEN” - RUB 6,990, IKEA.

Built-in sink "HELLVIKEN" 1 1/2 with drain, black quartz composite - RUB 19,990, IKEA.

It turns out that from an ergonomic point of view, the sink is an overall area of any kitchen.

Please note that the presence of a dishwasher does not replace the sink as such - it retains the function of washing food, hands, and small kitchen utensils. The dishwasher is usually placed next to the sink: this way it’s faster to move dishes and solve the problem of connecting to the water.

A garbage container is traditionally placed below the sink, shelves are placed for storing household chemicals, and built-in filters are placed here. The trick is to not overload the area under the sink. Make the lower door wide - from 60 cm. If you need to clean the sink drain, free access will be useful.

If possible, then it is better to place the sink not in a dark corner, but closer to the window. Natural light helps save energy, makes it easier to see dirt on dishes, and also adds to your mood.

Rules for keeping the kitchen cozy

Creating a cozy kitchen yourself is a great idea. But it will fully justify itself only when you can maintain the created beauty all the time you use the room.

Rules for maintaining comfort in the kitchen:

Cleanliness on the dining table and a neat appearance of the soft corner will constantly lift your spirits.
Don't accumulate junk. Train yourself to immediately throw away everything unnecessary, and properly sort and store the necessary little things.
Do not use bulky furniture in a small room. It will not make your kitchen cozy.
Stick to a consistent color palette when choosing decor or accessories for your kitchen.
Do not cover the floor with carpets - this is impractical for the kitchen (it is inconvenient to clean and wash the floors).
Aggressive and too gloomy colors and shades will make staying in the room uncomfortable.

All kinds of bags, ropes, corks, beautiful labels - can be sorted and placed in special containers, baskets, jars. They can be hidden in a closet or pantry. Cracked plates, cups, and broken mechanisms are not recommended to be stored in the house so as not to accumulate negative energy.