Any owner of an apartment or a private house wants to equip the premises with maximum comfort for residents. Oftentimes, it is necessary to resort to the redevelopment of housing. It is important to treat such an event thoughtfully, evaluating all the pros and cons and not violate regulatory requirements. On the premises, the kitchen is most often combined with the living room, which makes it possible to increase their functionality.
The need to combine the kitchen area with the living room
Not so long ago, our fellow citizens, receiving or purchasing an apartment, rejoiced at the very fact of owning separate housing. They were not particularly worried that the kitchen area was only 5-6 meters. But today the concept of comfort has changed. Premises that were previously perceived as mansions no longer seem comfortable.
Often in typical apartments, the kitchen has such modest dimensions that there is barely enough space to accommodate a minimum set of furniture and appliances. The simultaneous presence of several people in such a room does not give anyone pleasure. This also applies to the process of cooking and its use. Often it is simply impossible to organize a family dinner at the table due to lack of space. It is unlikely that anyone will like it according to the schedule. And to talk about the reception of guests, in this case, is not at all necessary. You can place them only outside the kitchen. Arranging all the necessary equipment in a small kitchen also raises many questions. Many take out the refrigerator into the corridor or to the insulated balcony.
Sometimes even a refrigerator does not fit in the kitchen. When combining the kitchen, the doorway is laid and a refrigerator is easily installed in the vacated area. If there is no need to change the purpose of the combined premises, it is possible to use zoning. When organizing redevelopment, apartment owners are guided by various aspirations: someone wants to expand the kitchen area, which will allow them to accommodate more appliances and other equipment (or even organize an island), others think it’s right to leave a small area for cooking, preferring to increase the area recreation and place 2 seat sofas there.
Comfortable studio option
Another option for optimal use of living space is to combine a very spacious room with the kitchen, part of which is used as a living room, and a small space isolated, for example, as a nursery or study. In this case, in the apartment, despite the unification of the premises, it turns out to allocate one more room. It is much easier in terms of housing arrangements for those who have the opportunity to purchase an apartment with a free layout or a studio in which a minimum number of load-bearing walls is installed. Accordingly, the owners have the opportunity to organize their living space the way they want with minimal design costs.
When arranging their living quarters, they are guided both by their ideas about the design and layout of rooms, the need for the most open space, the composition of the family, the number of households, and lifestyle. It should be noted that for many, the elimination of partitions in an apartment is a controversial decision.
There are many advantages of combining a kitchen with a living room, especially for those living in small apartments or for single property owners. Fans of large open spaces get the opportunity to realize their ideas about the ideal home. Even a small apartment can be turned into a spacious room.
What is important to know when performing redevelopment
Any types of redevelopment, as well as repair measures in apartments or their reorganization, must be coordinated with the relevant authorities and recorded in the technical passport of the premises. Many current regulations do not always "keep pace" with modern realities. The dismantling of the walls separating the room and the kitchen is allowed if they are not load-bearing. In this case, there will be no damage to the bearing characteristics of the structure. The most difficult thing is for the owners of apartments in panel houses, where such partitions are mostly load-bearing. In this case, the only way out of the situation will be to create a small opening in the wall with its subsequent strengthening.
Kitchen-living room
The combined area of the kitchen and living room is a huge field for design activity. The kitchen and living room combined together involve a significant investment of money and time. How to plan a room will depend on its area and characteristics. When we combine spaces and equip them, we should, as designers advise, adhere to a single style. This task is not easy and only a professional can handle it. Planning the space in a large apartment or house is one thing, but planning a small area is quite another. For each specific case, there are special design techniques that cannot be dispensed with.
