How to legally combine a kitchen and a room? Kitchen combined with a living room Is it possible to combine a kitchen with a living room?

First, let's take a short excursion into history:
A large number of houses in Moscow are represented by the “old stock”. Moreover, the time frame for this concept is not clearly defined. Some people think that the old fund is Brezhnevka, some that Khrushchev, and some consider pre-war houses to be the old fund.

And there is no truth here, since there are no established standards. For an experienced reconciliator and a turn-of-the-century house, this is not yet an old foundation.
For approval, it is rather not the year of construction that is important, but the type of its floors (reinforced concrete, mixed, wooden).

But we will operate with average standards and conditionally classify houses from the Soviet era as the old stock - from the beginning of the century to the 70-80s.
How is this concept related to the combination of gasified kitchens and living rooms? It’s very simple - most “old” houses have gas stoves.

The presence of a gas stove in the apartment seriously complicates the redevelopment with the combination of a kitchen and an adjacent room, since 508-PP contains a ban on this event.

Redevelopment with the connection of a gasified kitchen and living room, video:

If you understand by combining these premises to be the dismantling of the wall separating them (provided that it is non-load-bearing), then such an event should be agreed upon it won't work.

Why?
Housing legislation contains a direct ban on combining a gasified kitchen and a living room. This wording is given in clause 11.18 of Appendix 1 of PPM 508 as amended by 840.

This is also stated in paragraph 3.25 of ZhNM-2004/03 “Gas pipelines and gas equipment of residential buildings.” The wording is somewhat more vague “...and the living quarters are separated from the corridor by dense partitions with a door,” but nevertheless, this makes it clear that it is prohibited to combine living rooms with gasified kitchens.

What to do?
Again, we repeat, provided that the wall between the kitchen and the room is not load-bearing (), you can proceed as follows:
The redevelopment project indicates that the partition is dismantled and hinged or sliding doors are installed instead.
There is also a theoretical option to make an accordion door. Let us comment that this is not the most straightforward option for approval and not in every case permission will be obtained. There is no direct ban on such doors, but in practice the owner will not be able to obtain permission for it.

With a similar accordion presented below, one of the owners came to us for a consultation with a refusal, he is also presented below.
And in general, it’s hard to disagree with the refusal, since in the project documentation from our design colleagues and in fact there was exactly a similar plastic “dangling from side to side” accordion.

An example of installing a sliding accordion door between a room and a gasified kitchen that will most likely fail, photo:

An example of installing a sliding accordion door between a room and a gasified kitchen, for which there will most likely be a permit, photo:

With such “accordions”, permission will most likely be obtained. Because in fact, these are real wooden doors, simply consisting of several sections. And since the law states that between the kitchen and the room there must be a dense partition the size of a door, there is no reason for refusal, since such doors directly fit this formulation and are considered not accordion doors, but tight doors from several sections. But even with this decision, you can receive a refusal with a requirement to add this door structure to the project if it is not initially in the project.

Whatever it is, it is necessary special attention pay attention to the design documentation submitted for approval. The main thing is that it should be unambiguous and as clear as possible (from a graphical point of view) what decision is being made on door structures.
(That is, show the doors not just with a “curved line”, but provide fully understandable graphic drawings of the doors)

Another option for installing doors between the kitchen and the room, photo:

In this situation, the door slides inside the hollow walls.

One of the best options for coordination. All standards are observed. This solution is always successfully approved.

In this example, we will show the best option for a partition between a gasified kitchen and a living room that we have seen:

At the beginning, we will show the plans “before” and “after” the redevelopment, so that there is an understanding of what the owner of the project documentation that ordered from us planned to coordinate.

Plan before redevelopment Plan after redevelopment

And below are photos of the most amazing beauty and design of the partition that separates the gasified kitchen from the living room.

It’s possible that the person reading this article won’t understand, but we, as redevelopment coordinators (who constantly see those pitiful semblances of doors, that is, what they try to “pass off” as partitions), experienced complete ecstasy at the sight of this miracle of engineering.

Option for installing doors between the kitchen and the room, photo:

Here the door is hung on the wall.

Also a good option installing a door between the kitchen and the room. Not the best, since it does not always provide the required sealing of the kitchen from the living room, but on the whole it is quite passable.

There is another way to combine a room with a kitchen where there is a gas stove. It concerns primarily panel houses; most internal walls are load-bearing.
It is known that they cannot be demolished. Therefore, the kitchen and the room are connected here by an opening.

As a rule, it has a width of 90 cm and corresponding reinforcement. But that's not the main thing. The main requirement for the opening in the load-bearing wall between the gasified kitchen and the room is the presence of a “tight-closing” door on it. It is contained in clause 11.17 of Appendix 1 of PPM 508.

Combining a room with a kitchen, photo:

This redevelopment was carried out in a five-story brick building built in 1955. The expansion of the bathroom and bathroom required making an entrance to the kitchen from the adjacent room, since the corridor leading to the kitchen was blocked by the bathroom. To connect the kitchen and the room, a doorway was made in the non-load-bearing partition between them.

Let us comment once again - what regulates the ban on combining a gasified kitchen and a living room - 508-PP and 3.25 ZhNM-2004/03

It is worth noting that the redevelopment implemented in the apartment must fully comply with the developed project. Some owners believe that it is not necessary to strictly follow the design documentation and make their own adjustments during the redevelopment process without permission.

For example, they do not install sliding partition with a tight vestibule, based on the fact that everything is consistent with the documents. But the inspector admissions committee What is important is the fact that the redevelopment carried out corresponds to the design documentation, and this is what happens in these cases:

Upon acceptance of the apartment after the redevelopment, it was revealed that there was no door with a tight seal between the room and the gasified kitchen, which is a violation, as a result of which the certificate of completed redevelopment was refused.

It’s a little easier to describe what happened - the owner made repairs, called an inspector to check the repairs. But upon inspection it turned out that the doors were missing. Perhaps the owner commented that “the doors are about to arrive from Italy” and simply did not have time to install them.

However, I received this paper, which, translated from legal into human language, means “when you deliver it, then call again.”

Our company has experience in coordinating such redevelopments and can provide assistance both in the development of the project and in the approval process. The cost of our services will pleasantly surprise you with its loyalty.

Living space should be comfortable and safe. The combination of these two properties is under the control of special government organizations. People, trying to improve the comfort and aesthetic appeal of their home, often forget that safety should come first. Otherwise, comfort can turn into disaster not only for those who have made significant changes in their apartment.

In what cases is redevelopment of an apartment considered legal?

The word redevelopment reflects the whole meaning of the action. This is a change in the technical layout of the premises. These changes become legal after experts approve the draft of the new technical plan.

If the redevelopment was carried out without approval, then it becomes illegal even if it does not pose any threat to the safety of the residents of the house. However, by submitting documents after the action has been completed, illegal redevelopment can be converted into legal.

In order to know exactly what exactly cannot be changed in your apartment, you need to familiarize yourself with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 508. If we summarize the list, then it is absolutely forbidden to carry out:

• moving bathrooms beyond their fixed position (except for cases of basements or non-residential premises located under the apartment);
• moving the kitchen to the living area of ​​the apartment;
• changes in kitchen configuration resulting in a lack of natural light;
• combining kitchen and bathroom ventilation;
• kitchen niches less than 5 square meters. m;
• combining apartments into one if they belong to different people;
• demolish walls that serve as load-bearing structures of the house.

Thus, the most regulated work is related to the condition of the kitchen and rooms with bathrooms. This attention is due to the fact that all communications located in these parts of the apartments are combined into a single house network. Any local violation of this unity will affect the security of communications throughout the house.

Is it possible to combine a kitchen with a room?

The possibility of such redevelopment is allowed, but with a number of conditions and restrictions. The permission to combine the kitchen and room does not agree with the ban on moving the kitchen, bathroom and communications. However, the contradiction is eliminated if the kitchen itself, as a place for preparing food, remains in place, and the partition between the kitchen and the room is removed.

The result is a structured space where people gather to eat and spend time together.

Such redevelopment is prohibited if there is a gas stove in the kitchen. In accordance with safety standards, living quarters must be isolated from gasified kitchens. This is necessary so that during a gas explosion the spread of fire throughout the apartment can be minimized.

Have a question or need legal help? Take advantage of a free consultation:

Combining a room and kitchen with a gas stove

Despite the fact that the commission will not accept such a redevelopment project, people who want to expand their living space at least visually can do this through some tricks.

The main requirement for the legality of changes in this case is the presence of a door or a sliding partition between the room and the kitchen. If the load-bearing wall is not completely dismantled, but a large arch is formed with a door or a sliding partition, then such a redevelopment can be considered legal.

The movable partition should completely block the transition from the kitchen to the living room. Otherwise, the commission will not recognize such redevelopment as legal. However, the partition should be easy to remove, otherwise there is no point in remodeling it.

There is another way out - you need to convert kitchen equipment from gas to electric. Only this needs to be done with the involvement of employees of the relevant services. Gas workers must put a cap on their pipe and record the fact of switching to another energy source. Electricians must record the installation of an electric stove, as well as install special cables.

Redevelopment in a panel house

Typically, in panel houses, the partitions between the kitchen and living room are in the nature of load-bearing structures. In panel houses, in general, almost all walls are load-bearing. The exception is the walls that form bathrooms, which are prohibited by law from being combined with other rooms and moving anywhere.

The commission may allow the creation of a doorway or arch. However, the sizes of such holes are strictly regulated. For this reason, in panel houses we can only talk about equipping a direct passage from the kitchen to the room, but not about combining two rooms into a single space.

Redevelopment in Khrushchev

A feature of the layout of apartments built in the sixties of the 20th century is their compactness and the classification of almost all walls as load-bearing structures. Low ceilings And small sizes kitchens and corridors reduce the number of redevelopment options.

However, in such apartments you can make additional openings or arches. In the early Khrushchev buildings, which were built of brick, there were practically no corridors. The hallway had only one or two doors leading to the bathroom and toilet (or to a room with a combined bath and toilet). The corridor leading from the room to the hallway or kitchen was actually part of the room, since it connected with it through a large arch. This layout makes it possible to “play” with space.

In a redevelopment project, the load-bearing wall can be moved slightly, reducing the arch due to the side adjacent to the hallway. The part adjacent to the kitchen can be expanded.

If the kitchen is equipped electric stove, then such a shift will actually combine the kitchen space with the living room space. If the tenants don't want to clean gas stove, then such an offset arch can be equipped with a sliding partition, which will increase the project’s chances of success in the housing commission.

Requirements for combining kitchen and room

Combining a kitchen with a room is only possible in apartments with two or more rooms. The fact is that the kitchen belongs to the category of non-living space. When combining a room with a kitchen, it decreases living space and non-residential space is increasing. After all, the main feature of a kitchen is the presence of equipment intended for cooking. Since, when combined, the equipment becomes part of the living room, the new room becomes a large kitchen.

As a result of such redevelopment two-roomed flat becomes one-room, and three-room becomes two-room. If such changes become legal, the apartment may be sold as housing with completely different characteristics.

SanPiN standards prohibit the provision of an exit from the bathroom to the kitchen. The door leading to the toilet or bathroom should open into the corridor and hallway. This creates certain difficulties for redevelopment. Expansion of space due to the kitchen can be created by creating a kitchen niche, that is, taking out kitchen equipment into the corridor. However, it is often difficult to implement such a project due to the fact that the only door leading into the corridor is from the room with the bathroom.

It is prohibited to move the kitchen into the space of a balcony or loggia. This ban is due to the fact that balconies and loggias are the cold part of the apartment. Batteries cannot be installed in them central heating, plates and other stationary equipment.

In addition, combining any part of the apartment with a balcony can lead to a violation of the stability of not only the supporting structures, but also the balcony itself. The only legal way to increase kitchen space at the expense of a balcony or loggia is to dismantle the window sill block. However, in this case it is necessary to install a glass door block or sliding windows.

List of documents for registration

In order for your redevelopment to become legal, you must submit the following documents to the housing commission at the executive authority at the location of the apartment.

1. Statement of the established form. This document indicates: the name of the government agency, the applicant’s data, information about the apartment, the essence of the request itself (I ask for permission for redevelopment, reconstruction, or both).
2. Project or sketch of redevelopment. This document contains the most accurate and detailed information about what exactly will be done.
3. Title documents for the apartment.
4. Technical plan of the apartment, floor plan, explication.

This is the main package of documents. Since we are talking about remodeling the kitchen, you may need expert opinion services providing the apartment with gas or electricity.

Norms and rules for redevelopment

Legal documents regulating redevelopment can be divided into three parts - federal laws, government regulations at the federal and regional levels and special regulations.

A person who wants to carry out a redevelopment by combining the kitchen and living space should pay attention to Art. 26 Housing Code of the Russian Federation, SNiP and SanPiN standards. In federal laws you will find general rules, from special standards you will learn what is possible and not possible during redevelopment of this kind.

Redevelopments related to the kitchen premises are controlled especially strictly by special authorities, because such changes carry the greatest risk of creating utility accidents and emergencies. This means that illegal redevelopment of this kind can entail not only fines, but also eviction from the apartment.

Attention! Due to recent changes in legislation, the information in this article may be out of date. However, each situation is individual.

To resolve your issue, fill out the following form or call the numbers listed on the website, and our lawyers will advise you for free!

The interior of the kitchen combined with the living room has many original solutions to expand the space. Often this is due to redevelopment, but it is more reasonable to provide this option still at the stage of designing a house. This approach is quite common abroad, when the walls or partitions between functional areas are rather conventional. But at the same time, it is expected to find a way to eliminate some inconveniences - the noise of household appliances or kitchen odors. And yet, combining the living room with the kitchen into a common area is one of the most popular design techniques for expanding space.

What is important to consider when combining the kitchen and living room?

1. Before combining the living room and kitchen into apartment building, all the subtleties of redevelopment, in accordance with legal norms, it is important to coordinate with the relevant organizations to obtain permission, and contact the Moscow Housing Inspectorate or BTI at your place of residence. This is necessary to prevent damage to the structure of the house, since during redevelopment sometimes part of the load-bearing wall is removed. Even the dismantling of a small fragment of the supporting structure can have devastating consequences for the residents of the house.

To make a preliminary assessment of the scale of work, you can determine by eye - this bearing wall or an interior wall? Secondary partitions are much thinner load-bearing structures, and they provide support for floor slabs between floors. Thin wall between the kitchen and the living room can be partially or completely dismantled, for example, round arched openings are cut out in it in order to preserve the wall structure as much as possible. In any case, the decision to redevelop the apartment will have to be discussed with an architect or other specialist in order to obtain permission, which involves certain costs for an expert assessment.

2. The second, no less important aspect that cannot be ignored is the features of the kitchen. This is a room with high humidity, which often produces excess steam from cooking various dishes. Vapors, fumes, and specific odors, for example, from fried cutlets or fish broth, are also inevitable. They will inevitably migrate into the living room, especially if there is no powerful hood above the stove. And even if it is available and works properly, it will not be possible to completely get rid of specific odors. Such a room must be ventilated more often, and before guests arrive, refrain from preparing dishes with clearly noticeable odors. And it’s difficult to deal with high humidity from preparing first courses.

Please note that even if redevelopment is allowed, for example, if there is no gas in the house and the partition is secondary, then it will not be possible to radically change the design of the apartment. The wall where communications and water supply are connected should remain the kitchen area. The so-called “wet zone” should contain the stove, sink and dishwasher, and in the event of a water supply leak, it is advisable to think through the water drainage and threshold so that it does not fill the living room, at least at first. But the dishes can be moved from a smaller kitchen to the living room - a display cabinet or kitchen modules. And it is advisable to cook in such a way that there is little steam, that is, do not cook corn, jellied meat and other rich broths at home.

Advice: Experts recommend using special dishes with a valve lid that releases a minimal amount of steam, baking more dishes in the microwave, cooking in a pressure cooker, using a multicooker and other devices.

The main advantages and disadvantages of combining two zones

The living room only in rare cases fulfills its main function - a place for receiving guests, or a room where the whole family meets for communication. Today, designers offer many interesting solutions, taking into account the preferences and lifestyle of the family as much as possible. For example, sometimes the living room looks more like a movie theater, computer room or Internet cafe.

Many families are away from home all day, and in the evening they use the kitchen only to quickly prepare semi-finished products and salads, make cuttings and tea. Today, many people do not have dinner in the kitchen - everyone rushes with plates to the sofa in the living room to sit in front of the TV to watch the news and favorite TV series. It is for such families that a combined living room with kitchen is best suited - photo:

In this case, there is no need to allocate a lot of space for the kitchen, where 1-2 people prepare dinner, and on weekends everyone relaxes outside the home. Then expanding the living room space due to the combined kitchen - optimal solution. But it also has its advantages and disadvantages.

1. Today, many housewives have a small TV in their kitchen to keep up with life. Some families have a TV in every room. But in the combined space of the kitchen and living room there is no such need - one large plasma panel is sufficient, and this is an additional saving of money, space and time. The same can be said about houses equipped with fireplaces and additional heating systems. One fireplace is enough for the living room, and the stove is already quite warm.

2. Most apartments with a standard layout are known for their stingy square meters in the kitchen. If you remove the partition and separate a couple of meters of the kitchen with a bar counter, an aquarium or a small partition below eye level, then both functional zones will visually expand.

3. The interior of a combined kitchen with a living room does not include a full-fledged dining table in the food preparation area. Sometimes in such an apartment there is no dining table at all. These functions are perfectly served by a bar counter that separates the kitchen from the living room, or a sofa table opposite the TV. If it is customary for a family to have lunch and dinner at the table, in the dining area expanded due to the kitchen, then there is always room for a large table and soft, comfortable chairs with high backs. In this case, they say that the living room combines the functions of the dining room.

4. The kitchen-living room also provides an opportunity to maintain visual contact and communication with guests or family members while preparing food when others are in another area. That is why the partition or demarcation is made below the hostess’s eye level. And serving new dishes to guests and removing empty plates through a conventional partition is easier than running back and forth.

5. Combining 2 rooms is not only a visual expansion of the dining area, but also an additional window, that is, more light in the living room. This is very important in apartments on the north side of the house or when there are trees opposite the windows that take away a lot of light.

But all these options for combining the living room and kitchen have common disadvantages:

• increased humidity in the living room;
• everyone present has to listen to the background noise from the operation of kitchen appliances - hood, washing machine and dishwasher, baking timer, microwave;
• not everyone can calmly perceive the smells of cooking (pregnant women, sick and weakened people, allergy sufferers);
• we have to reckon with the uncleaned kitchen utensils, dirty dishes and leftover food.

Often families are enthusiastic about the idea of ​​remodeling their kitchen, but are therefore faced with the problem of lack of time. Therefore, at the same time we have to solve such a problem as daily cleaning of the living room after preparing food and consuming it. This is somewhat reminiscent of a “housewife’s nightmare”, that is, every day there are guests, a mountain of dishes and leftover food on the floor, chairs and sofa.

The most successful design solutions for combining kitchen and living room

A modern kitchen combined with a living room is an excellent idea for those who want to show their abilities in interior design. This idea is not new, but each option proposed by an architect or interior stylist specialist has to be adapted to fit your square meters.

When you have to choose one or another sample from which to base your home, first of all, you need to decide:

• you need a full-fledged kitchen without a wall separating the living room, or you can limit yourself to a small compact area for quick food preparation;
• the area of ​​the combined kitchen should be reduced as much as possible in favor of the living room or simply fenced off with a bar counter;
• the kitchen will have its own stylistic solution or a mutually complementary design;
• the kitchen area will be visually fenced off or remain a small functional addition to the living room.

Please note: These decisions will greatly affect:

• combined room design,
• degree of reconstruction,
• stylistic decision,
• techniques for zoning the living room and kitchen!

1. Decide what the conditional boundary between the 2 functional zones will be. It could be:

• a low indoor aquarium on a massive stand;
• elegant bar counter with high chairs;
• folding tabletop;
• part of an old wall;
• light partition on part of the wall;
• new false wall;
• thread curtain;
• figured partition with original lighting;
• transparent curtain on the ceiling cornice;
• glass partition.

2. We choose a method for zoning functional areas, for example, the division of rooms will be purely symbolic, or the kitchen will be noticeably smaller, but thoroughly separated. You can visually define your kitchen in different ways:

• kitchen floors of a different color and texture (washable tiles as opposed to living room parquet);
• multi-level floors and ceilings;
• different solution in color and lighting design;
• finishing from different materials(the kitchen is tiled with wild stone, and the living room has wallpaper);
• the living room can be separated with upholstered furniture (a sofa with its back to the kitchen and facing the TV on the opposite wall).

The boundary between the kitchen and living room can be:

• in the form of a conditional or visible partition;
• along the floor line (straight or radial);
• at ceiling level with LED lighting or other autonomous lighting.

The design of a combined kitchen with living room is not limited to these techniques, but they are among the most common options. Even a specialist will not undertake to recommend any one method from those listed above. Competent zoning is a set of design techniques that together give the greatest effect.

Furniture for a combined kitchen and living room space

1. Sofas are the basis for zoning the living room. When the living room combined with the kitchen is of sufficient size, then the best solution would be a large sofa:

• angular;
• U-shaped;
• bay window (rounded);
• island;
• modular;
• set of upholstered furniture.

Typically, sofas for the kitchen-living room are placed with their backs facing the cooking area. Sometimes upholstered furniture is placed so that the faces of those relaxing and communicating are facing the fireplace or TV panel on the wall. But you can use transformers when modular sofas can be easily arranged, assembled or moved around the required object. Mobile upholstered furniture should have legs on wheels and a light frame. When purchasing, pay attention to the back of sofas and armchairs - it should be the same on all sides.

2. A full-fledged dining table is an essential component of the dining area. It is desirable that it be compact, but its tabletop can be extended if necessary. The best option is when the table is complemented by comfortable chairs with backs, rather than stools. The living room table can be of any shape:

• rectangular;
• round;
• oval.

Tip: In an apartment or house where there are children, it is better to install a solid product with a rounded tabletop so that running children cannot get injured on a corner or push the set table.

3. Other types of cabinet furniture with countertops are also a good option if there is no need for a large table. The main thing is to have the opportunity to sit down and have a full meal. It’s not good when there is only upholstered furniture around without tables, and everyone is trying to sit down in front of the TV with their own tray. Suitable for this:

• small console;
• solid coffee table;
• decorative table with a wide tabletop;
• large cabinet with tabletop;
• folding shelves and tabletops provided for the transforming sofa.

Advice: All of these products will serve as a worthy replacement in a small apartment or dorm room, in which they are trying to organize different functional areas in 4 corners, like a full-fledged apartment. A good addition“small-sized” zoning will include light textiles instead of partitions and local lighting for each functional area.

4. A double-sided shelving unit as a zoning element is very convenient as a partial partition between the kitchen and living room. The main advantage is that kitchen utensils can be laid out on the side of the cooking area, and beautiful dishes are placed on the living room side.

5. Built-in household appliances and an aquarium cabinet not only give the interior a special charm, it is also very convenient when there is a shortage of space.

Whatever the choice of furniture for the combined space, it must correspond to:

• stylistics;
• configurations;
• design;
• fittings and moldings;
• shade of wood or color of cladding.

Advice: The best option is to order cabinet furniture in a single key from a specialized company, and buy upholstered furniture as a set or reupholster it with furniture material common to armchairs, stools and sofas.

Spacious kitchen with a comfortable work area and cozy place for receiving guests - the dream of any woman. But, alas, the area of ​​modern apartments does not allow for the design of such a beautiful and functional room. The solution would be to go to a luxurious studio room.

A huge advantage of combining the kitchen with the living room is the increase in space, which is especially convenient in small apartments.

But before you begin to think through the style of the interior and calculate the arrangement of furniture, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons and learn about all the difficulties of such a redevelopment.

Pros and cons of combining kitchen and living room

At first glance, this redevelopment looks attractive. But, as in any business, there are pitfalls.

Undeniable advantages:

You can zone the kitchen-living room using different floor coverings.

1. allows you to visually and actually enlarge the room. Demolition of some walls and proper arrangement of furniture will allow you to get a luxurious and spacious room.
2. The hostess setting the table or preparing a treat will not feel cut off from society; she will be able to take part in the general conversation.
3. The spacious kitchen-living room always looks stylish and modern. In addition, sufficient space allows you to realize the most daring ideas.

Disadvantages of redevelopment:

1. Lack of privacy. By combining the kitchen and living room, you deprive yourself of one isolated room. This must be taken into account if the family is large and there are few separate rooms.
2. Sounds. Almost all appliances used in the kitchen produce noise of varying levels of intensity. Will it be convenient to read while listening to the sounds of a washing machine spinning clothes or the rhythmic hum of an extractor hood?
3. Smells. Not all prepared dishes smell attractive at all stages of food processing, not to mention intensely fragrant ingredients, such as garlic. Installing a powerful ventilation system will help solve the problem.

Only after carefully considering these nuances should you decide whether to combine the premises. After all, there are still subtleties, but technical ones.

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Technical side of the issue

Always accompanied by redevelopment and demolition of walls. This nuance also needs to be taken into account. Most often, the border between the kitchen and the living room is designed completely open or in the form of an arch. But we must remember that the walls of an apartment are not only a dividing component of the interior.

Before any intervention in the structure of the house, it is necessary to contact the relevant authorities, for example the BTI, and find out which walls are load-bearing, which cannot be touched at all, and which can be moved or partially demolished by creating an arch.

Without such research and permission, under no circumstances should the structure be disturbed; this is extremely dangerous. Ill-conceived repairs can lead to dire consequences, including the collapse of the house. Of course, this side of the issue does not concern owners of private houses.

In addition, when planning, you need to take into account that the kitchen is a room with specific conditions, the so-called “wet zone”. You will not be able to swap places between the work unit and the guest part of the room. The maximum possible castling is a slight shift of the stove and sink, but within the kitchen.

And, of course, all dismantling work must be performed by professionals. Otherwise, an independent attempt to design an arch may lead to the collapse of part of the wall.

So, now that we’ve sorted out the technical side of the issue, we can move on to the most enjoyable and interesting part – design planning.

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Ways to divide space

You can install a bar counter as a separator between the kitchen and living room.

In order for the new living room combined with the kitchen to be equally comfortable for everyone, you should not turn it into a spacious open-plan room. If there are no semantic accents and division into zones, it will be difficult for household members, and especially the housewife, to switch from household chores to relaxation. There are several ways to divide a room into meaningful sections or zones. But at the same time, every effort must be made to ensure that the kitchen and living room overlap and are unified not only in space, but also in style.

You can separate zones using the following:

1. Bar counter. The most common method, but no longer relevant. Clusters of glasses that need regular care and high bar stools do not carry any meaning. If you decide to equip a rack, it is better to give preference to open structures that only vaguely resemble the equipment of a public institution.
2. Furniture. You can successfully separate the kitchen and living room areas using a sofa or table. Cushioned furniture, with its back facing the work area, will play the role of a semantic separator, but at the same time maintain functionality. A large dining table at the junction of parts of the premises will create a visual separation and simplify the process of serving dishes.
3. Decoration of floor and ceiling. possible using a visual border. This could be a podium that creates a transition on the floor or a plasterboard structure on the ceiling. But we must remember that it may not be easy for older family members and children to overcome this step.
4. Decoration Materials. Using wallpaper different types or, for example, decorative plaster can visually separate zones without resorting to the construction of massive structures. This technique is also convenient because you can decorate the kitchen area with a material that is easy to clean, but for the living room it is more difficult and more original to choose a coating, because you don’t have to wash it often. This applies to both wall and floor decoration.
5. Volumetric structures. You can separate zones while maintaining their unity using various designs. Various arches, niches and columns can become a semantic boundary. They will not impede access, but will only create the effect of an obstacle and a boundary.

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Play of light and color

To combine the living room with the kitchen, it is better to use shades of one color range or the same colors.

A competent combination of shades and lighting sources plays one of the leading roles in interior design. The final perception of the design will depend on the harmonious combination of these factors.

It is important to correctly introduce color into the overall picture of the kitchen-living room. With its help, you can divide zones or combine them, influencing the perception of the size of the room. If the new room is not spacious enough, it is better to use light, cool colors in the design: they visually expand the boundaries.

Because ultimate goal is to combine rooms, it is better to use shades of the same color scheme or completely identical colors. White, gray, gray-blue - these colors create the effect of cleanliness and freshness, which are so necessary in a room combined with a cooking area. Depending on the chosen style, you can use materials that imitate natural stone or wicker, filling the kitchen-living room with the spirit of a country house.

It is equally important to plan the lighting correctly. There should be many light sources.

It is advisable that each area of ​​the combined kitchen and living room be autonomous, then by turning the lights on or off you can visually hide part of the room. The minimum that will allow you to enjoy the new interior:

• ceiling chandelier in the living room;
• chandelier in the kitchen;
• additional lighting of the work area;
• floor lamps or sconces in the recreation area.

With this arrangement of lamps, each household member will be able to create an atmosphere that satisfies his needs.

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Style directions

Of course, you can choose absolutely any design style. But the following solutions look most organic and interesting:

You can zone the kitchen-living room using different lighting sources.

1. Immortal classic. Interiors decorated in this style are always distinguished by their special comfort and charm. If you decide to combine the kitchen and living room to create a stylish and slightly artsy interior, pay attention to the classics. Natural materials are widely used for decoration: wood, metal, leather. Decorative plaster on the walls will complement the look.
2. Modern. The kitchen-living room, made in the Art Nouveau style, looks catchy, but not pretentious. An abundance of wood and metal, bright details and patterns on furniture and walls - such a room is literally filled with life.
3. Provence. This one is charming Mediterranean style allows you to fill the room with the spirit of serenity and distant countries. White and blue decoration, vintage or artificially aged furniture, curtains in pastoral colors, vases, pots - and the goal is achieved.
4. High tech. One of the most popular design styles. Thanks to the abundance of modern materials, this interior combines perfectly with high-tech household appliances. Plastic and metal, chrome and glass, a transformable sofa and blinds, kitchen design in silver tones - and you will get a harmonious high-tech.
5. Eco style. This trend, which is rapidly gaining popularity, can also be used to decorate a combined kitchen and living room. Natural materials and fabrics, simple lines and living plants will help compensate for the stress of living in a noisy metropolis. It is quite easy to set the desired vector for the interior, because any sofa or armchair can be draped with linen, and ceramic plates can be installed on the shelf.

Regardless of the chosen style, there are several furniture arrangement schemes:

1. L-shaped. With this arrangement, the work area furniture is placed along two walls, covering the corner.
2. U-shaped. The scheme is similar to the previous one, but 2 corners are captured. This arrangement is suitable for both large and miniature kitchens.
3. Linear. Furniture and functional elements placed along one wall. With this arrangement, you have to move a lot, and simple cooking becomes a rather labor-intensive task.
4. Ostrovnaya. In this case, the main work areas are located in the center of the room. This layout looks catchy and stylish.