Is it worth it to combine the kitchen with a balcony and what will come of it?

Owners of small apartments are often faced with a serious problem. The kitchen in such housing is most often very small. Cooking in such a room is inconvenient, and sitting a large family at the table or meeting guests is generally unrealistic. There is an exit! You can increase the area of ​​the kitchen due to the balcony.

Content:

• Combining a kitchen with a balcony - advantages and disadvantages
• Redevelopment: beginning and subsequent stages
• Interesting ideas for planning
• Balcony Dining
• Place to relax
• Cabinet on the balcony
• Storage area
• Suitable styles for a refreshed kitchen
• Improving the functionality of the kitchen
• Tips for decorating your kitchen and balcony

Combining a kitchen with a balcony - advantages and disadvantages

A balcony or a loggia is in almost every apartment, but their useful area is not always fully utilized by residents. In such a situation, drastic measures can be taken - decide to redevelop. The removal of the partition between the kitchen and the balcony is carried out with the following objectives:

• I want to diversify the design of the home;
• planned increase in the number of residents;
• lack of comfort and coziness in a cramped space;
• there is a desire to put additional furniture, household appliances;
• it is required to zone the room, for example, to allocate a place for rest or a working area.

An updated kitchen with an increased area will become a gathering place for the whole family. It can organize a greenhouse or workshop. The kitchen will become a place for creativity. Children can play in the recreation area. In the case of the sale of an apartment, a large kitchen will be an additional advantage.

There are other advantages to combining a kitchen with a balcony:

• increase in the number of functions (you can buy additional household items, set a large table);
• Improving the level of illumination due to the active influx of sunlight;
• individualization of the room, giving the design a new, unusual touch;
• getting rid of unnecessary trash, which is often present on the balcony.

The last point in the advantages may also be a disadvantage of the redevelopment. After the changes made, the vast area for storing things - sports equipment, canned goods, various containers will disappear. Many dry clothes on the balcony, and after redevelopment, the dryer will have nowhere to put. These issues are best resolved in advance, even before the fundamental changes in the apartment. Other disadvantages of combining the kitchen and the balcony should also be considered:

• high financial costs for repairs, glazing, insulation;
• the need to obtain permits and other documents.

Sometimes combining a balcony and a kitchen is generally not worth it. Designers note that there will not be much benefit when joining an excessively narrow loggia. Small corner balconies are also useless in terms of usable area with the same financial outlay.

Redevelopment: beginning and subsequent stages

If you decide to completely dismantle the balcony unit, you will have to collect a package of documents, contact the BTI and obtain the appropriate permits, as well as a new technical passport. Without removing part of the wall, when only windows and doors are cleaned, permission from public services is not required.

The repair procedure will be as follows:

1. Dismantling. Window and door frames are cut, removed.If the wall is bearing, leave a place under the windowsill, which afterwards can serve as a table.
2. Glazing and insulation. If the double-glazed windows on the balcony are old, they are replaced by warm, modern ones. Walls and floors are insulated, for example, using extruded polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, penofol. If possible, apply the technology of underfloor heating or take out a heating radiator on the balcony.
3. Finish. The attached part of the room is decorated with wood, PVC panels, tiles, stone or other materials, or they completely update the enlarged room.

Interesting ideas for planning

What will be the new kitchen? There are different ways to redevelop. The choice of a specific option depends only on the imagination! After the increase, the space will become more capacious and will allow accommodating several functional areas. The following describes more efficiently and methods of arranging the premises after redevelopment.

Balcony Dining

Such a design option will be especially successful if a beautiful view opens from the window of the apartment. Breakfast and dinner by the window on the balcony will be a pleasant pastime with family and friends. The atmosphere here will be cozy, homely, in addition, smells from the kitchen will not penetrate into a separate area. Tips for decorating the dining room on the balcony are as follows:

• to acquire a table of sufficient size so that all family members and guests are comfortably seated at it
• place the table parallel to the side walls, but taking into account an unhindered approach to it;
• to finish the walls only in light colors so that they do not look gloomy;
• to separate the kitchen area from the dining room using interesting techniques, for example, a bar, a TV or work surfaces.

In addition to the dining room, you can organize a bar on the balcony, and the windowsill can serve as a stand. It is enough to decorate it, substitute bar stools, and you can invite guests for friendly gatherings!

Place to relax

If the living room in the house is small, you can equip a recreation area on the balcony. The hostess will appreciate the comfortable atmosphere, who has to stay in the kitchen for a long time, cook and stir food regularly. It will be successful to place equipment, dishes and cabinet furniture in the kitchen, as well as the organization of a soft zone on the balcony.

You need to choose an environment for relaxation according to the size of free space. Furniture should be as comfortable and non-massive as possible:

• daybed and table;
• a small sofa and a pair of armchairs;
• table with soft chairs;
• coffee table and bean bags.

You can decorate the recreation area with pillows, paintings, photo frames, flowers, as well as lighting devices and textiles.

Cabinet on the balcony

In small-sized apartments, there is often not enough space for organizing a work process, hobby and creativity. Corner for work can be done on the balcony. For office activities, a table and chair, computer equipment are installed here, shelves or shelves are fixed. For creativity, you can build drawers and shelves where tools and accessories will be stored, as well as make a convenient work surface.

Storage area

Often the free space that appears after combining the premises is continued to be used for its intended purpose - for storage. The most effective way is to organize racks, pantries or other storage systems with large capacity. If there is a niche on the balcony, it is not necessary to remove it - you can rearrange it under a cabinet for clothes, canned goods, household items.

Suitable styles for a refreshed kitchen

Usually the kitchen and balcony are small. In small rooms, do not use too much decor, massive elements, repeating details. “Heavy” styles (baroque, empire) for small kitchens are also not suitable. It is better to choose one of the following areas:

1. Minimalism. Simple atmosphere will appeal to modern active people. Minimalism does not imply luxury, on the contrary, rather concise and restrained. The interior of the kitchen in the style of minimalism is a small number of accessories, clear lines, the presence of natural, but discreet-looking elements. The contrasting design of the kitchen and balcony will be interesting, which will support the idea of ​​zoning.
2. Modern. This is another concise and elegant design direction. Natural materials should prevail in the decoration - metal, wood, glass, stone. The presence of greenery, soft tissues is acceptable. You can complement modern elements with vintage details, antique stylized appliances, lamps.
3. Constructivism. The main idea is the ultimate functionality of all components. The presence in the kitchen of high-tech products, electronics is welcome. Finishing may include plastic, wood with fashionable finishes, glass. Important features of constructivism are the simplicity of furniture, the lack of elaborate decor and lush textiles, the maximum severity and clarity of lines.

Improving the functionality of the kitchen

In order for the combination of the kitchen and the balcony to bring real benefits, you need to think in advance about the location of the largest object - the kitchen set. Popular options are as follows:

1. Linear kitchen. This design option is comfortable for residents. It is well suited for square rooms. The linear kitchen allows you to conveniently move in free space.
2. Corner kitchen. A convenient solution for the owners helps to make cabinets deeper, but occupying a minimum of space.
3. Parallel kitchen. Non-standard, but effective option. The furniture is located in 2 rows at a short distance from each other.

After the redevelopment, you should not try to push too much furniture and equipment into the balcony area. Moving sinks, stoves from the kitchen will entail only unnecessary waste. It is better to extend the kitchen, put an additional cabinet, if necessary. It is also not necessary to remove the refrigerator too far from the working area: taking out the products should be convenient. The dishwasher is usually located closer to the sink, small appliances are stored in drawers or covered with facades to prevent clutter of space.

Tips for decorating your kitchen and balcony

When arranging the kitchen, it is important to correctly carry out further decoration. No need to be afraid of experimentation: combining a kitchen with a balcony provides a huge scope for imagination. Particular attention is paid to lighting. If possible, balcony windows are made panoramic - this solution will allow you to get the most natural light in the daytime, although less practical. Artificial light sources are installed at each functional zone so that all elements are sufficiently brightly lit.

It is mandatory to exclude blackout at the countertops, sinks, stoves, large household appliances: in such places additional illumination is arranged (sconces, spotlights, diode strips). On the balcony you can install several light sources, which include, depending on the time of day and desire.

Zoning the kitchen or visually separating it and the balcony can be using transparent partitions, sliding doors or making a difference in the height of the floor. You can also delimit the space with an arch: the design will divide the plots with different purposes.The classical style presupposes standard semicircular arches; square or non-standard openings are more suitable for modern styles.

The following are tips to help give your kitchen a finished look:

• monitor the compatibility of tones, materials, do not use sharply contrasting shapes in the same room;
• Do not introduce more than three colors into the design so as not to overload it;
• make the design light, not too bright, because even after combining the kitchen will still remain small in area;
• do not forget about decorating the window with the help of curtains (ordinary, Roman, panel, Japanese), blinds;
• use more furniture with open shelves - it makes the room airy, light;
• replace massive furniture with folding sets, which can be removed if desired;
• use suitable accessories in the kitchen, but in moderation;
• if possible, leave more free space for recreation, games, entertainment.

Combining a kitchen with a balcony is a great idea for Khrushchev’s and other small apartments, where there is always a problem of lack of space. This solution will allow you to comfortably cook, eat and relax in the "grown" room with a new, stylish design!