Advantages and disadvantages of combining a kitchen and living room for a room of 18 sq.m.
A combined living room of 18 sq. m. with a kitchen has many advantages, listed in the table below.
1. Possibility of changing the area of functional areas | You can divide the kitchen and the living room with various partitions that can move and change the situation |
2. Changing the environment with lighting | By using different lighting, a strong contrast is obtained that is impossible to obtain in ordinary rooms. |
3. Modern design | The current trend is studio apartments. They incorporate new stylistic solutions, so the apartment can be furnished according to the latest trends |
In addition, there will be a feeling of spaciousness and more lighting will appear. It will also be convenient to keep an eye on children playing in the living room while preparing food.
However, there is also a negative:
- Noises during cooking will interfere with watching TV for you and other residents of the house.
- If ventilation is poor, odors will spread throughout the room and stain textiles.
There are many more positives than negatives, which is why the living room kitchen layout is often found in modern interiors.
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Kitchen planner program in 3D with dimensions and arrangement of furniture
Varied layout of the kitchen-living room 18 sq. m.
There are various types of layouts that allow you to conveniently place the necessary items and comfortably move around the area. The most suitable options for the specified area are shown in the table:
Kinds | Description |
Square | Items are arranged according to the specified form. It is possible to change the placement of furniture according to your own choice. |
L-shaped | The most common layout. Allows you to use the corner, which increases the useful use of the available space. |
U-shaped | Assumes the presence of only one free wall. The remaining three are occupied by necessary items and a dining area. |
L-shaped layout is versatile, compact and convenient
It is reasonable to use a U-shaped layout if the room width is at least 2.5 m; with smaller sizes, the work area will simply be cramped and uncomfortable
If there is enough territory, you can place an island that will serve as a work area or dining segment. It will not be possible to implement such an idea in a small kitchen. But if there are enough meters, you should choose this option.
Walkways around the island must be at least 1 m wide
In a kitchen with an area of 18 square meters you can fit both an island and a dining table, but only if they are small in size
If the kitchen set is placed in one line, then you should delimit the work area and the relaxation segment. You can use an island or bar counter as a division.
A linear kitchen can be made more convenient by adding a peninsula to it
Planning can be done independently or with the help of professionals. They will help you correctly place accents and evaluate the available space. You can start zoning only after determining the layout.
Important. Proper placement of items will create practicality and comfort in one room. When installing furniture, remember that it should not create obstacles for movement.
The choice of furniture depends on the style direction and personal preferences
See also: Tips for decorating a window in the kitchen
Popular colors for kitchen-living room 18 sq.m.
The color palette of the living room and kitchen is very extensive. But snow-white is considered traditional. It increases the space and lightens the atmosphere. The second most popular color is beige. It is suitable for any style, if you choose a cool shade. Warm beige is also suitable for many design projects, such as shades of sand, peach or caramel.
Interesting! If the apartment is located on the north side, then you can add yellow to visually make the room warmer. For apartments facing the south, blue-blue shades are chosen for coolness.
Recently, they have begun to combine gray with white. Modern styles complement the cool palette with metallic elements. Pastel colors alone will not create an interesting room, so you need bright accents. For example, you can divide a room into zones by adding a little black and red trim. If it is throughout the room, it will weigh it down. And local use will invigorate the situation.
Selecting the interior style
Fresh and original rooms are obtained in various styles. By choosing a loft style, the unusual taste of the owners will be visible. Brickwork, concrete, metal, wooden elements and gloss are used for finishing.
Scandinavian design of a small kitchen-living room is filled with light and air. It is built on white colors and natural textures (wood, metal, stone). Everything is diluted with catchy colors - blue, red, green, yellow. But they should be in moderation so as not to drown out the white tone.
Modern styles are very functional and practical. Surfaces can be painted, covered with wallpaper, ceramic tiles, laminate. They do not require large expenses, so they are often used for houses and apartments.
Rustic Provence and country are gentle and elegant. They will allow you to plunge into a carefree, relaxed atmosphere. Curtains, wallpaper, furniture upholstery can be plain, checkered or with a floral print. Natural textures, such as wood, should also be used for furniture.
Classical trends will require clarity and canonicity of all details. Colors should be soft or bright, but noble and rich tones. The furniture should have carved elements and gilding.
Golden mean
To decide on the style of your future kitchen, you should explore all sorts of options. In fact, there are not many styles that could be used for the kitchen; we have listed the most popular ones in this section. Under each description there is a photo of the interior, where you can visually familiarize yourself with the features of each style.
Modern
- The main feature of this style is the absence of any stereotypes. This is very important for those who want to create a unique and inimitable interior for their kitchen. You will not have to limit yourself to any laws and rules; you can adhere to the Art Nouveau style easily and naturally.
- Use wavy and asymmetrical lines that will smoothly flow from the furniture into the finishing materials. Twisted products are the basis of modernity.
- As for the color palette, the priority here is: gold, bronze, lilac and pearl shade.
Note! If you decide to use bright colors, try to use them not so that the kitchen looks like a rainbow, but in moderation.
- It is better to choose natural materials for modernism; wood fits perfectly into this style. As we have already said, everything twisted is not alien to modernity, and this section can be attributed to: forged and carved products.
In general, a kitchen design in the Modern style will be very useful for those who do not like smooth parallel and perpendicular lines. Please note that modernism is characterized by natural materials, which means that the price of a new kitchen will not be small.
The kitchen is made in one smooth line, which is like a sea wave - note that the color has a bronze tint
High tech
High-tech style can be called the opposite of modern, because here the basis of everything is simple geometric shapes. No wavy, carved or curled items in the interior.
- The high-tech style kitchen is spacious. Designers who use this direction in the interior try to exclude all kinds of unnecessary objects from the room. Even if they were once an important part.
- Enlarging a room with light is the basis of high-tech. Therefore, try to cram in as many lighting fixtures as possible: chandeliers, sconces, spotlights.
- The furniture is partly minimized, and exactly those materials that are inherent in high-tech should be used: plastic, frosted glass, metal inserts, decorative bricks.
- The color range is presented in black, grey, white and cream. By mixing and matching these options, you can create amazing interiors that are cozy and warm.
Kitchen with clean lines, lots of lighting and chrome accents
Expert advice:
- For finishing the floor, it is preferable to use parquet or laminate in light colors. This is because dark material does not reflect light.
- A stretch ceiling with a glossy surface that serves as a “mirror” for lighting fixtures will look ideal.
- Dishes in the kitchen should be of simple geometric shapes, no wavy products.
- It is better to install blinds on windows as a priority.
The design of an 18 sq. m kitchen in a high-tech style will delight lovers of smooth and familiar geometric shapes: squares, rectangles, triangles. If you are not a fan of variegated and bright colors, then this direction was created just for you.
Classic
What is classic style? First of all, this is the use of natural materials, the “absence” of any modern technology and the opportunity to plunge into the era of the 17-18th century.
- Modular furniture should be made only of natural wood, without the use of plastic or other surfaces.
- Mandatory presence of gilding or bronze decorations and decoration. Stucco and oil paintings are also welcome.
- The color scheme should be restrained, without any variegated shades. Wood textures or neutral bed tones are best suited.
Read more in the article Kitchen interior in a classic style. How to do it.
Classic style is best suited to large rooms when there is room for all those wood-carved interior items.
Minimalism
The minimalism style is best perceived not as a separate direction, but as a combination with some other style.
For example, to create an unusual studio kitchen, where you also need to create a recreation area, it will be very useful.
- The basis of this direction is the removal of large and bulky objects from the room, replacing them with more compact products.
- Do-it-yourself minimalism – distribution and designation of clear boundaries in the room. Using the example of a studio, this is the division of a room into a dining area, a guest area and a relaxation area. For this, various finishing materials, colors and lighting are used.
- Any minimalism should be functional.
Everything is compact, but the kitchen remains practical
Interior decoration
Interior decoration includes the design of walls, floors and ceilings. Let's start with the floors.
Floor
To select a floor covering, you need to determine whether you want to highlight zones with different materials or leave a single canvas. Different materials are suitable for the floor: linoleum, tiles, parquet, carpet, laminate, self-leveling varieties.
For durability of the kitchen combined with the living room, you can lay ceramic tiles. Ceramics feel cold, so you can install a heated floor system underneath it. Another bad property of the material for the kitchen is that glass plates, mugs, and trays will immediately break upon contact with strong ceramic tiles.
For example, laminate and linoleum are more delicate materials that do not instantly break glassware. This zoning of the kitchen and living room can be done by using different shades of the same material. The border between them can be made diagonally or rounded by decorating the joint with special connecting profiles.
It will be interesting to look at coverage with different levels. To do this, a podium made of a frame or monolith is installed. You can decorate it with various materials. A carpet is laid out near the sofa for comfort.
Walls
Wall decoration can be done using various materials: painting, whitewashing, gluing wallpaper or panels. The main thing is to choose the right colors for a sharp or smooth transition. The kitchenette uses materials that are easy to wash and do not absorb dirt. Any decoration with various prints or photo wallpapers is suitable for the hall.
Kitchens must have an apron. Modern models made of tempered glass and plastic with photo printing will reliably cover the walls. Mirror models will visually expand the space and reflect light rays.
Ceiling
Many people are interested in how to divide a kitchen in a simple way. This can be done with ceilings: suspended, hemmed, cassette, slabs, painting, wallpapering. If you use bright colors and different levels, you will get a contrasting transition.
You can decorate the ceiling on a budget by whitewashing and painting. Stretch fabric is also popular. They are very strong, durable, do not burn and do not allow water to pass through. For example, in the event of flooding by neighbors, the canvas will retain masses of water and protect property. In order to remove the water, you will need to call installers who will pump out the flood. After the operation, there is no need to replace the blade - it will return to its original position.
Tiling can be done with your own hands. There are many textures and colors that can contrast in different functional areas. Cassette-type suspended ceilings have long been used not only in offices. Cassettes are also used for interior decoration of houses due to their lightness and easy cleaning.
Planning features and zoning rules
Despite the fact that the kitchen-living room area is 18 sq. m - one room, you need to thoughtfully separate these two areas to make it as comfortable as possible to relax and cook.
Plan everything in advance. Start with an idea, and then ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the total area of the room?
- What is more important to you – the kitchen or the living room?
- How many square meters will you give to each zone?
- What will be their separator?
- What design will you use for each zone?
- What kind of equipment do you need for cooking?
- What furniture do you need for relaxation?
The answers will dot many i’s when choosing the design and layout of a kitchen combined with a living room, and will help develop a design project.
Proper zoning will make it possible to:
- maintain order in the house;
- do not throw trash into the living room;
- do not interfere with each other;
- make the design more diverse.
Start your layout with the kitchen, which has many different appliances and tools. Therefore, it is more difficult to find the right place for it. Consider the limitations imposed by footage. For example, in an elongated room measuring 18 square meters. m it is irrational to place the kitchen unit along a long wall.
You may be interested in: Tricks for zoning space in a bedroom-living room of 18 square meters. m: real photos
Nuances in lighting
The small kitchen and living room are zoned in contrast with different lighting. You need not only lamps in the center, but also spot lighting. Often, spotlights are built into a ceiling with many levels or a suspended ceiling, edging a functional area. In addition to the ceiling, you can illuminate the podium with a multi-level floor covering.
Interesting! In minimalism, hi-tech and loft, I install lamps on long cords.
Necessary furniture
All furniture should be comfortable to use and match the style. It is better to choose simple shapes rather than curved and concave ones. Recently, tables and chairs made of transparent plastic have become popular. They are invisible, so they make the situation easier.
Transformable furniture models are suitable for a small combined room. For example, a folding table can increase in size during a feast, and a pull-out sofa can accommodate all guests. It is better to minimize furniture. For example, a coffee table may not be installed in order to leave a free passage to the sofa and armchairs.
Expert advice
Designers often suggest decorating rooms of 18 square meters in the same style. If you choose light shades, the living room layout will visually expand. Dark colors will narrow the room, so they are not recommended. For brightness, you can use an accent of any tone that will dilute the light palette.
For interior decoration, it is better to select materials that are easy to clean and not expensive to replace. For example, paint, MDF panels, wallpaper, plaster. You can decorate your walls in an unusual way with photo wallpaper. They can depict natural landscapes, black and white photographs of city streets, animals, plants, famous reproductions of paintings or geometric shapes. For a pop art style, you can add modular paintings. The main thing is that they are not large in size, because they will visually make the room smaller.
The window space can be decorated with blinds to take up less space with fabric and reduce washing. It is better to install a ceiling in a room using tension models. It will be able to protect property in case of flooding.
In a panel house
Author of the project: Maxim Novinkov
The photo shows a room design with a pink sofa and purple curtains. White walls and ceiling.
The main idea of this modern room interior is 18 sq.m. – geometry. Here it is visible everywhere. First of all, designer lamps attract attention. Made in the shape of a dodecahedron, they become the main decoration of the room. Their chrome ribs only emphasize the strict lines, and transparent glass inserts add elegance and lightness.
Currently reading: Modern living room design. Interior design ideas in modern style 2021
One of the walls of the living room looks just as geometric. The wallpaper on it has a pattern in the form of straight vertical lines of light gray color. The painting on the wall opposite consists of many painted circles, almost like a carpet.
Photo design ideas
For inspiration, look at the photos with zoning of real interiors: