Planning a kitchen combined with a living room on 16 square meters is an effective solution for saving space both in a one-room apartment and in spacious apartments. For small-sized housing, combining zones becomes a way to expand the area - both physically and visually. Moreover, in an apartment or house where the kitchen was initially built on 16 square meters. m., you can save a whole room for arranging your personal space, because here you can easily combine several functional areas.
Kitchen and living room of 16 sq. m. (the design in the photo of various options can be seen at the end of the article) is an excellent example of this - this is the ability to compactly and ergonomically place in a small room places for relaxation and communication, cooking and eating.
Design of a kitchen-living room 16 sq. m.: design nuances
Interior design of a kitchen and living room, combined for 16 square meters. m., as can be seen in the photo, is a combination of effective techniques for saving space and expanding it visually. Of course, when a room has equal sides, it looks quite free, but long and narrow rooms are quite difficult to furnish ergonomically and comfortably. That is why it is important to think through the interior of a kitchen-living room of 16 square meters. m. down to the smallest detail - from wall decoration to the smallest decor. Furniture, palette, zoning and placement of zones are important here. And all the nuances should be combined harmoniously and comfortably.
When there is not enough free space, the design of a kitchen-living room of 16 square meters. m. make it as simple as possible - minimalistic, restrained, calm. As a rule, it is recommended to use light shades that visually expand the room, balance the composition and do not clutter the room. Among the optimal solutions are white, milky, beige, pastel yellow, sand or ivory. This color stands out for its versatility, because against the background of the described palette it is easy to apply bright accessories, and even a colored sofa will become a unique decorative element.
Although the kitchen-living room of 16 square meters has the right to be both extravagant and non-standard. This can be expressed in the color scheme, in the features of the layout and furniture, in the choice of style and techniques for its implementation. Among the many design ideas is a kitchen-living room project with an area of 16 square meters. m. can become a model for a portfolio, because in such a space it is not so easy to achieve all goals and objectives. It is also important to remember that the design depends on the direction of the world and the geometry of the room. Both the color range and the layout of the room depend on this.
Pros and cons of combining kitchen and living room
The main question that you need to decide before starting a renovation is whether it is worth combining the kitchen and living room in one room. With the wrong approach, you can end up with an uncomfortable kitchen and very little space for relaxation.
Who better to combine the living room and kitchen?
- those who live in a studio apartment;
- owners of small apartments;
- those who live alone;
- for owners of multi-room apartments in which there will be free rooms after renovation.
Thanks to the right design and original style, you can create a beautiful room.
Advantages of combining rooms:
- the room will be stylish, as this is one of the fashion trends;
- it will be convenient to receive guests;
- Instead of two small rooms, you end up with one large one.
If you are starting a renovation by combining rooms and demolishing walls, do not forget about prior approval of these actions with the BTI and further legalization of the redevelopment.
Disadvantages of perestroika:
- the apartment will have one less room;
- odors during cooking will spread throughout the room;
- you will have to decorate two rooms in the same style.
The only drawback of the combined layout for a 16 sq. m studio. m is the lack of additional rooms
Proper space planning
For studio space sq. at 16 they choose traditional solutions, as for the design of a kitchen-living room of a larger area.
First of all, find the most suitable place for the work area:
- A linear arrangement involves placing a set with the entire working surface along one wall. The length does not matter - it all depends on the preferences of the housewife and the parameters of the space. From an ergonomic point of view, this option cannot be called the most convenient, since you will have to walk along the entire area between the refrigerator, stove and sink. It is not always possible to comfortably position the set and TV - if they are placed perpendicularly, the hostess in the kitchen will not be able to see the screen.
- The layout of a kitchen-living room of 16 square meters is considered convenient for any space. m. with corner set. This is the optimal placement of furniture in the work area, since everything is at hand here. At the same time, you can always find the best combination in furnishing such a kitchen.
- A parallel layout in a combined living room-kitchen is used only when it has an elongated shape and a small width. Such rooms are suitable for sequential placement of functional zones - when each of them occupies two walls opposite each other, and the next section begins immediately beyond the boundaries of the other.
- Island kitchen-living room of 16 sq. m. with a sofa is another comfortable and ergonomic solution, when immediately behind the island there can be upholstered furniture in the guest area or it will be a dining room connected to part of the work area.
It is difficult to say unequivocally which layout will be correct - it is important to take into account the geometry, degree of illumination, and placement of windows.
For example, in a narrow kitchen, where the only window opening is located on a narrow wall, you can use a U-shaped work area, one of the sides of which can be located in continuation of the window sill. However, the same layout can be applied at the other end of such a space if the front door is in the middle of a long wall. Then you just need to provide high-quality lighting here. In a square living room combined with a kitchen, where there are several windows, you can use both a linear set and a corner one. It will be more difficult to use an island one, because it will then end up almost in the middle of the area. Obviously, the choice of layout depends on certain parameters.
Subtleties of island layout and installation of a bar counter
The island frees up more usable space. This layout allows you to move around the kitchen as efficiently as possible, spending a minimum of time on it. You can replace the island with a bar counter. Install it in the center of the room or near one of the walls. It can act as a separation of segments.
Lots of work surfaces for cooking, an island for breakfast and spacious cabinets for storing kitchen utensils
Island in a loft style kitchen
If you often host get-togethers, a mobile stand would be a suitable solution. The peculiarity lies in the ability of the surface to move perpendicularly and along the cabinets. The counter becomes an extension of the tabletop, increasing the work area.
The bar counter can perform several functions: decorative, dividing or serve as a dining table
Original interior solution
See also Living room design 15 sq.m. and design features for various functions
Kitchen 16 sq. m., combined with the living room
16 square meters is not such a big kitchen and living room when it comes to combining them, so rational use of space becomes the primary task. Considering the need to place a sofa, a TV in this room, perhaps with a small wall and a coffee table, you should evaluate whether a separate dining room is necessary and what the area of the kitchen area should be.
Then you can proportionally distribute the space according to the needs of the whole family.
- In fact, in such an area there can be small kitchens, medium-sized, and large kitchens - as the hostess wants. If she cooks a lot and often, and the whole family gathers here in the apartment, then such a living room should include a spacious dining room, a large work surface, and a sofa can take up a minimum of space - in a corner or the least functional part of the room.
- If you don’t have much time to cook, and the family consists of a couple of people, you can choose a minimal set, and the dining area will consist of a bar counter and an island with a work surface. Then the living room can be quite spacious. It is possible to place a folding sofa here to provide additional or main beds, if we are talking about a one-room studio apartment. To save space and visual expansion, you can abandon the upper cabinets in the kitchen.
- Large combined kitchens include all the details of a comfortable work area - an ergonomic set, an island part, a dining area and a guest part with a place to relax. At the same time, you can save space by choosing furniture for the ceiling. Instead of a dining area or bar counter there is an island. This decision will free up even more space in such a room.
- In a narrow kitchen with one window, you can arrange a living room near it, leaving the other part as a work area. This will be a parallel layout of each individual functional area of the room. In this case, lighting in the kitchen becomes an important nuance, since there will be little light from the only window opening.
When the kitchen is combined with the living room, you have to look for optimal solutions that satisfy all family members. For example, in a square room, all zones can be mixed, rather than precisely and ergonomically divided: a traditional sofa is opposite the work area, and at the edges there is a dining group, a work island, etc. However, even in a narrow room, boundaries can be blurred.
Modern tendencies
First decide which part of the room - the kitchen or the living room - will dominate the room. The decision depends on whether you eat out more often or gather as a family around the dinner table? In this case, a dining area is also allocated.
Although the space is small, there are many possible layout options.
Think in advance about how family members will move around the kitchen.
Simulate situations by making markings on the floor. This will help you choose the optimal layout.
How does the layout depend on the shape of the room?
- Square. This is a universal option, in which all types of layout are possible, except parallel.
- Rectangular room. All types of layouts are possible. However, there may not be enough space for peninsular and island ones. If the rectangle is very narrow, then place the kitchen furniture along two long opposite walls so that there is 1.5 meters of space between them. This type of layout is called parallel.
In a square room, it is worth placing a work area along one wall, and organizing a dining segment opposite
Rectangular rooms can be divided into zones in the transverse direction
Selecting a design style
Among the main issues when combining several functional areas in one room is the choice of style.
And it doesn’t matter whether a redevelopment has been carried out or a living room is planned to be organized in a large kitchen, the stylistic composition must be thought out so that its main techniques do not clutter up the already not very spacious room.
- Minimalism is perhaps the most successful solution for saving space. There will be no unnecessary details, voluminous decor, or bulky accessories. Simple surfaces, minimal finishing, only bright elements and unusual shapes - nothing superfluous. Combined areas in the kitchen-living room of 16 square meters. m. are separated by light partitions, visually different finishing materials, multi-level structures on the ceiling.
- Functionalism. Here everything is subordinated to its purpose, so again there will be nothing superfluous, which is why it is often confused with minimalism. Therefore, in finishing, all surfaces will be practical.
- High-tech is another modern, functional, technological style in which cosmic solutions, gloss and bright details serve as decor. This is one of the most suitable options for combining a living room and a kitchen corner in a small area. Here the zones flow into one another and are easily transformed and separated.
- Classic kitchen-living room of sixteen square meters. m. is rare, but has the right to exist. Then the interior uses strict symmetry, floral patterns, noble details - crystal chandeliers, stucco on the ceiling, ornate patterns, elegant furniture decoration.
- Contemporary is a modern classic, in which everything is always simple and natural. The room turns out to be bright and spacious, and most importantly, comfortable and functional.
Of course, different styles are often mixed in the same interior when they do not contradict each other, and then an individual and exclusive design is obtained.
Basic subtleties of interior design
Be especially careful when creating the interior of the kitchen-living room, since this is where you will spend most of your time at home.
A kitchen-living room in a 16 m2 room is a suitable solution for small families and for those who want more free space.
Follow a few tips:
- Avoid massive furniture so that it does not take up additional space.
- Give preference to built-in appliances for the same reason.
- For convenience, choose furniture that can be easily transformed. And furnish it as desired, for example, a folding sofa will turn the room into a bedroom.
- When choosing a layout, do not forget to create a working triangle, at the vertices of which the sink, refrigerator and stove are located. These three objects are placed at a distance of no more than 1 meter from each other.
- To avoid taking up extra space, lighting can be built inside kitchen cabinets.
- For small rooms, we recommend choosing light shades in the interior. However, a 16 m2 room also allows you to use bright, rich colors in the design, but within reasonable limits so as not to visually reduce the space.
- Choose moisture-resistant or washable wallpaper, especially for the kitchen area.
In this case, the ceiling must be made multi-level, and the kitchen must be separated by a bar counter. The ability to choose a layout, as well as an extensive list of available styles for decorating a room, will help create a comfortable and unique interior.
Equipping the kitchen and living room correctly
To equip it, leave the kitchen and living room at 16 square meters. m., you should evaluate what is important for your family and decide together what the design of this room will be. Undoubtedly, mandatory components include such interior items as sofas and armchairs, a dining group (the bar counter can be used without a table, like the island in the work area). The kitchen will necessarily be equipped with a set when the living room also includes TV furniture, shelves or part of the wall.
It would seem that the room includes a lot of objects that can clutter the room and take away the area necessary for comfort. But in reality, all this is easily placed ergonomically and compactly. For a functional and inviting interior, you should avoid elements that are actually in your way when crossing the room. For example, these could be large vases in a classic style. It is better to put them in niches. You can do the same with a TV and shelves instead of a traditional wall.
The necessary furniture can be transformed and partially removed from view. In particular, cabinet models are built into walls or matched to the color of the trim so that they do not stand out against its background.
Which style is better to choose
The combined room can be decorated in any style. The main thing is to immediately decide on a single style for both zones. Otherwise, the interior will look inharmonious or even tacky, which everyone would like to avoid.
Loft
For this style, use textured materials: brick, leather, glass, concrete.
The peculiarity is the combination of modern technology with rough material. It is acceptable to use antique items in small quantities. Install blinds instead of curtains.
Kitchen living room 16 sq m in loft style
Provence
This is a French country style, which is characterized by pastel shades, aged furniture and floral patterns on textiles.
Some shelves can be left open. But modern technology is better hidden behind furniture facades.
Kitchen living room 16 sq m in Provence style
Minimalism
This style arose as a counterpoint to luxury.
It is characterized by neutral shades, simple shapes, and the absence of unnecessary interior items. Materials used include wood, brick, glass, and plaster. There are no curtains or partitions in the room so as not to interfere with the penetration of sunlight.
Kitchen living room 16 sq m in minimalist style
Classic
For such an interior, it is better to use built-in equipment so that it is not noticeable. For finishing, choose natural materials: wood, marble or their imitation. Furniture upholstery is also made from natural fabrics.
A small amount of stucco may be used as a decorative element.
Classic style
High tech
High-tech style is perfect for decorating a kitchen-living room.
The interior in this style combines white, black and silver shades, as well as glossy surfaces. Characterized by a complete absence of textiles.
In most cases, lamps are built into the ceiling, so it is made suspended or suspended.
Interior of a modern kitchen-living room with cabinet furniture
Country
The country style interior turns out to be very cozy. Wooden furniture is used for decoration. Warm shades predominate, often brown. There are several varieties of this style with minor features.
Illuminated paintings on the wall above the sofa
Zoning a spacious kitchen
When combining two rooms, there is always a need for a visual separation of zones, since only by highlighting the boundaries of such zones will a person feel comfortable. Moreover, in such a room there will be several centers, and this is sometimes confusing.
To zoning kitchens and living rooms in a design of 16 square meters. m. should be approached wisely, because with such an area you can’t really get creative, so you should pay attention to less cumbersome solutions:
- You can choose glass partitions that will slide open and close as needed. These can be completely transparent, translucent, matte or patterned canvases, which will help to simultaneously separate zones in space and yet leave them unified due to the fact that everything is visible through them.
- You can choose to separate the surfaces with finishing materials: on the floor it can be a podium or drawing a boundary between tiles and laminate; on the ceiling, the contour is indicated by spotlights. The walls can also be separated by finishing - one area will be painted, the other will be covered with wallpaper.
- One of the popular options is the color division of zones, when one is painted in one range, and the other in another. These can be similar colors, companion shades that change roles in each area, as well as absolutely contrasting duets - black and white, beige and chocolate, red and blue, etc.
To combine and combine a kitchen combined with a living room on 16 square meters, it is necessary to schematically delimit the room, determine which zone will be a frequently visited place, which means it requires more freedom, choose color and style. Only then will it be possible to select the most effective techniques for zoning.
Types of layouts
Types of layouts depending on the location of the kitchen unit:
- L-shaped. Two walls are used, thereby creating a work triangle. Convenient layout, so it is often used.
- U-shaped. The most convenient type of layout, but requires free space. Suitable only if the living room area is small. If the kitchen set is placed near the window, during the day due to natural light there will be no need for lamps.
- Linear. If there is only one wall free, place the kitchen along it. This type is not very convenient, since the rule of the working triangle is not observed.
- Peninsular. A peninsula is a module that extends the set or one side of which rests against the wall. In addition to its main purpose, it will serve as a way to zone the room.
- Ostrovnaya. This set includes a free-standing island. This is convenient, but requires free space.
L-shaped kitchen
Modern U-shaped kitchen
Linear
Island kitchen combined with living room thanks to a bar cabinet
