Before and After: How Kitchens in Stalin-era Apartments Changed After Renovation

Designers aren't afraid to work with 'killed' apartments in old buildings. A thoughtful approach to layout and decoration can make them convenient, ergonomic, and very beautiful. We've collected a selection of kitchens that Russian designers 'reanimated'.

Kitchen with Sink by the Window

Before the renovation, the isolated kitchen in a Stalin-era apartment was very small and didn't allow space for both a dining table and enough storage. Natalia Solo suggested combining it with the living room, replacing the linear cabinet with a U-shaped one with the sink by the window and tall column shelves.

"The gas stove made its adjustments, and we preferred glass partitions that functionally provided the required kitchen isolation but visually kept the space unified," — the designer explains.

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Red and White Kitchen

Due to the presence of a gas stove in the apartment on Malaya Bronnaya, this kitchen couldn't be connected to the common living room space. Designer Mikhail Novinsky proposed sliding doors that open into the wall.

In the color scheme, they followed the client's wishes: he wanted more red accents in the interior. As a result, the walls and kitchen backsplash were white, while all the furniture was colorful.

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Functional Kitchen for a Cook

Before the renovation, this kitchen in a Stalin-era apartment wasn't particularly notable. "The client asked us to pay special attention to the layout and equipment of the kitchen," — designer Elena Zufarova explains. — "He loves cooking and has taken several courses at a well-known international gastronomic school."

We arranged the cabinet along two walls, raised and relocated the gas pipe. We also installed a sliding door with glass in the kitchen and provided for two hoods."

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Kitchen Without Relocation

This apartment had a 'grandmother's' renovation and was in rather poor condition. Designer Marina Mereynkova didn't make major changes to the kitchen layout and didn't combine it with the room. Nevertheless, all necessary elements fit: an angular cabinet, household appliances, a display cabinet, and a dining table for several people.

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Kitchen with Angular Cabinet and Dining Area

The layout in this two-room apartment was kept unchanged: isolated kitchen, two rooms, and a separate bathroom. In the finishing, designers from Instatus Studio preferred paint. The backsplash along the entire work surface was tiled with 'calf' tiles. The gas pipe descending down the wall to the stove was hidden in a removable box, which was clad with tiles of the same shade but smaller size.

The kitchen cabinet was installed angularly, with traditional upper and lower cabinets. The niche under the window, left over from the previous renovation, was closed with doors made of MDF: a cool cabinet with a ventilation flap was created.

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