How to Equip a Tiny Kitchen in a Brezhnev-Era Apartment: 6 Ideas

See how designers managed to transform compact kitchens into the perfect place for cooking and spending time with loved ones.

Small Kitchen in a Bold Street Style

Designers deliberately lightened the upper part of the wall: they abandoned cabinets, using open metal shelf strips instead. A vintage screen made of thin metal rods fit perfectly into the interior. All light fixtures work precisely and each one differently — different shadows, intensity, and warmth.

Design: ZI-DESIGN Studio. View the full projectDesign: ZI-DESIGN Studio. View the full projectWarm Kitchen in Warm Tones

The designer planned a large working surface using a single countertops with an intricate shape. The backsplash was made from accent tiles with a geometric pattern — it looks stylish and harmonious. Kitchen furniture was chosen to match the wall color.

Design: Irina Ezhova. View the full projectDesign: Irina Ezhova. View the full projectFunctional Kitchen in Modern Style

The walls were decorated with wallpaper, while tiles were used in the 'wet' area. All furniture was assembled from ready-made modules. Everything in the interior is arranged so as to ease the workload without compromising functionality: a glass table in the kitchen does not clutter the interior but performs its functions excellently.

Design: Zhanna Studenцova. View the full projectDesign: Zhanna Studenцova. View the full projectSmall Kitchen with Plenty of Storage Space

The kitchen is quite small, so the designer decided to compensate for storage space with built-in wardrobes in the niche. The refrigerator and microwave oven were hidden here, along with many drawers and shelves, even a pull-out medicine cabinet. In the area where the stove and sink are located, the gas column, gas pipes, meters, and exhaust hood were hidden behind upper cabinets.

Design: Zina Malysheva. View the full projectDesign: Zina Malysheva. View the full projectPractical Kitchen with Designer Furniture

The designer developed all built-in and cabinet furniture specifically for this project. It was made in a carpentry workshop. The main colors in the kitchen interior are beige and brown. Natural wood tones became an element uniting the entire interior.

Design: Svetlana Kapustina. View the full projectDesign: Svetlana Kapustina. View the full projectModern Kitchen with a Light Retro Touch

A small kitchen measuring only 6.5 square meters was transformed to include a dining area and the kitchen unit alone. During renovation, they reworked the gas riser to move the stove to another wall. The entrance was made not from the corridor but from the living room. The interior feature is that the kitchen backsplash and the wall in the bathroom are made of glass blocks: thus, natural light from the kitchen penetrates into the bathroom and even the hallway.

Design: Ludmila Danilевич. View the full projectDesign: Ludmila Danilевич. View the full project

On the cover: Svetlana Kapustina's Design Project