Very Unusual Retro Kitchen with Samovar in a Petrograd Stalin-era Apartment

The kitchen area in this Stalin-era apartment is only eight square meters. For Lidia Likhanskaya, this is the minimum size for a comfortable kitchen. When renovating her apartment, Lidia wanted to preserve as many historical details as possible, give it a modern look, and spend the least amount of money. The kitchen was no exception, so the linear layout for the cabinet arrangement was initially chosen.

Due to this layout, Lidia had to give up additional kitchen equipment. For example, you won't see an oven or dishwasher here.

Lidia ordered the kitchen from Leroy Merlin according to her specific measurements. The kitchen is only two meters long. The countertop is made of MDF. Lidia notices that it gets wiped down in high-use areas. Using chemical cleaners leaves stains on it.

Previously, there was a cold cabinet instead of a windowsill on the kitchen, which extended half a meter into the center of the room. Lidia decided to get rid of it. Now, its presence is only remembered by a wooden plug behind the heating radiator.

There were no electrical outlets on the kitchen. But in old buildings, that wasn't necessary. There were no electric appliances: everything could be heated on a wood-burning stove. By the way, this kitchen's wooden wood-burning stove took center stage.

It had no historical or aesthetic value, but it occupied a lot of space. Lidia decided to get rid of it in favor of a regular cooking surface. However, all kinds of plugs left over from the stove were kept and still function.

Even the chimney for the samovar remains here, with excellent draft. Lidia sometimes hosts evening parties with a samovar and still uses the chimney.

The functionality of all the plugs from the old stove influenced the size of the kitchen countertop. It is lowered, and its height is only 80 cm, which is very inconvenient for a homeowner who is 172 cm tall. Also, the plugs didn't allow for flexibility in choosing the backsplash. Even mosaic didn't work, though it was already purchased. Lidia simply painted the kitchen wall with washable paint and to avoid cluttering with additional cabinets, installed suspended shelves.

Lidia specifically chose a dining table with one leg – the Tulip model, 90 cm in size. All of her guests, up to a maximum of four or five people, fit well around the table. The single leg gives more mobility, especially in small kitchens.