Not Enough Space on the Kitchen? Plan These Things Before Starting the Renovation

Renovating without the help of professional designers is always an interesting experience and an opportunity for your own imagination and creativity. Irina Orlova independently designed her kitchen and shared some secrets of increasing space with us.

1. Combining Two Zones

The kitchen is 12.2 sq. m. You can hardly move around, right? The most successful and clever solution was to connect the kitchen with the living room, which increased the space and gave some freedom. The kitchen smoothly transitions into the dining room, where the hostess has a tulip-shaped dining table and two armchairs.

2. Doing Away with Upper Cabinets

The homeowner made a practical choice. In her apartment, the ceilings are very high, which allowed her to create a niche for the kitchen. By lowering the ceiling, Irina opted out of upper cabinets. This way, she saved the budget and got rid of dust accumulation under the ceiling.

3. Color Scheme

Contrast is always stylish, simple and minimalist. The countertop in the kitchen is made of MDF in black color. For the backsplash, Irina chose a classic white “boar” style. The cabinets were equipped with push-to-open system, which gives the design a minimalist look. There are no unnecessary details or colors, and the visual space is not cluttered.

4. Built-in Appliances

All kitchen appliances are built-in, which, of course, saves space. In our heroine’s kitchen, only the most necessary appliances are installed: dishwasher, 3-burner cooktop, range hood, oven, refrigerator and microwave oven.

Tip: For better performance of the built-in refrigerator, don’t forget to install a ventilation grille.

Problems During Renovation

We recommend using tiles instead of laminate for the kitchen floor, as the kitchen is considered a “wet” zone. Irina herself selected materials that matched in color and texture for this purpose. However, during the renovation process, problems arose with joining the tiles and laminate. Moreover, the worker used a cork compensator for the joint and painted it over. The paint takes two weeks to dry, and it looks quite unattractive.