Do-it-yourself apartment renovation in Khrushchev

It would seem that in such a small area it is difficult to "roam" and come up with something original. But, we assure you, everything is not so sad and we will give a lot of examples of design solutions that will turn your kitchen into a role model!

So, in this article we will show the best options for repairing and redeveloping a kitchen in Khrushchev, tips on design, decor and a lot of photos on the topic.

The kitchens of that time have a couple of very significant disadvantages and these are:

• Very modest area (only 5-6 squares)
• Low ceiling (2.2 meters)
• The presence of a gas water heater (why this is a minus - we will describe below)

But, in contrast to these disadvantages, there are significant advantages, in comparison with block houses, and these are:

• There are no load-bearing walls in Khrushchevs (that is, you can crush and break anything at least)
• It is very easy to expand the area in them due to the adjoining rooms, and this applies not only to the living room.

When you see the photos presented in the corresponding blocks, you will understand that Khrushchev is not a sentence! True, with the proper approach, it is quite possible to make a very stylish room design, and the kitchen will look miniature, but not cheap.

Few of the owners of Khrushchev leave the layout in its original form. A lot of ways to modernize such a room have already been tested, therefore, in this article we will not open America to you.

Just - let's recall the most successful solutions and provide illustrative examples.

In short, the best option in this case is a small redevelopment, with a displacement of the walls. Otherwise, however, there is practically nowhere to turn around and there can be no question of any originality.

Therefore, we will describe to you the best kitchen remodeling in Khrushchev, as well as tell you about the furniture modules that are best suited in this case.

But first, we will describe to you general recommendations that apply to absolutely any interpretations and cases.

Gas water heaters in Khrushchevs are not always installed in the kitchen. Sometimes they are in the bathroom, which is very convenient on the one hand. Why is that? And because you have no safety restrictions and you can safely demolish the partition that separates the kitchen from the living room.

In other cases, if the column is still in the kitchen, you should not choose this particular type of redevelopment. It is much more reasonable to expand the room at the expense of the pantry adjacent to the kitchen, for example, since there should be a door in any case.

No, you, of course, can not give a damn about the laws, but one day there is a risk of deeply regretting it. For example, when selling an apartment, you will be required to provide a document confirming the legality of the redevelopment. And where will you get it if the gas workers do not agree with this state of affairs?

Yes, you can dodge and bribe in some way. But do you need it? Moreover, in all honesty, a kitchen combined with a living room is not such a chic option.

This is good in one case: if you live alone in an apartment. And when there are two of you, or even more, such a layout will add inconvenience. It's not even about the smell that will spread throughout the apartment.

The main thing here is the discomfort from visiting the kitchen by family members at the moment when someone is sleeping in the living room. And for small Khrushchevs, this is a very common situation. The hall usually performs many functions, including replacing the bedroom.

So, if you have a speaker in the kitchen, start from this key point.

In the photo below you can see options for repairing a kitchen in Khrushchev, namely with a column. Doesn't it look great? And you can't say that the area is too small.

We think you already understand that the best option is a light scale. But, of course, I want something bright, interesting ... What can we offer you?

The most important thing here is the color of the walls. They are the ones who "make" the visual volume. That is, if you paint the walls white, you will definitely not go wrong.

At the same time, be very careful with the choice of an apron for the work surface. You should not choose something very colorful and bright, because the walls are white. Due to the fact that the area is small, this small segment, visually, will occupy a significant part of the room.

Then, the color of the floor is very important. If you make it dark, then even with light walls, it will "narrow" the room. Therefore, try to make the floor in light colors.

If you want a bright accent, remember the design rule: it should be only 10% of everything else. That is, some bright chandelier is enough for you, and you can duplicate its tone in the colors of the curtains or some painting. Read more about this in the rules for combining colors in the interior of the kitchen.

If the kitchen is small, then we really do not recommend that you stop your choice on any elements of the "classics".

Furniture with monograms and carvings - not for such a room! Forms should be as simple and straightforward as possible.

Do not even look in the direction of marble, natural onyx and other things that “play” well only on large areas in a classic-style interior.

Curtains also should not be pompous, otherwise it will all look ridiculous, cramped and out of place.

It is best to dwell on contemporary styles such as "minimalism" or, if you want something more homely, on the "Scandinavian" style. There, the priority is a tree of natural colors and white tones. For Khrushchev, this is the very thing.

As for household appliances: match them to match. In this case, it is not so striking and, as it were, visually, does not "eat up" the space. And here it is interesting that it is the white technique that looks more cumbersome.

Give preference to either silver or completely dark. It is very important that there is no "confusion". For example, a silver stove looks very sloppy next to a white refrigerator.

Also, one cannot fail to mention the ceilings. Since they are extremely low in Khrushchevs, stretch glossy ceilings will come in handy here. Moreover, you should also choose them in white. Any bright ceiling, even one with reflective properties, reduces the room.

Due to the fact that the room will be visible in them, the ceiling will seem much higher, and, as a result, the room itself is more spacious. It is a pleasure to take care of them, therefore, we safely recommend this option.

Now, let's look at specific options and ideas.

Main article: Design of a kitchen-living room in Khrushchev. To implement such an undertaking, you just need to demolish the wall. It is not difficult to make a similar project in Khrushchev, since there is no concrete.

After the partition is gone, you need to think about how you will finish the walls and floor.

In general, according to the laws of the genre, it is necessary to make floors of different structures or colors, thereby setting a line. But, in the case of a very modest cubic capacity, it is better to lay exactly the same floor in the living room and kitchen.

This also applies to the ceiling. You don't need any tiers, boxes and arches. It is best if the kitchen and living room are a completely single ensemble.

The curtains should also be the same, not mismatched. Only in this case, the interior will look truly harmonious.

This is a rather interesting solution for Khrushchev. Furniture, which stands in a U-shape, gives great convenience in terms of comfort, however, it occupies as many as three walls!

It would be extremely unwise if you had a separate kitchen with a door. But, if you have a kitchen-living room, then the problem disappears by itself.

You can decorate the dining area right in the living room by installing a table with chairs there, or you can make a bar counter that stands in place of the wall.

In terms of appearance, it is decent and cute, but as for convenience, here you need to think carefully.

After all, the bar is the place for a quick bite to eat. You will definitely not be able to accommodate guests there, just as you will not have dinner together with the whole family. And, if you make a bar counter, then in most cases you will have to give up a full-fledged table.

It is best to put it between the kitchen and the living room, by the window, in the place where the wall was. But you can't put it anymore, since there will be a bar counter.

Surely, many will be surprised by this option, since the bathtubs in Khrushchev are so miniature that it does not fit in the head that there can be cut.

But, people have found a rather interesting solution: to replace the bathtub itself with a shower cabin and "drown" the refrigerator into the resulting square. Of course, for this you need to knock out part of the wall from the side of the kitchen.

Basically, the idea is pretty good if you don't use the bathroom under any circumstances and you don't need one. For example, there are overweight people for whom the cabins are many times more comfortable.

But, if, nevertheless, you use it, it is better not to expand the area at the expense of depriving yourself of such benefits. No shower will warm you up after freezing temperatures as well as a hot bath. And in terms of functionality, it is very necessary: ​​wash something, wash ...

Therefore, you should not get excited. Just take note of this method.

In conclusion, I would like to say: go for it, everything is in your hands! Try to stick to these basic rules and you will succeed.

Apartments in "Khrushchevs" have a number of shortcomings, so the task of repair is not only to decorate the premises, but also to eliminate all the shortcomings of Soviet housing construction. Nevertheless, every home craftsman can cope with this work. And the recommendations and useful tips that you will receive in this article will help you with this.

The disadvantages of Khrushchev, which must be eliminated during the repair process, include the following important points:

• small walk-through rooms - this disadvantage can be eliminated by redevelopment and competent zoning of the space;
• creaking wooden floors - you can get rid of this drawback by laying new floors or pouring a screed;
• low level of heat saving - therefore, all such apartments need insulation.

The disadvantages of Khrushchevs include creaking wooden floors and small rooms.

In addition, when repairing Khrushchev houses, like any other apartment itself, it is necessary to align the walls and ceilings, as well as replace old communications.

It is necessary to start repairs in Khrushchev with the replacement of communications. And this applies not only to sewerage and water supply, but also to electrical wiring. The fact is that old wires, which, roughly speaking, have served for half a century, are not able to provide an adequate level of security. If you are not strong in electrical engineering, it is better to entrust this work to professionals.

Most often, repairs begin with the replacement of communications

Also, the old cast-iron sewerage and metal pipeline are subject to replacement. If this is not done right away, then soon there may be a need to re-perform the repair, and not only in your apartment, but also in the apartment of the neighbors on the floor below.

As a rule, it is impossible to turn Khrushchev into decent housing without redevelopment. Most often, the meaning of the latter is to remove the interior partitions and, accordingly, reduce the number of rooms. So the redevelopment of a one-room or even a two-room apartment usually comes down to turning it into a studio. If the apartment is three-room, it can be used to make a “two-room apartment” with a spacious living room and bedroom.

I must say that the elimination of partitions allows you to solve several problems at once:

• significantly increase the useful area of ​​the apartment;
• make housing lighter, which is especially true for apartments located on the north side;
• increase the area of ​​the kitchen, which in Khrushchev is always too compact;
• decorate the apartment design beautifully and modernly - studio apartments look interesting and modern.

Redevelopment is not complete without removing partitions

Also, by redevelopment, you can expand the bathroom, which is another problem of the Khrushchevs. If it is split, it is advisable to remove the septum. On the one hand, this will make it less convenient to use, but more spacious and roomy. In addition, you can add a little space to the bathroom at the expense of the hallway.

It is allowed to remove partitions if they are not load-bearing. If the walls are load-bearing, the redevelopment must be coordinated with the BTI.

The disadvantage of removing partitions is that the space for all functional areas is common, while the need for a separate kitchen or, for example, a bedroom remains. This problem is solved by dividing the space into zones. There are several ways to implement this technique:

• using different finishing materials - different materials on the floor and walls will visually create the boundaries of the zones, as a result of which the interior will look more orderly;
• furniture - with the help of shelves, cabinets and other furniture elements, you can not only delimit the space, but also limit the view of various zones, for example, hide the bedroom area;
• lighting - different lighting devices will also help to visually delimit the space.

To limit the view of a particular area, you can use portable screens.

There are other ways to increase the usable space of the apartment. The most effective solution is the rational use of free space. For example, in the kitchen, you can turn window sills into work surfaces. Instead of a pantry for storing various things, you can use the mezzanine under the ceiling, while at the expense of the pantry itself, you can expand the bathroom or living space.

I must say that in terms of increasing the usable space, the owners of apartments with a balcony have the most opportunities. If the latter is well insulated and finished, then it can be used as an additional room, for example, an office, a resting place or even a sleeping place.

Another interesting solution is combining the balcony with the room. True, for full accession, i.e. Removing the wall between the balcony and the adjacent room requires permits from a number of organizations. And if you just remove the window block without touching the wall, you won't need permission. In this case, the wall can serve as a functional element, for example, in the kitchen, it can be used to make a bar counter or a cutting table.

If you have a studio apartment that does not have a balcony, you can win a few square meters by using folding furniture. As a rule, the bed takes up the most space, so a wardrobe bed will help to increase the space. Another interesting solution is a pull-out bed from a pedestal, however, it is not always possible to implement it because of the low ceilings in Khrushchevs.

You can use a sofa bed or chair beds. Such furniture is especially good as extra sleeping places in case of the arrival of guests.

If the floors in the Khrushchev are concrete, then it will not be difficult to level them. But what if they are wooden? There are several solutions to this problem. The most common is to level the floors with plywood or OSB. In this case, it is necessary to first repair the base: if the old boards are fastened or rotted, they need to be additionally fixed on the logs or even replaced.

For leveling floors with a dry screed, it is not necessary to resort to the help of professionals

Then plywood sheets are laid on the floor. If the subfloor has large drops, it is best to make an adjustable floor. Its principle lies in the use of special racks that allow you to adjust the position of the sheets according to the principle of ordinary furniture adjustable legs.In this case, thermal insulation material can be laid between the plywood sheets and the base. It will not only make the floor warmer, but also improve sound insulation, which is also very important for apartments in Khrushchevs. You can lay carpet, linoleum, laminate or even parquet on top of plywood.

There is another technology for leveling wooden floors, which is easy to implement with your own hands - this is a dry screed. Its principle is that the floor is covered with bulk material, most often expanded clay, after which the embankment is leveled in a horizontal plane. For alignment, you can use beacons, as for a conventional screed.

On top of the bulk material, special gypsum fiber sheets are laid, which are joined together in a folded manner. Any finishing materials can be laid on such a rough coating, as well as on a conventional cement-sand screed. The advantages of a dry screed, in addition to ease of installation, include the fact that it simultaneously insulates the floor and provides sound insulation.

Any renovation involves replacing old Soviet wooden frames with modern double-glazed windows. However, this is not enough to solve the problem of energy saving - Khrushchevs in any case need full insulation. It can be implemented in two ways - from the outside and from the inside.

To preserve an already small area, it is preferable to insulate outside

As it is not difficult to guess, it is much easier to carry out internal insulation than external insulation. But do not rush to follow the easy path, as it has a number of disadvantages:

• the walls insulated from the inside completely cease to be heated. As a result, moisture may form between the insulation and the wall, and cracks may appear on the walls;
• the ceilings are cooled, to which the cold wall is adjacent;
• the useful space of the room decreases - in a large apartment this disadvantage can be neglected, but for a two-room apartment with a standard area of ​​43 sq m and even more so for a one-room apartment, the decrease in space does not go unnoticed.

Therefore, it makes sense to resort to internal insulation only if for some reason it is impossible to carry out insulation from the outside, for example, you were not given permission to change the appearance of the facade or the apartment is adjacent to an unheated elevator shaft.

As a rule, insulation on the outside is carried out with foam - this is an inexpensive and at the same time effective thermal insulation material. But if your apartment is located on the ground floor, it is more advisable to use extruded polystyrene foam (polystyrene foam), which has a higher compressive strength. Accordingly, this material is more resistant to other mechanical loads, including shock.

The insulation is glued to the walls with special glue and additionally fixed with dowels. The surface of the insulation is reinforced with fiberglass mesh and covered with decorative plaster. This insulation technology is called “wet facade”.

For wall insulation from the inside using a frame method, i.e. under drywall, it is better to use basalt wool - it is an environmentally friendly, fireproof and vapor-permeable material. It is better to use foam or extrusion material under the plaster.

Even the owners of modern apartments in new buildings have to deal with curved walls, so there is no need to talk about the quality of the walls in Khrushchev at all. Plaster is the traditional way of leveling them, but many apartment owners refuse it. The fact is that the plastering process is dirty, lengthy and very laborious, especially if the walls and ceilings have large differences.

There is no need to talk about the quality of the walls, so they are leveled without fail

If you have not dismantled the partitions, then you may have to face the plastering of the shingles, which has its own difficulties. Therefore, it is much easier to sheathe uneven surfaces with drywall and then putty.At the same time, it is possible to place the insulation in the spaces between the gypsum board and the walls, as well as hide all communications. As a result, repairs in your Khrushchev will significantly accelerate.

The only thing that can be plastered is a bathroom using a cement plaster mixture. This rough finish tolerates moisture well. Subsequently, you can easily glue the tiles to it or mount any other topcoat.

In general, the decoration of the walls and ceilings of the Khrushchev does not have any features.

The interior design and, in general, the visual perception of the entire apartment depends on the finish, so it also requires a competent approach. Since Khrushchev, even without internal partitions, remains a small apartment, it is advisable to use light colors in the decoration, especially if your home is located on the shaded side of the house.

Wallpaper gives the effect of three-dimensional image

Light colors will make the apartment not only lighter, but also visually more voluminous. I must say that it is not at all necessary to use exclusively white color; rather, on the contrary, it is better to replace it with pastel colors. Otherwise, you risk turning the apartment into hospital wards.

Another problem of Khrushchev's apartments is low ceilings. Visually correcting this disadvantage will allow ceiling coverings with reflective objects. For example, stretch glossy ceilings do this task well. In the bathroom, you can even use a suspended mirrored ceiling.