For most Russians, the kitchen is more than just a cooking space. It is in the kitchen space that the whole family gathers in the evening, joint dinners are held on weekends and even the reception of especially close guests can take place on several square meters of this multifunctional room. It is impossible to count all the options that are often performed by a very modest room. That is why repairing a kitchen space is both a pleasant and a very painstaking, responsible occupation. Too many questions and dilemmas need to be resolved – what materials to choose for decoration so as not to suffer with constant cleaning, how to arrange furniture and household appliances in order to provide yourself with the necessary number of storage systems and work surfaces and how to make the interior of the kitchen beautiful, modern and comfortable … If you choose practicality, functionality and even some rigor in the design of the kitchen space, then modern style is for you. Harmonious, sufficiently flexible and flexible, modern style in the design of kitchen premises, easily transforms to the needs of the owners to create a truly comfortable, highly functional and at the same time cozy interior.
Contemporary style for the kitchen space
The name itself «modern style» suggests a lot of generalization. In this style, designers and their customers can easily discover the motives of such styles as modern, high-tech, loft and even avant-garde. But there is some «skeleton» the main motives, which always give out the presence of modern style as the basis for the design of a particular room, and the kitchen is no exception:
- modern style loves space and light – if it is possible to expand the doorways and replace the windows with much larger ones, then this must be done, if the kitchen is part of the living room and dining room, then an open plan is used to arrange the joint space;
- principle «less is better» accurately reflects the concept of modern style – a minimum of decor and embellishments, a maximum of practicality and functionality;
- high-tech household appliances become not just a part of the interior, but its focal point, it is not customary to hide it behind facades;
- simple and clear forms – the basis of furnishings in modern style;
- special attention is paid to lighting, both natural and artificial; lighting devices not only zone the space into the working and dining area, but also act as decorative elements.
Choosing the layout of the kitchen ensemble
Although the choice of layout for a furniture set is not tied to the stylistic performance of the interior, it is a necessary and primary measure. The whole image of the kitchen space and the location of this or that type of finish depend on how the storage systems, household appliances and work surfaces will be located (it is obvious that the dining area and, for example, a kitchen apron, not only can, but also need to be decorated with different materials).
One of the most practical and versatile options for the location of a furniture set is an angular (L-shaped) layout. This method of arranging furniture and household appliances is suitable for both modest-sized rooms and more spacious kitchens. In a large kitchen, the corner layout is usually complemented by an island that performs many functions. This free-standing unit becomes the base for integrating the hob and sometimes the sink, the extension of its countertop makes the island not only a work surface, but also a place for short meals. It’s all. not to mention the many variations on the topic of storage systems – from hinged cabinets and drawers to open shelves with lighting.
One of the modifications of the corner arrangement of the furniture set is the addition of a peninsula to the ensemble. Thus, you can increase the number of storage systems and arrange a place for short meals (breakfast, afternoon tea, just a snack), and in the case of a small family and a permanent eating area.
The single-row layout of the kitchen ensemble is suitable for small kitchen spaces in which it is necessary to install a dining group – a table and chairs for family meals and, possibly, receiving guests. If the dwelling has the possibility of arranging the dining room as a separate room or part of the living room, then the kitchen space with a single-row set is complemented by an island. In this case, the island becomes an aid in the integration of household appliances, the placement of storage systems and work surfaces, which are most often lacking in a single-row (linear) arrangement of the furniture ensemble..
Parallel planning is advisable to use in narrow passageways. In such spaces, there is no possibility of installing a dining group or a kitchen island, even placing a countertop for short meals. But the storage systems located on both sides of the room, built-in appliances and countertops will create a full-fledged base for cooking and other work processes..
Finishing in a modern kitchen – choosing practical and beautiful materials
In no other room, perhaps, so much attention is paid to the choice of finishing materials. The specifics of the functionality of the kitchen area leaves an imprint on the criteria for choosing materials for decorating the ceiling, walls and floors. High humidity, constant temperature drops, possible impact on the surface of drops of hot fat, and much more – the finish should be unpretentious in operation and be able to be cleaned.
Rare modern kitchens do without installing a hood, which helps not only to cope with cleaning the air in the room from the smells of cooking and burning, but also helps to trap the smallest drops of fat. But even the presence of a powerful hood does not free the kitchen surfaces from possible contamination. That is why mixtures are selected for staining that can be cleaned with a damp sponge, for wall cladding it is necessary to use panels that can easily tolerate even the effects of cleaning agents (not abrasive), and for a kitchen apron, materials that can withstand high temperatures (ceramics, glass, steel).
For finishing the ceiling in a modern kitchen, it is best to use the simplest decoration methods. If your choice fell on a suspended ceiling, then you should not perform it on several levels, even if there is a large room height. But the built-in lamps will come in handy. If you use a tension structure, then it is better to limit yourself to a simple snow-white material, without photo printing and other decor. Pasting the ceiling with wallpaper has long been recognized as the most impractical option for finishing ceiling surfaces in the kitchen space. The method is inexpensive, but extremely short-lived.
For wall decoration in a modern style kitchen, you can choose materials with a wide variety of characteristics and methods of application. The only thing that should unite them is the neutrality of the color scheme. Finishing in a modern kitchen plays the role of a background against which the main piece of the interior – the kitchen set – should look spectacular. If printed decoration is used, then only as an accent surface decoration. Such a wall can be a plane in the dining area or a kitchen apron..
From the loft style, the modern style inherited the borrowing of some surface finishing techniques, including the imitation or processing of real brickwork. Industrial notes, original appearance and textured accent create the use of brickwork even on one small surface.
The best way to decorate a kitchen backsplash is to use ceramic tiles or mosaics. And in this, the modern style is in solidarity with the traditional trends in the design of premises. It is difficult to come up with a more practical, safe and durable option for surface cladding, which is constantly exposed to various types of exposure – from high humidity to hot fat. Often in modern design projects, you can find the entire surface tiling above the lower tier of kitchen cabinets up to the ceiling. This approach is especially relevant for kitchen spaces, where the upper tier of the furniture set is replaced by open shelves to create a lighter image of the space..
A lot of requirements are imposed on the flooring in the kitchen space – from resistance to high humidity to the possibility of cleaning with chemicals. The ideal option is porcelain stoneware tiles, which will create a reliable and durable coating. At the same time, the choice of color palette is incredibly wide – you can create an imitation of a wooden floorboard or the use of a marble surface. But this method is not cheap, therefore, with the help of ceramics, the floor is often made out only in the working area, and in the dining segment, laminate or linoleum imitating wood is used..
Kitchen facades are the main element of the modern kitchen interior
Obviously, the entire image of the space largely depends on the appearance of the kitchen facades (cabinet doors). The choice of color palette, texture, quality of the material of execution and even fittings will determine not only the design of the entire kitchen, but also the life of the furniture.
Modern style stands for conciseness and simplicity of execution – strict lines and clear forms are put at the forefront. That is why the most common version of a kitchen set is cabinets with absolutely smooth facades. You just have to decide on the color scheme and choose a glossy or matte surface. Obviously, glossy facades contribute to the visual expansion of the space and are very relevant for small kitchens. But at the same time, fingerprints are clearly visible on glossy surfaces, and there will be a lot of them, because the cabinets are opened by pressing the magnetic locks, there are no handles on smooth facades.
The choice of colors for the execution of a kitchen set is important not only for the formation of the image of the entire room, but also affects the frequency of cleaning in it. Light surfaces, contrary to popular belief, are much easier to clean, they hardly show traces of water drops and fingerprints, while dark surfaces require constant maintenance. Among other things, light fronts are perfect for small kitchens, contributing to the visual enlargement of the room. A snow-white kitchen will never go out of fashion, for a long time your design will be relevant, creating a clean, light, light image of the kitchen space.
In order for the snow-white kitchen set to look the most impressive, it is better to choose brighter colors for finishing the kitchen surfaces. For example, flooring «under the tree» and a rather colorful design of a kitchen apron can become an excellent background for a light furniture ensemble.
One of the options for choosing a color palette for a kitchen set, contributing to the visual expansion of space and a visual increase in the height of the room, is to use a light tone for the execution of the upper tier of hanging cabinets or open shelves and a darker, saturated shade for floor storage systems..
Gray can be safely called a favorite in the formation of a modern style interior. Various shades of gray are used both as background decoration and for furnishing. A more neutral and unassuming tone cannot be found. This is exactly what the kitchen setting will be – neutral and suitable for everyone who finds himself in a modern kitchen. The gray color of the kitchen fronts is perfectly combined with the white interior elements and the shine of the chrome surfaces of household appliances.
Decor and modern style
Despite the fact that modern style has absorbed some motives of minimalism, decor is not alien to it. It is only important to note that most often quite functional items act as decorative elements. For example, beautiful, original and even unusual lighting fixtures become a decoration of the kitchen, in addition to performing their main functions. Often, small hoods are disguised under pendant chandeliers with many shiny decorative elements. Going down over the hob or stove, such a hood not only helps purify the air in the kitchen, but also decorates its modern image.
The backlighting of the bottom of the hanging cabinets helps to provide the necessary level of illumination of the countertops, on which most work processes occur. The illumination of the lower part of kitchen storage systems is more designed for interior decoration – the furniture seems to float above the floor and looks incredibly modern. In this case, you can not turn on the central light in the kitchen space, limiting yourself to the lower lighting if you go out at night to drink a glass of water.
Does the kitchen space need curtains, blinds or curtains? It all depends on the size of the windows, the scale of the room itself and the location of the room in relation to the cardinal points. The modern style stands for the maximum possible illumination of the premises by means of sunlight – large windows and the absence of drapery on them contribute to this. But if your kitchen faces south or is located in that part of a private house that faces the street and you just need to protect yourself from light and prying eyes, decorating windows can become an occasion to create a color or textured accent, bring a zest to the kitchen interior.
Modern style for small kitchens
The modest area of the kitchen area leaves an imprint not only on the choice of the layout of the furniture ensemble, the number of built-in appliances and the size of the countertops, but also on the choice of the color palette of finishing and execution of the kitchen facades. The optimal color scheme is light shades that will visually increase the space, creating a light and fresh image of the room. But light surfaces must be diluted, bringing color variety to the interior. The easiest and most effective way to do this is using wooden surfaces or their imitations – flooring, countertops, open shelves made of wood will be an excellent addition to the snow-white surfaces of the kitchen area and bring natural warmth to the image of the room.
A few practical examples of organizing storage systems in a kitchen space
«There is never too much storage» – any owner of an apartment or a private house knows about it. At the same time, the dimensions of the dwelling itself are not so important – there are always not enough cabinets and shelves. The frantic pace of life, constant employment and often the lack of square meters of kitchen space for customers pushes manufacturers of furniture and accessories to it to create not just storage places, but systematized, ordered options for location and incredibly fast search for one or another kitchen utensil. We bring to your attention several practical ideas for organizing storage spaces in a modern kitchen, designed not only to use every centimeter of space rationally, but also to save the owners’ time.
