Looking at the interiors of modern loft-style apartments, it is difficult to believe that «attic-mansard» the design direction did not immediately find its admirers. Those distinctive features that give this style special value were considered significant shortcomings at the dawn of its inception. The arrangement of abandoned industrial premises in the thirties and forties of the last century for many Americans was the only opportunity to acquire a separate home. However, very soon the idea of recreating the specifics of factory buildings in ordinary city apartments appealed not only to students with limited expenses, but also to fairly wealthy homeowners in America and Europe..
Thanks to the efforts of the designers of our time, the loft style is reflected in the design of a wide variety of premises. The incomparable color of industrial buildings is felt both in the appearance of bedrooms and guest rooms, and in modern kitchen interiors..
Why is this style good for arranging kitchens?
The industrial style of the kitchen will be fully appreciated by those who like spacious rooms with enough light and air. High ceilings, painted white, give the room extra volume. Wooden beams, pipes, rafters and support pillars in the apartment do not have to be hidden or masked. Thanks to these very attributes, the kitchen area will acquire a typical «factory» view.
The loft style does not need an exquisite decor – calm tones (white, grayish, brownish, black and blue) will be appropriate in the interior of the kitchen. The appearance of such a kitchen will perfectly complement the laconic doors and rectangular windows. There is no need to pick up something special, the main thing is that they are as spacious as possible.
Factory-style kitchens are often subdivided into distinct zones. With the help of screens and movable partitions, it is possible to create several functional areas in one room. In some cases, kitchen furniture is used for zoning space..
A typical loft kitchen uses the simplest and most affordable materials: brick, concrete, untreated wood, glass and metal. It is great if the room has unplastered brick walls and uneven concrete floors. In some cases, such surfaces are created artificially – using materials that imitate brickwork or rough plaster.
The use of an industrial style when decorating a kitchen will allow apartment owners to minimize the cost of renovating and decorating the premises. The materials and technologies used in decorating the kitchen area are available even to those residents of the country who are not able to carry out expensive repairs. At the same time, the combination of certain elements of the loft style will give any interior not only originality, but also a rather bohemian look. The idea will please, first of all, single young people and newlyweds, as well as apartment owners who consider themselves to be «creative elite».
Seven tips for creating a loft kitchen
1. When decorating such a kitchen room, designers recommend highlighting one of the walls by painting in a different color. There is another option: you can leave the surface in its original form, or make it look like a picturesque brickwork or rough plaster using the available decorative materials. If you decide to create an imitation of walls in the kitchen «under a brick», it is recommended to cover them with a matte emulsion of white or cream color.
2. No one disputes that the industrial design direction is best suited for huge apartments with high ceilings. However, even typical buildings can perfectly combine some of the elements inherent in the loft style. Moreover, the design of the kitchen interior in the factory style will visually expand the dimensions of the room, make it more voluminous and «air».
As an idea
For owners of small-sized housing, an excellent way out of the situation will be to combine the kitchen with a loggia or balcony. In this case, the area of the kitchen will increase significantly, large windows will appear in the room. The light in the kitchen area will become more natural.
3. Loft style has special requirements for lighting. In such a kitchen, there must be several sources of artificial light. It is customary to use all kinds of lamps and chandeliers, as well as spotlights. The shape and style of the lighting fixtures are selected in accordance with the general design idea. Everything is permissible here – from classic lamps to high-tech chandeliers. Window openings are made as open as possible, without curtains or curtains. When decorating kitchen spaces in an industrial style, you can use horizontal blinds.
4. For finishing the floors it is worth choosing a material that matches the general appearance of the room. This can be either a rough concrete base left in the room after major repairs, or more «warm» types of coatings, such as natural wood. If the floors in the kitchen are covered with old parquet boards, then you can simply loop them and cover them with a layer of colorless varnish. When choosing skirting boards, it is recommended to take into account the tonality of the walls – the colors of these surfaces, if possible, should be as similar as possible.
5. Choosing furniture for such a kitchen, you should remember that it should be functional and laconic at the same time. There is an opinion that furniture accessories for the kitchen area, made in the loft style, are very similar to office products. Furniture should not be too voluminous – just such decorative elements will allow not to clutter up the interior. In an industrial kitchen, glass countertops, wooden and metal shelving, folding chairs look great. Such furniture is usually used in country cottages and summer cottages..
It should be borne in mind that the loft style absolutely does not accept closed shelves and cabinets: the kitchen should have many open shelves with kitchen accessories and utensils. A mobile table on wheels and a convenient bar counter will be very useful here..
6. In such kitchens, antique furniture, given in a decent look, looks very unexpected and original. Elegant translucent sideboards, cozy dining chairs and small sofas, mirrors in stylish frames play an important role in the arrangement of the kitchen. They not only perform the function of furniture, but also serve as mandatory interior accessories in the loft style. In addition, kitchen furniture is used to delimit space, create functional areas.
On a note
Do not be afraid of combining new and old in such kitchens. The industrial design direction allows you to combine rare furniture with multifunctional modern household appliances. Antique kitchen cupboards coexist perfectly with trendy chrome surfaces and glass partitions. Unlike furniture, kitchen appliances, in accordance with the requirements of the loft style, must be large and massive. Appliances of impressive size in such interiors are associated with those that are often seen in restaurants..
7. All kinds of accessories will help to make a not too expressive interior of the kitchen bright and effective: modern reproductions of novice artists, youth posters and graffiti, figurines and folk art items. There should not be many of them: it is not important here «overdo». A small amount of carefully selected gizmos will give the room brightness and originality, emphasize its individuality.
Everyone has the right to independently decide whether to create a kitchen in such a peculiar style. After thinking a little, we come to the following conclusion: why not? This option has a lot of advantages. And those who have already joined the ranks of the happy owners of loft-style kitchen interiors have fully appreciated this and do not regret their decision..
