Loft style kitchen - a budget option for creative people
Looking at the interiors of modern loft-style apartments, it is difficult to believe that the “attic-attic” design area did not immediately find its admirers. Those distinctive features that give this style a special value, at the dawn of its inception, were considered significant flaws. The arrangement of abandoned industrial premises in the thirties and forties of the last century was the only opportunity for many Americans to acquire separate housing. However, very soon, the idea of recreating the specifics of factory buildings in ordinary city apartments came to the liking not only of students who were constrained by expenses, but also to fairly wealthy homeowners in America and Europe.
Thanks to the efforts of designers of our time, the loft style is reflected in the design of a wide variety of rooms. The incomparable color of industrial buildings is felt both in the appearance of bedrooms and guest rooms, and in modern kitchen interiors.
What is this style good for arranging kitchens?
The industrial style of the kitchen will be fully appreciated by those who like spacious rooms with plenty of light and air. High ceilings painted white give the room extra space. Wooden beams, pipes, rafters and supporting poles available in the apartment will not have to be hidden or masked. Thanks to these attributes, the kitchen will acquire a typical "factory" look.
The loft style does not need an elegant decor - in the interior of the kitchen, calm tones (white, grayish, brownish, black and blue) will be appropriate. The appearance of such a kitchen is perfectly complemented by laconic doors and rectangular windows. There is no need to pick up something special, the main thing is that they be as spacious as possible.
A factory-style kitchen is often divided into distinctive zones. With the help of screens and mobile partitions, it is possible to create several functional areas in one room. In some cases, kitchen furniture is used for zoning the space.
When decorating a typical loft-style kitchen, the simplest and most affordable materials are used: brick, concrete, raw wood, glass and metal. Great if the room has unplastered brick walls and uneven concrete floors. In some cases, such surfaces are created artificially - using materials that mimic brickwork or rough plaster.
The use of industrial style in the decoration of the kitchen will allow apartment owners to minimize the cost of repair and decoration. 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 appeal, first of all, to lonely young people and newlyweds, as well as to apartment owners who consider themselves to be the “creative elite”.
Seven tips for creating a loft style kitchen
1. When decorating such a kitchen, 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 give it the appearance of a picturesque brickwork or rough plaster, using available decorative materials. If it is decided to create a brick-like wall imitation in the kitchen, 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 most suitable for huge apartments with high ceilings. However, even typical buildings can perfectly combine some elements inherent in the loft style. Moreover - the design of a kitchen interior in a factory style will allow you to visually expand the dimensions of the room, make it more voluminous and “airy”.
As an idea
For owners of small-sized housing, an excellent way out of the situation is to combine the kitchen with a loggia or balcony. The kitchen area in this case will increase significantly, large windows will appear in the room. The light in the kitchen area will become more natural.
3. The loft style has special lighting requirements. 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 spot lights. The shape and style of lighting fixtures is selected in accordance with the general design idea. Everything is permissible here - from classic fixtures to chandeliers made in high-tech style. Window openings are made as open as possible, without curtains or curtains. When designing kitchen spaces in an industrial style, you can use horizontal blinds.
4. For finishing floors, it is worth choosing a material that combines with the general appearance of the room. This can be either a rough concrete base remaining in the room after the main repairs, or more “warm” types of coatings, such as natural wood. If the floors in the kitchen are covered with an old parquet board, then you can simply loop them and cover 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 should be as similar as possible.
5. When choosing furniture for such a kitchen, it should be remembered that it should be functional and concise 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 - it is these decorative elements that will not clutter the interior. In the industrial kitchen, glass countertops, wooden and metal racks, folding chairs look great. Such furniture is usually used in country cottages and in summer cottages.
It should be borne in mind that the loft style does not accept closed shelves and cabinets at all: the kitchen should have many open shelves with kitchen accessories and utensils. By the way, here you will find a mobile table on wheels and a comfortable bar.
6. In such kitchen facilities, very old-fashioned antique furniture looks very decent. Elegant translucent buffets, 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 compulsory 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 the combination of the new and the old in such kitchen facilities. The industrial design direction allows you to combine rare furniture with multifunctional modern household appliances. Antique kitchen sideboards get along well with trendy chrome surfaces and glass partitions. Unlike furniture, kitchen appliances, in accordance with the requirements of the loft style, must be bulky and massive. Devices of impressive size in such interiors are associated with those that can often be seen in restaurants.
7. Various accessories will help to make the kitchen interior not too expressive bright and spectacular: modern reproductions of aspiring artists, youth posters and graffiti, figurines and folk art objects. There shouldn’t be many: it’s important not to overdo it.A small number 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? The option has a lot of advantages. And those who have already joined the ranks of the lucky owners of loft-style kitchen interiors fully appreciated this and do not regret their decision.