Kitchen on the balcony or loggia
A kitchen with a balcony or loggia, such as in the photo below, is becoming more popular. This is a great way to expand the space and equip a separate area - a dining, work, a greenhouse, a place to rest, etc. Such interiors have their own nuances, as well as special preparation before starting repairs.
If all the technical details are followed, then the kitchen on the balcony or loggia will be an excellent way to make the free space more functional.
Features
Accession to the kitchen balcony or loggia significantly expands its functionality. Comparison of the pros and cons of such a decision will further determine the design.
Virtues
In addition to decorative functions, the attached loggia optimizes space, making it more functional and practical. The main advantages of this repair:
- Increase in area;
- Warming a balcony or loggia will improve the heat and sound insulation of the room;
- More light;
- The ability to create an isolated zone.
Loggia or balcony can be very functionally equipped for the kitchen
The design of the kitchen, combined with a balcony, looks more interesting and more attractive than the already familiar interiors. With this repair, you can apply non-standard approaches to the organization of the kitchen space. Loggia can be turned into a huge panoramic window, if you are lucky with the scenery.
Near such a window it is pleasant not only to have dinner, but also to have a rest with the whole family.
disadvantages
There are many advantages to extending the kitchen by dismantling the wall between it and the balcony, however there are several drawbacks:
- We'll have to spend a lot of time and effort collecting the necessary documents and working through the project. Redevelopment cannot be carried out without legal permission from the relevant services.
- Heat and sound insulation require additional expenses, not counting the mandatory glazing of the loggia.
High-quality insulation of the balcony or loggia will provide an opportunity to establish a full-fledged dining group.
The disadvantages primarily concern the financial side and the messing around with the documents. When comparing them with the advantages of such a design, the choice becomes obvious.
Nuances of repair
It is not always possible to create a single kitchen interior with a balcony. In rare cases, it is possible to remove the entire outer wall, most often a part of it remains. But with the dismantling of windows and doors, problems usually do not arise. The lower part of the wall, which remained under the window, is often used as a countertop or bar counter, and lamps are mounted in the upper part. It is convenient and practical. Less commonly, a solid wall takes up much more space — before the former door. This design is used when kitchen utensils are stored on the loggia.
An example of a major overhaul of a balcony that has turned into a dining area of a kitchen
To the remnants of the wall looked harmoniously in the interior, without cutting it in two, they must “work” on it. This is not only a worktop or bar counter, a low wall can be turned into a stepped shelf for household flowers, souvenirs, etc. A large aquarium instead of a window will become an unusual addition to the kitchen.
Balcony wall can be equipped with an aquarium
If you are lucky and the loggia is large enough, you can move the entire dinner set there. In this case, the window sill can be used in the form of a distribution table or a bar with drinks. Variants of kitchen design on the balcony can be seen in the photo below.
Re-equipping part of the wall to the bar is a practical and stylish solution.
Loggia insulation
It is impossible to do without heat insulation of the balcony, since there are no heating devices here. Ideal - external and internal insulation. If for one reason or another it is impossible to make the outer layer of sound insulation, it is worth paying special attention to internal work. In addition to insulation (penoplex, foam, etc.), you must use waterproofing to prevent water from entering the slots and insulation.
Before using a balcony or a loggia for the kitchen, it is necessary to conduct high-quality insulation and glazing
In addition to heat insulators, the environment can be improved by installing a floor heating system or by installing electrical radiators. Infrared heaters are good at work, they do not take up space, as they are installed under the ceiling. How to make a warmed loggia in the kitchen can be seen in the photo with different design options.
Work organization
After registration of all the necessary documents for the demolition of the wall, you can remove the windows with a door. At the same time, the upper part should remain intact, and ideally it should be strengthened with the help of a frame. Visually, the remains of the wall can be decorated as an arch with smooth edges. The battery, which was previously under the window opening, moves to one of the walls of the loggia. It is best to repair the loggia in the spring, when the heating season ends.
Important! Remove the balcony unit and demolish the wall can only be after the work on the insulation.
Variants of kitchen design on the balcony can be seen in the photo below.
How to use the loggia
When you combine a kitchen with a balcony, enough space is added that can be used. There are many options - from the dining room to a place for reading or a greenhouse.
Dinner Zone
The most popular way to use the new territory - a breakfast with a view of the scenery outside the window will obviously add strength. A bar counter or tabletop instead of a window sill allows you to clearly separate the dining and work space. A large table is unlikely to fit on a loggia, but a compact sofa and a low table are quite.
If there is enough space, instead of a corner sofa with built-in drawers under the seat, you can put chairs, poufs or a bench. Looks like a balcony, converted into a kitchen-dining room, you can look at the selection of photos of interiors on.
Bar counter
The way to equip the dining area, if the balcony is quite small. Depending on the design of the selected model, it is complemented by drawers, open shelves, a mini-bar, supplies for glasses, lighting, etc. The rack can also be used as a worktop. In some cases, the sink is placed here.
Household appliances and work surfaces
Such a kitchen design will require much more to repair. It is necessary to take into account not only the increasing load on the loggia in this case, but also the transfer of communications, which also requires coordination with the BTI. On the balcony, in addition to the sink and hob, you can move the refrigerator, but this is not always convenient from the point of view of creating a working triangle.
Important! Fully move the sink and appliances with a stove on the loggia can only be on the first floor.
When transferring all the technical kitchen stuffing to the balcony, the vacant space is used for storage systems and countertops. In addition, there will be enough space for the arrangement of the dining area. Variants of transferring the kitchen to the loggia can be seen in the photo below.
Couch
The balcony can easily become a cozy place to relax and read books, if you put a small sofa here and think about a place for a bookcase. If there is not enough space, the sofa is replaced by a chair. A large window opening will make it easy to read books during the day, thanks to natural light, and for the evening time floor lamps, spotlights in the ceiling or sconces are appropriate.
Study
Loggia can be converted into a private office with a table, chair and laptop. To work, looking at the beautiful landscape outside the window, much nicer than sitting in the four walls. In order not to be distracted by the noise from the kitchen, you can separate the balcony with a screen, thick curtains, and a glass sliding partition.
Pantry
Many use loggias for storing rubbish, so the arrangement of the storage room is quite an ordinary decision. The balcony is spacious enough to accommodate shelves and racks, where you can store small utensils, some products, etc.
Winter Garden
A warm space with good lighting is great for growing domestic plants. Own greenhouse makes the interior more comfortable, enlivening it with bright green shades and vibrant colors.
A small home garden with a sufficient amount of space can be easily combined with a place to rest or a study. But for a small library, this design is not suitable because of humidity. How to make a kitchen with a garden on the loggia can be seen on the selection of the photo below.
Decoration Materials
The choice of finishes for the kitchen with a balcony is no different from the usual kitchen space. Materials should be practical, be combined in color and texture with the rest of the interior, easy to clean.
Floor
For flooring tiles are often used. This is a durable, wear-resistant material, tiles can easily tolerate temperature extremes, heat, is not afraid of water. The weak point of such a floor is a grout, it is in the joints that dirt accumulates, mold can occur. To avoid this, the seams must be treated with water-repellent agents.
Laminate flooring is also good for the kitchen. It can be combined with tile or stone, for example, in the area of the apron tile, and on the balcony with a dining room laminate. The most affordable flooring is linoleum. It spreads easily onto the floor, with no need to pre-level the base. Linoleum can be easily put without dismantling the old floor.
Wall coverings
The design of the walls in the kitchen and balcony may differ not only in color but also in materials. For the working space it is better to use practical tiles, glass panels, washable vinyl or acrylic wallpaper, paint. Since the working space on the balcony is much less often equipped, less resistant materials are also chosen for finishing.
Important! If the balcony is located on the south side of the house, you should pay attention to materials resistant to fading under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, or curtain the windows with thick curtains.
Using different colors, it is easy to divide the kitchen into different parts. It can be different shades of the same color or contrasting combinations. It is important that the selected colors are in harmony with each other. Variants of wall design in the kitchen with a balcony or loggia can be seen in the photo.
Ceiling
The easiest finish is painting or whitewashing. White or light beige ceiling fits into any interior design, without distracting from the details. The ceiling surface is almost always lighter than the floor and wall finish. In rare cases, there are more ambitious design options, for example, black or red. In order for a bright ceiling when choosing such a design not to crush with color, the rest of the surfaces should be light and seasoned in a neutral scale.
Plasterboard and tension structures are popular. The first is easier to install, you can handle the repair yourself. Stretch ceilings can be installed only with the use of professional equipment, which will cost much more. However, PVC canvases have many advantages. Stretch ceiling is easy to clean, the design has no seams, the canvas is able to withstand about 100 liters of water, if suddenly the neighbors flood you from above. PVC canvases quickly restore shape after the flood, but satin ceilings will require complete replacement.
Tiered structures and beams can not only decorate the ceiling, they are also used to delimit the space and install fixtures. If the room is small, it is better to avoid such a design. How else can you make a ceiling in the kitchen with a loggia can be seen on the selection of the photo below.
Decor and textiles
Kitchen design with a balcony does not do without suitable curtains to complement the interior. The choice of fabrics largely depends on the direction of the world where the windows are directed. More dense curtains are more convenient for southern rooms, in the summer they will not only not let the bright sun, but also save them from the heat. From the north, on the contrary, there is much less sunlight, especially in winter. For the northern windows are selected light translucent fabrics. If the window between the loggia and the kitchen is preserved, it can also be closed with a curtain.
Curtains are selected for decoration, upholstery or significant elements of decor. They can be monophonic or repeat existing patterns in the interior. If the kitchen has a sofa or bench, you can throw a bright bedspread, put colorful pillows. Complement the interior of the picture, photos, statues, beautiful dishes in shop windows or open shelves, stylish wall lamps, home flowers. How else to decorate the kitchen with the removal of the loggia can be seen in the photo below.
Useful tips
So that when you remake a balcony in the kitchen, the interior is harmonious and spectacular as in the photo, you should listen to the advice of designers. Nuances in the design of the kitchen room with a loggia:
- Finishing of both zones should be similar in color and be performed in the same style, unless there is a different idea;
- As a division of space, you can choose glass partitions (matte, colored, transparent, with sandblasted pattern, etc.);
- There is no need to align floor differences between the kitchen and the balcony, a slight elevation can play the role of a podium;
- Well between the balcony and the kitchen look arches, columns and semi-columns;
- It is not necessary to use curtains or heavy curtains, Roman or rolled structures take up less space, easier and easier to maintain;
- You should not load the balcony with too bulky furniture, limit to open shelves, racks, light tables;
- The lighting can create a single space, it is enough to mount the lamps around the perimeter of the room, and use an wall lamp for additional lighting.
How to make a beautiful cozy kitchen from a balcony can be seen on a selection of photos with examples of interiors in different styles.
So, a loggia is a great way to increase the kitchen area. Increasing the size of the room allows the use of more furniture, colors, materials. The balcony is convenient for arranging semi-closed zones, which at the same time do not stand out from the main interior, creating a single ensemble.
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