In modern standard apartments, it is not often possible to find a spacious kitchen, where the cooking area, the dining room, and a place for the whole family to relax would be freely located. Combining the kitchen with a balcony or loggia, if possible, helps to solve this problem. With this technique, you can reorganize the space in the room and create a unique and practical design.
Before undertaking repairs with the combination of a kitchen and a loggia, you should consult whether such a redevelopment will require special permits. As a rule, their preparation does not take much time and money, but it can save you from unnecessary questions and proceedings in the future.
Combining options
There are several ways to combine a balcony with a kitchen. The choice of one of them depends on several factors:
- configuration of the kitchen area;
- the size of the balcony and its varieties: the balcony is a structure completely removed from the apartment, and the loggia has only one independent wall, the other three are part of the building structure;
- the desired result of kitchen design;
- functional load on the balcony area;
- permitted redevelopment option.
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If there is no exit to the loggia from your kitchen, you can choose a hall converted into a kitchen and combined with a balcony. To implement such an idea, more effort will be required, because some communications will have to be transferred, but as a result you will get a spacious kitchen-living room with a twist in the form of an attached balcony.
Full alignment
In order to make the most of the usable space of the balcony, the best option would be to completely demolish the wall between it and the kitchen. True, in order to obtain permission for such a redevelopment, you will have to make sure that the wall between the kitchen and the loggia is not load-bearing. The difference in floor level can be corrected by leveling it completely, but it is also possible to “beat” it with a step.
The transition from the kitchen space to the balcony can be decorated with an arch or other decorative element. With full combination, it will be necessary to insulate the balcony block so that it is not too cold in the room in winter. The kitchen, connected to a balcony or loggia, will become much larger and lighter, and will also acquire an unusual shape and additional space for the embodiment of design ideas.
Partial
The most common option for combining a kitchen with a balcony is a simple removal of the window and door block, which is suitable even if the wall is load-bearing. This method has several significant advantages:
- there is no need to carry out time-consuming and long-term work to dismantle the wall;
- it is not necessary to completely insulate the loggia - a small opening will allow you to keep warm in the room;
- the rest of the wall under the windowsill can serve as the basis for an additional work surface or bar counter;
- the presence of a small division of space will allow you to create a secluded sitting area or dining room.
Without alignment
In the event that there is a desire to combine the kitchen with a balcony, but there is no way to carry out expensive repairs, you can simply create a cozy kitchen corner on the loggia. It can serve as a place for a family breakfast or an evening get-together with friends. To do this, you can mount a narrow long tabletop under the balcony window and install bar stools. There are also several options for creating a lounge area on the loggia with a soft podium, pillows and a folding table.
If you still want to create the illusion of a common space, you can replace the window and door unit with a sliding structure from floor to ceiling. This will allow you to maintain the temperature regime in the kitchen, as well as create the feeling of a country house with panoramic windows and access to the veranda. To implement such an idea, you also need to consult the relevant authorities.
How to insulate a balcony
Whichever option you choose, the balcony space becomes a room that requires additional thermal insulation so that it is comfortable to spend time on it at any time of the year. In addition to the already familiar glazing, it is better to carry out other work that will create a favorable microclimate on the balcony.
Partial insulation with special materials - penoplex, penofol, using a plastic film between the layers, thus insulating the wall under the balcony window and the side slopes. The floor surface also needs heating. This will help the electric "warm floor" in the form of tubes, which are mounted under the self-leveling floor.
Complete insulation by bringing the central heating radiator to the balcony. Such a solution is not always possible, but if it is nevertheless feasible, then the area of the balcony or loggia is added to the living area of the apartment. In the event that the transfer of heating communications is not possible, the installation of a radiator operating from the mains is suitable.
Due to the thin wall panels of most balconies, a combination of two methods is preferred: strengthening the walls with thermal insulation materials and installing a wall radiator. All these methods do not in any way affect the possibilities of finishing the opening, since all communications are hidden under the decorative coatings of the walls and floor.
Examples of interior ideas
Such a simple technique as combining a kitchen with a loggia can help to realize rather original ideas in interior design. It is not necessary to hire a professional designer to create a special atmosphere in the room. This will help a selection of photos of interiors, from where you can safely borrow any ideas and embody them in your home.
In this example, the classic kitchen interior is supported by a kind of portal leading to the balcony space. The wall was not completely removed, but the ceiling and window sill left over from the dismantling of the window unit were also removed. This means that such redevelopment requires a mandatory permit. The passage from the kitchen to the recreation area is decorated with curtains with a lambrequin, which complements the interior. There is also a lambrequin on the window block of the balcony. Thus, with different functional loads, a sense of the unity of the premises is created.
A more modern kitchen requires bold solutions. One of them is the non-standard design of the passage to the balcony. In this case, the semi-arch shape has been chosen, which supports the dynamics of the interior. The wall separating the two rooms has been retained, but plenty of natural light enters the kitchen. Part of the structure of the former window sill is used as an impromptu workplace. The curtains on the balcony window added coziness to the interior. This is an example of a successful increase in kitchen space by attaching a loggia.
In this case, there was no direct connection between the kitchen and the balcony, but the area of the loggia was designed as a continuation of the kitchen space. Here you can relax in a cozy atmosphere, have tea at a small table during a break between household chores. The degree of insulation of the balcony depends on whether you wish to use the balcony seating area all year round. It is quite possible to create suitable thermal insulation even for winter evenings.
The balcony opening in this photo has become a full-fledged bar area, for which there would hardly be a place in a standard kitchen. In addition to the bar counter, additional storage space is conveniently located here: shelves, cupboards, and a convenient glass stand. The highlight of the interior is the shape of the shelves, which enhances the effect of the common space. For such a project, you will need to completely insulate the loggia, which can slightly reduce the usable space, but it will allow you to add a few square meters to the kitchen. The balcony glazing serves as a panoramic window; frames for it are selected in the color of the wooden elements of the furniture.
What cannot be done when combining?
Despite the attractiveness of such a method of increasing the space as combining a kitchen with a balcony, before implementing it, you will have to face the hassle of obtaining permission for redevelopment. It is better to familiarize yourself with the regulations governing this issue in advance in order to determine exactly how the merger will take place at the stage of planning the repair. The process of legal registration of redevelopment can take a lot of time and effort. There are a number of obligatory organizations that must give their consent to repairs:
- BTI
- a home planning office;
- Ministry of Emergency Situations;
- SES;
- Management Company.
At each stage, these organizations may require additional approvals with other structures. Therefore, you need to thoroughly prepare for this event, or contact a special agency, which will deal with all the paperwork for a separate fee.
It is important to know what factors can become an obstacle to redevelopment
If joining a balcony or loggia will result in a violation of the integrity of the building facade.
Due to redevelopment, the balcony will not be able to become a place of shelter in the event of a fire or other emergency.
Transferring a central heating radiator to the balcony will require strengthening the work of thermal communications.
These are not all the reasons for refusal to redevelop, but the most common.
If you want to make your kitchen more original and functional and are not afraid of bureaucratic hassle, joining a balcony or loggia will be an excellent option. Such a technique will fit into any interior design, and visits to the authorities compensate for pleasant impressions.
