Renovation of "Khrushchev" is a real challenge, especially if you want to make a modern and comfortable one out of an old apartment of an unsuccessful layout. The main enemy of old apartments is a narrow corridor, a small kitchen, an unfortunate arrangement of doors, walk-through rooms and, of course, a small square. But today it is possible to implement even the most daring and unusual project, and for this it is not at all necessary to be a professional designer. It is enough to analyze the features of the apartment, study previously implemented projects and draw up a design project.






Features of the
The houses built in the middle of the last century are still the only housing for millions of families. And today brick and large-panel houses up to five floors are considered the worst architectural solution. Often, the easiest way to improve a depressing apartment layout is to demolish the interior partitions. With some layouts, it is possible to combine a kitchen and rooms, an entrance hall and a room, a bath and a toilet. This will expand the area of the apartment, add a few required meters. Also, some apartments have a storage room that can be combined with a living room.



The size of the corridor is usually boring. A narrow and dark hallway in rare cases can accommodate a wardrobe, so it is necessary to focus on functionality, if possible, get rid of non-load-bearing walls. If the bathroom is initially separate, it should be combined. Then it will be possible to allocate space for a washing machine and a large corner bath. To save space, you can opt out of a sink or bath in favor of a shower stall. Any restructuring of the walls must be coordinated with a specialist, regardless of the house in which it is carried out: large-panel or brick.
The peculiarities of the apartment do not make it possible to move the kitchen to another place, but you can take the dining area into the living room. To do this, you can demolish the partition between the kitchen and the room or make an arched opening. Such a wide passage will visually divide the space and create the effect of increasing the area. Instead of a large roomy table, you can leave space in the kitchen for a bar counter, which can comfortably accommodate up to 4 people.



Dimensions (edit)
On a small square, I really want to equip a beautiful and comfortable apartment for life. Modern design ideas allow you to create a cozy interior, so design projects for apartments up to 43 sq. m is still popular. All typical two-room "Khrushchevs" have a similar layout and area:
- The total area is 41-48 square meters.
- Apartments up to 41 sq. m have adjoining rooms.
- Ceiling height - 2.5-2.6 m. In some series of houses the ceilings reach 2.7 m.
- The kitchen area varies from 4.9 to 8 m2.



The layout of the apartment is 42 sq. m is popularly called "book". It is considered the most unsuccessful because it has small rooms, one of which is a walk-through. The apartment is 44 sq. m already has separate rooms, but a small kitchen brings certain inconveniences and requires radical solutions. The apartment has a floor area of 45 sq. m rooms are arranged symmetrically, so they are popularly called "vest" or "butterfly".






Rooms
In fact, there are not so many options for arranging a two-room "Khrushchev" building, but making an apartment with an unsuccessful layout and low ceilings comfortable and convenient is quite realistic. To do this, first of all, you need to understand what type of repairs should be carried out: capital repairs with the replacement of all engineering and communication networks and the demolition of partitions or simple cosmetic repairs without redevelopment.
Exists three common layouts of a two-room "Khrushchev": "book", "tram" and "lorry" with an improved layout. The smallest room in any apartment is the entrance hall. It is possible to expand its area only by increasing the doorway. More natural light will flow in this way, and the hallway will visually expand. If the hallway is long but narrow, it can be divided into two parts. The first will be a standard hallway near the front door, and the second will be the transition to the room.



Perhaps the most interesting option can be obtained only through the complete transformation of the apartment, while it is important to use effectively every square meter. To do this, you can demolish the interior partitions and equip the apartment as a "studio", focusing on freedom and space. This method will increase the living space and expand the space. You can also abandon the narrow walk-through corridor and expand the bathroom. Before starting work, it is necessary to draw up a plan for the future apartment and agree on the redevelopment. The most common options for combining zones:
- hall-kitchen-dining room … To combine three zones in one room, it is necessary to demolish partitions or equip an arched doorway. On the dividing line between the room and the kitchen, or in the room, there is a dining area with a soft sofa or a bar counter with high chairs.
- Bedroom-living room. A common option for arranging an apartment if the family has a child, and one room is reserved for the nursery. With this method of zoning, it is not necessary to demolish the interior partitions; you can use different methods of zoning the room.


- Study-living room. The best way to separate your work area is to elevate it onto the podium. You can also use mobile partitions or a rack with open shelves. However, it should be remembered that bulky partitions can visually reduce the space.
- Study-bedroom. In this case, the desktop can be placed closer to the window, using a plasterboard wall or shelving. Also, with the help of lighting, you can divide a room into two independent functional areas.


Zoning
The main enemy of small apartments is chaos, disorder and clutter. When drawing up a two-room apartment plan, it is important to take into account several main points:
- each family member should have a personal area, and the size of this area usually does not matter.
- Well, the kitchen must be allocated a spacious and functional work area with a stove, dishwasher and sink. If a gas stove is used, then it is impossible to combine the kitchen with the room, but you can expand the doorway, use sliding doors. And at the same time, it is strictly forbidden to change the position of the gas stove and close access to it.






- The second room can be allocated as a bedroom or a children's room. It can accommodate a large storage system, bed, dressing table or work desk.
- If a child will live in the room, then you can put a bed, a desk and a wardrobe, while leaving free space for games. If two children will live in the room, then it is better to choose functional transforming furniture or a bunk bed. The window seat can be equipped with a desk, so that each child has a separate study area.



There are many ways to zone a space. The most common and demanded:
- the use of different methods of wall decoration;
- additional false walls made of plasterboard;
- mobile partitions and screens;



- curtains, curtains and curtains-threads;
- pieces of furniture, wardrobes, sofas;
- different levels of floor and ceiling.
Another trick of zoning "Khrushchev" is a large bright space. If it is not possible to demolish the walls, then you can abandon the usual doors in favor of sliding doors. With the help of such "nominal" doors, you can create a single space or hide a separate area from prying eyes.



Finishing
The opinion that it is necessary to use exclusively light colors in the interior of small apartments is somewhat exaggerated, because pastel colors can turn an apartment into a hospital ward. In fact, you can combine bright and rich colors, you just need to do it carefully and in moderation. The choice of color is certainly an individual decision, but it is worth remembering that shades have a special effect on a person's mood:
- beige, light gray, cream, pale yellow and other pastel shades are the most popular in all modern styles. You can diversify such an interior with black, brown or any bright colors.
- The whole palette of green goes well with white and brown, great for eco style and at the same time creates a special relaxed mood.






- Bright and saturated colors can be used in the interior of an apartment even when decorating walls, but it is important to dilute paints with light shades that may be present in furniture, curtains and textiles.
- Blue and light blue in the interior go well with white and gray. You can also add sunny colors by diluting the cool shades with yellow or green.
It is important to be able to combine colors and shades, not to be afraid of bold decisions and to combine the finishing of the floor, walls and ceiling in the same direction. Then even an old 2-room apartment can become a cozy and modern home.



Floors
Floor finishing options depend on the preferences and financial condition of the apartment owner. You can choose standard linoleum, laminate, tile or carpet, but anyway it is better to do any coating in light colors or in a color palette as close as possible to them. These can be gray, beige, white shades or patterns that imitate natural light wood.
Laminate and parquet boards are best laid along a long wall. The problem with two-room "Khrushchevs" is that it can be difficult to repair the floor and maintain a single pattern, because the rooms can be on different sides of the building and have different shapes. Therefore, it is better to choose boards with a non-uniform pattern, which does not need to be selected. Carpet is rarely used throughout an apartment due to its impracticality, but it is a great way to insulate a cold room.



Ceilings
The easiest way to finish the ceiling in a small apartment is to use a stretch option. It will hide all flaws, irregularities and cracks. You can also use multi-level ceilings with additional LED lighting. Additional lighting around the perimeter of the ceiling will visually increase the length of the room.
The color of the ceiling must be close to white. Dark shades will psychologically crush, visually reduce the height of the ceiling. A multi-level ceiling with recessed spotlights also looks great. Bright lighting and sophisticated structures will visually "raise" the ceiling and expand the space.



Walls
The most common way to decorate an apartment is to level the walls with putty and wallpaper. Despite the seeming simplicity of work, in fact, the process is very difficult, because the walls of the "Khrushchev" are not considered even, and it will not always be possible to glue the wallpaper back to back. In some places, the difference between the canvases can reach 2 cm, so it is still worth spending time and effort on the perfect alignment of the walls. There are several ways to decorate walls:
wallpaper remains the most common option. You can use expensive silk-screened canvases. It is better to give preference to wallpaper with small vertical patterns and patterns. They will help achieve a high ceiling effect






- Wall murals with a perspective look great in a small room: cityscapes or natural landscapes will decorate any room and create the illusion of presence.
- A great alternative is the liquid wallpaper. They are easy to apply and hide all the flaws of uneven walls. The texture allows you to create a seamless surface, diversify the interior with unusual patterns.



Furniture
Placing all the necessary furniture in "Khrushchev" is already good luck, but if you want to create a unique modern interior, then you need to choose stylish and compact furniture. All large items (wardrobe, sofa, chest of drawers) should be removed to the darkest corner away from the window. It is better to use folding tables, sliding sofas, multifunctional dressers. As a storage system, you should choose built-in furniture with glossy, light or glass doors, since dark colors will make the furniture more bulky and heavy. Upholstered furniture can be bright and rich in color.



It is better to choose a bed in the bedroom with internal drawers for storing things and textiles. How access will be carried out - everyone decides for himself. There are two options: drawers or bed lift. Each of them has pros and cons. The drawers hold fewer things, but access to them is easier, possible at any time. With the lifting mechanism, the situation is absolutely opposite: there are many times more storage space, but access to them may be limited if a person is sleeping on the bed at that time. The prices for both models are different.
It is also better to choose beds with a soft headboard, they will greatly facilitate life, make your stay more comfortable and relaxing. Don't skimp on buying a bed. It should be large and comfortable. Even if you have to sacrifice bedside tables, it's still worth choosing the largest model your bedroom can hold.



Decor
A small apartment should have a minimum of decor. It is best to leave open shelves half empty as this will create a lighter atmosphere. You shouldn't use a lot of small decor. It will split the room into pieces and create a feeling of clutter and mess.
Nevertheless, when repairing a two-room "Khrushchev" building, one should give preference to simple forms, multi-level lighting, and focus on space, because bold design ideas do not always require a large number of decorative elements in the interior. The main emphasis in the living room is best done on upholstered furniture and textiles. Due to the shortage of decorative elements, furniture upholstery, flooring and curtains will become the main component of the apartment, so be more careful when choosing a carpet, sofa, curtains and other details such as paintings, lamps and vases.






Styles
Both rooms and the kitchen should correspond to the same style, be kept in the same color scheme and correspond to the time period. The combination of different styles in a small "Khrushchev" will look inappropriate and even ridiculous. Connoisseurs of freedom and open space should pay attention to the modern styles of apartment decoration, they are ideal for studio apartments. At the same time, the emphasis is on functionality and freedom of space.
For a small apartment, the most suitable style is minimalism. Light shades, light curtains and a minimum of decor - all this creates the effect of expanding the space and has a positive effect on the human condition



- Scandinavian the style combines the features of minimalism and the play of colors. In this style, light shades also prevail in the interior, but additional decor in the form of paintings, decorative objects and flowers is allowed. In this case, the main emphasis is on functionality and comfort.
- High tech high tech perfect for modern and active young people. In fact, the era of high technology is embodied in the interior. In addition, this style is perfect for decorating a teenager's room. Preference is given to light shades and metallic glossy sheen. Bulky chandeliers and unusual decorative elements are excluded, but the use of paintings, posters and photographs in thin metal frames is allowed. Lighting should be well thought out, with preference given to simple geometric shapes.



- Style provence came to us from the southern province of France. Distinctive features are floral motifs, pastel and natural shades: beige, turquoise, olive, blue, green, pink, lavender, yellow and the like, while the interior should not be bright and saturated. The main light color is diluted with a natural natural palette. Furniture can be aged, peeling paint, or chipped wood. You can complement the interior with unique items: a chest or an old chest of drawers. Curtains and curtains should be light and translucent, average length to the windowsill is allowed. A large number of ruffles, lace, tablecloths and ceramic figurines are welcomed as decor.
- In a small, cramped "Khrushchev" building, you can use different styles, but in no case should you decorate the interior in a chic and idly decorated baroque.
Regardless of which interior style you choose, the main thing is that the space is aesthetic, functional and practical.



Professional advice
Designers advise to combine no more than three colors in the interior. One of them must be neutral and calm, and as for the rest, they can be bold and rich, the main thing is not too flashy, not overloading the room. Complementary colors are appropriate to use as accents. It can be bright pictures, textiles, curtains, furniture upholstery or an unusual designer vase. The main thing is that the second color is complementary, and the third is a link between the first two.
Decide in advance where the TV will be installed. It is better to choose a flat screen and install it on the wall using a swing arm. You should immediately make sure that the wires are hidden.






The window in the "Khrushchev" is usually small, so the best options for curtains will be light translucent curtains. Thus, the room will be filled with daylight and air. It is worth abandoning dense curtains and curtains with lambrequins, since they can look harmonious when drawing up a design project, but in practice they will make the situation heavy, compressed and dusty.
The successful design of the "Khrushchev" building cannot do without high-quality lighting. The main thing is that there are no dark corners in the apartment. Depending on the style, it is better to choose built-in lamps around the entire perimeter of the ceiling as the main ceiling lighting; you can combine them with a ceiling chandelier. For individual lighting, it is worth using local lamps on the floor and walls. It can be all kinds of floor lamps, sconces and table lamps. Well-thought-out lighting will help to place accents in the apartment, highlight important areas and hide flaws.



Interior options
A large mirror in a beautiful frame can transform the interior of the "Khrushchev" beyond recognition.



Thread curtains are great for zoning a small room. This option belongs to economy class. They perfectly transmit air and light, take up little space, and at any time they can be removed, making the room even larger.


The interior of the room looks advantageous when the colors of furniture, walls and curtains match.






When working on the arrangement of the kitchen, you should not be afraid of bold decisions. The rounded headset combines comfort, functionality and style. Moreover, it is located on an area of 8 square meters.



The combination of beige, brown and deep blue looks harmonious and attractive in the interior of the kitchen-living room.



A good way is to expand the kitchen area at the expense of the hallway.



Spectacular wallpaper looks incredible even in a small room, creating a stunning effect of presence.






You will see how to make a redevelopment of a two-room "Khrushchev" building in the next video.