Creating a kitchen design in an apartment is a responsible and multi-stage process that includes design, selection of materials, choice of style, finishing, and decorating. There is much to do, but if you plan everything correctly, the result will please you.

The kitchen is the main place for cooking and eating. You need to make sure that inspiration never leaves you, that cooking is a pleasure, and all meals take place in a homey, cozy atmosphere. Modern kitchen renovation in an ordinary apartment involves combining kitchens with dining rooms. In the old days, this technique was resorted to out of necessity in order to carve out a few free inches, turning a blind eye to the accompanying inconveniences in the form of odors freely spreading throughout the apartment.

Now, this is a fashionable trend that has additional advantages. Because two rooms are combined, not only is significant space saved, but there is also scope for the implementation of an interesting kitchen design that makes the room unique. The kitchen is now not only a favorite place for family members but also often a living area where friends are invited with pleasure.

Modern interior design styles

There are many interior design styles, each with unique features. Everyone can choose a style according to their budget and preferences. Let's look at the most popular trends that represent fashion trends in interiors.

High-tech

Distinctive characteristics:

  • Minimalism
  • Functionality
  • Smooth surfaces
  • High technology, the most advanced equipment
  • Clear geometry
  • Bright, stylish accents on a uniform background
  • Advanced materials: plastic, metal, and glass
  • Minimum decor
  • Accent lighting, which is an important design element

Modern renovation in this style is best done in a neutral color scheme. Light gray, beige, metallic, and black in many shades are ideal for the background.

Since the interior of a high-tech kitchen is usually monochrome, it should contain bright accents but in very measured doses. A more expressive design option will be obtained if you use sharp contrasts in the primary colors: a combination of black and white, or choose one color but two of its tones - dark and light.

To make the design attractive, you need to use different materials. Don't be afraid to combine glossy and matte textures, textiles, stone, glass, wood, photo wallpaper, and plastic. Be sure to use modern technologies, such as materials with a 3D effect.

Loft

The loft style originated in the 1940s in the US when industrial premises and warehouses began to be used as housing. Moreover, repairs were not carried out, and only furniture was installed. Therefore, it is characterized by untreated walls, high ceilings, and exposed communications.

The direction doesn't require hiding protruding pipes, wires, and communications, but, on the contrary, encourages emphasizing them with decor. Wall decoration is often brickwork, whitewashed, or untreated. Alternatively, you can use wallpaper or brick tiles.

Loft can be bohemian, glamorous, and industrial. Bohemian implies the spirit of a real factory but with creative furniture. Glamorous involves bright furniture and low-hanging lamps. Industrial conveys the atmosphere of an industrial building with functional furniture of geometric shapes. Renovation of modern kitchens is also done in this style today. The loft perfectly combines the most modern equipment with vintage items.

Minimalism

This is a modern style chosen by perfectionists, young people with an active rhythm of life, and aesthetes. A distinctive feature is a minimum of objects and a maximum of functionality. Everything is extremely thought out and laconic. It is similar to such styles as high-tech, modern, and Japanese styles.

Modern renovation in this spirit uses straight lines, monochromatic surfaces, and neutral colors. Smooth textures with alternating gloss and matte surfaces set a certain rhythm, bringing variety to a calm interior. Because there are no decor and kitchen utensils on the countertop, the kitchen will always be in perfect order.

The number of colors used is usually two, and the third is introduced as an accent. Neutral shades are used as a base: gray, white, black, beige, and cream. Accent colors are red, green, orange, and blue.

Provence

This style fills the kitchen with the French spirit. Provence adds beauty and comfort to a modern room. Decorative painted plates, clay pots, jars of spices, and cookbooks are elements of Provence. Curtains and tablecloths with a small floral print in muted tones are a required element of the decor.

The style's color palette is distinguished by tenderness and softness. Sand, lavender, white, cream, pale green, and sky blue are traditional colors for Provence. Brick, mosaic, and stone are used for wall decoration. This interior's shelves are left open; kitchen utensils can be placed on them. Modern technology is placed behind facades with decorative slats. Chandeliers with fabric lampshades are hung on the ceiling.

Colors for kitchen renovation

Color solutions can be done in four classic options:

  • Contrasting. Two colors that are different from each other are taken as a basis and complemented by one or two shades.
  • Monochrome. The main color is diluted with similar shades, and the background appears calm. This color scheme is also called monochrome. Cold or warm shades can be used.
  • The principle of analogy. Choose a base tone at an angle of 15-20 degrees on the color wheel, and equidistantly choose two shades.
  • Accent combination. In the center, there are four colors: the main one, two of its shades, and a bright tone, which contrasts with the main one.

Any of the listed concepts can be used for modern renovation, both for kitchens and for other rooms.

Materials

The kitchen has a microclimate that is very different from other rooms. There is high humidity, temperature changes, and foreign odors. Surfaces accumulate fats and help bacteria multiply. Therefore, they are often exposed to cleaning agents during cleaning. Materials must have good performance properties, but at the same time, they must emphasize the modern interior and perform a decorative function. Each work area is selected for its own type of finish. If you choose the wrong coating, you will soon have to do the renovation again.

Flooring

Modern flooring renovations include using linoleum, cork flooring, laminate, parquet board, self-leveling floor, ceramic tile, and porcelain stoneware. Linoleum is moisture-resistant and soundproof, while cork is hypoallergenic and resistant to fat and moisture. Laminate is easy to install and clean but not moisture-resistant. The parquet board is natural and sensitive to moisture, while the elf-leveling floor is ideal for underfloor heating and three-dimensional drawing.

Ceiling

When selecting a ceiling material, consider whitewashing, vinyl wallpaper, painting, plasterboard, slatted ceiling, and stretch ceilings. Whitewashing is the cheapest and easiest option, providing good air exchange but not tolerant of moisture. Wallpaper is difficult to glue and can deform due to temperature changes. Painting can be washed, and it better tolerates moisture. Plasterboard offers a modern multi-level ceiling with various lighting variations. Slatted ceilings have closed seams and can be assembled by yourself. Stretch ceilings require qualified specialists and can withstand floods from neighbors.

Walls

Modern kitchen wall renovations use various materials such as plastic panels, tiles, brick, paper, wood paneling, decorative plaster, and stone. Plastic panels are quick, low-cost, and easy to clean, while tiles are durable and suitable for all design styles. Brick provides sound and heat insulation, while paper offers a variety of options. Wood paneling is environmentally friendly and ideal for country houses, but it requires special treatment. Decorative plaster hides defects and has a beautiful texture, while stone is a natural material with a high price.