What is a modular kitchen: the advantages and features of choosing sets of ready-made modules

Multi-storey houses built in the Soviet era, it is difficult to call comfortable. The kitchens are small and designed exclusively for cooking. This little corresponds to modern ideas about comfort and hospitality. When selecting furniture often there are problems. You need to install a beautiful compact headset, which would be convenient to use and there was space for the dining area. The output is a modular kitchen. This is an excellent option not only for small areas, but also for spacious rooms.

What is a modular kitchen and what is it interesting for?

When choosing furniture for the kitchen, the goal of each apartment owner is to save space. Even if the room is relatively large, you need to arrange the items so that the hostess has everything at hand. It is for this rational placement that modular kitchen sets are created. They consist of individual elements of unified dimensions, which can be conveniently arranged with each other. If desired, the items are easily rearranged – and please, the interior looks different.

Gathering the kitchen from the ready-made modules, the owner permanently solves the problem of the situation. Each centimeter of the area is used rationally, and if necessary, you can always add, rearrange or remove any module without damaging the design of the room. For example, you can first hang a hanging cabinet and put the table, and later add other elements. Similarly, you can always remove an extra locker. The appearance of the room will change, but it will remain attractive.

The main advantages of modular kitchens are that they can be installed in rooms with non-standard layout. The owner does not have to go shopping, choosing a convenient set for his “special” room. Sometimes it’s just impossible to find him. Also there is no need to overpay for furniture to order, which is far from always better than the standard, but costs several times more.

In a conventional headset, you can not change the position of objects, and in fact many people already in a few years after installing furniture want at least a minimal renovation of the interior. If the solution is standard, then you will need to buy a whole set again. It’s costs, nerves, time to look.

The second option is simply to compose the new modules for the kitchen in a new way, order or purchase the missing sections. The updated interior does not burden the budget, but changes are guaranteed. The money saved can be invested in something more useful. It’s profitable!

Another plus – the opportunity to do without a professional designer. For people who want to furnish an apartment as beautifully and functionally as possible, there are special software-designers. If the furniture consists of sections, you can simply go to the manufacturer’s website and create your own design project online. At the same time, you can calculate the approximate cost of new furniture.

What are the difficulties faced by owners

Paradoxically, spacious rooms are more difficult to furnish than small ones. This is due to the standard size of the kitchen modules. If the room has niches or ledges, it is often necessary to resort to professional assistance in developing a design project. Sections can simply “not fit” in the layout of the room.

Another important problem is the quality of products. Modular headsets are made of inexpensive materials, which means that you should not expect from them special durability and durability. On the one hand, the purchase of standard sections allows you to save money. On the other hand, one should be ready to replace them in 5-7 years.

Owners of apartments do not have to count on the creativity of furniture designers. Finishing materials are not particularly diverse, and the configuration of the sections is designed for the most common types of decoration. If you need something truly original and exclusive, furniture will have to be ordered.

Main types of kitchen layout

Functionality is the main requirement for any kitchen set. Furniture should be located so that during cooking the hostess does not have to go too far or “run through” extra meters. The length of the sides of the triangle “refrigerator-sink-stove” should not be too large. Designers consider the optimal distance of 1.2-2.7 m. There are several options for the location of furniture, which allow you to rationally plan the kitchen.

Option # 1: a straight line

A linear layout is considered convenient by most apartment owners. If the room is small, it is difficult to organize the space in a different way. The objects are arranged in a row and form a straight line. This allows the landlady to move from the stove to the sink, without touching the furniture and without unnecessary maneuvers.

Another argument in favor of purchasing a line headset is the price. Budget IKEA modular kitchen can afford almost everyone. This is an excellent option for placing a rectangular shape. A tube with a working surface can be put between a plate and a sink. Hinged cases from the top and the floor cabinet solve the problem of storing utensils.

Option # 2: double row accommodation

If the kitchen is only for cooking, and the dining room is located in another room, you can put the furniture in two rows. This organization of space has certain advantages for owners, who have to spend a lot of time at the stove. In addition, you can save on finishing materials, tk. hanging cabinets, tables and cabinets cover almost the entire area of ​​the walls.

Disadvantages also exist. With a two-row arrangement of kitchen furniture, the dimensions and configuration of the room change. The room looks narrow and long, it is impossible to put anything superfluous, since the space at the walls is occupied, and in the middle there is too little space.

Option # 3: angular layout

What is angular modular furniture? These are sets in which individual cabinets and cabinets are designed in such a way as to occupy space in the corners of rooms. This arrangement allows you to more rationally place the elements of the interior and make it more practical.

Modules are located along two adjacent walls, so that part of the room remains completely free. At the same time, there is enough space for everything you need. In square kitchens, corner modular headsets are especially convenient, because the apartment owner can arrange the sections so that one wall is occupied more than the second.

Option # 4: U-shaped arrangement

If you have a spacious kitchen and it needs to accommodate a large number of cabinets and pedestals, the U-shaped layout will do the best. Thanks to this arrangement it is possible to zonate the room by integrating all the necessary equipment into the furniture. The kitchen becomes extremely functional.

The U-shaped arrangement of the headset has only one drawback. For the dining table there is only one wall, because three others will be occupied. This is an option for those who do not have to save every centimeter of the area, or those who have a dining room in another room.

Option # 5: island or peninsula

Modular kitchen in the shape of an island or peninsula is suitable for large rooms. The sections are arranged as follows: cabinets and pedestals are placed along the walls, and the work area or bar is placed in the center of the room or carried out in the form of a peninsula.

The disadvantage of the island layout is obvious: the headset takes up a lot of space, which is not always convenient. But there is a serious advantage. As a rule, such furniture differs smooth curved lines. The headset looks elegant and elegant. In addition, the rounded corners prevent accidental injuries to the occupants of the house.

Materials for the manufacture of modular furniture

When developing projects for modular sets, designers are betting on the simplicity of the forms. No unnecessary details, ideally even the decor should be practical. The materials used to make the modules should also be as simple as possible in the care, resistant to external influences and at the same time not too expensive. Best suited:

• MDF. Furniture from MDF is chosen by those who prefer environmentally friendly materials. These are boards from pressed wood sawdust, which are covered with veneer, acrylic or PVC film.

• Plastic. Plastic headsets may seem too unpretentious, but for the kitchen in the style of minimalism, they are great. A big plus is a wide range of colors. It compensates for the poor choice of forms. You can choose a set of any shade. At the same time, it will perfectly tolerate moisture, easy to wash.

• Particleboard. When buying a kitchen from the chipboard, you should be very careful. For the manufacture of some types of plates harmful materials are used, so it is worth making sure that the seller has quality certificates. If the material is ecofriendly class E0-E1, furniture from it is completely safe. Of the advantages – low price, wide design potential. Modular headsets from the chipboard are beautiful and practical.

If the owner of the apartment likes to regularly update the interior, it makes sense to buy a kitchen with frame facades. Such modules consist of aluminum frames, and panels for them can be made of any materials, including plastic or glass. If you want, you can always replace the panels – and the headset is completely transformed. However, often new panels within the “walk”, and this can affect the appearance and functionality of furniture.

Tips for choosing quality sets

Which design should I prefer?

The simpler the shape of the modules, the better. This expands the design possibilities. The excess of decorative elements often only hurts. If it is a question of budgetary modular kitchens, it is better to prefer furniture in such styles:

• Modern. Many apartment owners prefer furniture in the style of Art Nouveau. The combination of clarity and smooth lines always looks impressive. Limitations in the choice of colors simply does not exist.

• High tech. Glass, metal, polished surfaces are a trend of recent years. Modular kitchens of high-tech look ultra modern. They are extremely practical and convenient to operate.

• Classic. Furniture of classical shapes and colors is the choice for all times. Such headsets will appeal to people who do not want to pursue fashion trends, prefer simple forms, strive for a sense of coziness and stability.

So, what is this – modular kitchens? This is an opportunity to change the interior at your discretion. You do not have to collect money for many years to update the appearance of the headset. By adding, removing or simply rearranging the modules, you get a new design at no particular cost. In an era of instantaneous change, this quality is priceless.

For the manufacture of budgetary sets use only practical materials. Of course, you will not have a countertop made of marble or carved decor on mahogany facades. But for the furniture will simply take care of using a regular sponge and inexpensive household chemicals. The final choice is always yours!