Kitchen Soviet apartments "Khrushchevsky" type is distinguished by one amazing feature - the presence of a niche under the window, originally provided by the structure of the house. Not every person born in the post-Soviet time, immediately and guesses, why is it needed. Although it does not interfere with finding this deepening very practical application, especially considering that the area of the kitchen in Khrushchev leaves much to be desired.
A bit of history
Niche in the kitchens of urban Lord apartments since the XIX century were used as a winter refrigerator due to the use of natural cold from the outer wall. This idea moved to Soviet life with the active construction of apartment buildings for a simple people.
Normal household appliances were not available at that time. Even if you managed to buy a modern miracle of progress, allowing you to keep reserves in the chilled form, it often turned out to be too large for the proletarian of close kitchen space.
But the products needed to store somewhere. Cold wardrobe in the kitchen under the window quite successfully coped with this task. The place for it was determined by the designers not by chance. It was under the window that the simpleness turned out to be the most cold.
Make it up uncomfortable. The doors were simple, plywood. Often outside them were covered with wallpaper so that the deepening under the window did not attract unnecessary attention.
Over time, the harsh need for this niche disappeared - there were comfortable refrigerators of small sizes, which, if installed in the kitchen, did not eat too much space in it. But The possibility of alternative use of the place under the window . As the kitchen space develops, the idea becomes more and more original.
Options for modern use
Now niche adapts to completely different things.
- Cabinet with drawers or shelves - Open or hidden for swing doors. In one case, they can be used to storing even pickles, even kitchen utensils. It all depends on the need.
- Place under the heating radiator. If the house is cold, and the additional space for storage products is not required, the niche is just suitable for another battery.
- Electrocamine. This is a more elegant alternative to the radiator capable of completely transforming the view of a small kitchen.
- Safe. Some use a niche under the window that remains the Soviet past. You can make a non-burnable box, inaccessible for other people, providing him with a reliable lock. And if it should be disguised as it should be, it is unlikely that someone will generally suspect that there is a cache in the kitchen.
- Built-in dishwasher or washing machine. Small household appliances models will fit well into the kitchen space if the former refrigerator competently dispose.
- Place under the cooking panel or sink. Such an option, like the previous one, you will not call easily implemented, but the niche becomes an integral part of the working space of the kitchen.
- Place under the dining area. If you remove a niche under the window, and instead of the windowsill, install the worktop, sit next to it becomes very comfortable - the legs do not rest in the wall. This is a good option for a couple or a person who lives alone.
The most radical method is to completely remove the niche and make a French window in the kitchen.
However, it is necessary to take into account that transforming such a plan without regard to special services that give permits for the work of this kind, it is impossible. In addition, the costs in this case are quite serious. They are justified in the case when there is little light in the kitchen.
How to equip space under the window
Depending on the new purpose of Niche, the internal work associated with this is complex and time-consuming. Redoing this place in some cases, partially removing brickwork to deepen space under the window. Often you have to warm the niche and protect the inner space from condensate. To install modern technology - to bring electricity, water and sewage.
As for the outer decoration, it depends on the overall kitchen design. The first thing that comes to mind is to make the windows of the windows of the windows similar to how they look like a kitchen headset.
Moreover, Niche is often becoming an integral part of the headset. Due to this, it is possible to actively use the space of the window sill to work in the kitchen. Retractable boxes are conveniently used to accommodate dishes. The hostess is always the most needed at hand.
You can also use materials from which windows are made. If the window frame and the slopes are plastic, the door and part of the wall under the window opening is drawn up accordingly.
Additional gloss this area of kitchen gives the use of expensive wallpapers and tiles. You can beat this space in different ways, it all depends on the needs and fantasies of the owners themselves.
Interesting examples
The grille over the radiator in the area of the former niche looks simple and elegant, the heating device is not striking.
You can use a niche under the windowsill as you like - at least under the products, even under the kitchen utensil or towels. The box door is very comfortable and looks like a natural continuation of the plastic window.
The issue of accommodation in the house of the washing machine is calmly solved due to the niche under the window. At the same time, the "washer" in the kitchen does not look foreign. It is simply not visible behind the door headset. And the windowsill is widespread, turning into a convenient workspace.
It is possible to redo the niche so that it will become part of the angular kitchen headset, due to which the functionality of the working space will rise. The small kitchen will be enough space for the saucepan, and for cutlery placed in drawers, and at the same time for a variety of other important things.
The location under the window can remain a refrigerator, but only quite in the spirit of our time. In modern kitchen, such a wardrobe with pickles looks futuristic.
On the shelf under the window it is convenient to put a microwave oven. It is very convenient to use it with this placement.
When the washing is mixed into the niche, on a small kitchen, it is possible to install a large full-fledged refrigerator. The hostess, engaged in washing the dishes, does not rest in a look into the wall, and can look out the window.
Master class on the alteration of the Khrushchev refrigerator look next.