The design of the hall in the apartment is extremely important. Just in this room, at first, both family members and guests who came to judge it. It is time to deal with this topic properly and to exclude all sorts of mistakes that the owners usually make.
Features
A conversation about the design features of the hall in the apartment is appropriate to start with a study of its overall varieties. In a large space, you can take a variety of design actions without risking to face negative consequences. But in a small area you have to do much more carefully.
But in both cases, whether in an ordinary city apartment or in a private house, the ultimate goals of the design work will always be the same. Only practical methods and basic approaches differ.
In the living room, even the most modest sizes, you can not limit yourself when selecting color compositions and decorative elements. It is possible to provide optimal conditions for everyone living in the house, but it is unacceptable to overload the interior. For visual correction of insufficient area, you can use a maximum of fixtures. If there is little visual correction, the layout of the living room with a balcony is applied, that is, these two rooms are combined.
Important: such work should be undertaken only after consulting with professionals and carefully studying the documentation for the house. In modern halls, a functional, concise-looking atmosphere must necessarily be created.
In addition, you need to strive for:
- comfort for all family members;
- lack of problems with cleaning and cosmetic repairs;
- the exclusion of flashy and too aggressive design decisions.
The choice of a specific design option can only be done when there is a clear answer to the question: who will use the housing. Lonely people over the age of 50 and young families with children and pets have completely different requirements for it. An adequate design solution always looks easy and unobtrusive. It is recommended that the space be divided as clearly as possible into zones with a certain range of functions. Now let's see how these general principles are affected by the specific area of the room.
Take into account the size
The living area is 14 square meters. It’s impossible to use panoramic windows and put up a fireplace. However, this does not mean that residents of old-built apartments cannot take advantage of the achievements of modern design. They just have to find a compromise between their aspirations and objective limitations.
In a similar way, by the way, you can solve the problem of a living room of 12 square meters. m in an old one-room or two-room apartment.
The lack of natural light is corrected by the addition of electric lamps. There should not be too many of them, it is important to clearly think through the location of each light source. You can apply:
- chandeliers;
- modern ceiling lights;
- perimeter lighting;
- desktop or floor-mounted lamps.
Another effective way to expand the space are mirrors. They are mounted near the doors or occupy a certain part of the walls. Undoubtedly, light cold tones in the design of walls and ceilings will also contribute to the visual expansion. The floors in the room are 12 or 14 square meters. m most often have comfortable natural colors. As for furniture, compactness and practicality are very important for it.
It is unacceptable to use furniture that is not directly necessary. Almost always refuse cabinets. If they are still used, then the most compact options with mirrored doors are chosen. They do otherwise when the living area is 22 square meters. m. On such an area, you can organize 2 or 3 sleeping areas and even use the remaining space for a multifunctional guest area with thoughtful storage of things.
You can achieve this result even without dismantling the load-bearing walls, simply zoning the space in a clear pattern.
For the most full use of the area, it is advised to use built-in furniture. Lighting is clearly divided into zones so that those in each of them do not interfere with other people. But now you need to return to the living area of 12 square meters. m (or 13 sq. m - the difference is small).
In such an area, it is quite possible to realize your intentions and realize almost any design direction. Visual expansion is achieved by:
- light finishing materials;
- stretch ceilings with a glossy sheen;
- the correct selection of drawings on the wallpaper;
- rejection of walls and large cabinets.
Work and leisure areas are mainly performed in a single style. Sudden transitions are not allowed. Although it is not necessary to use only one color, a uniform color gamut is required.
When adding color accents, proportions cannot be ignored. It is worth considering how to gracefully beat the partitions.
You can do this with:
- bar counters;
- dining tables surrounded by chairs;
- decorative columns;
- expandable panels;
- flower stands and other similar solutions.
See how to properly equip a small-sized apartment in the next video.
Now consider how to design a room with an area of 18 to 20 square meters. m A living room of this size must have a well-designed ceiling. Only one correctly implemented ceiling system will immediately change the visual perception of space. It will seem more spacious and luxurious than it really is.It is very important to think about the ratio of light to shadow, about normal lighting. Illiterate use of it in such an area very often provokes the appearance of dull interiors.
Many designers believe that in the living room with an area of 18-20 m² you can forget about clear plans and programs. They recommend arranging furniture "on a hunch", starting from comfort and personal opinion. It is advisable to use beige tones. The use of paintings, interior lighting and varied decor is encouraged.
But such elements should not be too much, otherwise the impression will be hopelessly spoiled.
Experienced designers recommend in living rooms of 17-20 square meters. m, each surface should be decorated in stages, starting from the ceiling. In the decoration, the emphasis is on the lightest colors. Wall covering should be focused on the visual expansion of the room. The floor is also covered with a light coating, ideally reproducing natural wood (if the budget does not allow using it in its pure form). When it is not possible to make major repairs, the following requirements are made to the living room:
- equipping with open racks and medium-sized coffee tables;
- preference for transforming furniture;
- the choice of modernist or ultramodern styles;
- change of swinging doors to sliding;
- the presence of an open window opening (with its simultaneous filling with light).
Now let's see what the lucky ones can do, who got a living room of 25 square meters. m In this room, a variety of zones can be distinguished:
- canteen;
- study;
- a corner for rest;
- personal library and a number of other options.
Landmarks are the lifestyle, needs and tastes of the people themselves. It is worth noting that choosing a suitable design option for a narrow room of 25 m² is more difficult than for a square living room. Natural lighting is always taken into account, in accordance with which the dominant color scheme and the need for lamps are determined. Living room style 25 square meters. m can be any, select it strictly individually.
Features of the style are the same as in rooms of a different size.
Finally, it is worth considering the arrangement of a living room of 30 square meters. m In such a room you can realize a variety of ideas, including making everything original. However, you will have to act very clearly and thoughtfully, achieving a harmonious combination of comfort, functionality and stylish appearance. It is strictly unacceptable to allow the appearance of voids and deviations from the main style.
An alcove or deep niche can be used to accommodate built-in furniture. Since the extensive guest room eliminates the appearance of corridors, closets, it will be necessary to provide special areas for storing things. In a one-room apartment, you will definitely have to add a kitchen, bedroom and dining area to the hall. Therefore, you can not do without a powerful hood. Household appliances should be as quiet as possible, and an important requirement for the materials of all surfaces will be easy cleaning.
Otherwise, dirt and grease spreading from the kitchen corner will be a serious problem.
How to zone?
Zoning of the hall in the apartment is mandatory, only its role is different. In a small room, zones are allocated for the maximum functional use of limited space. If the territory is very large, division into sections allows you to avoid too monotonous impression. In most cases, 2 zones are distinguished. The division into 3 sections occurs much less frequently, and the selection of 4 or more fragments is practiced in isolated cases.
For distribution into zones, you can use corner headsets. A similar solution is recommended for the separation of the kitchen and guest areas. The back of the headset is painted in the same tone as the walls, or wallpaper is glued.But much more often they use a bar counter to separate the kitchen from the living room. Most often, the breakfast table is used both for design purposes and in practical quality.
If there is no desire to mount something, you can resort to the separation of color contrasts. They try to make the kitchen segment brighter, and the guest stain brighter. This step will help to visually increase the space and cope with crowding, even on an area of 18 m². When the living room and dining room are merged in the apartment with a small kitchen, a composition of a dining table and chairs is used for zoning.
At the same time, the creation of opportunities for comfortable leisure will also be a plus.
Other items suitable for separation in this case include:
- light racks made of transparent materials;
- aquariums;
- dressers.
When the living area is 20 square meters. m and more combined with a sleeping area, there will be a lot of opportunities for zoning. Physical separation is achieved using curtains from various materials. Along with ordinary fabrics, light tulle can also be used. The choice largely depends on the surrounding interior. But it is worth mentioning another way of separating the sleeping and living areas: installing a double-sided shelving.
In one part of the room it will become a bookshelf, and in another - a simplified wardrobe. Separation using glass partitions is considered a modern and stylish option. However, you can guarantee a cozy atmosphere only by combining them with:
- curtains;
- folding screens;
- shelving.
The hall can be combined with a nursery. But in this case, you will have to think about where the toys will be placed, and where the game zone itself will be located. Both of these sites should be clearly separated from the guest space. In relatively large (from 20 sq. M.) Rooms, separation of zones is achieved by partitions. In this quality, use curtains or sliding doors.
The easiest option is to isolate the cabinet corner. But it should be approached thoughtfully. The design of the working area itself occurs most often in the corner by the window, where they put a work desk and chair. You can increase the isolation of this place by installing light racks or partitions, high racks with flowers.
A sliding door can also be installed in the partition.
Style solutions
Deciding on the style of interior decoration in the hall is very important. At least once a day there will have to be. In most cases, the living room is visited even more often. because preference should be given to solutions with a relaxed atmosphere and comfortable furniture. Too pretentious old and overly avant-garde compositions are equally unacceptable.
- Recently popular in the style of design fusion. It implies a harmonious combination of diverse styles. A fusion feature is also the elegance of design. Animal skins, masks from various ethnic traditions and sophisticated elements may well be combined. But we must not forget that expressive details should not violate the general harmony or create a contradictory feeling.
It is necessary to put up with the fact that the situation in the spirit of fusion is created quite difficult. Only trained people with a delicate aesthetic taste can realize this program. It is enough to make a single oversight, and as a result there will be another absolutely tasteless room. Behind the seeming chaos lies a very complex and sophisticated system.
Sometimes it is impossible to catch the connection between the individual elements.
- Another attractive modern style of the apartment hall is the loft. Everyone knows that it is typical for him to use rough unfinished walls, but there are other features. Parcels in the living room are decorated with dissimilar tones. Usually the sleeping area is made darker. Bright colors are used for the dining corner.
The floor can be decorated with wood materials or carpeted.The ceiling in a loft-style room should be painted the same way as the walls. This solution will ensure the completeness of the interior. Recommended for sleeping areas with wrought iron parts. To differentiate the functional parts of the room, they usually try book shelves, often complemented by antique decor.
A living room with an office in the spirit of a loft can be filled with:
- books on the shelves;
- statuettes;
- collections of souvenirs.
To decorate rooms in the spirit of a loft, carpets and other elements that meet personal taste are used. Another indispensable feature of this style is the use of as many advanced techniques as possible.
Plasma TV with a large screen diagonal is quite appropriate.
- As for the popular atmosphere of minimalism, it is recommended to focus on such features:
- products and decorative elements with the purest tones;
- the use of simply looking accessories;
- geometric correctness of individual elements;
- furniture in purely natural colors.
Curtains in a minimalist living room are selected only by those that do not contain any patterns or visual decorations. Only a strict concise canvas will fully comply with the design canon. Flax, cotton, lightweight muslin will be almost the best choice.
- It looks like minimalism and hi-tech style. However, this option uses more sparkling metal surfaces and other catchy elements, if only they emphasize technological excellence.
Materials and colors
An almost flawless way to decorate the hall is to use wallpaper. They are not inferior even to the most modern materials. Widespread design options using combinations of wallpaper. It is not necessary to combine precisely their different types: sometimes the difference is expressed in coloring or used ornament. If wall murals are used, it is worth highlighting one wall under them, which should not be blocked by furniture or other decorative details.
But you can decorate the room with the help of paint. It is applied no more complicated than wallpaper, while it is even more profitable in terms of saving useful space. The paint may have the shade that will be given to it when kneading, while the color of the wallpaper is immediately set in production. High durability of a paint and varnish covering is very valuable for owners of the house where there are small children.
And if the coating is damaged, updating it will not be too expensive.
An attractive solution is the use of accent painted walls, which can increase the overall spaciousness. When choosing a paint, one should be guided not only by the dimensions and stylistic orientation of the room, but also by its position in relation to the cardinal points. Light, especially bright light tones are recommended to be used to expand the space. It is also necessary to take into account, however, that under the paint it is necessary to prepare an extremely smooth work surface. This is especially important when creating glossy coatings.
Wall paneling and drywall are very popular. Walls covered with clapboard look very attractive and create a favorable impression. For the greatest savings, it is recommended to use a pine-based lining. But such a solution will not work if the kitchen area stands out in the living room. Pine fibers do not tolerate moisture and strong heat.
As for the colors, dark tones should be approached as carefully and thoughtfully as possible. What looks attractive in a photograph will not always be perceived in real life as well. Designers also caution against being carried away by red when decorating halls. If the windows face west or northeast, it is advisable to use tones from beige, cream or honey palettes.
Such colors will make the room more optimistic.
Beige color is considered universal and suitable for almost any style. He adds coziness. The gray color is better suited for living rooms in the spirit of loft, modern. But in a classic environment, it is quite appropriate. You can look at other tones:
- lilac;
- blue;
- white;
- green
- yellow.
Choice of furniture and curtains
The situation in the living room depends not only on the style and color, but also on the furniture used. Its optimal composition includes:
- sofa;
- puff;
- armchairs;
- chairs;
- TV stand;
- coffee table;
- modular set of racks, walls, shelves and drawers.
To properly equip the hall, you need to think about the dimensions of upholstered furniture. In a small space, you can use only double sofas. Only with a large area can you put ottomans and chairs. Modular sofa designs are recommended for medium-sized rooms. They can be placed in different corners of the room.
A good choice is the combination of a pair of medium-sized double sofas. The smallest rooms accommodate 1 sofa and a pair of bean bags. The back side of upholstered furniture in the living room should not have rough seams and plywood details. As for the walls, using modern models is quite nice.
They are significantly improved in comparison with previous samples, which were produced before 1985.
You need to know not only about furniture, but also about curtains that should be used in the hall. For northern windows, it is advised to use organza sheets. To visually increase the height of the ceiling, it is recommended to use fabric with vertical patterns. To expand the room, a horizontal pattern is better.
Lighting
In the living room, as in other rooms, there is general and local lighting. Those parts of the room that should be made higher illuminate as efficiently as possible. It is necessary to take into account the color of the fixtures. Blue and blue tones are calming, but in this light, objects may not look too nice. Where it is more correct to use green lamps.
The red color of the lighting is contradictory. Light shades of it contribute to a positive mood and focus. But the dark options will only create a feeling of alarming uncertainty. Of course, the more natural the room is lit, the better. "Naturalness" is expressed in the fact that the illumination should decrease with the transition from higher to lower tiers.
The ceiling, like the sky, is highlighted as much as possible. The walls are weaker, and the floor does not need special lighting at all. It is categorically unacceptable to use very bright, "blinding" lamps.
It is recommended to give preference to models with manual or automatic regulation. And one more piece of advice - the most organic lighting structure is created when it corresponds to the distribution of tones in the room by light temperature.
Decorative elements
Decor is the last (but not least) design element on the list. The classic is the use of paintings and posters. You can get rid of the ordinaryness of their perception if you select the style and color of the images very carefully. An equally attractive option is the use of photographs.
Choosing a frame by type is no less significant than choosing a suitable image.
In recent years, the Renaissance has experienced such decoration of the walls of the hall as embroidery. It will be especially appropriate in the interior, where there are other hand-made things. In a country setting, it is recommended to use porcelain plates. So that they look individually, they buy blanks, and then paint them at home. Hanging plates with flowers are recommended to be used in the style of shabby chic.
Beautiful ideas
- If you need to arrange a room in the apartment simply and without frills, it is worth taking a closer look at this photo. A light yellow floor, diluted only with a light carpet, looks very attractive.A white sofa and slightly darker pillows on it do not create any design complaints. The noble color of the walls, interrupted only by dark yellow curtains, adds charm. A plant in a tub and objects grouped along one wall perfectly complete the composition.
- An alternative is presented here. Thanks to the use of a relatively low table, space is not cluttered; the perspective is completely open. The gray walls and wood flooring form a very attractive contrast. The original furniture composition, placed close to the wall, makes the room even more interesting. It should be noted, of course, and the abundance of sunlight.
- And this hall visually refutes the opinion that the red-black space will look too defiant. Due to the competent introduction of accessories and painting one of the walls in dark gray, it is possible to eliminate all negative effects. Decorative objects and chairs of an original form may not immediately strike the eye, but they will definitely attract attention. A pair of equally arranged hanging chandeliers looks quite appropriate in this composition. And even the light wooden door tearing the gray monolith of the wall does not make an alien impression.
About the budget repair and design of the hall in the apartment, see the video below.