Small corners for the kitchen: varieties of models and features of choice

Choosing furniture for arranging the kitchen, a considerable part of buyers pay attention to small kitchen corners. With compact dimensions, they are sometimes able to comfortably accommodate not only the owners of the house, but also their guests. About what these sets of furniture are, what are their advantages and disadvantages, as well as what are the nuances of their choice, the material of this article will tell.

By a kitchen corner is meant a set of furniture for the kitchen, providing for the presence of a dining group. The main element of this set is a dining table, the secondary components may be different. Small kitchen corners have many advantages:

• their purchase is often more profitable in comparison with the acquisition of each element of furniture separately;
• such products are designed with emphasis on space saving and its most efficient use;
• this furniture is a fully equipped island for a specific purpose, which can be used when zoning the space;
• in the interior, kitchen corners often look better than separately purchased furniture;
• these products are designed in the same style, size, texture, which is often not available for separately purchased furniture;
• often this furniture is designed with a focus on functionality, and therefore it can be used for different needs;
• in comparison with the usual set, the corners are more convenient and more comfortable for users;
• products are made from high-quality raw materials with high performance characteristics;
• models are distinguished by a wide range of configurations, which allows you to choose your own version, taking into account the budget and taste preferences;
• the color solutions of the sets are diverse, which is why it is not difficult to choose them for a specific background interior design;
• small corners for the kitchen, along with their functionality, set the desired status for the interior of a particular kitchen;
• in the lines of different manufacturers you can find mini-sets that fit perfectly into small-sized kitchens.

With a number of positive characteristics, this furniture has several disadvantages:

• in small cities it is difficult to pick up these sets according to the style of the existing kitchen set;
• not all dining groups are suitable for non-standard layouts of kitchens in apartment buildings in our country;
• with an increase in the elements of the set, the area required for the placement of corners increases;
• not always compact sets offered for sale are versatile - for some you have to buy chairs or stools separately;
• if stores purchase them for assembly at a low price, kit details may differ in different shades or in the type of texture;
• most models of compact corners are designed for no more than 5-6 users.

Manufacturers of kitchen corners today are able to surprise customers with various configurations of models. Wherein All products by design features and content can be divided into several groups. Some of them do not have a table, which allows you to buy it separately. Others are noteworthy in that they provide for the assembly of a corner both in the left-side and in the right-hand version. For mini options, the model of the table can be transformable at all: the table can be roll-out or sliding.

These furniture sets consist of a dining table and kitchen bench. Its configuration can be very diverse. For example, it can be a model with the shape of an ordinary bench, an option with a back. At the same time, corner models can be both classical straight (linear) and angular. Often a bench with a table is complemented by compact stools, sometimes its shape is more like a compact and narrow sofawhose model can be both straight and angular.

This group includes models supplemented with shelves for storing the necessary things. Models of this group today are not as popular as other analogues. However, with a shortage of space, shelves located on the sides or in front of kitchen benches will significantly expand the functionality of the furniture ensemble and increase the degree of comfort of households in the kitchen. In addition, hinged shelves can be included in sets, which is good for kitchens where there is no space for floor drawers.

These sets are nothing more than a table, a pair of stools and a kitchen bench, under the seat of which there are 1 or 2 relatively capacious drawers. Their size is sufficient to accommodate kitchen utensils that are not often used. In addition, housewives often use these drawers to store other things in order to visually reduce the amount of small things that a small kitchen is usually filled with. As a rule, in order to gain access to the box, it is enough just to fold the seat.

These sets differ from other varieties by the presence of an attached element that performs the function of a bar. From an aesthetic point of view, such sets look very original. In addition, the bar counter significantly saves space, which is important for kitchens with a minimum of usable area. These models are liked by interior designers, they successfully fit into the design of kitchens and are effective methods of zoning space.

Compact corners with a berth differ from other varieties in that they provide a transformation system that allows you to turn a kitchen bench, similar to a sofa, into a narrow bed. The transformation mechanism of the bench can be different, as well as the type of benches themselves. These sets are expensive, they look respectable, but the places in the kitchen are more than other analogues. The inconvenience of transformable models is the need to move the table.

For small kitchens with a bay window, trademarks offer sets that differ from the rest in the form of a separate or several elements of the corner. The main difference between such furniture is that it repeats the shape of the bay window protrusion, which is necessary so that it can be placed close to the bay window. If this is a table, then it can be triangular, if a kitchen bench, then modular.

A table at small corners differs in shape. In the traditional embodiment, it can be rectangular with sharp or rounded edges. In addition to such models, brands include oval and triangular tables in sets. In addition, on sale you can find small-sized furniture with a round dining table. The compact in different sets is different, as is the material of manufacture.

In the production of small kitchen corners, different raw materials are used, from the best grades of wood to MDF and even plastic. Wood is considered the best type of raw material. - Of all the analogues, it is the most durable and practical, despite the fact that during prolonged use it is gradually exposed to moisture. However, this material is not only more environmentally friendly - it is characterized by high aesthetic characteristics.

Particleboard - a budget option, is a pressed wood processing product. This material is significantly inferior to it in aesthetics, furniture from it is designed for only a few years of operation. Depending on the quality of assembly, the service life may be more than 5 years. However, often water and frequent cleaning lead to peeling of the edge from the side faces of the table.

Metal in the corners is used as the frame and supports of the table, stools and chairs. The metal elements in the interior of the kitchens look stylish and impressive, wood stands out against the background of the metal.

Glass in small corners is used to make worktops. Plastic, regardless of its color and density, is considered not the best material. It is unstable and quickly deteriorates even from minor mechanical damage.

Design solutions for kitchen corners can be very diverse. They can differ in shape, color schemes, upholstery colors and the presence of additional decorative and practical elements. For example, there are models with benches on which you can lay special bedding for greater sitting comfort. Someone puts several small pillows under their backs. When buying, you can bet on the colors of the upholstery. Sometimes it is she who is able to set the desired mood and indicates that the corner belongs to a certain stylistic design decision. Models may have plain upholstery. Often they are made in contrasting solutions, which allows you to choose your own version taking into account the color of the headset or wallpaper, an apron, a print on the curtains, a picture or a shade of a flower pot.

The print in the decoration of the corners can be located not only on the seat upholstery - On sale there are options in which it is on the backs. In addition, the design of modifications can be expressed in forms: some give away the desire for classic, others tend to ergonomics. Models can be tall and compact, as well as low, supplemented with stools, more like hard poufs.

Belonging to one or another stylistic decision can be expressed in the theme of the picture, the type of material and upholstery used, and the color of the products. The form, texture, emphasis on the resources of a particular style help the buyer choose the right option for their kitchen corner. The backs of shops can be straight and arched (arched type). Seats of chairs can be made in the form of a soft square, circle and rounded triangle.

The main characteristics which you should pay attention to when buying are:

• the size of the entire corner (important for rooms with a minimum of usable area);
• corner orientation (not all models can change a corner element from right to left);
• seat upholstery or bench material (leather or leatherette in priority);
• the material of which the frame is made (the stronger, the longer the operation);
• seat upholstery filler on stools or benches (polyurethane foam is a priority);
• corner color (should be combined with existing furniture);
• design (must match the style of a particular interior).

In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the type of furniture: the corner can be typical hard and soft. Products with a soft sofa are more comfortable for users. During visual inspection, it is necessary to pay attention to such a moment as the height of the backs. If there is sufficient space, the corner design may include a structure with a bar on which hinged pillows are mounted.

If in a small kitchen you want to put just such a variant of the corner, it is important to choose a product with small and not too voluminous pillows. At the same time, in order to assess the degree of convenience when placing around the corner, it is advisable to conduct a “fitting” prior to purchase. It is necessary for the reason that often the furniture seems visually comfortable, but it is extremely inconvenient during operation.

Going to the store, the buyer already calculates what kind of furniture will take. However, there are cases when what is on sale does not correspond to desire and possibilities. In this case, you can order a specific option, taking into account previously taken measurements, or build on what is in the store. At the same time, preliminary measurements will allow you to choose a corner in order to leave the necessary distance (60-70 cm or 90 cm) for passing through the kitchen.

If there is very little space in the kitchen, you should refuse a set with a sofa, replacing it with a set with a kitchen bench. Chairs here will take up too much space, and therefore a bench with a table will be quite enough to accommodate and save space. As a last resort, you can include a pair of upholstered stools in the kit.

When buying, pay attention to the practicality of the upholstery. Ideally, this should be a moisture-resistant material, not absorbing odors, easy to care for. The type of filler matters: foam rubber, which is used in cheap corners, very quickly deteriorates, polyurethane foam holds its shape better and is more environmentally friendly. As for the material of manufacture, wood processing products often contain a high concentration of formaldehydes. In extreme cases, it is worth choosing a D1 class D1.

If the buyer’s budget is not limited, you should buy a corner with a wood frame (for example, birch or pine). When buying a corner of a folding type, you need to pay attention to the fact that the transformation needs additional space. Therefore, the table and stools should be relatively mobile. In addition, in such kitchens there is no need for models with armrests and pillows.

Inspecting the corner, you need to check the quality of the fittings and the reliability of the fasteners. Nothing should hang out anywhere, and if this is noted, but the seller assures that the furniture is simply not strengthened, you should not completely trust this. Often the material from which the corner is made is not of the best quality, and therefore, when it is assembled in some places, the screws scroll. You will not be able to tighten these connections, which is why the furniture will hang out, which is considered a marriage.

The placement of a kitchen corner depends on the size of a particular kitchen and the complexity of its layout. If it has partitions, it is possible to use them, thereby using the technique of zoning space. In narrow rooms, the layout should be linear, which is why it is undesirable to put a corner in front of the working area. However, it is possible to fit it against the wall opposite the front door if there is no window in this place or the bench does not reach it.

Narrow rooms should not be visually pulled even more. Therefore, you need to install furniture with the long part to the short wall. As for the place, it is undesirable to put the dining group in close proximity to the stove or work table, which is used for cooking. This is impractical and will result in more frequent wiping of the table and seats.

The corner can be located near the balcony door, but in such a way that when it is opened and closed, nothing will interfere with access to the furniture. In such cases, the set usually does not have chairs or stools, it is limited to a kitchen bench and a laconic table with rounded edges. If the room has niches, and the layout can be angular and U-shaped, the corner can be placed in it. When the room is wide, and the wall with the front door is long, a compact corner for two can be positioned on the side of the door by sliding the bench or modular bench close to the wall.

Choosing a place for the location of the kitchen corner, you must consider: furniture must not violate the rule of the working triangle. Equal distances must be maintained between the refrigerator, stove and sink. At the same time, the corner should not stand between them, as well as shorten the gaps for moving around the kitchen.

If there is space left between the headset and the wall with the window, it is this part of the room that you can take to the corner. In this place it is worth placing a set of furniture with a laconic bench of the G- or U-shaped type, equipped with internal drawers. It is better that her table has one reliable and stable support than 4 legs. In this case, one side of the table may be beveled, which is good in order to avoid injury when moving in a small kitchen.

On how to choose a small corner for the kitchen, see the next video.