Kitchens with built-in appliances are a fairly frequent choice for decorating the space of an apartment. The practicality and versatility of such furniture allows you to solve the problem of repair much faster.
Advantages and disadvantages
A kitchen with built-in appliances has its advantages and disadvantages. The main one, of course, is aesthetics. Such kitchen sets look very stylish and do not irritate your eyes with peering wires. In addition, not all equipment is aesthetically pleasing and rarely harmonizes with each other, and therefore it is much more logical to hide it behind the cabinet doors so as not to spoil the overall style of space. Besides, built-in appliances fit into any interior, because stoves and refrigerators will not be able to violate either ascetic minimalism, or romantic Provence, or a cozy scandi.
It is necessary to mention the ergonomics of built-in household appliances. Such models usually have a small size, which saves space. By giving preference to just such a solution, you can equip your kitchen in the most convenient way. For example, refusing the oven and choosing a hob allows you to allocate additional space for storing kitchen utensils.
Moreover, the built-in elements can be hidden not only in ordinary cabinets, but also in the kitchen island or even the bar counter.
Owners of multifunctional headsets celebrate and ease of care for them. In fact, there is much less room for dirt and grease to penetrate. In addition, the number of surfaces requiring cleaning is significantly reduced.It is impossible not to mention that the existing doors and coverings muffle the sound of working equipment. Built-in electrical appliances are not at risk of overheating and they have a better ventilation system.
Of course, a headset with built-in technology has some obvious disadvantages. First of all, we are talking, of course, about the price. Electrical appliances hidden behind cabinet doors cost 1.5 or even 2 times more than conventional appliances. In addition, the furniture itself will cost more. To save budget, it is recommended that only one part of household appliances be built-in, for example, a refrigerator or stove.
To repair such devices is quite difficult. As a rule, the dismantling of cabinets is required, then the removal of equipment, its direct repair and further assembly of the structure. As a prevention, experts recommend initially selecting reliable, high-quality equipment and adhering to the rules of care and its operation. Basically, A drawback of this solution is its static nature.
Having placed a kitchen with built-in appliances, it will not be possible at the spontaneous desire to simply move the refrigerator or change the storage location of the microwave oven. Changing the interior in this case is possible only if the headset is completely dismantled.
Species overview
By purpose, kitchen cabinets are divided into several varieties. As a rule, we are talking about constructions with an oven, with a stove or hob, with a dishwasher, with a refrigerator and an extractor fan. Of course, if you wish, you can order a locker with a built-in microwave or even a coffee maker.
The hob is built into the set in two ways. The first one got the name flush and implies the same height of the panel and countertop. The second method is called raised - in this case, the surface of the panel is 2-4 millimeters higher than the countertops.
In most cases, countertops are performed made of chipboard, concrete or artificial stone, that is, those materials that have reliability, practicality and the required thermal stability. Built-in ovens are often mounted under hobs, but this arrangement is not necessary at all. For an oven, it is better to take a floor cabinet or a kitchen cabinet that borders on outlets.
By independently purchasing a built-in oven, it is important to ensure that there is no gap inside, which can be filled with hot air, which, in turn, will ruin the facade.
Modules designed for dishwashers should be located near communications, so that they are placed either behind the back wall or above the cabinet. It is customary to integrate equipment either directly into the sink under the sink, or in a separate floor cabinet, or in a hinged cabinet mounted above the sink, but only if the device is light.
The built-in refrigerator is cleaned either in a pencil case or in a small floor design. By the way, this variety is not always completely “hidden” behind the doors. The cabinet for the built-in hood is selected to be suspended and mounted in such a way that the gap from it to the stove is 65 centimeters.
In the case of a gas device, experts recommend increasing this distance to 75 centimeters. Some unusual models are mounted directly in the countertop behind the cooking surface. It is important that the area of the hood is not less than the surface area of the plate.
All cabinets designed for built-in appliances can be divided into floor, suspension and pencil cases. The cabinets of the lower row are selected for an oven, dishwasher or washing machine or a small refrigerator. In this situation, the cabinet body is used for equipment, and the upper surface is a regular countertop. Those variations of the cabinets that are designed for the hob, on the contrary, use the countertop for equipment, and the case becomes a storage place for kitchen utensils.
Upper wall mounted cabinets are mounted on the walls, and therefore are not used for particularly heavy equipment. Finished designs can hide hoods, double boiler, multicooker or microwave oven. The key to the successful use of cabinets in the upper tier depends on the strength of the fasteners and the material used. Case-cabinet differs in height, significantly exceeding the width.
In most cases, it is used for a refrigerator or for several small appliances, such as an oven, coffee machine or double boiler.
Materials
The material of the kitchen with built-in appliances must meet some requirements. It is important that the surfaces are heat resistant without the possibility of instant fire. The material should not contain any dangerous substances, since when heated, their fumes can affect the health of the inhabitants of the apartment. To this end, chipboard is often used, the main advantage of which is low cost.
It is important that the panels have a thermal protection coating that prevents the appearance of toxic fumes and ignition of the headset.
MDF is considered a more environmentally friendly material. Such furniture serves a much longer period, does not deform when exposed to moisture, as well as high temperatures. Natural wood for headsets with built-in appliances is used quite rarely, since, in addition to high cost, it also requires serious additional processing. The rear walls and some facade elements can be made of fiberboard. For the countertop, experts recommend the use of chipboard, which has undergone the procedure of lamination, as well as artificial stone.
Dimensions
As a rule, the height of the stand for the hob varies from 70 to 85 centimeters, the depth reaches at least 55 centimeters, and the width ranges from 60 to 120 centimeters. The thickness of the countertops should be in the range of 30 to 50 millimeters.
For the oven, it is customary to choose modules whose height does not go beyond the boundaries of 80-180 centimeters, and the upper limit is relevant for pencil cases. The depth should again be at least 55 centimeters, and the width should be in the range from 60 to 90 centimeters. The minimum dimensions of the cabinet for the dishwasher are 40 by 60 centimeters, and the maximum - 60 by 100 centimeters.
The height of the cabinet for the built-in refrigerator ranges from 160 to 220 centimeters, and in the case of compact models it is in the range from 80 to 100 centimeters. The depth of the structure is 50 centimeters, and the width indicator ranges from 40 to 60 centimeters. The height of the exhaust module is from 40 to 60 centimeters, the depth ranges from 40 to 50 centimeters, but the width is in the range from 40 to 100 centimeters.
Design options
A modern kitchen with built-in appliances is carried out in two main design areas. In the first case, we are talking about a modern interior decorated in style hi-tech, modern or even futurism. Since steel surfaces blend in well with the dark colors of the headset, many designers suggest leaving the front panel of the equipment open and not removing it behind the doors.
In the second case, we are talking about kitchens made in styles retro, scandy, country or classic. In this case, all the equipment is hidden behind the facades, and therefore the color of the headset can be white, gray or even colored.
How to position?
Numerous ideas and projects for a kitchen interior with integrated appliances strive to achieve one goal - to place elements so that they not only look stylish, but also take into account the needs of all the inhabitants of the house. For example, the interior looks very cool, decorated in a classic style using only a white hue. On the left side of the corner headset is a hob.
Since it is used without an oven, and the countertop is made in dark colors, the cooking space becomes almost invisible, which only improves the appearance of the headset. Under the hob are conventional storage cabinets.
Near the other wall is the second part of the headset with built-in fridge, oven and microwave. The refrigerator is hidden behind the snow-white doors, and the rest of the equipment shows its black surfaces, which, however, look quite organically.
In another example, a hob is built into a kitchen island. The oven in this kitchen is located separately, and therefore, right under the place for cooking, bulk boxes for storing dishes are placed. The built-in refrigerator looks like part of the headset, but the rest of the equipment stands out in contrast with its black glass doors.
You can learn about the proper layout of the kitchen and the competent location of the built-in appliances from the video.
