The window between the bathroom and the kitchen: why is it needed in Khrushchev and how to arrange it?

Everyone wants to live in a cozy and beautiful housing, but not everyone can correctly plan the design features of the room, choose the right furniture and design the room well. If the arrangement of living rooms rarely raises serious problems, then the kitchen and the bathroom can confuse the owners. The presence in the “Khrushchevs” of a window between the bathroom and the kitchen does not always happen and often spoils the appearance of the room, so it is important to be able to beat this feature by writing this detail into the general situation.

The old houses had their own peculiarities, which some people liked, while others struggled with them in every way, changing everything inside on their own. In Soviet apartments, especially five-story buildings, a common bathroom was originally built, which occupied a minimum of space, but at the same time allowed you to enjoy the comfort of your own communications. Each house was designed taking into account certain rules that were considered necessary at that time.

The size of this window was approximately the same - 50x70 or 60x40 cm, depending on the dimensions of the wall. The availability of an additional product was due to several factors.

• Protection of the room in the event of a blast wave from a geyser. Designers assured that the presence of a window will help minimize the impact on the wall, which will make the damage minimal. In fact, this is not so, and with the explosion of a gas column, a wall with a window and without it will collapse equally.

• Ventilation in the toilet and bathroom. This function is not the main one, since most of the structures were deaf and could not help in ventilating the bathroom and in creating an additional draft in the apartment.

• The possibility of saving electricity. In daylight, in the daytime, it was possible not to use a light bulb in the bathroom, since the room was rather well lit by sunlight. By the time the “Khrushchevs” were built, light often disappeared in the houses, and the presence of at least a small light source in each of the rooms was a great advantage, but this was also not the main reason for installing a window between the bathroom and the kitchen.

• The main task of erecting an additional window construction in Soviet times was tuberculosis epidemic, which was spreading rapidly, and it was necessary to solve the problem by any possible means. Thanks to sunlight, it became possible to disinfect the bathroom, in which there was the most favorable environment for the propagation of microorganisms, due to the warm and humid environment. Even with a minimum two-hour hit of light for the whole day, it was possible to significantly improve the incidence due to the prevention of housing in each apartment.

In modern realities, there is no longer a need to place a window between the bathroom and the kitchen, since the tuberculosis epidemic is already in the past, medications are successfully fighting it. Modern houses are being built without additional structures in the wall, a good extract, which draws out all excess moisture, helps to achieve a clean and comfortable stay in the bathroom. Old apartments, in which there are still windows between the bathroom and the kitchen, can be remodeled depending on personal wishes and needs. Those who consider the presence of such a product appropriate are simply changing the old window to a plastic one.

In modern houses, the window between the bathroom and the kitchen is not made, so residents do not need to clean it. In old houses, during the repair, many are asked to close or even remove a niche from under the window, but for such drastic measures it is necessary to obtain BTI permission. In houses with geysers, they are not allowed to dismantle such structures, arguing this is a security breach. In cases where instead of the column there is a boiler, problems with repair should not arise.

Consider the options that you can resort to during the conversion of the wall between the bathroom and the kitchen.

• Close the opening with drywall - One of the most budgetary and easiest ways that anyone can handle. To work, you will need a piece of moisture-proof drywall, equal to the window opening, as well as putty. The platbands on the window must be completely dismantled on both sides in order to align the wall, it is better to remove the glass. A sheet of drywall is cut into two pieces, which will cover the window from the outside and inside, after which they are attached to the frame using self-tapping screws, plastered and finished with wallpaper or tile.

• You can lay a niche with a brick - This is the most thorough option, which does not involve returning the hole if necessary. Laying can be done by anyone who is familiar with the basics of this procedure, or it is worth hiring a professional for this. Brickwork allows you to isolate the room from moisture, drafts and noise that could come from any other finish. After laying it is necessary to wait a few days until the cement is taken, and plaster the wall, over which to glue the wallpaper or lay the tile.

• The most budgetary and often temporary option is use of plywood. Sewing a window opening with this material is very simple, but such repair is not enough for a long time due to the poor resistance of the material to moisture.

If there is a firm decision to completely remove the window between the bathroom and the kitchen.To do this, there are a number of methods and materials for their implementation, but before you begin to work, it is worth weighing all the positive and negative consequences. There are much more creative solutions that involve altering the window opening for decorative elements or shelves.

If there is no desire to remove a window in the wall between the bathroom and the kitchen, you can make it beautiful and original. The easiest way to change the appearance of this element is to replace the rectangular frame with a non-standard one, for example, round or in the shape of a semicircle. In addition, the design of the room may require original color schemes. The most popular is imitation wood or lavender. If the frame of the old product is still strong and will last quite a long time, it does not always make sense to change it, but you can refine the glass itself by replacing it with a stained glass window. Original drawings that are combined with the concept of a bathroom or are a continuation of the decor of the kitchen will be a real highlight. Stained glass can be ordered by a specialist or try to do it yourself if you have the proper experience in this matter.

If the window does not imply a ventilation function and does not open, then instead of ordinary glass, glass blocks can be installedthat resemble volumetric glass ceramic tiles. This material allows sunlight to penetrate the bath, but reliably hides from prying eyes those who are in this room. You can decorate such a window with the help of colored glass blocks that line up either in a clear sequence or randomly, creating a color ensemble. It looks very beautiful picture, which is laid out from many elements. They turn into a seascape, forest glade or something original, suitable for the design of the room.

If the window is not used for its intended purpose, but there is no desire to remove it, you can use the niche under the shelves for small things. In the bathroom there are always enough things that need to be placed somewhere, so the presence of such a storage place will be very valuable. During the repair, you can remove the glass and close the window from the side of the kitchen using fiberboard or plywoodand in the bathroom arrange one large or several shelves. If the transformation is planned to be thorough, then the niche is completely covered with tiles or other decorative material that does not allow water to pass through, which means it will serve for a long time. For creative people, an unnecessary window between the bathroom and the kitchen can serve as a pan for creating creative works, which, like paintings, can be changed from time to time.

Having a window in the bathroom that leads to the kitchen is not always a problem. In some cases, this makes it possible to take a shower in the daytime, without turning on the light, and for those who like to steam there is a chance to quickly ventilate the room and refresh it. In order for the window opening to fit into modern design, you must be able to properly decorate it and use it based on your own needs.

The use of glass blocks instead of ordinary glass is a good opportunity to leave the room light, but at the same time decorate it and give a completely different appearance. The drawing should fit into the design of the room and be its complement. The color scheme of glass blocks can be different, everyone has the right to choose what he likes.

The stained-glass window is an equally beautiful option for finishing a window opening in a bathroom. The use of original and non-standard patterns can bewitching and contribute to relaxation while taking a bath.The stained glass window pattern should be such that it looks equally good in the bathroom and kitchen, otherwise one of these rooms will look ridiculous with the stained glass window.

The shape of the window plays an equally important role in interior design. If the apartment is made in a modern style, then the round window opening will be a real find and will complement the concept of the room. The size of the round window can be anything from a small one in diameter of about 30 cm to a large one, 60 cm or more. The use of a stained glass window or other decorative elements in this case will be superfluous, since it will distract from the originality of the frame itself and the illusion of being on an underwater or ordinary ship.

If there is no possibility or desire to change the size and shape of the hole for the window, but you want to make it special, then the easiest solution will be to choose platbands of a non-standard color scheme. The most common color is white, so many are eager to put a window in any other color scheme to stand out and make their apartment unique. Very beautiful, expensive and stylish looks like a frame in the color of a tree, which goes well with almost any interior, which is very convenient.

For those who do not see the need for a window between the bathroom and the kitchen, it is possible to convert a niche into a useful space and instead make a shelf for useful little things or decorative elements.

Proponents of the creative can create a window in an original style, showing all their resourcefulness and talent. Each option deserves attention, so it is worth considering all the options before making any decision regarding the window in the bathroom.

For how to lay a window in the bathroom with drywall, see the next video.