From the editor: This article we published a few years ago, but she has not lost relevance to this day. Nice to re-open archival materials and understanding — nothing to add. Worth a read.
The majority of Soviet citizens it was not possible to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle, design and architecture. The turning point was November 4, 1955 — the release date of infamous decree “On elimination of excesses in designing and construction”: in the corner put strict functionality and economy. In this paradigm grew more than one generation, forming certain habits and lifestyles. And gave their facilities to the children.
In this article I’m trying to find methods of extraction of greater comfort and enjoyment from the space where you live. Experience has shown that without such a base to build high-quality aesthetics of the impossible: or apartment will look like a Museum, or way of life will still prevail.
In the first part of the article will talk about the planning decisions that we shouldn’t ignore. And secondly — pay attention to the minor, it would seem, the details which make your house psychological (first of all) comfort.
Talianko Design Group, LLC
1. The lack of space for drying clothes
It is believed that it needs a lot of space. Enough to put the washing machine in the kitchen or in the bathroom, and wet underwear… Well, in his way to the balcony or drying in the bathroom (well, if not on the Swedish wall in the nursery). As a result of our not very large apartment converted into polygons for drying clothes. Even on the balcony the Laundry is not dried immediately, and it is unlikely you will begin with the Laundry to do container gardening. Even worse, if the drying occurs in the bathroom, and instead take a shower and relax, we are forced to fight for the basic right to clean up.
Fact: the Required minimum size Laundry room is less than 1 square meter, wherein to save space, tumble dryer and washing machine are placed on one another. There are systems where additional bottom mounted drawer for dirty Laundry.
Art of Kitchens Pty Ltd
Drying can be arranged anywhere: in a closed Cabinet in the hallway, in the kitchen, in pantry room. Most importantly, the wet linen is removed from the zone of the open visual review.
Tip: when Planning a room, be sure to take care of the connections for electricity, cold water and drain. Realize all this is easier than it seems. And electricity bills will not be as frightening devices.
Taylor Hannah Architect Inc
2. Dressing room — not for “malogabaritok“
The thinking is the same: the places need a lot, but in our homes it is not. Dressing is impossible to design, and therefore (bingo!) we put a lot of cabinets on the walls. In the end, the room beginning to resemble the branches of a furniture store, cabinets (especially if a lot of them) are visually, fill volume and chip space.
We would like to stay on the topic of sliding wardrobes. None of the high interior they are not. This type of cabinets in the mass, has low aesthetic value, the paintings of strange size (very wide Board), a controversial color (e.g. a shade of “cherry” or photo prints), mirrors or frosted glass. Doors are not on the same plane: all internal accessories are always visually distinguishable, and it is “not about beauty”.
SoCal Contractor
Practically in any, even very small apartment has enough space for a dressing room. The presence of such a space is always a great functionality and comfort.
Apartment with dressing room ceteris paribus more expensive than the apartment the dressing room at resale.
And one more thing is almost always true statement: to build a closet more cost effective than ordering the cabinets, and even sliding.
Tip: if you are Going to make a dressing room, view the size range of wardrobes (their depth is different), the elements of the wardrobe and accessories — to be able to use precious meters with maximum efficiency. And just in case: the minimum comfortable size of the passage between cabinets and shelves is 1 m.
Mylands
3. If the kitchen is expensive — its not clutter
Nothing of the sort. Especially if you have ordered lots of beautiful open shelves — because they create the lightness airiness of the space. Yes! Now, put them on cereal, packs of tea and packets of biscuits. And thus, in your house, get the wonders of graphic and industrial design (packaging) from many different authors, and not very good. Their goal was to get you to buy the goods, and not to decorate the interior. You see these surrogates are design every day, from year to year. The money that was spent in the kitchen do not work. No aesthetics — is vanity.
Tip: In principle, this applies to all the open shelves in the apartment. Need to understand what and where it will be exposed. For storing groceries we need to design a roomy cupboards. And in the open — show favourites: the beautiful dishes, for example.
Rico’s General Construction Inc.
4. Guest toilet the apartment for three is overkill
One bathroom is enough, why spend money and precious feet? Our apartment only three (for example).
In the future, we deprive ourselves of a fair share of comfort: no one wants to hurry in the bathroom and hear a knock at the door – it’s less than pleasant. You don’t have to maintain the perfect order “for guests” in the family bathroom (and to be embarrassed if outsiders will see are not intended for their eyes hygiene items).
Fact: If desired and the technical possibilities of a guest bathroom can be done on the square close to 1 (one) square meter! It is important to clarify the possibilities in agreement of such redevelopment, based on the capabilities of your home.
DEKORA Staging Inc
5. The height of bourgeois —bathroom in the bedroom
If you have enough space, be sure to lay in the plan for a separate private unit, which can include not only a bathroom but also a dressing room with her: 22-25 square meters for this purpose already.
If in the apartment there are two risers, or there is a possibility to hold a separate branch Sewerage additionally, think about it again: this will change your habitual way more comfortable.
Robert Kaner Interior Design
So, proceed to the second part — namely talk, how to feel in the space calmly and confidently.
6. Make a predictable plan
Remember my panic when you first enter the maze: the brain produces similar reactions in the interior with dead ends, unexpected angles and turns. Suppose that this is not so explicitly, but it will not let your nervous system to relax, and hence the house you don’t rest, although getting the hang of it.
Claude C. Lapp Architects, LLC
Compare the intuitive functionality of the modern tablets, which even children understand is a couple of hours, and the functionality, which was endowed with computers 15 years ago. And with the layout: it should be simple and intuitive.
No spectacular decor will not help with vague shape. The decor is like the icing on the cake: yeah, big, important and beautiful, but if the cake is of poor quality, “the bottom line” and the cherry is thrown out money. Because the first thing I suggest to “struggle”, changing the logic of the illogical space, correction of errors planning, which is a lot.
Sylvain Perillat Architecte
7. More light
Get as much light as possible inside, inside your brain signals peace.
Bellila
8. Above the door
According to popular belief, the doors are standard height 200 or 210 cm other sizes are made to order and cost a fortune. What we get: not even looking for an alternative — living with low and wide doors that visually lower the ceiling.
Entering the tall doors, the person feels more confident, worthy, probably, the brain gives the signal: the input is not low, there is light and space. Apartments with higher doors ceteris paribus never look economy class.
All or almost all admire the elegance of French interiors: they are always doors to either high or very high (in the truest sense of the word under the ceiling).
Pierre Jean Verger
Yes, they are narrow, and if you need a walkway, we need not one door, and two narrow tall double hinged doors. And believe me, the height of standard doors modern manufacturers may be different. To do 2,20, 2,30, 2,40 almost all manufacturers know how.
Tip: whenever possible, choose a door as narrow as possible (70 cm is usually sufficient), but before that understand what the overall furnishings you will be using them to carry. Suddenly it will be the piano?
Tim Shaw – Impress Photography
9. Get the toilet out of sight
All familiar situation when stepping into a beautiful spacious bathroom, the first thing you run to look into the toilet. Which in any case is perceived as “the dirtiest place in the house”, whatever design subject did not occupy this place.
And immediately it is difficult to imagine that the bathroom is the space where people really luxuriate in a bubble bath and drink champagne. What would be spacious and lavishly decorated it was.
Toronto Interior Design Group | Yanic Simard
Even if the room the bathroom is small, consider the possibility of installing a bath or a beautiful shell opposite the entrance. The solution is always: almost all manufacturers have a line of plumbing compact size.
Lori Dennis, ASID, LEED AP
10. Refuse the artificial
Our life has firmly entered the substitutes of natural beauty, including the decoration. If you think that they are not visually different — you might even be right. Someone sweet and artificial flowers, visually similar to real. That’s just the feeling the others are just the same don’t deliver!
So here, you walk on this floor and feel molded chip and the film; you can open and close the curtains that will never wrinkle and will not be erased. The time is now to be indignant: a) it’s expensive! b) for natural material need care!
Bismut & Bismut Architectes
About the price is debatable — on the market a huge range of materials, including from Russian producers, at very competitive cost. As for the “indestructibility” of synthetics, let me analogy with expensive clothes. Getting rid of polyester in favor of cashmere you bring your wardrobe to another level. Yes, this sweater in the machine finds itself and the battery does not fulfill its direct functions, you will have to take to the dry cleaners. And Yes, he will be ruined by bad treatment.
Yes, nothing is forever, genuine interiors age. But that is no reason to deprive yourself of pleasure to enjoy them here and now.
