Pumping stations

Apartment interior design in European style. European style of kitchen design: all the nuances and examples of interiors

Studying European interiors, you might inadvertently think that people there live in villas with luxurious swimming pools, while Europeans simply have not seen ordinary high-rise buildings with small apartments. In fact, citizens of all countries and continents are forced to struggle with the problem of small-sized housing, and Europeans are no exception. Spanish and Swedish designers have achieved great success in this direction; they turn ordinary small apartments into treasure troves of style and luxury.

The interiors of Sweden captivate the imagination with an unsurpassed combination of brevity and maximum comfort. Even the smallest apartments there give the impression of spaciousness, as they are clean, uncluttered and create a feeling of lightness due to the furnishings, usually done in pastel colors. The fullness of light and the frequent predominance of white, combined with soft contours, create a feeling of warmth and comfort in the room.

There is also something to pay attention to in the works of the Spaniards, who are trying to keep up with their foreign colleagues on such a difficult issue. In this sunny country, design specialists offer many of their own options for combating the lack of space, of course, taking into account their national characteristics and local flavor.

When it comes to an apartment, the main sign of beauty for the Spaniards is a spectacular, but at the same time harmonious color palette. At the same time, an equally important task is to maintain ease of perception and a sense of spaciousness. The Spaniards always succeed in such creativity with constant success. Optimal zoning of small-sized housing, including the use of color accents, can be considered the “strong point” of designers from Spain. In addition, each specific situation inspires them to use individual and unique techniques.

An old tiny studio on the ground floor of a Parisian house remained in the status of a dimly lit closet for quite a long time, until a 20-year-old student moved in here. The new owner could only afford an economy-class renovation, but she still spent money on designers. Bureau Flora Auvray managed to equip here a full kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room.

It seems that the interior of this studio is extremely simple - but it is not. Firstly, the designers maximized natural light: light from the windows enters the kitchen with an open doorway, and into the bathroom - through a wall made of glass blocks and a sliding glass door, and onto the mezzanine - due to the peculiarities of its shape.

Secondly, smooth curves were deliberately introduced into the strict geometry of the apartment - this is how the border between the living room and kitchen is unusually designed, and the same line is used in the outlines of the sides of the double bed. This technique is not only beautiful, but also a clever move: a long smooth line visually expands the space and confuses the eye.

The owner loves the color purple, so they took it along with the “expanding” white and neutral gray. But clean accents would have looked flat, so they chose a softer, “dusty” shade for depth. Below the double bed on the mezzanine there is a seating area with a sofa bed. There are two large closets on the sides: one serves as a dressing room, the other as storage for equipment and all sorts of household items. All partitions in the apartment are also built-in wardrobes for storing things. Renovating an economy-class apartment is often expensive because it requires individual solutions. In this project, a kitchen was made to order, into which a refrigerator and a washing machine were immediately built. A sliding door in the bathroom saves space. Pipes and electrics in the kitchen and bathroom were hidden under the ceiling. The sharp angle did not allow the installation of a conventional shower tray, so a shower drain was used.

In the photo: renovation of an economy class apartment; final layout 20 sq.m

Interior of a 15 sq.m apartment in Paris: simple and bright

The renovation of this miniature apartment on the third floor of an old Parisian building took four months. To begin with, the 15 sq.m dwelling was cleared of partitions, the old lining was removed from the walls, and the parquet flooring was restored. The design of the studio was largely done for the new tenant - a young student. The Marion Alberge Decoration studio decided not to “whiten” the space, as is customary in small apartments, but, on the contrary, to enliven it with the help of color. To keep the feeling of spaciousness intact, the designers used an old trick: paint one (just one) wall a bright color. Here the color became blue. As a result, the living space received additional depth and looks more interesting. But all the cabinets, shelves and racks, on the contrary, are made white and as laconic as possible, without decor or even handles - so as not to distract attention.

What else can you learn from this apartment?

An IKEA kitchenette is a solution for small student apartments like the one in the photo. Open shelves and a wall-length countertop visually lengthen the room. The tabletop serves as a dining and work table. The living room uses a set of coffee tables that compactly slide under each other. To fit the toilet, sink and shower into two “squares”, special compact plumbing fixtures were used. White faience improves illumination even in a room without windows.

In the photo: renovation of an economy class apartment; layout 15 sq.m

Interior of a 16 sq.m apartment in Paris: on floors

The owners, Françoise and Bruno, decided to decorate this Parisian apartment with an area of 16 square meters in order to rent it out to a young couple. These plans required precise calculations: two people means twice as many things, a wider bed, etc. Architect Cyril Reims was called to help, who ate the dog on miniature squares. Kirill’s “specialty” is multifunctional furniture. Although, if you look closely, it will become clear that the success of his projects is not so much in furniture, but in well-thought-out ergonomics. So in this apartment, the architect placed a double bed on a low “wardrobe” with drawers. The bed smoothly flows into the work desk, under which there are shelves for books and papers, and above it there is a wardrobe hidden. Another jewelery decision relates to the location of the kitchen, toilet and bathroom: the architect used niches and projections to place all functional areas on approximately six “squares” (see plan).

What else can you learn from this apartment?

A white background and red accents are an easy way to make an otherwise bland space feel as energetic as possible. Young people especially like these apartment interiors. The project uses a thin electric heater with a glass surface on which you can write with a marker, like on a blackboard. According to Kirill, even in economy-class projects, you cannot leave less than 150 cm between the bed and the ceiling, otherwise those lying down will feel psychologically uncomfortable. The wardrobe door was set high enough so as not to interfere with the computer. And in order to “distance” it somewhat visually, the box was painted gray. A huge metro map on the wall, among other things, hides an old chimney.

In the photo: renovation of an economy class apartment; layout 16 sq.m.

Interior of a 19 sq.m apartment in Paris: bedroom on the second floor

This studio apartment in Montmartre is an example of clever handling of non-standard space. The owner decided to refurbish the room with high ceilings (up to 4 meters) so that he could safely receive guests here. The designers suggested using the high ceilings and equipping the apartment with an additional sleeping place - right on the “roof” of the kitchen. There are steps leading to the mezzanine, grouped in two blocks. These steps are another highlight of the project: one block is a wardrobe for outerwear, and the second, smaller one is for linen and other things. Access to storage areas is open from all sides: the lowest steps are drawers, and the rest of the space has hinged doors on the side.

From a coloristic point of view, the project is designed in a manner traditional for small spaces: warm wood on the floor, light walls and dark accents that emphasize the volume - in this case, they are a tabletop and spectacular bar stools.

What else can you learn from this apartment?

The countertop in the kitchen smoothly transitions into the dining table.
The kitchen is assembled from various blocks and IKEA components.
To make it non-slippery to climb onto the second tier, carpet was placed on the floor of the mezzanine.
A sliding door to the bathroom saves space in the kitchen.
Instead of a shower stall, they made a shower compartment, partitioning off the space with glass; the drain was hidden under a small podium.

In the photo: renovation of an economy class apartment; layout 19 sq.m.

Interior of a 21 sq.m apartment in Madrid: multi-level space

The owner of this non-standard apartment, reminiscent of a matchbox, had no choice but to organize a two-level space. But a full-fledged second floor on an area of 21 square meters, even with a ceiling height of 4.7 m, threatened to be cramped and dark. Therefore, the architects of the Madrid bureau MYCC Oficina de Arquitectura offered the owner an unusual project with two multi-level mezzanines and a podium. On the mezzanine there is a kitchen and an office, below them there is a bathroom and a bedroom. The podium hides storage systems. The apartment occupies the ground floor, so the entrance to it is through the kitchen, and all differences in the project are due to ease of movement.

What else can you learn from this apartment?

Almost all areas and even furniture in this home perform several functions at once. For example, the stairs from the kitchen to the living room and from the living room to the bedroom are also places for sitting. And the office can easily be converted into a guest bedroom if necessary.
Considering the complex layout of the apartment with differences, stairs and steps, the architects firmly adhered to the principles of minimalism in finishing. For such apartments, design without massive decorative elements is a forced decision. Even heavy curtains can “overload” the interior.
The bathroom is the most compact room in the apartment. In order not to aggravate this effect, the partitions inside the room were made not the full height of the wall, but slightly higher than half.

In the photo: design of an economy class apartment; layout 21 sq.m.

Interior of an apartment 13.5 sq.m. in Milan: miracle box

Designer Silvana Citterio purchased this one-room apartment to have a place to stay during her visits to Milan. True, at first she was overcome by doubts - even for the “economy” class, the apartment with an area of 13 “squares” was too small. But the historical district captivated Silvana, and the task of making comfortable housing out of this “material” seemed so interesting that the deal went through.

Most of the room is occupied by a multifunctional furniture complex, assembled on site according to the design of local carpenters. The lower tier is occupied by a kitchen and wardrobe, above them there is a bed and a dining area. The stove, sink and work surface in the kitchen are covered with hinged lids. If necessary, the dining table is moved to the side, the lid is lifted - and you can cook. To get into the wardrobe, you also need to move the table.

The floor and steps in the apartment in the photo are made of noble teak; they also play the role of visual accents on a white background.

What else can you learn from this apartment?

A large mirror placed opposite the bed makes the room look more spacious.
The clever layout of the kitchen made it possible to accommodate a small dishwasher, stove, mini-fridge and several drawers for dishes and other utensils.
Knives and spice jars are attached to the hinged lid using magnetic panels - this solution significantly saves space.
To make the miniature bathroom seem more spacious, lacquered white panels that reflect light and glossy brick-like tiles were used as partitions.

In the photo: design of an economy class apartment; layout 13.5 sq.m

Interior of a 16 sq.m apartment in Paris: the sea is calling

As we have already said, the “economy” class for an apartment in itself does not promise savings on repairs. But sometimes it has to be done suddenly, and the designer’s task becomes even more interesting. It was under these conditions that the interior design project for this Parisian studio on the Canal Saint-Martin was conceived. The apartment where the young bartender lives was flooded by neighbors. The owner just wanted to update the decoration, since he didn’t expect anything grand from his 16 “square meters”. Luckily, he met designer Mariam Gassman, who was not embarrassed by either the small budget or the modest area.

Mariam did not design complex podiums and multifunctional blocks - the guy does not need a large kitchen or a guest bed. The emphasis in decoration was on expanding the space and trying to capture the atmosphere of the place: the beginning of the 20th century, the roofs, the canal. To make the small apartment “take off”, Mariam used the fresco technique - the walls below are painted by hand, and the color changes: the higher you go, the lighter it is, turning from blue to light blue, and then to white. Thanks to this focus, the room seems higher and the “taste of the sea” is felt - freshness appears in the interior. The historical “context” is provided by two plaster false fireplaces that serve as a table and a niche for a radiator, as well as an antique mirror.

What else can you learn from this apartment?

The floor was repainted matte black - this added depth to the room.
To disguise the kitchen, smooth white facades without handles were chosen. This technique is often used in the design of small apartments.
External wiring on the ceiling is placed in copper plumbing pipes - with their help they added rhythm to the interior.
The doors in the closet next to the bed imitate an antique “window” with blinds, so as not to be discordant with the rest of the decor.
In the bathroom, part of the white tiles is highlighted with black grout: this contrast looks very stylish, especially in combination with accessories “from the 30s”.

Interior of a 23 sq.m apartment in Paris: thin red line

This apartment on the second floor of an old house belongs to a young couple. Initially, the owners did not intend to do a full renovation here, but they could not stand the cramped conditions and demolished all the partitions. The project of the family nest was entrusted to designer Sandrine Carré. As a result, copper-colored oak parquet was laid on the new screed, and a built-in light was hidden in the suspended ceiling. The studio was left open, but the bedroom still has its own boundaries - it is separated from the living room by a half-wall partition. The bed is not visible from the kitchen-living room, but there is enough light and air for both halves of the studio. The niches created in the kitchen were used to create a mini-office and a TV cabinet with storage space. The main palette of the interior is restrained, in natural shades: gray, white, blue, brown. Against this background, the red stripe on the border of the living room and bedroom looks especially bright. One such element can bring rhythm and invigorate a calm Scandinavian interior.

Apartment in the residential complex "Blizhnaya Dacha". Design project of an apartment on the street. Starovolynskaya in Moscow Address: st. Starovolynskaya, Moscow, Russia Total area: 204.0 m² Design: 2007 Implementation: 2008 The project was made in a minimalist style with ethnic motifs. The key to the concept was the customer’s desire to get a “living” residential apartment, without the feeling of a newly renovated room and an overly “made” interior. In all rooms, it was decided to use the highest quality and environmentally friendly materials - oak, teak, clean-cut white travertine, black African granite, etc. The texture of natural materials looks so rich that the interior does not need additional decor. As a result, the resulting interior is distinguished by thoughtfulness and consistency. The apartment is dominated by pleasant pastel colors. Paintings by Armenian masters from the owners’ collection, as well as carpet and accessories in ethnic style, add additional warmth and comfort to the atmosphere. The total area of the apartment is quite large. The apartment has a spacious entrance hall, living room, kitchen combined with dining room, three bedrooms with their own bathrooms, and a winter garden. The hallway welcomes owners and guests with space, festive lighting and an exhibition of paintings by Anatoly Papanyan. The floor in the room is finished with light oak boards. Everything in the living room is clear and well thought out. For the floors in the living room, maximum width parquet boards made from oak, which grows in the mountainous regions of Russia, were chosen. Unlike lowland varieties, high-mountain oak wood has greater density, hardness and wear resistance, and has a more even grain pattern. When creating the interior architecture, special attention was paid to details. Thus, the “Nimba” lamp from the Spanish factory “Santa&Cole”, equipped with hundreds of xenon bulbs, serves as a kind of center of the living room. The undeniable advantage of these lamps compared to halogen lamps is lower energy consumption and greater light output. As a result, the lighting becomes brighter and less energy is consumed. In addition, xenon light is white, almost comparable in spectrum to daylight. There is a handmade Armenian wool carpet on the floor, around which there is a seating area - upholstered furniture from the Italian factory “Poliform”. It is worth emphasizing the customer’s commitment to brands with their own philosophy, close to him in spirit. Thus, all the TVs in the apartment are made by Loewe, a manufacturer and pioneer in the field of premium multimedia equipment. The kitchen's color scheme is not much different from the general restrained style. Kitchen furniture from the German factory “Almilmö” with a white glossy surface and framed inserts made of African Macassar wood in mocha color was used. The kitchen uses premium built-in appliances from the manufacturer “Miele”, a refrigerator from the German company “Gaggenau”, which has been defining the direction of development of household appliances for more than 300 years and is considered a leader in the implementation of innovations in the field of technology and design “Made in Germany”. The island in the middle of the kitchen serves simultaneously as a work surface, a table for a quick snack, and a storage system with a refrigerator for vegetables and fruits. The countertop is made of black African granite. The floor in the kitchen area is covered with Portuguese wenge porcelain tiles. The kitchen smoothly transitions into the dining room. It was decided to leave the brick that lined the walls of the closed balcony, which became the dining room, to give the interior warmth. Roman blinds, white cube-shaped lamps and white covered “Poliform” chairs create a bright and light atmosphere in the dining room. The bathroom is designed in warm earth tones using natural Italian travertine from the Cottoveneto factory, marble and Burmese teak wood. Simple geometric shapes of shelves, sanitary ware and accessories highlight the rich texture of wood. Marble inserts create accents and give the interior individuality. All storage and communication systems are hidden behind the walls. Accessories and faucets in bathrooms from the leading manufacturer in their field “Dornbracht” - handmade. In October 2011 in Moscow, at the II international architectural and construction exhibition “Beautiful Houses”, the project was awarded an award from the publishing house. “Beautiful Homes” house and “HANSA” company for 1st place in the “Interior-ArchObject” nomination Project authors: Telemak ANANYAN, Gohar ISAKHANYAN, Anahit MKHCHYAN

Designer: Sergey Kharenko

The concept of European style includes several architectural trends, united by common characteristics. In general, the European style in the interior of an apartment provides for a high level of comfort and quality of work, the use of natural, environmentally friendly materials. The set of interior items is a harmonious combination of furniture, appliances, and accessories, in which there is no place for unnecessary things.

Apartment features

The apartment is decorated in a minimalist style with loft elements. White was chosen as the main color of the interior, filling the rooms with cleanliness, visually expanding the space, indicating careful planning and a high level of finishing.

Kitchen-living room

The white kitchen-living room in a one-room apartment is designed in the form of a studio, combining areas for cooking and relaxation. The snow-white room is harmoniously complemented by accents of black and white furniture, accessories, lamps, and wall decor. Even the picture has a contrasting content and at the same time carries a particle of natural freshness.

The simplicity and clarity of the minimalist character of the interior is emphasized by the smooth lines of Roman blinds. Each item is thought out and has a functional purpose. Zoning into a work area and a relaxation area occurs with the help of furniture and decorative painting of the walls.

Thanks to the skillful division of space into zones, a separate living room and bedroom were created in a one-room apartment. Despite the asceticism of the design, the kitchen gives the impression of a comfortable and convenient room, and the upholstered furniture will allow you to spend any amount of time in front of a modern large TV.

Snow-white bedroom

The lounge room continues the chosen finishing style. White walls and black pieces of furniture are complemented by gray interior items. In the course of a thoughtful layout, there was room in a small room for a comfortable double bed and a desk with a computer.

Open shelves and Roman blinds do not clutter up the space, and the glossy finish in the headboard visually pushes back the wall. The room, filled with sun, shines, seems spacious and cozy. A small partition takes up very little space, but protects the person resting in bed from the light falling from the work desk.

Bathroom

The bathroom is very tiny, but thanks to the right design, you can comfortably use a shower, toilet, and bidet. Loft style elements were used as decor - a stainless steel heated towel rail and lamp, decorative stone trim, a countertop and warm sand-colored tiles with a natural solid texture.

The glass door to the shower cabin gives the room lightness, does not clutter it up, and creates the effect of free space. This is also facilitated by mirrored shelves on the wall cabinet. In addition to visually expanding the room, this solution allowed us to eliminate the necessary mirror on the wall.

A professionally organized interior of a one-room apartment in a European style allows you to get a beautiful modern design, with maximum functionality and comfort. There is a place for work, communication with friends, and good rest.

This popular design trend has gone through many metamorphoses, and has also freed itself from the narrow framework and classical rules of designing a living space. Modern interpretations of European style can satisfy the requirements of completely different people whose tastes are radically different.

Features of European style in the interior

The updated European-style interior has the following distinctive features:
▫ Open plan. An interesting “curiosity” has become an integral element of the interior. A striking example of housing design in this style are studio apartments;
▫ Expanded space. The demolition of walls, high windows, the absence of curtains - all this provides a feeling of freedom and lightness. However, it is worth noting again the inconsistency of the European style in the interior, because recently massive curtains and even wooden shutters on the windows are increasingly becoming relevant. Modern designers predict the end of the era of openness, which is gradually losing ground to privacy and more intimate settings;
▫ Comfortable. The concept of comfort in a European interior also does not have clear standards, so it is important that it is convenient for a particular person and his family to live in such an environment;

▫ Minimalism. European style in the interior combines high technology and lack of clutter. Any detail of the apartment’s interior should be laconic, environmentally friendly and comfortable;
▫ Restraint. To create an interior in a European style, you need to have a genuine affinity for pastel shades. The color scheme of the room should be modest, but not boring. It is very important to choose the right ones. In rooms decorated in European style, spring mood, lightness and freshness always prevail.

Materials and finishing

Ceiling

There are several popular options for decorating a European-style ceiling. For a more conservative view of home improvement, a ceiling with decorative beams is appropriate. This interesting feature is borrowed from. Homeowners who keep up with the times prefer multi-level ceilings with different lighting schemes. Stretch fabrics are often used in the living room interior.

Walls

The main “highlight” of wall decoration in this interior style is the combination of different textures. They should be a harmonious background for furniture and other interior elements in the room. So, one wall can be painted in a relatively bright color, and the other can be covered with laconic wallpaper with an interesting pattern. When painting walls, it is important to consider that the European style is characterized by matte surfaces.

Floor

The flooring in such a room can be parquet boards, tiles, natural wood or its imitation. The floor should be several shades darker than the walls and doors. In the European style of interior, various types of carpets are acceptable (both knitted fabrics and high-pile carpets). This decorative element allows you to balance the asceticism and warmth of the atmosphere in the apartment.

European-style home furnishings do not tolerate compliance with conservative rules. It is much better if representatives of different headsets meet in the same room. Although they differ in color and shape, they have minor common characteristics.

In order to preserve as much free space in the room as possible, it is advisable to give preference to multifunctional furniture.

Furniture in European interiors traditionally has smooth and even surfaces, and its finishing is in keeping with the spirit. Depending on the emphasis of the interior design, modern or vintage furniture is selected.

Vintage European style implies the presence of carved cabinets and shelves, round coffee tables and stools with curly legs. The geometry of furniture in a modern European style is characterized by simplicity and restraint.

Upholstered furniture should be light, high quality, low, attractive and comfortable.

In the interior of a European kitchen there is often a massive wooden table located strictly in the center of the room.

Details and decor

Despite the fact that in an interior decorated in a European style there should be nothing superfluous, it is nevertheless impossible to do without accessories.

Possible decor options that emphasize the individuality of European housing: