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Modern European interiors. European style kitchen design: all the nuances and examples of interiors

European style has gone through a lot of changes throughout its history. However, almost everyone likes its modern interpretation. It is fashionable, stylish and very comfortable. The main distinguishing feature of the style is the almost complete absence of walls. Such studio apartments are now very relevant and an increasing number of people are remodeling their ordinary homes in this way.

Creation of a European interior

To introduce European style into your apartment or house, you must fulfill its basic requirements:

In no case should you overload the interior with furniture, especially bulky cabinets. Let all the furniture be more decorative. Ideally, one room should be taken under the dressing room and all things should be stored there (for example, in Khrushchev houses, you can turn an ordinary pantry into a dressing room). If you do not have the opportunity to equip such a room, try to choose compact wardrobes.
The use of armchairs and a sofa from one set in the interior is boring and banal. This design is long gone. Let the chairs absolutely not be combined with the sofa in shape and color.
Give preference to mobile and transformable pieces of furniture. With their help, you can easily change and refresh your interior.
The European style is characterized by a combination of light doors and dark floors.
To match the light doors, try to choose a light plinth for the walls. Moreover, the plinth should be wide enough - about 10 cm. This is not only a stylish solution, but also very practical.
The bathroom and the room and the toilet are best decorated with small light tiles. In this case, light is not necessarily just white. The European style welcomes the use of mustard, brick, light green and other non-standard tones in the bathroom interior.

European style living room

Decorating a living room in a European style is quite simple. First of all, it must meet three main points:

All upholstered furniture should be beautiful, very comfortable and made in bright colors.
The decor for the living room should be simple, but elegant and sophisticated.
In the interior it is important to use only natural materials.

The entire interior of the living room is built around an object. It can be, for example, a beautiful coffee table surrounded by a sofa and a couple of armchairs. Such a solution will be very comfortable, because in the living room you will gather with family and friends, and such an arrangement of furniture will make communication as comfortable as possible. Don't forget to add some "zest" to the design. A great decoration will be a large number of bright sofa cushions.

The second option for the center of the interior is a fireplace. The hearth will make any room very cozy and homely, and this is the most important thing for the central room of the house. If you decide to opt for a fireplace, you will have options to choose from. First, you can install a real wood burning fireplace. This option is for residents of private houses. The advantages of wood-burning fireplaces can hardly be overestimated, because they give both soft light and cozy warmth. Secondly, you can purchase an electric fireplace. This solution is suitable for residents of city apartments. A high-quality electric fireplace practically does not differ from the real one. Thirdly, you can get by with a simple imitation of a fireplace. Of course, this option does not look very convincing, and it does not give heat with light, but on the other hand, you can create an imitation of a fireplace with your own hands, and it will fit perfectly into the interior.

European style kitchen

When creating a kitchen, as well as when creating a living room, there will be special rules:

First of all, you need to carefully consider the zoning of the room. European style pays a lot of attention to zoning. And for practical purposes, this is a very useful procedure. Even the smallest kitchen with the right approach can accommodate everything you need.
The next step is to optimize the storage system. Of course, a lot of things are stored in the kitchen: household appliances, stocks of cereals, vegetables and so on. Each item on this list should have its own, strictly defined place.
And finally, you need to choose compact and practical furniture for the kitchen.

Finishing the kitchen space consists in painting the walls and doors in light colors. The floor should be in contrast with the walls. When finishing the floor, you have two options - ceramic tiles and moisture-resistant laminate (specially designed for kitchen areas). As for the ceiling, it should be light and smooth. It is better to give preference to some modern option, for example, a two-level plasterboard ceiling or a stretch ceiling.

Be sure to pay enough attention to the lighting of the kitchen. In a European interior, it must be very bright and include at least a few lighting fixtures.

The ideal lighting option is a built-in light in the ceiling. This is very easy to implement if you have chosen one of the modern ceiling options listed above. Decorative lighting should be present on cabinets and shelves. It is beautiful and practical, as it facilitates work in the kitchen. It is very convenient and economical to make such a backlight using LED strips. Above the dining table, you can place either one large chandelier, or several hanging identical lamps.

And, of course, European cuisine should be equipped with the latest technology. All elements of technology should be thoughtful, practical, built-in if possible. As a rule, a standard European-style kitchen includes: an electric or gas stove with an oven (it is important that the oven has a wide range of various additional functions), a refrigerator and a freezer, an extractor hood, a microwave, a dishwasher, small household appliances ( toaster, slow cooker, bread maker, coffee maker, double boiler, etc.).

The old tiny studio on the first floor of a Parisian house had been in the status of a dim closet for quite some time, until a 20-year-old student moved in here. The new owner could afford only economy class repairs, but she still spent money on designers. Flora Auvray managed to equip a complete kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room here.

It seems that the interior of this studio is extremely simple - but it is not. Firstly, the designers pulled out a maximum of natural light: the light from the windows gets into the kitchen with an open doorway, and into the bathroom - through a glass block wall 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 - the boundary between the living room and the kitchen is so unusually decorated, 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 cunning move: a long smooth line visually expands the space, confuses the eye.

The hostess loves purple, which is why they took him in the company of "expanding" white and neutral gray. But clean accents would look flat, so a softer “dusted” shade was chosen for depth. Under the double bed on the mezzanine is a seating area with a sofa bed. On the sides there are two large wardrobes: one serves as a dressing room, the other - storage for appliances and all sorts of household items. All partitions in the apartment are at the same time 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, in which a refrigerator and a washing machine were immediately built in. Sliding bathroom door saves space. Pipes and electrics in the kitchen and bathroom were hidden under the ceiling. The sharp corner did not allow for a regular shower tray, so a shower drain was used.

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

The interior of an apartment of 15 sq.m in Paris: simple and bright

The renovation of this miniature apartment on the third floor of an old Parisian building lasted four months. To begin with, a dwelling with an area of 15 square meters was freed from partitions, the old lining was removed from the walls, and the parquet was restored. The design of the studio was largely made 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. In order to preserve the feeling of spaciousness, the designers used an old trick: paint one (only one) wall in a bright color. Here the color is blue. As a result, the living space received additional depth and looks more interesting. But all cabinets, shelves and racks, on the contrary, are made white and as concise as possible, without decor and even handles - so as not to distract attention.

What else can you learn from this apartment

The IKEA kitchenette is the go-to for small student apartments like this one. Open shelves and wall-to-wall countertops visually lengthen the room. The tabletop serves as a dining and working table. The living room uses a set of coffee tables that compactly slide under each other. To fit the toilet, sink and shower on two "squares", special compact plumbing was used. White faience improves lighting even in a windowless room.

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

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

This Parisian apartment of 16 square meters, the owners - Francoise and Bruno - decided to finish it in order to rent it out to a young couple. These plans required an accurate calculation: two people is twice as many things, a wider bed, etc. The architect Cyril Reims was called to help, who ate a dog in miniature squares. Cyril's "specialization" is multifunctional furniture. Although, if you look closely, it becomes clear that the success of his projects is not so much in furniture, but in thoughtful ergonomics. Here, in this apartment, the architect placed a double bed on a low “wardrobe” with drawers. The bed smoothly flows into the desktop, under which there are shelves for books and papers, and above it there is a wardrobe hidden. Another jewelry decision is related to the location of the kitchen, toilet and bathroom: the architect used niches and ledges to place all functional areas on about six "squares" (see plan).

What else can you learn from this apartment

A white backdrop and red accents are an easy way to make a featureless space feel as vibrant as possible. Such interiors of apartments are especially liked by young people. The project used a thin electric heater with a glass surface that can be written on with a marker like on a blackboard. According to Cyril, even in economy class projects, it is impossible to leave less than 150 cm between the bed and the ceiling, otherwise it will be psychologically uncomfortable for the person lying down. The door to the wardrobe was set high enough not to interfere with the computer. And in order to visually "distance" it somewhat, the box was painted gray. A huge subway map on the wall also hides an old chimney.

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

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

This studio apartment in Montmartre is an example of competent handling of non-standard space. The owner decided to re-equip the room with high ceilings (under 4 meters) so that he could safely receive guests here. The designers suggested using high-rise ceilings and equipping the apartment with an extra bed - right on the "roof" of the kitchen. Steps, grouped into two blocks, lead to the mezzanine. These steps are another highlight of the project: one block is a closet for outerwear, and the second, smaller one is for linen and other things. Access to storage spaces is open from all sides: the lowest steps are drawers, and hinged doors are made for the rest of the space on the side.

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

What else can you learn from this apartment

The countertop in the kitchen smoothly flows into the dining table.
The kitchen is assembled from different IKEA blocks and components.
In order to climb onto the second tier it was not slippery, a carpet was laid on the floor of the mezzanine.
A sliding door to the bathroom saves space in the kitchen.
Instead of a shower cabin, they made a shower compartment, fencing off the space with glass, the drain is hidden under a small podium.

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

Interior of a 21 sqm apartment in Madrid: multi-level space

The owner of this non-standard matchbox apartment had no other choice but to organize a two-level space. But a full-fledged second floor on an area of 21 sq.m, even with a ceiling height of 4.7 m, threatened with tightness and darkness. Therefore, the architects of the Madrid bureau MYCC Oficina de Arquitectura offered the owner an unusual project with two mezzanines of different levels 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 basement, so the entrance to it is located through the kitchen, and all the differences in the project are due to ease of movement.

What else can you learn from this apartment

Almost all zones and even furniture in this dwelling perform several functions at once. For example, stairs from the kitchen to the living room and from the living room to the bedroom are also seating areas. And the office, if necessary, easily turns into a guest bedroom.
Given the complex layout of the apartment with drops, stairs and steps, the architects firmly adhered to the principles of minimalism in the decoration. For such apartments, design without massive decorative elements is a forced decision. Even heavy curtains can "overload" the interior.
The bathroom is the smallest room in the apartment. In order not to aggravate this effect, the partitions inside the room were not made to the full height of the wall, but slightly above half.

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

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

Designer Silvana Citterio bought this one-bedroom apartment to provide a place to stay during her visits to Milan. True, at first she was overcome by doubts - even for the economy class, an apartment of 13 square meters was too small. But the historic district captivated Sylvanas, 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 project 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 rises - 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 located 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 saves space.
To make the miniature bathroom seem more spacious, lacquered white panels reflecting light and glossy brick-like tiles are used as partitions.

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

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

As we have already said, the “economy” class for an apartment in itself does not at all promise savings on repairs. But sometimes it has to be done suddenly, and the task of the designer becomes even more interesting. It was under such conditions that the interior design of this Parisian studio on the Canal Saint-Martin was conceived. The apartment where the young bartender lives was flooded with neighbors. The owner just wanted to update the finish, because he did not expect anything grandiose from his 16 "squares". Fortunately, 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 the 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 are painted by hand from the bottom, and the color changes: the higher it is, the lighter it is, turning from blue to 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. Two gypsum false fireplaces, acting as a table and a niche for a radiator, as well as an antique mirror are responsible for the historical “context”.

What else can you learn from this apartment

The floor was repainted in matte black - this added depth to the room.
To mask the kitchen, smooth white fronts without handles were chosen. In the design of small apartments, this technique is often used.
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 old "window" with blinds, so as not to be dissonant with the rest of the decor.
In the bathroom, part of the white tiles are highlighted with black grout: this contrast looks very stylish, especially when combined with accessories from the “30s”.

Interior of an apartment of 23 sqm in Paris: a thin red line

This apartment on the second floor of an old house belongs to a young couple. Initially, the owners were not going to make a full-fledged repair here, but they could not stand the tightness and demolished all the partitions. The design of the family nest was entrusted to designer Sandrine Carré. As a result, a copper-colored oak parquet was laid on a new screed, and a built-in light was hidden in the false ceiling. The studio was left open, but the bedroom still has its limits - a half-wall partition separates it from the living room. 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 formed in the kitchen were used to equip a mini-study 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 is able to bring rhythm, invigorate a calm Scandinavian interior.

In Europe, at least (if only) if an ordinary room looks harmonious, comfortable, light and even artistic. Are there any tricks that you can use to create a stylish European interior on your own?

Light and space in the interior

Lakhudra feature of European interiors is that they are spacious, free, filled with air and light. Related ((to) how) as a rule, this comes down to a large footage of the premises themselves. In fact, it is not a sin to achieve such an effect in our apartments, using the available tricks.

– Start with planning. In European apartments, it’s not enough: the illiterate will meet narrow, cramped corridors and small rooms, deaf nooks and crannies - either they are turned into separate enclosed spaces here (avoiding storage of things (cloakrooms), or they are combined with other rooms into a spacious studio. A thousand times they combine the kitchen, living room and passage , and only personal spaces remain separate - a single room, a bathroom, a nursery, an office.

– In the color scheme of the walls and ceiling rather, give preference to light colors and shades: white, cream, beige, light gray. Such coloring gives the interior lightness, cheerfulness and elegance. In addition, sympathy visually "pushes" the walls.

– In flooring are allowed the most dissimilar materials, but without complex parquet or tile patterns. As a rule, paul is plain and textured (for example, with a uniform rough pattern of wood).

– The simple geometry of space. In such interiors, the ceilings and walls are even, without complex plasterboard structures, niches, arches and columns.

– Despite the seeming simplicity, in the European interior day and night there is an atmosphere, mood, character. And you can create this due to the fact, but get and sign a neutral light background (walls, floor, ceiling) to “draw” the lure of emotions with through the decor. It is the final decoration - lamps, textiles, accessories - that brings emotions to every room.

– Aspid important area in the interior is occupied by art objects, paintings, posters, photographs, and always professionally executed and modern, for the case if there is no idea to create an accent in retro style. They are picked around the general idea and color output.

– There are few accessories in European rooms but each of them is special. Change) of five souvenirs of the same type is better to put one, so spectacular and unusual item. Every now and then, it is with the purchase of one design item (lekythos, lamp, chair, poster) that you can change the general appearance of the room.

– Pretentiousness is far from welcome in European interiors., pomposity, demonstrative and ostentatious brilliance. It is important to use only the best quality materials - for that matter, simplicity will not look cheap, but on the contrary, will give the room elegance.

Little interior secrets

- In a different way) it will be a small room, feel free to refuse lush draperies and curtains. On (the place of them (God) ordered to use light tulle, roller blinds, blinds. An unusual modification for us is “bare” windows.

Give you a room with such windows looked seductive, you need to carefully decorate the window openings, simply not with plastic slopes, but with plaster, paint, and laconic figured architraves. Additional decor can be frames (frames) or small borders around the window - the same color, ayushki? and wall.

– Can there be any suspended ceilings! European designers use them only in public interiors (cafe-bar, restaurants, hotels).

– A good furniture option for the living room is a cabinet, modular stool. This is a kind of constructor for adults: you order only those shelving elements that you need and arrange them in a convenient order. The lightness and versatility of the modules allow you to change the interior from time to time.

– An interesting technique: where there would be a single headset in the living room or dining room, you can pick up different items(ottoman + deck chair or several chairs). Of course, they should be combined in style and color. Such a set will look more interesting than a massive and monotonous "corner". This is also an option for old furniture - you can cover the chairs with fashionable fabrics of different shades, that is, patterns.

European comfort

European design does not interfere with comfort, but on the contrary, embodies well-being. So the kitchen and bathroom in the first place should be comfortable. Big things can be hidden in storage systems, and individual utensils and cutlery equipment can be used as decor. To do this, you will have to buy high-quality and stylish dishes and cutlery - they will perform two functions at once: serve for a long time and faithfully, and decorate the room in a specific turn.

Keep me...

Europeans pay a lot of attention to storage systems. The end is no matter what piece of furniture is thought out so that every centimeter inside it is occupied with benefit. As a rule, things of the whole family are stored in specially organized places: pantries, dressing rooms.

In the rooms there are only the most necessary items that should be at hand. Due to this, the interiors of the poorly educated are overloaded with cabinets, “walls”, shelves ...

If it is not possible to put forward a place for a dressing room or pantry, they will be successfully replaced by capacious sedan wardrobes. The main thing is to choose the most neutral design: a simple mirror or wooden isogeotherm, bypassing patterns, drawings and other artsy decor.

We are not afraid of bright cutters

Prefixes do not be afraid to experiment with color! That is why the neutral, discreet "three pillars" (light walls, sex, ceiling) are so good - it allows you to play with bright colors, changing the network, covers, or - or furniture upholstery, rugs ...

The main rule of tonal development is to throw out one bright "mark" in a saturated color (a sofa, a carpet, part of a wall, etc.), supplementing it with small accessories of other shades - in the spirit of similar, commercial and contrasting ones. The smaller the area of the color accent, the more different colors can be involved.

Getting acquainted with various works, visitors receive little information about their creators, but it is so interesting to get to know the famous masters better. Below are ten very popular and significant personalities in the interior art, working in Europe in recent years.

Fabio Novembre is one of Italy's most eccentric designers. He is very energetic, unpredictable and brought to life a lot of bright ideas. True, they still expect even more from him, calling him promising. It is thanks to people like him that the hope remains that interior art will not slide down to the level of standard stamping of faceless things.

Philippe Starck promotes in his lectures the love of neighbor and the generosity of the soul, and at the same time creates works in which notes of sex and violence coexist. An extraordinary approach to business has led to the fact that his turnkey works are very popular in the world. The prices of items designed by him vary greatly, which makes it possible for fans to please themselves with a chair or a lamp even on a limited budget.

Konstantin Grchik leads a very modest secular life, and in his writings he is guided by the functionality and practicality of solutions. He is known for his attention to detail, for example, it can take him three years to design a set of dishes. Behind the whimsical forms of his inventions is always comfort and logic.

Patricia Urquiola is a world-famous specialist who has worked with the most famous design houses. She often makes women's warm, soulful things from fabric, thread and similar materials. She manages to combine minimalism with spirituality. Patricia is an architect by education, but she is mainly engaged in the manufacture of individual models, and she agrees to work on a large project only for special customers who are responsive to her opinion.

Alfredo Haberli was born in Argentina and lives with his family in a small apartment in Switzerland. He has a passion for designing compact things, as well as all kinds of details for the nursery. Working on large-scale projects, he always requires the client to have at least two years of time. Alfredo considers this period to be the minimum for such a serious matter.

Thord Bontier dreamed of becoming a forester, but instead he mastered laser cutting and creates a variety of works on the same motive. Curtains and tablecloths, tables and dishes - everything is decorated with flowers, petals and animals. His uncomplicated ideas are combined into fabulous installations, and the flow of buyers does not dry out. In the modern technocratic world, his work becomes a breath of tenderness and closeness to nature.

Ingo Mauer focused exclusively on the production of lighting products. He is ready to make any interior lively and interesting with their help, and uses a variety of techniques for this. His winged light bulbs and soup bowl chandelier are world famous. Mauer opened his own company, and works by various authors are published under his brand.

Hella Jongerius ignores the requirements for practicality, and happily shows her creations to fans, which are especially decorative. For example, a plate with a well-fed porcelain hare in the middle can hardly be convenient to use. Hella is highly critical of modern consumerism and affluence, and also dislikes pets.

Morten Klesson, Ero Koivisto and Ola Rune work as a trio and create entire interiors in the Scandinavian style. They love it when their products are sold in mass editions, and they try to make them original, but universal. With particular pleasure, the bureau works with the construction and design of multi-storey buildings.

Terence Conran has a very complex nature, and yet all his life he urged consumers to keep things simple. He believes that the decorativeness of Victorian-style furniture is no longer relevant, and all things should be functional in the first place. He built a career based on this principle.

Creation of a European interior
European style living room
European style kitchen

Creation of a European interior

To introduce European style into your apartment or house, you must fulfill its basic requirements:

In no case should you overload the interior with furniture, especially bulky cabinets. Let all the furniture be more decorative. Ideally, one room should be taken under the dressing room and all things should be stored there (for example, in Khrushchev houses, you can turn an ordinary pantry into a dressing room). If you do not have the opportunity to equip such a room, try to choose compact wardrobes.
The use of armchairs and a sofa from one set in the interior is boring and banal. This design is long gone. Let the chairs absolutely not be combined with the sofa in shape and color.
Give preference to mobile and transformable pieces of furniture. With their help, you can easily change and refresh your interior.
The European style is characterized by a combination of light doors and dark floors.
To match the light doors, try to choose a light plinth for the walls. Moreover, the plinth should be wide enough - about 10 cm. This is not only a stylish solution, but also very practical.
The bathroom and the room and the toilet are best decorated with small light tiles. In this case, light is not necessarily just white. The European style welcomes the use of mustard, brick, light green and other non-standard tones in the bathroom interior.

European style living room

Decorating a living room in a European style is quite simple. First of all, it must meet three main points:

All upholstered furniture should be beautiful, very comfortable and made in bright colors.
The decor for the living room should be simple, but elegant and sophisticated.
In the interior it is important to use only natural materials.

European style kitchen

When creating a kitchen, as well as when creating a living room, there will be special rules:

First of all, you need to carefully consider the zoning of the room. European style pays a lot of attention to zoning. And for practical purposes, this is a very useful procedure. Even the smallest kitchen with the right approach can accommodate everything you need.
The next step is to optimize the storage system. Of course, a lot of things are stored in the kitchen: household appliances, stocks of cereals, vegetables and so on. Each item on this list should have its own, strictly defined place.
And finally, you need to choose compact and practical furniture for the kitchen.

Be sure to pay enough attention to the lighting of the kitchen. In a European interior, it must be very bright and include at least a few lighting fixtures.