The refrigerator under the window is a characteristic feature of the Khrushchev-era apartments we inherited from the last century. To effectively use the space of small kitchens, developers built a cabinet in the wall in which perishable food could be stored in winter and used as a pantry in the warm season. The refrigerator had one shelf and was closed with rough folding doors. In order for such a niche in the kitchen to fit harmoniously into a modern interior, it is necessary to refine its appearance or reconstruct it for another functional use.
Refrigerator under the window: finishing
There are different options for using a niche under a window. The built-in refrigerator can be upgraded to store food in it.
The cabinet under the window “works” for cooling only in the winter, and in the summer it may well take on the functions of a mini-pantry
Or you can convert the refrigerator into open shelving or completely dismantle it, placing a heating radiator, sink, or decorative fireplace in the recess.
After reconstructing the refrigerator, you can place a washing machine in the niche, and use the window sill as a work surface
Seasonal refrigerator under the window
Many housewives still use a seasonal refrigerator today. Thanks to the thin brickwork of the rear wall and the ventilation hole in the niche, the temperature remains low in winter.
The preparations are perfectly stored in the refrigerator
But due to the lack of good insulation of the walls and cabinet doors, the kitchen also becomes cold. Therefore, when improving, it is necessary not only to give the structure a more aesthetic appearance, it is more important to make it airtight.
Having removed the old window sill, the opening is treated with a primer, plastered and insulated with foil insulation.
Insulate all sides, including the bottom, with foil insulation
After finishing the interior of the niche, new doors are installed, which must close tightly. The most suitable option is to use double-glazed windows.
A seasonal refrigerator will cope with its task if you install sealed doors
Video
This video shows how an old Khrushchev-era refrigerator is transformed into a convenient place to store food in winter.
It is interesting that a refrigerator in the kitchen under the window can have very different definitions in the name, and this will depend not on its functionality, but on the region or area where it was installed.
So, in Kolyma it will be a Kolyma refrigerator, in Magadan - a Chukchi refrigerator, in Sverdlovsk - a Ural refrigerator, and those who managed to live under the unforgettable Nikita Sergeevich call it Khrushchev’s. However, such a device serves the same purposes regardless of the region in which it was made.
Wardrobe under the window
The space under the window can be used as a cabinet for kitchen utensils.
It’s easy to make a useful cabinet out of a Khrushchev refrigerator in which you can store dishes or non-perishable foods
In this case, it is necessary to lay a through hole and make another row of brickwork. insulate the walls, hang shelves and replace old doors.
To avoid condensation in the closet, you need to insulate the niche
The most suitable solution for creating thermal insulation is to install a door made of metal-plastic. The drawer door is very convenient and looks like a natural extension of the plastic window.
The double-glazed window will provide reliable protection against the penetration of street cold into the apartment
Sliding doors equipped with a reinforced profile also retain heat well. When opened, such doors, unlike swing doors, do not take up much space.
The plastic sliding system works on the principle of a wardrobe
For the interior decoration of a cabinet, the best material is ceramic tiles: they are durable and easy to clean.
Decorating the walls with ceramic tiles will make caring for your cabinet much easier.
Using double-glazed windows with transparent or stained glass for doors, you can turn the box into a mini-bar, giving it a more aesthetic appearance: line the walls from the inside with tiles, install glass shelves.
A nondescript drawer under the kitchen window can be turned into a stylish minibar if desired.
The cabinet looks original with lighting made using a 12-volt LED strip.
A wonderful design trick is to illuminate the inside of the cabinet by gluing an LED strip
Instead of glass, mirrors can be installed in the doors. The use of mirror inserts creates a double effect - expanding the space of a tiny kitchen and decorating it.
This option with mirrors will visually increase the space
To ensure that the external design of the cabinet is in harmony with the kitchen set, you can make it with the same finish.
The ideal solution is to order the doors along with the kitchen set
An alternative to a design with doors is a cabinet with drawers.
Drawers are very convenient, since in one cabinet, consisting of several sections, you can simultaneously store vegetables, fruits and kitchen items
DIY wardrobe under the window
Balcony designs and their capabilities
The possibility of equipping a balcony with storage systems primarily depends on its design. It’s also useful to think in advance about what you plan to store there.
- Open balcony. It is almost impossible to organize storage systems for things here. But this is a great place for a flower garden and even a small garden in an urban environment.
- Glazed but not insulated balcony. This is a more functional space where frozen semi-finished products can be stored in winter. This is especially convenient if the balcony is adjacent to the kitchen. But in the summer, due to the increased temperature and humidity, it is difficult to store food and fresh vegetables there without special equipment. But skiing and snowboarding will be a great place to spend the summer season there. The choice of furniture materials for such a room is also not great - you cannot use chipboard, MDF or solid wood due to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. The most reliable options are furniture made of metal or plastic.
- Glazed insulated balcony. Here you can safely organize places to store seasonal clothes and shoes, bicycles and car tires - that is, all items and products that can deteriorate or crack due to sudden changes in the environment. The requirements for furniture are the same as for all premises - functionality and aesthetics.
Related article: Cost of insulating a balcony per square meter
Refrigerator under the window: remodeling
When arranging a niche, an open storage system is often used. Kitchen utensils can be placed on the shelves.
Open shelves visually expand the space, and the necessary items will always be at hand
An open shelving unit is also suitable as a storage place for a food processor or microwave oven.
It is convenient to place a microwave oven on the shelf under the window
Radiator
Ensuring a comfortable temperature for people living in a private house or apartment in winter is a priority task for every owner. The opening can be partially sealed and a heating radiator can be built in.
The space under the window after dismantling the refrigerator is suitable for installing a battery.
To fill the opening, you will have to carefully lay the brick, then plaster and putty well. It may be necessary to replace the window sill. A window sill that is too wide can cause poor convection. Before starting work, you should study the building codes and regulations (SNiP) relating to the organization of heat supply. With proper installation of heating devices, you can significantly save your budget. After all, thoroughly heating the premises will require much less time and energy. Here are the basic rules for installing a radiator under a window:
- The window sill should have a slight slope into the room - at least 1˚.
- There must be thermal insulation between the wall and the structure.
- During installation, the height from the floor is taken into account. All window sills must be at the same level.
- The length of the window sill should not be more than 3 meters.
- The length is set relative to the window opening, with a difference of 4 mm.
- The distance required to retreat from the battery to the windowsill should not be less than 8 cm.
- It is recommended to saw off excess parts at room temperature.
Fireplace
An elegant alternative to a radiator is an electric fireplace. Built into a niche under the window sill, it will not only become an additional source of heat, but will also transform the interior of the kitchen.
A fireplace under the window will create a cozy atmosphere in the house
The outer wall of the opening will also have to be insulated and finished with materials with low electrical conductivity and moisture resistance. The choice of an electric fireplace instead of a battery depends on the size of the room. For a dacha, apartment and office with an area of 10-20 m², hearths with heating of 1-2 kW are suitable. For loggias and attics of 7-15 m², models with lower heat output are practical: 0.75-1.5 kW.
Built-in appliances in the kitchen
The opening under the window will also house household appliances. In place of the former refrigerator, you can install a washing machine or dishwasher, but this will require altering the water and electrical supply circuits.
The issue of placing a washing machine in the house can be easily resolved thanks to the niche under the window
To save space in the kitchen in Khrushchev, built-in horizontal refrigerators and freezers are used. Properly selected in size, such models will fit ideally under the windowsill.
The refrigerator and freezer fit perfectly into the opening
Safe
You can install a fireproof box for storing expensive items in a niche under the window sill. And so that the safe does not catch the eye, it is necessary to decorate it under an interior item, for example, under a kitchen cabinet.
A small safe with a secure lock will fit in the recess of the wall.
Continuation of the working area
Placing a hob or sink in the place of a niche under the window with a refrigerator will significantly increase the working space of the kitchen. In this case, you will have to replace the window sill with a wider one.
To increase the functionality of the kitchen, the work area is moved to the window, and a cabinet is made in the niche
In the opening you can mount part of a corner kitchen set, in the drawers of which there will be enough space for bulk products, kitchen utensils, and cutlery.
You can remodel a refrigerator so that it becomes an extension of a modern kitchen with a corner layout
If you close up a niche and replace the window sill with a tabletop, you will get a cozy dining area for a married couple.
The window sill can also be used as a tabletop
What do you need for work?
In order to make built-in shelves in a niche in the wall, you will need tools and materials.
Tools needed
- screwdriver;
- jigsaw or electric jigsaw;
- grinder with discs;
- roulette;
- square;
- knife;
- electric screwdriver.
Materials
- screws or nails;
- wood glue;
- shelf stops;
- wedges
Stages of work
Niches with plasterboard shelves are the best solution for the kitchen. Drywall has all the properties to be used in the kitchen
So what you have to do:
- Determine the location of the shelves. Using a level, mark the location of the shelves and racks for the shelves.
- Make a mark.
- Cut out the shelves according to the size of the niche. The length of the shelf should correspond to the width of the niche. Process and sand the edges of the shelf.
- Drill rows of holes into which to insert shelf stops. Wedges or corners can serve as stops. These devices will serve as supports for installing shelves.
- Install the shelves in the niche on the stops.
If your kitchen has a small area, built-in shelves in niches are not for you. The metal frame eats up a significant part of the space, so this solution will make the kitchen even smaller and less convenient. After installing the frame, it is covered with plasterboard. Next comes puttying and sanding the surface. Then everything is covered with a final coating (whitewash, paint, etc.)
The shelves in the niche can be varnished, painted, or covered with wallpaper or self-adhesive film. The method of decoration depends on the overall concept of the room.
