Kitchen with windows: how to use sunlight to your advantage

Decoration of the dining area

The most daring and interesting design options are not difficult to implement if you know where to start and what to pay attention to. Let's look at the design features of the dining area in kitchens of different sizes.

Small kitchen

The dining area for a small kitchen has its own characteristics. To decorate the dining area, choose small furniture. Miniature options for dining groups are widely available on sale. Arrange the furniture so that the table and chairs do not interfere with free movement in the kitchen, including in the food preparation area.

Light colors expand the space; use them when decorating a small dining area. I want bright colors; rich tones will fit perfectly into the interior as color accents.
Small paintings, posters and other decorative elements in a small room look more profitable than large art objects. It is appropriate to place mirrors on the wall in the dining area. By reflecting light and the surroundings, they make the kitchen wider and brighter.

Spacious kitchen

A large kitchen area is a great opportunity to experiment with the colors and shapes of objects. Stylish furniture of modern or classic design will decorate the interior.

Instead of chairs, you can choose comfortable light armchairs or sofas. A large dining table will allow you to comfortably receive guests, even if the number of guests exceeds your expectations. Additionally, to store tableware and textiles, next to the dining group, you can install a buffet, rack or chest of drawers.

On the walls in the dining area it is appropriate to place bright paintings, a gallery of shelves, or a designer mirror of an intricate shape. Large decorative elements will attract the attention of guests and become an elegant accent. Wallpaper with a contrasting pattern will visually highlight the space of the dining area. The decor in the form of brickwork will add a stylish modern accent to the kitchen interior.

Choosing wall decor

In the kitchen there is practically always a dining area, even if the room is very small. For example, in Khrushchev. Therefore, the wall where the table for eating will be placed should be decorated in a special way. For example, choose an original color and texture of washable wallpaper or apply bright paint in an original way. You can even get ideas from photo materials. The main thing is to choose the current option for yourself and skillfully implement it.

Zoning by color

The simplest and most effective method of zoning is to highlight the desired area of the room with a contrasting color. The surface of the floor, walls, or ceiling, which differs in color from the rest of the kitchen design, will visually highlight the place where you eat. The more contrasting the shades are in relation to each other, the more obvious the division of the common territory will be.

Without additional construction of partitions, simply by painting the walls in different colors, we will get two separate rooms: a kitchen and a dining room.

Floors of different textures and colors will indicate where the cooking area ends and the dining area in the kitchen begins.

Colors and shades for the dining area

The place where we eat, talk with loved ones, over a cup of tea, or just relax with a glass of wine should be conducive to such events.

When choosing the colors of the dining area, pay attention to which of them give rise to positive emotions in you, what is closer to you, the intimacy and velvety of deep dark shades or the freshness and lightness of light tones.

All colors are divided into two groups - warm and cold. The effect when using warm and light shades varies.
Cool colors (from purple to yellow-green) refresh the room, emphasize the contours of objects, and calm the psyche. Warm (from yellow to red-violet), they have an encouraging effect, visually warm the kitchen, and soften the atmosphere of the room.

It is necessary to take into account the temperature properties of colors when choosing a specific shade. There are no restrictions on the choice of color, but there are some nuances:

Light and cool shades visually enlarge the space. Dark and warm ones reduce it.
A kitchen that rarely sees the sun will be cozier if you use warm shades . On the sunny side, cool tones will visually cool down a room heated by the sun.
Warm shades increase appetite. If you are on a diet, use cool colors to decorate the dining area and kitchen in general.

Primary colors

Brief characteristics of the primary colors will help you choose the color of the dining area:

The most pleasant color to contemplate is green. The nature around us is proof of this. A green kitchen has a relaxing effect and helps cope with stress and nervous tension.
Red color is invigorating and very active, stimulates appetite and increases blood pressure. A red kitchen is suitable for people with an active lifestyle. An alternative to red is a calm pink color. Lightness, energy and warmth will be present in the dining area painted pink.
Orange color is fruity and joyful, will wake you up in the morning and invigorate you in the evening. Fresh and active orange color, which encourages positive thinking, is suitable for those who need energy replenishment throughout the day.
Yellow is a sunny, warm and joyful color. It will get rid of a sad mood in cloudy weather and put you in a working mood. Yellow UV is the ability of creative people to work.
Blue color has a beneficial effect on the human subconscious, instills a sense of security, and perfectly calms the nervous system. Does not promote overeating, reduces appetite.
Blue is the color of thinkers and intellectuals. In the kitchen it creates a calm environment conducive to long and interesting conversations.
Brown is an earthy color that is calming and promotes open communication. A kitchen in brown tones is a cozy place for family lunches and dinners with friends.
Black and white are basic colors, without which the design of any interior is rarely complete. The most contrasting and most noble colors in the palette look different in the interior. The white dining area is an island of cleanliness and tranquility. Black color creates a chamber atmosphere of complete trust and maximum concentration.

Recommendations for window design in the kitchen

You can make the atmosphere in the room warmer, cozy and sophisticated with the help of suitable textiles. However, when choosing design elements for a kitchen window, you should take into account the specifics of the room. It is constantly exposed to moisture, temperature changes, the presence of odors, fats and soot from cooking, which settle on surfaces and are absorbed into their structure.

When choosing curtains for the kitchen, first of all you should pay attention to the material of manufacture. Heavy, dense fabrics like velvet are not suitable for such a room. Also, you should not give preference to natural silk fibers, which do not tolerate frequent washing.

When choosing textiles, it is important to determine the length of the products. Long curtains and tulle are suitable for decorating panoramic windows or large bay window openings, the space near which is occupied by the dining area. Short options are suitable for rooms where the window sill is combined with a tabletop and is used as a work area. Photos of a kitchen design with a window in a house clearly demonstrate original design techniques.

Canvases for window decoration can become an accent detail of the interior if bright and eye-catching products are chosen. With a neutral color scheme of textiles, the decor itself will stand out.

Roman blinds for window decoration in the kitchen

Tulle and curtains for the kitchen window

The best options for the kitchen are linen, chintz and cotton products. Such natural fabrics do not absorb odors, are easy to wash and have an attractive appearance. Depending on the style of interior design of a kitchen with a window, plain products or curtains with a characteristic pattern are selected.

Kisey thread curtains, which are ideal for panoramic windows, are very popular. Threads can be made of linen, cotton, silk or polyester. Kiseya does not collect dust and is capable of transmitting a lot of light. Such curtains can unobtrusively cover the entire opening, or be gathered on the sides, which looks fresh and modern in the design of a kitchen with a window in the house.

To decorate a kitchen window, tulle made of voile, organza, chiffon, cambric or tulle mesh is suitable, which gives the atmosphere lightness and airiness, letting in as much natural light as possible. The products are presented in different colors and patterns, which allows you to choose the canvas for a specific room style.

Helpful advice! The textile design of the windows should be combined with the furniture and the shade of the walls and fit into the overall style of the room.

The window in the kitchen-dining room is decorated with textile curtains

The highlight of the spacious kitchen will be lambrequins in the form of a horizontal curtain of short length, which is located across the entire width of the cornice. The product is often complemented by pleating and ties. The lambrequin can be hard, in the form of a fabric of complex design, or soft, made of fabric and complemented by folds.

Blinds and roller products for kitchen windows

Many people prefer to use blinds to decorate a kitchen window, which can consist of vertical or horizontal thin plastic or metal plates. The products are practical and easy to maintain. They do not absorb odors, are wear-resistant and easy to clean. With the help of blinds you can regulate the intensity of lighting in the kitchen.

Helpful advice! To decorate a window in a spacious kitchen, classic tulle is suitable, and in a small room, blinds or Roman blinds would look appropriate.

Rolled products are a good option. They are represented by a shaft on which a fabric impregnated with a special composition is wound, which gives it dust- and moisture-repellent properties. Raising and lowering the canvas allows a special mechanism that is fixed in the upper part of the opening. High-quality roll products are practical, easy to maintain, durable, and resistant to moisture and sunlight.

Zoning options

How else can you separate the space of the dining area in the kitchen? Let's look at some options.

Ordinary partitions are sometimes the most convenient solution to the zoning issue, if the footage of the kitchen space allows. Solid plasterboard or wooden structures with or without glazing, ceiling height or designed in the form of a small bar counter. Transparent and lightweight, made of plastic, rice paper or bamboo. Their general purpose is to delimit the dining area from the rest of the kitchen space, hide the working area of the kitchen unit and create a comfortable place for family dinners and meetings with friends.

Furniture and decor items can also act as a space divider. Pass-through shelving, a large aquarium, or spreading plants will create the necessary barrier between the place where food is prepared and the place where it is eaten.

You can place a carpet on the floor in the dining table area, and a lamp above the table. In the evening, a cozy dining area will be separated from the kitchen space by directional light and a carpet perimeter.

Kitchen with a window in the work area: combining a window sill and a countertop

When decorating the interior of a room, it is important to use every element of it, and all the details must be in harmony with each other. The area around the window is no exception. Many people prefer the traditional design of this area using textiles, blinds, flowerpots or other decorative elements. However, the space around the window can be used in different ways to create a functional and practical space in the kitchen.

There are several options for how to make the most of the window in the kitchen and the space around it. The most popular solution is to install a tabletop near the window instead of a window sill in order to increase the working area. This technique is most relevant for small kitchens with a window, when it is important to use every free centimeter of space. In this case, it is important that the window sill and tabletop are at the same height.

However, there are situations when the window sill and floor cabinets of the kitchen unit near the window are located at different levels. In this case, there are several practical solutions.

If the difference in heights is not too noticeable, you can achieve leveling of the surfaces by adjusting the height of the legs or adjusting the base of the window sill. The simplest solution is to leave the surfaces at their heights, while covering them with identical countertops.

A window in the kitchen work area will provide maximum sunlight penetration

If the window sill rises significantly above the kitchen unit, then the cabinets and countertop are built under the window. The window sill can be shortened, thereby obtaining a shelf for flowers located above the tabletop. The resulting gap in the kitchen under the window can be decorated with the same material as the apron.

If the window sill is low relative to the kitchen unit, there are several practical solutions. In the first case, the furniture is mounted on top of the structure. The resulting gap between the table top and the window sill can be used to store various things.

The window sill can be extended to accommodate furniture, which can only be done in a kitchen with a window in a private home. The photos clearly show this solution, in which the dimensions of the opening change. In apartments, interference with the facade and load-bearing wall of the building is unacceptable.

Helpful advice! This option can be implemented in an apartment with a kitchen combined with a loggia.

For an apartment, you can change the window design by adding a horizontal blind profile at the bottom of the frame, without changing the size of the window opening. This impost will be located under the window sill and covered with a cabinet. On the outside of the window, the blind profile can be covered with flowerpots.

By abandoning the window sill, you can organize additional work space or a dining area

Arranging a bar counter in the kitchen near the window

Elegant kitchens with a window and a bar counter look very beautiful and harmonious. The latter may have an L-shaped configuration. In this case, the window sill can be a wide or narrow part of the counter surface. The window sill, which turns into a tabletop, may have an irregular shape, which will provide a comfortable dining area.

In this case, the radiator can be painted in a bright color or covered with a decorative screen. It should be taken into account that the minimum distance from the battery to the edge of the bar counter should be at least 25 cm, which will allow you to sit comfortably without resting against the radiator.

If desired, you can recreate a two-level surface, practically zoning the space. Near the window sill or at the same level as it, you can build a sink or hob into the countertop.

Important! To ensure normal air circulation around the heating radiator, which is located under the window sill, a special ventilation grill should be installed in the countertop or several holes should be made in it, which will eliminate the possibility of the windows fogging up and the appearance of mold.

Bar counter in the kitchen near the panoramic window

A tabletop instead of a window sill can become a separate work area. In this case, the best solution would be to install sliding windows that open like a wardrobe. If the traditional design remains, free space should be left for convenient opening of the doors. In addition, the tabletop must be at least 1.5 cm below the window.

The space under the window sill and along the entire wall can be used to arrange a storage system. If it is closed, then the doors should be equipped with lattice inserts or perforations. An interesting solution would be to place a mini-fridge, freezer or mini-bar under the window. If the countertop is wide enough, you can build a washing machine underneath it. However, both options involve moving the radiator to another location.

For a small room, a corner kitchen with a window would be an excellent option. The photos clearly confirm the advantages of combining a window sill with a set.

Kitchen design with a sink by the window

For small spaces, a good solution would be to install a sink near a window in the kitchen, which will increase the work area. In this case, the sink will be sufficiently illuminated throughout the day, eliminating the need to install additional lighting. In addition, while washing dishes you can enjoy the view from the window.

When placing the sink near a window, care should be taken to ensure that there are no obstacles to opening the sashes.

This solution is ideal for a U-shaped kitchen with a window, where the entire space is divided into functional zones. On one side of the sink you can place closed or open cabinets, install an oven, microwave and refrigerator, and on the other - a hob and shelves for kitchen utensils and products.

If the kitchen has two windows on one wall, it is most convenient to place the sink between them, hanging a dish drainer above the sink. When the openings are placed adjacently, an L-shaped or corner sink will look organic. However, this option involves certain difficulties in decorating the space. Immediately there is a need to extend communications for supplying and draining water.

Window sill-countertop in the kitchen: options for creating additional space
Main advantages and disadvantages. Design variations and variety of materials. Subtleties of installation work. How to make a countertop yourself.

It is better that the window frame is made of PVC. Wooden structures are less resistant to constant exposure to high humidity. The countertop into which the sink is built can be made of artificial stone. It should be equipped with ventilation grilles for air circulation. Difficulties with ventilation should also be taken into account, since the mixer may interfere with the full opening of the window sash. It can be moved closer to the edge of the opening. The best option would be sliding windows.

If the sink is located near a window, splashes of water and grease will fall on the glass, frame, slopes and textiles. They will have to be wiped constantly to keep them clean. To reduce the likelihood of water splashing, choose deep sinks and pull-out faucets with a medium spout. Instead of curtains and tulle, in this case it is better to use roller blinds or Roman blinds.

Near the window in the kitchen there is a sink and an area for growing flowers.

Helpful advice! To prevent flowering, it is recommended to treat walls and slopes near the sink with an antiseptic primer.

Decoration

Everyone has their own ideas about how the dining area in the kitchen should be decorated. Some prefer free walls and minimalist room design. Others are proponents of abundant decoration and a cozy atmosphere.

To decorate the dining area, you can use wall decorative elements. Paintings, posters, family photos, shelves, mirrors, wall clocks, decorative plates are traditional elements used to decorate a dining room. Combine decorative elements with each other and the kitchen furnishings so that the decorations fit harmoniously into the space.

Advice . Don't use a lot of decoration. One successful painting will look more worthy than many randomly placed decorative plates.

How to decorate your kitchen table every day? In the kitchen, practical things are needed: bamboo rugs, linen or cotton hand napkins, cutlery and dishes, everything must be of high quality, made from wear-resistant materials. Kitchen utensils are constantly washed, napkins are washed, daily care of kitchen utensils is necessary. With such an intense load, low-quality items will quickly become unusable.

Festive decoration is another matter. On special days, the hostess strives to use special decorations to decorate the table. Exquisite textiles with lace elements, beautiful plates and cups with painting or gilding, silverware, multi-tiered candy bowls, crystal, Bohemian glass - these components of comfort have always been used by hospitable hosts to create a festive mood.

Advice . Use elegant tablecloths, napkins and dishes every day. It’s so nice to be in a cozy environment while dining, stopping your gaze at the beautiful and interesting decorative elements placed on the kitchen walls.