Finding a place to install large appliances is a problem that owners of small apartments often face. Today we propose to solve one of these. We tell you where to put the refrigerator in small-sized housing: we are looking for a suitable location in the kitchen and in other rooms.
6 places to install a refrigerator
General safety requirements
3 options in a small kitchen
— In the corner
— Near the window
— at the entrance
3 places in other rooms
— In the living room
— In the corridor
— On the balcony
Where to put a compact device
General safety requirements
When placing any electrical appliances, it is important to consider safety rules. The refrigerator is no exception.
- First, it is necessary to leave technical gaps. The distance to the walls should be from 2 to 5 cm. Usually, manufacturers indicate a specific number for each model.
- Second, the floor must be level. Pads under the legs will not save the situation, but will lead to more wear on the device.
- Thirdly, pay attention to the side of the world. The front door is best protected, even the sun’s rays in the hot summer are not terrible for the equipment. What can not be said about the lateral location. You will have to ensure that the sun does not fall on the sides of the unit.
- Fourth, there is a well-known rule: you can not place the device next to the stove and sink — a hot and wet area. This threatens with dirt, overheating and water ingress, which can spoil the operation of the device. The same applies to installation close to the battery.
- Finally, the connection to electricity. An extension cord should only be used with caution if you are sure of its quality and manufacturer. But it is more correct to plan the wiring in advance with a separate outlet.
Where to put a refrigerator in a small kitchen: 3 options
In Khrushchev with a kitchen of five or even four square meters, it is not so easy to find a place for a large-sized unit with an average size of 60 x 70 cm and a height of 180 cm. But the following places can be considered.
In the corner
Suitable for the kitchen, where the set is located on the right or left side — depends on the orientation of the apartment. The layout is convenient because the unit does not interfere with the passage. It is usually placed separately against the wall or attached to the headset. In addition, in such a layout it is easy to implement the correct working triangle. It’s hardly mentioned when it comes to tiny spaces, but a refrigeration unit standing a meter from the stove and sink is a good solution.
With this placement, you can choose narrow, but tall refrigerators. So you will be able to use the usable space to the maximum. The corner arrangement will free up space in the center of the room, where you can fit a small dining group. If the wall nearby is long, try fitting a small sideboard or open shelves here.
Near the window
Another nice option for the location of the refrigeration device is by the window. It can be either built-in or freestanding. Most often, the device becomes a continuation of the headset, but can also be placed next to the dining table.
In order not to violate safety rules, pay attention to how much the refrigerator protrudes from the wall. It is better to choose the device that will clearly fit in length and leave a technical gap. Also, do not put a table and chairs close to the unit, so as not to lean on it while eating.
At the entrance
Where to put the refrigerator in Khrushchev if there is a countertop on the windowsill or a niche at the entrance to the kitchen? We suggest considering the location at the entrance.
The most successful would be placement at the end of the L-shaped headset. Designers often use this layout, it is suitable even for tiny spaces of four square meters. In addition, in this way you can observe the rule of the working triangle. To make the best use of space, hang shelves or a box above the unit, closed or open. At a minimum, such a solution looks much more aesthetically pleasing than a device piled up on top.
3 places in other rooms
If there was no place for a full-fledged refrigeration unit in a tiny kitchen, we suggest considering three spare options in other rooms. We note right away: they can hardly be called convenient. There can be no question of any working triangle in this case. But sometimes this arrangement remains the only possible one.
In the living room
The most comfortable one out there. This technique is sometimes used even by designers in the combined spaces of the dining room and kitchen. It will suit everyone who has not decided where to put the refrigerator in the studio. What should be considered in such an arrangement? The first is the style of the room or apartment. Unlike built-in technology, where camouflage is important, this technique works “from the reverse”. The device is likely to be a visual accent. Judge for yourself: it’s one thing to have a rich-colored retro refrigerator next to the dining table, and another thing to have a classic chrome-plated unit. The second one will obviously not stand out in the best way: it will create the feeling that it was simply put here for the duration of the repair.
The second point — no door decorations in the form of magnets and photos are needed. They will clog the interior of the living room. If this is still acceptable in the kitchen (although also at a stretch), then in the rest room from such decor there will be more harm than good. If you want to keep the magnets, get a separate board for them.
Finally, the third point — consider the noise from the operation of the motor-compressor. In other situations, it can interfere with reading, watching TV and chatting with friends. If everyone is ready for this in the combined space, then problems may arise in a separate living room. There are no secrets here, just pay attention to the noise level declared by the manufacturer.
In the corridor
If the corridor is adjacent to the dining room, you can consider it as a place to place a refrigeration unit. But such placement will be convenient only if there are niches, cabinets in the corridor, or the passage itself is not narrow, but wide.
What to pay attention to? The unit can be combined with a cabinet. A model for embedding, if the style of space suggests, is the most organic option. It easily disguises itself as ordinary furniture. You can, of course, just put it inside, but it is better if the cabinet has doors.
By analogy with a cabinet, the unit can be installed in a niche. Here it is important to choose a model according to size: do not forget about technical clearances, especially on the compressor side, and also take into account the style. Chrome options will be good only in loft and high-tech designs. In modern and Scandinavian style, it is better to choose more sophisticated models.
When the corridor is wide, you can put the equipment and just to the wall. This is what Western designers sometimes do. Again, design matters here. Like it or not, the refrigerator in the hallway is an accent, even if it does not stand out in color, but its shape should be pretty.
On the balcony
The most controversial place for kitchen appliances is the balcony. Let’s designate right away: we are talking about dedicated loggias, since their combination with the kitchen is prohibited by law. The main problem of installation on the balcony is the temperature regime. On the insulated loggia in the summer, the air warms up to critical levels. Which, of course, does not affect the work in the best way. In winter, the situation is reversed: the danger is an uninsulated room, where the temperature drops below five to ten degrees — the threshold mark.
What to do if the neighboring loggia is insulated, and the refrigeration unit fits perfectly here? Look for a model with a suitable temperature mode of operation — climatic version. These are two categories: subtropical and tropical, they can withstand temperatures up to 40 degrees. But, I must say, finding them is not so easy. From the point of view of style, the rules are the same here: built-in appliances will look best. And it’s not so difficult to equip a closet on the loggia. The width of many rooms allows this.
Where to put the mini fridge
If one person lives in an apartment, perhaps it makes sense to look at compact refrigeration devices? Their standard height is only 85 cm, which makes finding a place a lot easier. Most often, designers embed such a technique in a headset, so it is almost impossible to notice it in the photo. And above the device is a work surface where you can put a microwave or any other small household appliances.
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