Kitchen design options without upper cabinets. Scandinavian-style kitchen without upper cabinets: IKEA single-tier kitchens Beautiful kitchens without upper cabinets

Far from new, but a hotly discussed idea to this day is a kitchen without upper cabinets. She captivated some with her unconventionality, while others consider her impractical. While heated debates are ongoing, professional designers are actively implementing such a layout, further fueling interest in it.

Are wall cabinets really necessary? And where then to store the plates and tea set in their absence? We will try to give comprehensive answers to these and other questions.

There are no strict requirements for the style or size of the room for such a layout. After all, such a solution can be implemented even in a classic, and not only in a modern interior.

For a small kitchen, this idea will be especially relevant, because... visually more space will be freed up.

Not all housewives spend a lot of time in the kitchen. For some families, this place is for breakfast only. This means that there will be no need for a large number of kitchen gadgets, appliances, and dishes that need to be stored somewhere.

Choosing such a design will make it possible to make the interior original without high costs, saving significantly on the upper modules.

Layouts

Depending on the size, shape of the room, required functionality, and capacity of the set, you can choose different layout options.

Corner

Remains a universal solution also in single-tier design. without upper cabinets remains the most spacious, because... allows you to make good use of the corner module. See how you can store pans, pots and other large items on rotating carousels and pull-out multi-tiered units.

This storage idea immediately adds a lot of points in favor of a corner layout.

No cabinets on one side

With a corner layout, you can get a trendy design without sacrificing space and conventional storage. To do this, it is enough to free only one side of the cabinets.

U-shaped

Another way to not lose too much in headset capacity. A U-shaped kitchen has many floor modules, so there will be more storage space.

Linear

Another universal layout option. If the room is small, then the linear kitchen will not be so spacious. In other cases, this is a good solution for creating a symmetrical furniture ensemble.

On the sides you can place tall cabinets or columns for built-in appliances or food storage.

Double row or parallel

In this case, it is best to combine cabinets with columns, high pencil cases, buffets or sideboards.

Then there will be even more storage space than in a regular two-tier set.

With an island

An island can be very functional: with under-counter storage, built-in appliances, etc.

The island can be combined with tall cabinets.

An island set is an idea for spacious kitchens.

How to organize storage?

If you think in advance about where you will store dishes, spices and everything that most housewives are used to storing in upper cabinets, then you will not have to sacrifice convenience and functionality for the sake of fashionable design. We'll tell you how you can replace the usual storage.

1. Fit everything in the lower cabinets

Think about it, maybe you don't really need upper cabinets. How to determine this? Here are some signs:

1. Most of the shelves at the top are empty, because... A lot of storage space is not required for your small family. And in the lower cabinets, not all corners are filled to the top.
2. you don’t see any problem in bending down more often to pick up the necessary kitchen utensils.
3. If you are open to new ideas in design, you will be happy to change your usual dish drainer to a non-standard one - built into the lower cabinet.

If you gave a positive answer to at least one of the statements listed above, then it’s time to think about which compartment you will allocate for plates, mugs, where you will place pots, where there will be a new place for storing cereals. Here are a few options for how to fit it all into the lower cabinets.

2. Store in pencil cases, cupboards, and racks

One such tall cabinet can replace the entire top row of a medium-sized set.

Even in a small kitchen you can allocate space for one such high pencil case, and in some cases it is possible to accommodate even two such modules.

3. Use the space under the sink wisely

Even with a deep sink, you can put the space under the sink to good use. Use hooks to hang gloves and brushes, baskets for bags, and boxes. The photo below shows some ideas on how to use this area.

13 wall design ideas without cabinets

Finishing a now empty wall is the main question for those who have decided to abandon the usual layout. There can be a lot of design options. The appropriate method is largely determined by style.

Brickwork

Great idea for a loft, Scandinavian interior.

Other styles where brick finishing could look good are country, Provence, shabby chic. In Provence or vintage design, the bricks should be lightened, without sharp color contrasts.

Wood or concrete wall panels

An excellent solution for the eco, Scandinavian, loft or high-tech style that is relevant this season.

Wall panels must be moisture resistant.

If you decide to make a laminate instead of a solid sheet, then take care of additional protection of its seams from moisture.

Glass

You can put wallpaper under the glass.

Another option is to order with any image: it can even be your photos from a family album. An idea for drawing under glass could be some hobby topic that is close to you.

Stone

If possible, decorate the wall with natural stone. In a classic interior, such a design will be extremely harmonious, and in a modern interior, it will be spectacular.

There are also options for high-quality realistic imitations of natural materials made with decorative gypsum plaster.

Tiles "hog" or "subway"

Ceramic bricks laid out in a special order can decorate a wall in a Scandinavian interior.

Multi-colored, bright ceramic tiles or with a pattern

If your creative imagination is developed, you can come up with a composition yourself.

Or you can be inspired by ready-made projects and borrow ideas.

Panel

This option is worth a closer look for those who want to decorate their kitchen in a classic, English or rustic style.

A mosaic panel will look impressive in a traditional interior.

Finishing materials stores sell ready-made ceramic tiles for creating panels.

Stickers, paintings, posters

Pictures or posters are hung above the apron and away from the stove.

Vinyl stickers are a budget option for decorating the wall above the headset. The main thing is to choose a theme, color and composition. Plain, minimalistic stickers will look good in a modern interior.

Shelves and racks

You should be careful with this option. One or two small shelves can beautifully fill empty space, provided that beautiful jars in the same style or homemade flowers, for example, are neatly placed on them.

A large number of shelves will devalue the very idea of ​​abandoning wall cabinets and will create a feeling of clutter.

Railings

The requirements for roof rails are the same as for shelves. They are good if there are few of them. You should not hang a large number of objects and holders on them (ladles, spatulas, etc.). Otherwise, the work area will look cluttered. The golden mean is a couple of rails with the most necessary things (seasonings, salt, paper towels, etc.) that will always be at hand.

Beautiful, original hood

There is now no shortage of equipment to choose from in the store. You can find cylindrical, inclined, beautiful fireplace hoods that not only fulfill their intended purpose, but also allow you to decorate an empty space. And you won't have to rack your brains for other ideas.

Slate (chalk) board

If you want to decorate your kitchen in a cafe style, then this is just the right idea to get creative. You can draw something on the wall, write a menu for the week, or leave notes.

The listed ideas for decorating a wall and an apron can be combined with each other.

The main thing is not to use too many elements at the same time. Otherwise, the very idea of ​​abandoning a wall row of cabinets will lose all meaning.

Hello, dear friends! Personally, I was tired of these standard kitchens, consisting of two tiers, that is, different work surfaces and hanging shelves.

Interior design offers a number of interesting, new and innovative solutions. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other, you first need to prove the practicality and validity of new ideas before introducing them to the masses.

Whether you have a small, medium or large kitchen, its interior can be diversified and made unusual by using a rather non-standard approach today. This is a kitchen without upper cabinets. But how can this be, you ask? After all, the upper cabinets perfectly complement the main set, allowing you to place all kinds of products, household items and irreplaceable components in the kitchen.

But believe me, a single-tier kitchen has every right to exist. At the same time, no one forbids you to leave the kitchen furniture with a hood or to use a kitchen with a boiler in a private house. The only difference is that the usual upper cabinets will be absent.

How can such ideas be realized? I suggest you consider 6 very worthy options for implementing such an idea. But first, it’s worth discussing the layout options for such a kitchen.

Layout

Everyone has their own idea of ​​the ideal kitchen. For some, it is important to have work surfaces along with a pencil case for storing various utensils, cutlery, cereals, etc. For others, they want to create a kitchen combined with a living room, with a bar counter.

If you read real reviews and look at real photos, you will see how interesting the interior looks, where a single-tier kitchen arrangement is used. Upper cabinets turn out to be not such a necessary element. They just need to be replaced profitably and correctly with other items.

First, I advise you to decide exactly what the layout itself will look like. This largely depends on the size of the kitchen and your personal preferences. Once you decide on the layout, it will be easier for you to choose the best idea for a kitchen without upper cabinets.

The layout can be of the following types:

• Linear. Is it straight or a kitchen with one side. The idea is to install all floor elements of kitchen furniture along one wall. This can be done partially or completely. The sink, work surface and hob will be in close proximity. It is better to place a refrigerator nearby as well. This layout is suitable for those who have a small, or rather narrow, kitchen with a window on one side;
• Parallel circuit. Here the layout involves placing cabinets opposite each other, or floor cabinets look at the cabinets. Between them you can place a table or an area for eating. But keep in mind that such ideas can only be implemented in spacious rooms or long kitchens;
• Corner option. There is also a corner diagram. I consider it the most practical and rational, since the floor-mounted kitchen furniture has an angular shape. Or the corner is created by column cabinets and floor furniture. It is important not to forget about the working triangle rule. That is, the sink, refrigerator and stove should be placed in reasonable proximity. Corner sets go well with small rooms;
• U-shaped. This scheme uses 3 walls along which furniture is placed. Here, too, it is not difficult to implement a working triangle, and the layout looks interesting. But a lot depends on the layout of the room allocated for the kitchen. Not every project is designed for a U-shaped furniture configuration;
• Island. There is a so-called island layout. The main working surface is located in the center. This is a stove, sink, work surfaces. In theory, the walls can remain empty. But basically, island layouts are combined with cabinets and other furniture elements. The idea can be realized only in a spacious room.

Such ideas can be implemented in the style of minimalism, Provence, classic, loft. Scandinavian motifs are often used, which allows you to create an extremely pleasing interior that does not lack the necessary practicality.

You can buy a ready-made single-tier set, or purchase materials and do everything yourself. A good option would be to make it to order. The price will be higher than that of a ready-made kitchen, but this is not Ikea, but delicate, sometimes jewelry work. Whether to use wooden inserts, make drawers without handles, or add brightness through decorative elements, everyone decides for themselves.

The main thing is not to forget about the work apron so that the cooking area does not provoke rapid deterioration of finishing materials in the kitchen. Nowadays it is not necessary to lay tiles throughout the kitchen. Although it looks really nice, the plus provides optimal practicality. Cleaning tiles is much easier than fiddling with wallpaper or some kind of decorative plaster.

Ideas for a single-tier kitchen

Modern designers offer a huge selection of options for implementing a single-tier kitchen without the usual wall cabinets. However, no one forces you to give them up. It is worth considering a similar variation for organizing the interior. If you like it, then why not try it?!

Whether the kitchen will be white, black, green or yellow, the question is secondary for now. First, you should think about how exactly to implement a storage system. After all, we are giving up cabinets. But you still need places to store various kitchen utensils.

As an example, I offer 6 interesting and original ideas for a single-tier kitchen. Here we are talking about what exactly can replace wall cabinets.

• Column cabinet. If your kitchen is more than 20 square meters, this option is worth taking a closer look at. The shortage in wall cabinets is compensated by high cabinets, that is, column cabinets. They often have built-in household appliances, and at the same time they have impressive internal storage space. Such pencil cases are placed opposite each other, or along one wall;
• Buffet or pencil case. For a small kitchen, where it is difficult to allocate an entire wall for a column, there is an option to replace the tall floor cabinets with one large buffet. A rack or pencil case is also suitable, where you will place some of the kitchen utensils;
• Open shelves. The option with shelves is also quite interesting. They visually lighten the interior and quite adequately replace wall cabinets. But if you attach many shelves, here we will no longer talk about a single-tier kitchen. Do not forget that open shelves will have to be monitored more closely, washed more often, dusted, etc. Sometimes a few open shelves in the most necessary places are enough;
• Railings. You can’t count on practicality in terms of storing utensils using roof rails. But they add a little functionality to a single-level kitchen. Cutlery, knives and other things are hung on them. Just keep in mind that many roof rails will create a chaos effect. And you will have to forget about minimalism;
• Floor cabinets. Here you should choose floor furniture that has increased spaciousness and practicality. Shelves, bookcases, drawers allow you to forget about the urgent need for wall cabinets;
• Wall cabinets. Why not? After all, a wall cabinet can be installed only on one wall, or one element can be mounted on the wall. This is no longer a kitchen without wall cabinets, but the idea is still rational.

What ideas do you have? Be sure to share in the comments. I once looked at a thematic forum and found many people who independently thought out the design of a single-tier kitchen. And, I’ll tell you honestly, the implementation exceeded my expectations.

Advantages and disadvantages

In order to somehow sum up the single-tier kitchen, devoid of traditional wall cabinets, I would like to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of such a solution.

I would consider the advantages:

• spaciousness;
• lightness and neatness of the interior;
• decorative possibilities;
• additional space for implementing other ideas;
• lack of shadows over work surfaces;
• more space;
• lack of feeling of clutter;
• excellent compatibility with country, loft, minimalism, Provence and industrial styles.

Disadvantages are not difficult to foresee. The spaciousness in the kitchen immediately deteriorates, and the need to bend over more often arises. After all, the bulk of things will now be located not at the top, but at the bottom.

The choice of kitchen sets in modern furniture stores is very large, so creating your own unique kitchen design is very easy. Relatively recently, designers came up with a new “trick” in the design of the cooking area - a kitchen without upper cabinets. At first glance, it seems that such a “defective” design is not very appropriate and functional, but in practice everything looks different.

Advantages and disadvantages

A kitchen without wall cabinets is an interesting and unusual solution in creating an apartment design. Despite the established stereotypes in terms of two-tier headsets, such models are quite popular.

The advantages of sets without hanging cabinets:

• Additional space and visual spaciousness of the room. It looks very great if the kitchen is small enough.
• Maximum placement options (without cabinets at the top, sets can be placed even under the window).
• Maximum light in the kitchen. Without hanging cabinets, the light from the chandelier will reach the cooking area evenly and additional lighting may not be useful.
• Lack of dust collectors. Due to the fact that classic headsets have a large height, it can be very difficult to get to the very top, so dust accumulates there. A modern model without a top “will not force” you to constantly climb and check for dust.
• Availability. The kitchen set has a standard height, which is why petite housewives often have to stand on their toes or prop up a chair to get the next cup.
• Financial savings. A single-tier set has a lower cost.
• Safety. If the top cabinet is secured poorly or the permissible weight of its contents is exceeded, it may fall.

In addition, we can note the possibility of original decoration of the free wall above the work area: paintings, shelves, photographs, etc.

Layout types

You can decorate a kitchen using a single-level set yourself, knowing the rules and types of layout. There are 4 options:

• Linear. A classic option for a spacious or narrow kitchen. As you can see in the photo, the set is located along the longest wall.

• In the form of the letter “G” or angular. One of the most common kitchen design options, as it takes up minimal space.

• Parallel arrangement. A small white kitchen in a classic style, on one side of which there are standard floor cabinets, and on the other - column cabinets that practically dissolve in space.

• Ostrovny. An interesting design option for a small kitchen area, in which the work area is in the center, and shelves or column cabinets are located along the walls

• U-shaped. An option that can be implemented both in a spacious kitchen and in a “Khrushchev”

Interior decoration

For a one-level kitchen to be not only practical, but also beautiful, it needs to be properly decorated. It's especially worth looking at a backsplash without upper cabinets, as it will be very eye-catching if left untouched.

The decoration of the wall above the work area should consist of properly selected and high-quality materials, such as ceramics, natural stone or heat-resistant glass. This point is very important, since ordinary wallpaper is impractical in this place.

Apron design options:

• Glass surface with photo printing;

• Glass panel or mosaic;

• Laminated MDF or chipboard.

When designing a kitchen area, it is very important to think about the lighting in the cooking area. The ideal option is wall movable lamps.

How can I replace wall cabinets?

If you prefer a one-level kitchen, but don’t want to have a completely empty wall, then you can try replacing standard wall cabinets with something. Several interesting options for replacement:

• Column cabinet. A very convenient, albeit bulky thing. The main advantage is the ability to integrate a wide variety of kitchen appliances into it. Column cabinets are usually located opposite the headset or on both sides of the floor cabinets

• Open shelves. A light and airy alternative to bulky hanging cabinets, most often used in the Provence style. The shelves can be used to store beautiful dishes or jars of loose seasonings.

• Buffet, sideboard, rack, pencil case. Whatever you choose from this list, follow the style and color scheme of the kitchen area.

• Railings. Almost the same as open shelves, only this design is lighter and is made of metal. On the rails you can not only arrange, but also hang objects (scoops, potholders, spatulas, towels).

As you can see from the above, there are plenty of alternatives to wall cabinets, so don’t be afraid of single-level kitchens, thinking that you will have very little space left to store kitchen appliances.

How to decorate walls

We have sorted out how to replace the cabinets, now you can go deeper into this issue a little more and look at examples of how you can decorate empty walls. The finishing of the vertical surface above the work area should not blend into the space, so it can and should be decorated in a special way.

Several interesting options for wall decoration in a variety of styles:

• Brickwork. An original kitchen in the loft style. Despite the fact that all the walls are decorated the same, the space above the lower tier does not look empty.

• Ceramic mosaic. In black, this apron design looks very impressive. In this example, the kitchen is made in the style of “minimalism”. The other walls blend perfectly with the work area, as they are painted in a similar silver-gray color.

• Laminated panel made of chipboard. The wood apron looks very beautiful, and due to the contrasting color, it helps to zone the space, highlighting the work area against the white background of the remaining walls and ceiling.

• Wood panels made of the same material and identical color as the kitchen unit. above the food storage and eating area. The contrasting stone wall above the cooking area is identical to the hob and dining table. This design looks chic and quite practical.

• Rough stonework in the loft style looks original and very cozy; goes well with wood paneling and metal modern kitchen furniture.

• Orange mood in the Provence style. The brick wall and functional racks for dishes harmonize perfectly and look rustic and cute.

Single-level set in the interior

Many people believe that a set without lower cabinets does not fit into the interior of a modern apartment and looks out of place. We dispel these myths and present to you a selection of photographs of a single-level kitchen, decorated in the most common styles.

Country style kitchen

Do you live in a noisy city, but want to have a rustic, cozy kitchen? Feel free to choose country style. It combines rustic charm and modern functionality.

The main features inherent in “rural” design:

• Natural materials: furniture, decoration, decor;
• Simplicity, artificial antiquity and ostentatious rudeness in design;
• Calm color palette.

An interesting option for country cuisine in a modern apartment. As expected, natural materials in calm, natural shades are used in the decoration. The gray stone floor blends harmoniously with the natural wood ceiling. The countertop of the work area is perfectly adjacent to the modern single-level kitchen set. The slightly rough finish is diluted by walls painted in light and dark gray shades.

Provence

Cozy and gentle French “Provence” captivates with its romance and naivety. Do you want to create an island of gentle country life in your apartment? Then decorate your kitchen in Provence style.

The favorite colors of designers who create a piece of France in a modern kitchen are rich colors, as if diluted with milk: olive, wheat, mustard, turquoise, lavender, etc.

It is better to use natural material for furniture, since “Provence” is characterized by antique elements. A set without wall cabinets will fit perfectly into such a kitchen, because numerous wooden shelves are one of the remarkable features of Provence.

A striking example of a Provençal interior: milky walls, a fireplace hood, carved wooden shelves, flowers in vases, a soft pink set, a wood-colored floor.

Modern

A kitchen decorated in this modern style is a true work of art. The uniqueness of this design lies in such features as:

• Variety of design solutions;
• Practicality;
• Restraint;
• Conciseness.

Art Nouveau design is characterized by geometrically correct furniture with glossy surfaces made of metal, glass and plastic. Lighting should be presented in a classic version: a large chandelier and single lamps. It is also possible to use LEDs for illumination.

An example of classic modernism with bright accents (Fig. 19). The design of this kitchen looks smart and stylish. Rectangular white furniture with black countertops, a classic chandelier and floor, bright spots in the form of gilded chairs and original mosaics above the work area are the key to a successful design in the modern style.

A kitchen without wall cabinets looks more spacious and light. Is it always convenient for the housewife, and is it possible to use such a layout with a compact area of ​​6-9 square meters?

Advantages and disadvantages

Wall cabinets eat up kitchen space at eye level. Therefore, without them the room seems much more spacious. This opens up more design possibilities. What other advantages does a kitchen without upper cabinets have?

• You optimize the space in the lower cabinets.
• All the little things that usually accumulate on the top shelves will leave the kitchen and will no longer occupy useful space.
• If you have to cook in a very limited space of less than 6m2, then an open plan will help avoid feeling cramped.
• Instead of heavy, clumsy cabinets, elegant shelves and rails will appear.
• It is quite possible that you do not want to fill the kitchen apron and leave it free. This will give the interior a premium touch.

However, such a layout also has serious shortcomings.

• If you are tall, then bending down every time to get the desired item from the lower drawers will be tiring. But this will be beneficial for short housewives, because... It is often difficult for them to reach the top shelves.
• You will have to seriously invest in optimizing the space in the lower tier.
• Perhaps some of the large items will move to the pantry, loggia or balcony. But in the kitchen you will only store what is really needed every day.

How to replace the top tier

Open shelves and rails will replace the usual cabinets. They will suit most styles except pompous classics and strict minimalism. Country, Provence, Loft love interesting designs of racks and shelves. Swedish IKEA with Scandinavian motifs actively uses shelves in its collections.

Buffets are perfect for simulating country-style interiors.

Cabinets

An ideal option for compact spaces would be a tall cabinet where you can put everything you need. This will free up a lot of space for household appliances and work surfaces.

Spacious island-type kitchens include a wide kitchen wall made of high cabinets in the background. Large household appliances, microwave ovens, and refrigerators are built into them.

Since tall furniture creates a monolithic block, it is visually perceived as a wall. And mirrored facades create the illusion of additional space.

If you have a room of 9 m2 or more, then a large cabinet will look bulky. In this case, a wide chest of drawers, one and a half meters high and 30-40 cm deep, will help out. Usually it is built into the side of the set, forming a corner layout. This technique allows you to visually relieve the composition and provide enough space for storing kitchen utensils.

Shelves

Depending on the size of the kitchen and the height of the ceilings, the number of shelves may vary up or down.

If the ceiling is low, less than 2.2 m, then there is no need to occupy the kitchen apron with a large number of shelves. It will be enough to install one, but long, or a couple of short ones.

Keep in mind that with high ceilings and a large area of ​​the room, the lower tier will be lost against the background of a spacious wall. In this case, either an island layout is used with tall cabinets in the background, or the kitchen backsplash is filled with shelves in a harmonious manner.

Remember that open surfaces easily collect dust. To keep your dishes clean, you will have to do frequent cleaning. You can make your life easier with a reasonable combination of closed and open areas.

Country and Provence allow the use of textile curtains, and for urban areas you can use sliding glass, as in a sideboard. They will reduce the amount of dust, and through the transparent glass curtain the festive services will be clearly visible. Especially if you provide them with beautiful lighting.

In addition, shelves solve another pressing problem. Spots can be built into them to provide high-quality illumination of the working surface.

Railings

Railing structures help relieve the work surface from small objects. Many accessories will move onto the skinali.

• Drainer.
• Containers for storing cutlery.
• Dishwasher bottle, soap dish and washcloth holder.
• Holders for parchment, napkin rolls and foil.
• Hooks for Turks, ladles, ladles, spatulas and other small items.
• Baskets for greens and fruits.
• Spice sets.
• Knives.
• Additional lamps.

Railings are perfect for urban styles, as well as Scandinavian interiors.

Buffets

Antique buffets are good in a rustic and country style. They go well with logs, beams and wooden lining.

The buffet has three zones:

• upper tier for storing plates and decorative dishes;
• working surface;
• lower tier for storing heavy and bulky items.

At the same time, this furniture looks like a single block without a clear distinction between the upper and lower cabinets.

Currently, buffets are made in various styles and fit modern styles.

As you can see, without wall cabinets the kitchen looks much more festive and spacious. The style is easy to read. At the same time, maintaining order is more difficult than with a conventional layout. However, all the trouble is worth it and pays off handsomely.

Aug 7, 2017 Werri

A kitchen without upper cabinets is a modern and stylish solution, but how justified is it in terms of ease of use and storage? Let's find out how you can compensate for the lack of upper sections, what layout and design of the kitchen to choose, and how single-tier sets are inferior to standard two-tier ones.

6 ideas for organizing your storage system

The main problem of a single-tier kitchen is the lack of storage space for dishes, appliances, groceries, etc. Therefore, the entire space should be thought out and optimized as much as possible. Here are a few ways you can do this:

1. Using column cabinets- if, then the lack of upper cabinets can be fully compensated by sections of high pencil cases, the so-called column cabinets, in which you can also store other equipment and store most kitchen utensils and things there. Column cabinets and single-level sets can be placed both on walls opposite to each other and on adjacent ones. For examples of such layouts and interior designs, see the following selection of photos.

1. Using a buffet or pencil case– if you don’t want to dedicate an entire wall for column cabinets, and you don’t need such a large storage system, then you can replace them with one buffet, or a pencil case, in which some of your things and dishes will be stored.

1. Using open shelves– open shelves look much “lighter” than wall cabinets with fronts and, if desired, can completely replace them. On the other hand, if you hang a lot of shelves, then the kitchen will no longer be single-tiered and it will be a completely different design. In addition, open shelves require double attention - regular dusting, neat storage of things, etc. But you can hang just one or two shelves in the right place - near the sink and/or directly above the work area as shown in the photo below (scroll to the right ).

1. With the help of roof rails– rails, of course, will not solve the storage problem, but they will still make a single-level set more functional. You can hang kitchen essentials and jars of spices on them. But keep in mind that the minimalism of the interior, for which a kitchen without upper cabinets was planned, will be slightly disrupted, because the roof rails can create a feeling of a little clutter.

1. With floor-standing cabinets for increased capacity and functionality– when choosing a single-level kitchen set, you need to think about the filling of the floor cabinets especially carefully. This is especially true for the cabinet under the sink and the corner section. It’s good when they have retractable shelves, baskets, carousels and shelves.
2. With... wall cabinets– and finally, you can choose a linear, corner or U-shaped single-tier set and hang the hanging modules only along one wall or even locally. For examples of such kitchen design, see the following photo slider.

Layout options

Depending on the shape and area of ​​the kitchen, you can choose the following layout options:

• Linear - a scheme when floor cabinets are lined up along one wall, completely or partially. The work area with the sink and hob are located nearby; it is advisable to place the refrigerator close to the cooking area to make cooking convenient. This layout option is especially relevant for;

• Parallel is the layout option when either floor cabinets stand opposite each other, or when column cabinets are located opposite a single-level set along the wall (as in the photo below), and between these rows there can be an island table or. A parallel furniture arrangement scheme is suitable for very spacious or long narrow kitchens (in this case, the dining area is located not in the middle, but at the end of the room).

• Corner is a rational and convenient option for placing a kitchen unit, when either the floor cabinets have a corner configuration, or the corner along adjacent walls is formed by column cabinets and floor cabinets. With a corner layout, it will be easier to comply with the “working triangle rule” (when the sink, refrigerator and stove are located in reasonable proximity to each other). A corner set is optimal for any kitchen, especially a small one. Read more about the corner set.

• U-shaped - when the headset modules are placed in the shape of the letter U along three walls. On the one hand, this is an excellent type of layout, since it is also easy to follow the “working triangle” rule and effectively use space, but on the other hand, not every kitchen has the opportunity to implement U-shaped furniture.

• Island - in this case, the main working surface is an island in the center of the kitchen, which may include built-in appliances, a sink, and storage space, and therefore, theoretically, the walls may be completely empty. But most often, an island kitchen is complemented by column cabinets or a suite as shown in the photo below. This furniture option is only suitable for spacious kitchens (from 20 sq. m).

Read more about the island in the kitchen.

In what ways do kitchens without wall cabinets benefit and in what ways do they lose to the standard?

Advantages:

• Kitchens without wall cabinets look more spacious, “lighter” and neater;
• Still, decorativeness and the ability to implement unusual design ideas are the main advantages of a one-level kitchen, while practicality and functionality fade into the background. By abandoning the top shelves, you can decorate the free space with something like glass panels with photo printing or focus on textured wall decoration, such as brickwork.

country, loft, industrial, etc.

Flaws:

• Sets without upper cabinets are half as spacious as standard sets, and a kitchen can only be equipped with column cabinets if its area is more than 20 square meters. m.;
• Kitchens without wall cabinets require that the empty wall be brought to perfect condition, since even if it is not an accent of the interior, it will still attract attention;

• You need to get used to running a household and cooking in a single-tier kitchen, because in order to get dishes or food from the bottom drawers you will have to bend over more often;
• In addition, by abandoning the upper cabinets, you will not be able to hide, for example, a gas water heater inside the cabinet and other communications, and you will have to buy a hood without an air duct. However, pipes and wires can sometimes be played up in such a way that they not only do not spoil the interior design, but also embellish it.