Arch to the kitchen instead of doors

An arch is an element of architecture used as a covering of an aperture in a wall or between two supports. They were used in architecture from the III century BC. Even the ancient Romans in the construction of viaducts, aqueducts, bridges and other structures created structural elements in the arch form. Later they were used in the construction of castles and palaces. The peak of popularity comes in the Middle Ages. At this time, the Gothic style came into fashion, which is hard to imagine without pointed arches. Modern apartments are also designed with their use, although they remain the hallmark of the classical style. If you follow certain rules and carefully think through the design project, the arch can be equipped as an element of the apartment, decorated in a modern style.

Features of the kitchen layout with arch

The kitchen is a special room in any apartment. Often it is there that all family members gather after a hard day or friends come for a conversation over a cup of tea. It is not surprising that special attention is paid to the design of modern kitchens. As a rule, adjacent kitchen rooms are a corridor, hallway or living room. You can combine these two rooms with the help of an arch.

It is very important to consult with professional builders before starting construction work, as not every room has a technical opportunity to build arches. If the doorway expands into the kitchen, then in most cases there is no need to strengthen it or obtain building permits.

However, if the arch is settled in the load-bearing wall, then structural strength calculations must be made and a redevelopment project is created, which needs to be coordinated with the relevant government agencies.

The advantages and disadvantages of arches

The use of arches as an element of kitchen design has a lot of advantages, but first of all it allows you to visually enlarge the room and make it more spacious. This result can not be achieved when installing classic doors that separate the kitchen room. In addition, this solution is often cost-effective, because high-quality interior doors with imported furniture are much more expensive. Arrangement of the arched passage allows you to make the apartment more light, because the sunlight, like heat, is distributed evenly between the rooms.

The use of the arch in the interior also has its drawbacks:

• This design does not provide noise insulation, and therefore the noise from the work of kitchen appliances will be distributed to adjacent rooms;
• as well as sound, unpleasant smells can spread throughout the apartment;
• creating an open space, you need to pay more attention to cleanliness, since the slightest mess will be in sight of the guests.

Types and forms

Modern designers create a variety of forms in the design of the arched passage, and modern materials allow to implement almost any project. The main types of arches, depending on the form of their implementation are presented in the table below.

Arches style

As mentioned above, arched openings can be an element of not only the interior, decorated in a classic style, but also in modern. When using the arched opening in the interior of the kitchen, you need to take care that the adjacent rooms are made in the same style. The larger the opening area, the more relevant this rule. The style of the arch can be emphasized using its form, as well as using certain finishing materials and decorations.

For example, when designing a kitchen in a classic, romantic or Provencal style, arches are semi-circular or ellipsoidal in shape, they can be decorated with cornices or stucco. Colors for the walls are chosen pastel for both the kitchen and the adjacent room. Making the kitchen in the style of a loft, you can decorate the arch with brick or tile, imitating it. Eclectic style involves mixing different styles, so you can use any form. The color of the walls can be very different: from sky blue to deep red.

The size

The size of the arched opening is determined by the design features of the kitchen and adjoining room. So, if the kitchen is bordered by a corridor, then the opening will be narrow and high. More options may be in the case of moving the kitchen in the dining room or hallway. If these two rooms are separated by a non-bearing wall, then the arch can be made almost to the size of the wall. The height is always limited by the height of the ceilings in the apartment. With a standard height of 2500 mm, the construction of an arch of no more than 2200 mm is recommended.

When developing a design project, it is always necessary to specify the following dimensions of the arch structure: height, width and depth in millimeters. If the depth of the arch is less than the thickness of the walls, then the use of laminated hardboard in the color of the walls or decorative cornices is allowed.

Materials for the manufacture of arches

The most common material is drywall. Thanks to its use, it is possible to make a design of any shape, while the price of the material is available to most customers. When using drywall there is the possibility of mounting spotlights and arranging niches and shelves. An additional advantage is the possibility of finishing any material.
The most popular are the arches of natural wood. Wooden elements are strong, durable and can complement a variety of styles. The interior of the interior can be a wooden construction with handmade threads, but the price will also be appropriate.

Widely used brick for the construction of arches. Given the complexity of the work and the characteristics of the material, with its help it is difficult to get an unusual shape. Brick can be decorated with various finishing materials, and can be left without finishing, provided that the loft style is used.

Less common, but acceptable for the manufacture of arches are plastic, foam, forging and other materials.

Arch as an element of space zoning

With the help of the arch you can achieve a visual separation of the kitchen into zones. First of all, you can separate the kitchen area from the dining area. This effect can be achieved by expanding the door connector and replacing it with an arched design. Separating the kitchen area, the designers use brighter lighting in the kitchen, as well as different types of finishing materials for the floor and walls in the kitchen and living room. It is possible to place the kitchen on the "podium" by raising the floor one step. But this is not the only possible solution.

By means of an arch it is easy to separate a working zone. If this zone is located near the wall, then the arch will be attached to the wall and ceiling. In case the working area is located on a kitchen island, the structure is mounted to the ceiling and contains spot lighting. Such designs are used in the event that the kitchen area allows.

Arch in the kitchen-Khrushchev

The owners of the so-called Khrushchev often face the problem of a really small kitchen, the area of ​​which is 5-6 square meters. The ceilings in such apartments are low and the windows are small. The smaller the kitchen area, the more effort must be made to make it functional and to visually increase its area. In this case, the replacement of the doorway between the kitchen and the balcony with an arched structure can help. In such a kitchen, much more sunlight will immediately appear, which will visually increase its size. In addition, the area of ​​the balcony can be used to accommodate large household appliances such as a refrigerator, dishwasher or stove. Replacing the windows on the balcony with a panoramic one and placing a dining table next to them, you can create a bright and spacious dining area overlooking the street. Such a decision will transform the dark and small room Khrushchev kitchen in a modern studio.

Arch in the studio apartment

As a rule, kitchens in modern new buildings are combined with a hall. Apartments with such a layout are called studio apartments. Studios allow you to widely use all the advantages of arched structures. In a spacious room it is allowed to use arches of almost any shape and size. As a rule, kitchen design with an arch is performed in a modern style. Often use asymmetrical arches, separating with their help the working area of ​​the kitchen. It is also allowed arrangement in the openings of the shelves for storage of kitchen equipment, which allows efficient use of the space of the room.

Particular attention in the kitchen-studios should be paid to high-quality hood. Smells while cooking quickly spread to the next living room, which can interfere with guests or family members. Fortunately, modern powerful hoods completely solve this problem.

Design arches in a large kitchen

A huge field for unusual design solutions are large kitchens in private homes. In almost every such room, arches are used as a way of zoning a room. Large kitchen allows you to combine the arched doorway with a bar. This decision appeared quite recently, but quickly gained popularity. For the arrangement of the bar counter a deep arch is used, often asymmetric. In its upper part holders are mounted for glasses and bar equipment. In this case, the arch must be mounted spot lighting. Shelves and niches for storing bottles can also be set up. Particular attention should be paid to the selection of finishing materials, because the bar counter not only allows you to increase the functionality of the room, but often is an effective element of decor.

Thus, the use of arches is possible both in small kitchens and in spacious rooms. This element is able to transform the interior of the kitchen and advantageously emphasize the style in which it is made. This is an inexpensive design solution, easy to implement, but at the same time very effective and functional.