The geyser is the main headache for lovers of modern and stylish kitchens. It is very difficult to follow fashion trends and stick to a single design when such an awkward colossus hangs on the wall. Especially if she is older than you, or even your parents.
However, there is a way out. Now there are many ways to hide or decorate this bulky but much-needed equipment. As a result, a foreign object will turn into an interesting design element, ideally suited to the overall style of the kitchen.
The easiest way is to buy an ergonomic designer model. Currently, there are many models of gas water heaters on the market - black, steel, plain in various colors.
There are also original ones - with all kinds of designs, for example, animal prints, floral and Gzhel themes, and even Palekh painting. The downside of this option is the high cost. But there is no need to hide such a column; you can be proud of it.
Hide or decorate?
Before deciding what to do with a geyser, you need to decide what financial capabilities you are based on and to what extent you visually dislike this device. If you are ready to allocate a small amount for a more harmonious appearance of the speaker, and it does not cause much outrage, you can simply decorate it. If the rejection is strong and you want to hide it completely, you will have to spend a more serious amount.
Advantages and disadvantages of kitchen design with a column
The device causes difficulties in creating comfort; when repairing, the following nuances must be taken into account:
- the unit cannot be moved without the permission of the competent service;
- organically integrating it into a small-sized Khrushchev-era apartment is problematic due to its size;
- adjacent pipes require additional camouflage.
The only advantage of a far from small gas water heater for the kitchen is the constant presence of hot water without shutting off in the summer.
Putting it away in the closet
It is advisable to decide on such an option at the stage of ordering a kitchen set. Then a single style will be maintained, the speaker cabinet will not stand out from the rest of the furniture, and the space next to the gas equipment will be used as efficiently as possible.
What you need to consider when making such a cabinet:
- Its dimensions must exceed the dimensions of the column - this is the main safety rule;
- There is no need to make the roof and bottom of the cabinet, as well as the back wall - otherwise ventilation will be impaired, which, again, entails great danger;
- A gas water heater in the closet will take up much more space in the kitchen than without it.
The front door of the box can be made blank - then the device will not be visible at all, and one can only guess about its existence. Or decorative - in the form of a lattice or other artistic elements. The latter option is more preferable not only aesthetically, but also from the point of view of air circulation.
An interesting option from a design point of view is a door made of frosted or slightly tinted glass. Such a “house” for a speaker will look impressive and original. Tinted glass will be especially appropriate if you prefer black appliances or if it is one of the main colors in your kitchen design.
Material selection
Two types of materials are used as fabric for suspended ceilings:
- Polyvinyl chloride film.
- Synthetic polyester fabric impregnated with polyurethane.
Film sheets can be matte, glossy or satin. They are easy to clean and affordable, but are damaged when in contact with sharp objects. Synthetic fabric is only matte and in appearance resembles a plastered ceiling. Caring for fabric is a little more complicated (although easier than painting or whitewashing) and the price is significantly higher. But polyester is stronger.
Based on surface type, ceilings are divided into smooth and textured. Only the first ones are suitable for kitchens, especially if there is no hood. They are easier to clean, since there are no microcavities in which dirt and dust would accumulate.
In small kitchens they choose film with a glossy effect - it makes the room seem taller. And for spacious ones, matte or satin ones are suitable. Fabric ceilings are combined with more luxurious or classic interiors.
The color can be any, the main thing is that it matches other materials and furniture. Light colors, like a glossy surface, visually make the room taller.
There are quite a few manufacturers on the Russian market, but the main ones are from China and France. Chinese ones are cheaper (on average 260 rubles per square meter), but the quality is lower. French ones will cost more, about 450 rubles. But the ceiling will last longer. In any case, when purchasing, you should check the hygiene certificate and fire safety class, and conclude an agreement before paying.
Hiding between closets
One option to harmoniously fit the speaker into the kitchen interior is to place it between wall cabinets. With this method, it is necessary to take into account that there must be at least three centimeters of free space on the sides of the device to ensure the necessary air circulation.
The walls of adjacent cabinets must be insulated with non-combustible material.
In this case, it is advisable to pay attention to the column itself - it should be a modern, attractive model that will look organically in the current kitchen design. It is advisable that the color of the column be additionally supported by accessories.
Decorating
The easiest and cheapest way is to apply stickers. Choose heat-resistant materials and colors that will harmonize well with the overall interior.
If the device is located near a window, close it with a curtain. To do this, install the cornice on top, at some distance from the body. Hang a curtain made of thick, opaque material.
Do you want to create an art object in the kitchen? Then arm yourself with paints and a brush. You can paint in a themed style or paint the cladding in the colors of the walls or kitchen units. Here is the decision the owner of this model made:
The design can also be applied using a stencil and heat-resistant enamel for metal work. Quite a simple solution, especially for people without artistic skills.
Properly arranging a column in the corner
If the water heater is located in the corner of the kitchen, it is easiest to put it in a corner cabinet. The requirements for it are the same as for other speaker cabinets - without a top, bottom and back wall. Essentially, it is just a door that closes the device.
Also, the corner column can be separated by a special niche, which will visually separate it from the general interior. Do not forget that the wall of the niche facing the device must comply with safety regulations - be covered with non-flammable material.
Safety
The design of the cabinet or false facade will depend on the type of combustion chamber. For open cells the requirements are stricter, for closed ones they are simpler. When placing equipment in a cabinet, it is worth remembering the following recommendations and standards.
Equipment with an open combustion chamber must be hidden in a false cabinet without a top or bottom, the side walls of which must be at a distance of at least 15 cm from the side walls of the device. It is recommended to make the facades of the cabinet covering the equipment lattice. This is necessary for ventilation, creating proper draft and your safety!
In the case of a closed combustion chamber, it is easier to build in - in this case, the box may have lower and upper floors, side walls installed at a distance of 3-5 cm from the device, and a solid door.
We disguise it as a general interior
One of the easiest ways to “bring” a gas water heater into the kitchen interior is to cover it with the same wallpaper as the walls of the room. Or cover it with a vinyl film similar to them in style and color. You can also match the shade of the film for the water heater to the kitchen unit.
The best option is to paint the speaker with non-flammable paint to match the walls or furniture. Heat-resistant enamel, which is intended for coating metal, is best suited for these purposes.
However, you can use a regular spray can, then even a teenager can cope with the task. In this case, do not forget to cover the screen and handles of the device with masking tape, and also cover the surface behind the speaker.
Make sure that the blinds do not touch the column and have an indentation of several centimeters.
Pipes and chimney
From below, many pipes are connected to the column: gas, cold water supply, hot water outlet. And a chimney comes out of it from above. All this also requires registration.
To do this, you can use special boxes, which are often included with the unit.
If not, you can purchase them at hardware stores or make them yourself from plastic, plywood or drywall.
Finishing in the color of the kitchen apron will make the pipe boxes almost invisible. But do not forget that they must be easily removable or have an inspection door.
Column as an art object
If you want to have a designer column, but don’t have the money for it, you can decorate the gas appliance yourself. All you need is a little diligence and attention, and a unique art object will appear in your kitchen, which can turn from an annoying bulk into the highlight of the entire interior.
So, ways to decorate a geyser:
- Draw a picture. It could be a conceptual image, an interesting pattern, a funny or cute picture. If you don’t have any special talent or artistic abilities, but the desire is great, you can use stencils. The result will be no less spectacular decoration.
- Decorate with stickers. Funny, contrasting, thematic - our choice. Vinyl stickers are best. They look elegant and dignified - they will become an original addition to the interior, and will not destroy its concept.
- Use magnets. Hang magnets from different countries on the geyser and you will get a very interesting rack. If there are children in the house, you can use children's magnets - funny or educational, for example, with letters of the alphabet or numbers. The main thing is to make sure that they do not hang carelessly, otherwise they will turn from decoration into chaos.
- Place motivational slogans and reminders on the column. Lose weight, don’t forget to water the flowers, greet a new day with a smile, call someone - the list of possible inscriptions is endless.
When ordering furniture in a store
If you decide to purchase furniture to order, then provide the necessary information to the organization, or better yet, call a measurer to your home.
Here are the advantages of this solution to the problem:
A cabinet that, according to gas service standards, is unacceptable for use with a water heater
- Professional approach to furniture manufacturing.
- The responsibility does not fall on you, but on the specialists.
- All sorts of options will be offered to create the desired style.
The negative point in this case is the price of the service. Making and assembling a cabinet yourself is much cheaper.
How to hang a speaker inside the kitchen
If you need to move the device less than one and a half meters, you can take this step without much thought - it will not require special permits or financial investments.
If the distance exceeds this figure, the action will be regarded as a reinstallation, therefore, it will be necessary to make changes to the existing project and lay gas lines.
You definitely can’t hang the column over a gas stove; it’s best to discuss other options with a specialist first.
When moving an appliance inside the kitchen, you need to carefully consider the rationality of this action and determine its pros and cons. Decide in advance what you need the free space for and whether the speaker will become a hindrance in the new location.
Moving the speaker outside the kitchen
This is quite a labor- and financially-intensive option. It is especially relevant if the kitchen renovation has already been completed, but the gas water heater does not fit there, or the water heater was not originally intended for this room. But it’s worth taking such a step only if there are no other options.
The new premises must comply with the standards determined by special services. The main ones are the volume of the room is more than 7.5 cubic meters, the height of the walls is at least 2.25 m, and the presence of a chimney.
Most often, the column is moved to the bathroom. However, if the bathroom is not large in size, such a step is unlikely to be beneficial. Instead of inconvenience in the kitchen, you get inconvenience in the bathroom.
How to hide communications
If the column can still be chosen to have an acceptable appearance and not be hidden, then the accompanying communications - pipes, hoses and chimney - are definitely not worth showing. They usually look awkward and can ruin the most sophisticated interior.
The most budget option is to paint the pipe to match the wall.
The most aesthetically pleasing option is to hide it behind a box. Either behind the same as the column itself, or behind a separate one.
It must be remembered that communications cannot be tightly walled up. They should always be freely available.
Features of placing a speaker within a small kitchen
The housewife tries to arrange the small kitchen especially carefully, because every piece of space, even the smallest one, is valuable. And the column, as a rule, occupies a significant part of the wall. In addition, in a kitchenette this device looks even more bulky and inappropriate.
First of all, the speaker in such a room should be installed in the smallest size. A mini speaker is easier to disguise and takes up little space. Another important point is that the closer the communications outlets are to the water heater, the less space the communications themselves take up. And then you can use all the already listed methods of decorating the device - hide it in a closet, decorate it to match the tone of the kitchen, or decorate it.
In small rooms, the most advantageous positioning of the speaker is in the corner, where it will not visually hide the space so much and will allow optimal use of the rest of the wall.
What you need to remember when working with a gas water heater
A gas water heater is a high-risk device. Therefore, when installing, reinstalling and designing it, you must follow strict rules:
- The device is installed on a wall covered with non-flammable materials; the opposite wall must be no closer than one meter;
- There should be a free space of 3 cm on both sides;
- The column must be located at least 10 cm horizontally from the stove; It is strictly forbidden to hang it above the stove;
- Pipes cannot be hidden tightly - walled up in the ceiling, wall or floor. If the pipe passes through them, you need to leave a gap of more than 1 cm;
- If the kitchen has a suspended ceiling, then the minimum height of its walls is 250 cm;
- The distance from the speaker to the electrical cable and household appliances should be at least half a meter, and to the batteries - 200 meters.
And under no circumstances should you move gas pipes yourself. Permission from gas service specialists is required.
Where to start
Before hiding a gas water heater in the kitchen, you need to prepare a project for the future kitchen taking into account this device:
- When you measure the room, be sure to note in which part of the kitchen the speaker is located and what its dimensions are.
- Pay attention to the type of air supply used in the chamber. This will help you integrate it more successfully into your future interior.
Note! For a more practical placement of the speaker in the kitchen, its height should be combined with the height of the wall cabinets.
- Don't forget to mark on the paper where the gas pipes and wires go.
