Apartments located in Khrushchev buildings have a very small area, despite the presence of three or four rooms. In this regard, for a comfortable stay and arrangement, it would be logical to carry out redevelopment, but first you should understand the intricacies of this process.
Khrushchev apartments are not always convenient for family living, so often the owners of such apartments decide to redevelop them.
What is redevelopment and how to arrange it
Redevelopment is any change in the configuration of partitions in a living space. It is recommended to first draw up a reconstruction project, conduct a harm assessment and approve the changes, and only then proceed to action.
It is important to understand that redevelopment should in no case affect load-bearing walls. It will also not be possible to agree on an increase in the area of the kitchen, bathroom or toilet if it is planned to be done not at the expense of technical premises. This is due to the high humidity of these rooms, which is why they cannot be placed above living rooms.
A distinctive feature of Khrushchev-era apartments is their small area, and four-room apartments have an irrational use of living space.
Note! It will be possible to approve an increase in the specified premises at the expense of a corridor or hallway only if a partition is initially installed in the latter, then formalized as a redevelopment. In this case, the fenced off part will not be considered living space according to the documents.
Increasing the kitchen area has the following limitations:
- cannot be made at the expense of the bathroom;
- when affecting a living room, it is prohibited to place kitchen equipment and plumbing fixtures in its area;
- Connecting the kitchen to the living room is prohibited if it has a gas stove.
It is better to bypass the last point not by changing the stove to an electric one, but by installing sliding doors.
Before redevelopment, it is necessary to draw up a project plan, for the execution of which you can contact the BTI, the State Housing Inspectorate or the author of the project of the building itself. These options are more acceptable than contacting private companies.
When not to legitimize
Some changes in the configuration of the apartment may not be legalized.
These include:
- glazing of loggia/balcony;
- changing the flooring to a similar one;
- installation of air conditioners and satellite dishes on the façade;
- updating of engineering communications (replacing them with similar ones in materials and characteristics);
- replacing windows without changing the opening size;
- replacement of engineering equipment with similar ones.
Features of redevelopment of a 4-room Khrushchev apartment
Remodeling a Khrushchev building in modern realities may become simply necessary, because the former need during construction to accommodate as many people as possible in an apartment no longer exists. And these houses are no longer positioned as temporary. But new housing standards have appeared, and now 60 sq m is the size of a good two-room apartment, and not a four-room Khrushchev-era apartment with a poor layout.
In most Khrushchev buildings, internal interior partitions are not load-bearing, but in four-room apartments of the late 60s this is possible due to the specific layout.
The point, of course, is not the number of square meters, but their correct use. And in this case, redevelopment is the first step towards change.
Features of old-style apartments
Initially, for Khrushchev, the layout of 4-room apartments was not systematic and particularly thoughtful, and therefore has a number of disadvantages:
- narrow utility rooms (bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, storage rooms);
- cramped living rooms with insufficient lighting due to narrow windows;
- poor noise and heat insulation;
- dim corridors;
- little convenient balconies and storage rooms;
- small combined bathrooms with insufficient space for washing machines and other equipment;
- very small kitchens;
- low mezzanines and ceilings;
- narrow passages;
- ill-conceived arrangement of living rooms and nearby restrooms.
With proper design and thoughtful zoning, any home can be made cozy.
What laws govern
The main legislative act that regulates important issues of redevelopment is the Housing Code of the Russian Federation.
- Chapter 4, articles 25-29 are completely devoted to the fundamental points of carrying out transformations in the apartment.
- When performing repairs, all work must comply with the requirements of SanPiN and SNiP.
Redevelopment in a 4-room Khrushchev apartment has its own characteristics both in comparison with other buildings and in relation to one- and two-room Khrushchev apartments.
Redevelopment options for a 4-room Khrushchev apartment
A typical four-room Khrushchev apartment has a small kitchen, a bathroom (usually combined), a walk-through living room and three living rooms that are suitable for the role of a bedroom, an office and a nursery. If you want to change this arrangement, you can implement the following options:
- Large living room. The Khrushchev apartment has a relatively large living room, but it can be expanded by adding one more room. This change will make the room more spacious and brighter. There are also new design possibilities.
- Creation of a two- or three-room apartment. Here partitions between any rooms can be removed and, if necessary, new ones can be installed. This option will allow you to create a layout that is comfortable for living.
- Creation of a studio. In this case, you can demolish only the wall between the living room and the kitchen, but you can demolish all the others (if permissible). This redevelopment is exactly in the spirit of the latest trends, and the apartment will turn out not only spacious, but also modern.
- Fifth room. An atypical option, but if you need to have another room, it is quite possible to separate part of the living room. Or, for corner apartments with an additional window, the division can be carried out based on it. The resulting rooms will be very small, but this option is acceptable for dividing a nursery. This can be done using a low partition or a solid wall made of plasterboard.
- Division into two apartments. Perhaps not in every home due to rooms with high humidity. It would be a good solution for two families.
Bathrooms in apartment buildings are prohibited from being placed above the living quarters of the lower floors.
Note! The strength of internal partitions in panel houses is higher than in brick ones. This is worth keeping in mind when planning the scope of changes.
If repairs are made without permission
Sooner or later, a situation arises related to the sale, donation of an apartment, or inheritance. In these cases, the fact of illegal redevelopment completely prevents the possibility of conducting any legal transactions with this property.
If the repair work was carried out without violating the law, then you should begin registering unauthorized redevelopment:
- You should start by obtaining a technical opinion on the safety of the redevelopment. This is especially important for old buildings, including Khrushchev-era buildings;
- it will be necessary to complete a project or sketch of the transformations already carried out;
- then an employee from the Housing Inspectorate is invited to draw up a completion certificate;
- after this, the owner applies to the Housing Inspectorate with an application to legalize the redevelopment.
If the redevelopment was carried out in violation of the law, then the only way out is to bring the apartment’s configuration into full compliance with the technical passport of the BTI.
Decoration of rooms during redevelopment of four-room apartments
When remodeling, you should definitely carry out a major overhaul with the replacement of old plumbing, electrical wiring and batteries. It would also be useful to prepare the apartment for decoration by leveling the walls. Further apartment design for a 4-room Khrushchev building is not so complicated.
Expansion of the bath is possible only due to the adjacent corridors.
Kitchen
It will be most convenient to use a kitchen set with an L-shaped layout. For a small kitchen, a folding table, transformable furniture and folding surfaces would be appropriate.
Even if the kitchen is combined with the living room, zoning is still necessary. It can be done very successfully by separating the finish. So, it’s worth putting different wallpapers and laying different floors.
You can use a bar counter as a border.
Since the redevelopment will not change the size of the window openings, it is better to choose warm colors for decoration - white, milky, sky blue.
Living room
To visually enlarge a room, you can use techniques such as:
- the ceiling is made in lighter shades than the walls;
- the use of mirror surfaces - glossy stretch ceiling, mirror wall, mirror opposite the window;
- filling with a large number of miniature lighting fixtures, in front of mirrors.
The living room can be divided into zones using furniture, for example, to separate a corner for receiving guests or for reading and relaxing, and also to allocate a place for children.
Bedroom
It is better to select a room that is not connected to the corridor as a bedroom. In its interior it is worth using light warm colors and shades, mirror surfaces and many lamps.
All items in the rooms must be combined with the style of the interior. You should not use contrasting, bright objects, which will ultimately disrupt the overall design.
Other options
A loggia or balcony can also be used during renovation. It will not be possible to connect it to the living area, but it can be expanded by removing the front wall and window sill. You can also insulate it, install panoramic glazing and turn it into an office, relaxation area or workshop.
If there is a balcony in the living room or bedroom, you can remove the wall during planning or equip it as an additional relaxation room.
Types of buildings
There are several types of buildings that we call Khrushchev.
They differ in the materials used for the construction of load-bearing and external structures:
- panel buildings - buildings for the construction of which large reinforced concrete panels and slabs are used, their width corresponds to the height of the ceilings in the apartment;
- block - buildings made of reinforced concrete structures, the dimensions of which are smaller than the slabs, so the ceiling height in the apartment is made up of several blocks;
- brick - buildings made of bricks.
The number of floors of Khrushchev buildings may vary.
- The most common are 5-story buildings. This is the maximum height of the house at which it could not be equipped with an elevator.
- But there are also 4-9 storey, and even 12-storey Khrushchev buildings.
Popular styles for four-room Khrushchev apartments
Thinking over a style solution is very important when planning a renovation. The redevelopment project also depends on his choice, because each of them will look appropriate only on a certain scale.
Minimalism
The most versatile option. It involves the use of geometrically strict forms with a smooth, simple surface and an almost complete absence of decorative elements. The decoration used is simple and light.
Large objects are placed so as not to restrict movement.
Japanese
It is characterized by a small amount of squat furniture, which visually increases the height of the rooms, as well as a lack of decoration and clutter.
If the living room is located near the kitchen, then you can remove the wall between these rooms.
High tech
We can say that for Khrushchev this style is optimal, and here’s why:
- mirror and glossy surfaces are used to visually expand the room;
- furniture with straight lines is selected, which allows you to emphasize individual elements;
- light colors are used;
- The apartment is equipped with built-in and multifunctional furniture, which is perfect for small sizes.
The result was a spacious room for preparing food, receiving guests and holding various celebrations.
Vanguard
This style combines the incongruous, so when choosing it, standard pieces of furniture are not used.
The peculiarity of such an interior is the mixing of colors, contrasts, sharp corners and unusual shapes.
Ceiling
The ceiling design for all rooms is common:
- Multi-level structures should not be installed, they will reduce the size and height of the premises;
- the ceiling can be plastered with whitewash;
- Stretch ceilings with a glossy or mirror surface will look beautiful;
- covering the ceiling with a mirror coating;
- painting the ceiling with light water-based paint.
The main thing is that the ceiling does not merge with the tone of the walls, otherwise it will disrupt the entire design. Also, do not forget to look at the photo with the appearance of the ceiling, this will help you do everything correctly during the repair.
Redevelopment options for 4-room Khrushchev-era apartment buildings depending on area
49 sq m
To equip such a small room, you will have to make a lot of effort. Here are some options for redevelopment:
- turn the apartment into a two- or three-room apartment;
- use the storage area as part of the hallway and dressing room;
- remove the partition or make an arch between the kitchen and living room, moving the dining table into the latter;
- work on the passage room: reduce its size by creating an additional passage.
For the hall, it is advisable to use plain wallpaper. Textile wallpaper with diagonal or parallel lines will also fit perfectly into the design.
Note! For small apartments, it is worth using narrow built-in wardrobes up to the ceiling with sliding doors.
60 sq m
The following changes are suitable for such an apartment:
- connect the bathroom and toilet, expanding them due to part of the corridor;
- combine the kitchen and living room or all rooms into a studio;
- dismantle the wall between the balcony and the room;
- for the studio, use partial partitions.
If difficulties arise during the renovation and planning of a one-room space, then this problem should not arise with 4 rooms.
Important nuances
Since the redevelopment procedure is quite expensive, many decide to do the repairs themselves, without notifying the competent authorities and without registering the changes.
As already mentioned, this will limit the future ability to make transactions with this real estate.
In addition, upon discovery of unauthorized redevelopment, the owner is required to pay a fine.
Its size depends on the status of the owner:
- individual – 2,000-2,500 rubles;
- official - 4,000-5,000 rubles;
- legal entity – up to 50,000 rubles.
Another important nuance regarding redevelopment in Khrushchev-era buildings is the need to obtain a technical opinion that it is possible to carry out redevelopment or reconstruction in the building.
This requirement is associated with the wear and tear of engineering systems and supporting structures, which may not withstand even minor transformations.
Options for surface design in a four-room Khrushchev house
Walls
For the living room, it is better to use plain or textile wallpaper with vertical lines. This pattern helps to visually enlarge the room. In addition to wallpaper, you can also use brickwork, paint or stucco. The latter can be used to emphasize certain areas. It looks good to use contrast divided horizontally.
In addition to wallpaper for the living room, you can use paint, stucco, and brickwork.
In the kitchen, special attention is paid to the work area. This can be done by covering the apron with light tiles of pastel colors without flashy patterns. The remaining walls can be covered with light textile wallpaper.
You can make a dining room from one room adjacent to the kitchen, connecting it to the kitchen with a doorway, and connecting the corridor to the bathroom.
In the bedroom, the emphasis is on peace and relaxation, for which bluish, white or light pink colors are used.
It is advisable to make different entrances in the rooms.
The hallway walls can be kept in a more formal style using wallpaper with simple geometry or painting.
You can also enlarge a small hallway room. This is done by demolishing the partition that separates it from the living room.
Note! The design of adjacent walls should match, while isolated rooms can be designed differently.
Ceiling
The ceiling design is similar for all rooms. Glossy or mirror finishes, stretch ceilings and classic whitewash look good.
The ceiling should not merge with the walls and contain beams and other structures that reduce the height.
Floor
The floor can be covered with any material - parquet, linoleum, laminate or carpet. The latter is best suited for the bedroom.
It is necessary that the color of the coating matches the color of the furniture and walls.
Floor
You can use any material for the floor - linoleum, parquet, laminate, carpet. A prerequisite is the type and color of the coating. It is important that it matches the color of the furniture and design. It will look unsightly when the overall look of the interior is light and the flooring is dark or bright. For the bedroom, you can use carpet, which will give this room comfort and warmth.
When choosing flooring, it is important to consider the room for which it is intended. For example, for a bathroom you should choose tiles or self-leveling flooring, for a kitchen tiles or laminate, and for a living room you can consider any of the options.
Choosing interior color when remodeling a four-room Khrushchev house
The right choice of color can set the tone for the entire interior, so you need to choose carefully. It is worth following these recommendations:
- to visually expand the hall, light colors are used, from white to light green, as well as yellow, white or reddish lighting;
- the windows are decorated with curtains in light colors;
- It is better to decorate the bedroom in light, cool shades, while installing lighting with white or bluish light;
- For the kitchen, light warm colors are used, as well as intense and bright lighting;
- a color contrast option is possible, when the lower part of the walls is decorated in dark colors, and the upper part in light colors;
- furniture should be light brown or white.
You can use built-in wardrobes, which are distinguished by their space saving.
Note! The use of dark furniture is strongly discouraged as it will create a feeling of bulkiness and overcrowding.
Redevelopment of a Khrushchev building is not the easiest, but very interesting task. If you approach it wisely and with imagination, you can create the ideal apartment for yourself.
A multi-room Khrushchev house has many redevelopment options. Here you can create comfortable housing with an interesting layout.
Price
The cost of remodeling is largely determined not by the area of the apartment itself, but by the complexity of changes to it:
Service | Price (in rubles) |
Technical report on the possibility of redevelopment | 6 000-12 000 |
Drafting | from 15 000 |
Project approval | 500-1,000 in each organization |
Registration of the acceptance certificate | 15 000-20 000 |
New technical passport of BTI | up to 5,000 |
Project to change the facade of a building | from 30 000 |
Design project | from 750 rub./sq.m |
Kitchen
For kitchen design in Khrushchev 2021, the best option is still the installation of corner furniture. Then the cabinets will be compactly located on one side up to the window opening or wall, and on the other side they will stand next to the refrigerator. The sink fits perfectly in the corner.
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Currently, manufacturers offer such a diverse range of folding structures that choosing a suitable model for yourself will not be difficult.
Of course, it is better to choose a design that is as reliable as possible with a good folding mechanism, then it will serve for many years to the delight of everyone. In addition to the folding type, there are also options with a convertible top of different configurations, made in different styles.
Arrangement of loggias
The lucky owners of a separate loggia can use it to create additional living space. Stretch the heating system and cable into it, place a table for the computer and work - the office is ready.
You can fantasize as much as you like and bring your ideas to life. But the main thing is not to disturb the ventilation system. The location of the bathroom should always remain the same.
Possibility of changing the layout
Quite often, the problem of cluttering up space is so acute for owners that it is worth seriously thinking about the possibility of demolishing a wall or walls. This procedure allows you to increase the living space and give the apartment and its inhabitants the opportunity to “start” a new life.
First you need to determine which walls can be “painlessly” destroyed. Therefore, studying the cadastre and technical plan comes first. They will give a clear idea of the possibility of carrying out such work.
Furniture
The type and arrangement of furniture depends on the style of the room. But before choosing an interior style, you need to remember a few rules for using furniture:
- preference should be given to multifunctional elements, but not too large;
- if a closet is used in the bedroom for things, then it should have pull-out cabinets and shelves with large capacity;
- It is better to use a bed for a bedroom with an internal space so that linen and things can also be stored there;
- in the hall you can install a medium sofa in a light color, which will serve as a division of the room into zones;
- if ottomans are installed in the rooms, then it is worth purchasing products with internal space for folding things;
- in the kitchen you can install small cabinets with doors at the top, and below it is better to give preference to cabinets with shelves in which you can store heavy dishes;
- do not forget that the use of modular collapsible structures will help greatly save room space.