In apartments and private houses, designers often use zoning. The living room and kitchen combine well. Two rooms connected to each other look spacious, and this layout will make the space cozy. You can update the design, implement interesting ideas, or repeat a design seen in a magazine, TV show, or photo on the Internet. The style in the living room-kitchen can be different, and choosing it can turn into an exciting experience. Before combining rooms, designers advise taking into account the basic rules, creating a project, choosing colors.
Zoning
Designers do not advise giving in to fashion trends and copying design ideas without taking into account dimensions, location and other nuances. Before planning and arranging furniture, every detail is thought through. There are several simple rules that experts advise you to follow:
- Let the room have natural light. To do this, remove excess walls (except for load-bearing ones).
- If the rooms in the apartment are small (12 sq. m or 16 sq. m), the layout of the kitchen combined with the dining room will be the right solution.
- If the ventilation system is not designed correctly, the smell of food will spread throughout the apartment.
How to decorate the seat?
Arrangement of a children's swing should begin with the manufacture of a seat. First, a steel frame of the seat is made; for this, two hoops are taken, they are connected using loops or clamps. If it is expected that the structure will also be used by adults, it is better to use a steel pipe with a cross-section of up to 15 mm and a length of 150 cm, which is bent using special pipe bending equipment and welded.
The “Nest” swing mesh can be woven in any way, as long as the knitting is strong enough.
To do this, weaving techniques such as tatting, macrame or patchwork are used. However, it should be borne in mind that the use of openwork fabric or too thin cords is suitable for using the structure by one child. You should also pay attention to ensure that the mesh does not sag - for this, the cords are pulled extremely tight. The created seat fabric must be securely attached to the frame with knots.
There is another option for making a seat from the rim of a regular bicycle wheel and a polypropylene pipe, which is bent, inserted into the rim and secured through the holes for the spokes. To secure it to the frame you will need four rings and two carabiners.
Partitions
The interior of the kitchen and living room begins to be thought out from the junction of two zones. Here are some of the methods and objects that delimit the space: installing a bar counter; a kitchen island; a large table; installing a low partition. Designers advise installing a wide counter, since you can sit at it like at a regular table, and high chairs are quite suitable for the whole family. However, in small rooms (16 sq m), narrow counters are installed. Kitchen islands are convenient to use, but are only suitable for large kitchen-dining rooms (25 sq m or 30 sq m). Capital low partitions are installed only if it has been decided in advance what they will be used for (for example, as a TV stand).
GALVANIZED CHAIN FOR SUSPENSION OF SWINGS.
The chain for the flexible suspension of the swing is made of steel and coated with a protective layer of zinc using the hot-dip galvanizing method. The galvanized chain for children's swings is a reliable suspension that is usually used outdoors and exposed to difficult weather conditions.
The use of a flexible suspension made of galvanized chain in public playgrounds is necessary to comply with GOST of the Russian Federation.
Furniture items
A few examples of furnishing a kitchen combined with a living room:
- 1. Sofa. It becomes an object that zones space. The sofa is placed with its back facing the place where food is prepared. In small rooms (less than 20 sq m) a corner is placed, which is placed against a wall installed perpendicular or parallel to the kitchen.
- 2. Set. According to designers, minimalist models without elaborate details look modern. The service, vases or glasses are placed on an open shelf. You can buy a fashionable display case for them. Furniture is placed near the wall. If the space is large (20 sq. m, 25 sq. m or 30 sq. m), then in the central part you can install an island, which also has sections for kitchen appliances.
- 3. Furniture set. The style should be combined with the design of both rooms. In small rooms, a compact table and chairs made of transparent material or painted in light colors look good. You can add a table with a round top to your living room interior. In spacious rooms, the kit is installed near the wall or in the central part. An elongated rectangular dining table would look good here.
Read here: How to make a folding table - 120 photo ideas on how to make a compact table with your own hands
Do-it-yourself garden swing (45 photos): choosing a location on the site, material and type of construction
To diversify your holiday at the dacha, there are comfortable swings in the shade of garden trees where you can relax and recharge your batteries. We want to tell you how to make a garden swing with your own hands, because it is doubly pleasant when using the product of your own labor also brings joy.
The swing at the dacha will become your favorite place to relax.
To make a garden swing with your own hands, you need to find a suitable place for it.
A swing is not just a bench or a tree stump with a seat; this type of country garden furniture will be a stationary and relatively capital object, so you need to choose an appropriate place for it.
This means that we need to take into account all the nuances of this structure, namely:
- Mobility. Part of the structure is a moving unit that performs damped oscillatory movements under the influence of gravity, like a pendulum. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the maximum stroke of this pendulum in each direction and take care that there are no obstacles within these limits: trees, stumps, bushes or pieces of garden furniture;
- Stationarity. To ensure the movement of one part of the structure, it is necessary to securely fasten its other part - the support frame. To do this, we will have to bury the racks in the ground and concrete them to a depth of 60 - 70 cm;
- Quality of the site. You've probably noticed constant puddles and dirt under your yard or homemade swing, since the ground under the seat is constantly being rubbed with your feet during braking, and a depression is formed there where water and dirt accumulate. Therefore, for comfortable use of the attraction, you should immediately rid yourself of this misunderstanding - make a concrete screed or lay down tiles, rubber, or at least make a gravel backfill.
In the photo you can see that asphalt has been laid under the bench.
Important! For normal and long-term operation of the structure, it must be installed as level as possible, that is, when the seat hangs freely in the lower position, the chain or cable must be perpendicular to the top crossbar.
To control this parameter, it is most convenient to use a plumb line.
It is also important to remember that it is very dangerous to be in the vibration zone of the amusement ride bench, as you can receive a strong blow and seriously injure part of the body. Therefore, this area should either be restricted from access or ensure that no people or animals enter it while the swing is in operation.
Placing the object against a fence or wall will limit access to the most dangerous rear part of the pendulum's working area.
Another aspect that is often forgotten is that the attraction will most likely be a regular place for your children to play, so it is better to think ahead of time about how to limit the zenith, or the highest point to which the pendulum can be swung. Otherwise, children, unwisely, can swing it up to a full revolution around the crossbar, winding the chains around it and falling upside down.
Often the swing design naturally limits the amplitude of the seat's vibrations due to the correct selection of the height of the crossbar and the size of the bench.
Important! From all that has been said, we can draw the following summary: the place for a swing on a summer cottage should be spacious, level, free from obstacles and be in line of sight relative to the house for control and safety.
Choice of material and type of construction
Making a garden swing with your own hands gives you complete freedom in choosing materials and configuration of the support frame, seat and suspension.
Several factors will depend on the choice of design type and materials:
- Reliability;
- Durability;
- Price;
- Safety;
- Relevance from a design perspective.
As a rule, two types of materials are used for self-production: wood and metal, as well as their combinations. We will not consider concrete work or site improvement work for now.
Metal models, at first glance, are more reliable and durable, and all other things being equal, this is so. However, metal is also susceptible to corrosion, and if it is not processed correctly, this advantage is easily lost.
An example of a metal product.
On the other hand, properly selected and treated wood with timely care demonstrates quite acceptable reliability indicators comparable to metal.
If we consider these materials from the point of view of safety and artistic value, then wood will be the undisputed leader here (unless, of course, your garden is designed in the style of a Gothic cemetery and is not replete with forged bars and fences).
It is also important that processing wooden parts is much simpler and does not require tools such as a grinder, electric and gas welding, metal drill, etc.
A high-quality wooden model is in no way inferior to a metal one.
If we talk about cost, then a really beautiful forged frame will cost much more than high-quality wood, and the use of banal pipes or corners will result in a “freak” that will spoil the beauty and atmosphere of a country estate.
Metal models are more suitable for pioneer camps and courtyards of urban ghettos.
Important! We consider the most suitable from the point of view of feasibility to be a wooden structure, reinforced with metal parts in some places.
Making a swing
A comfortable bench is important.
Before you start work, you need to draw up a work plan and drawing. You can easily find drawings of a garden swing with your own hands on our website, or you can make them yourself.
We'll look at making an A-frame and a bench-like seat suspended from chains.
Next, our instructions will help you understand all stages of the work:
- We take 4 three-meter beams 100x100 mm and make two L-shaped structures connected at an angle of 50 - 55 degrees using furniture bolts;
We connect the bars in the shape of the letter “L”.
- We retreat 60 cm from the lower end of the support and divide the remaining part by three. At the level of the border of the first and second thirds, we install ties from edged boards, two for each leg. We fasten with bolts.
Here the tightening is set at the correct level.
- Now we connect the resulting frames with a 100x100 mm crossbar made of oak timber. We select the length of the crossbar so that the width of the frame is 50 cm greater than the width of the seat.
We connect the legs with a crossbar, which we strengthen with additional crossbars.
- We dig in the legs of the structure to a depth of 70 cm, where 10 cm will be a backfill of crushed stone and sand. Next, we concrete the pits with a solution of cement, sand and crushed stone 1:3:5. We set the structure plumb so that the thread is perpendicular to the crossbar;
We dig in and concrete the legs.
- We make two frames from cedar beams 45x56 mm: 200x50 cm for the seat and 200x65 cm for the back.
Then we connect them at an angle of 120 degrees and reinforce them along the entire length with a steel strip, bent accordingly. We sew the frames with 26x46 mm cladding boards. Let's make a shop. - We install eye bolts into the upper crossbar of the backrest and the lower crossbar of the seat. We also install a couple of bolts into the crossbar and hang the seat on a chain with thick links. We check the horizontalness of the bench with a level.
We hang the seat.
Important! We treat the part of the support beam that will be immersed in concrete with bitumen mastic.
Multi-level floor
To zone the space, craftsmen install floors at different levels. They advise installing a podium to separate the kitchen and dining room. This option is considered one of the most practical because, among other things, the owners have additional free space where they can hide something. It is convenient to use boxes or drawers for this. Wicker baskets will look good. But such space can remain free.
For podiums, reliable materials are selected that can withstand heavy loads. Usually builders make wooden or metal podiums.
However, such a design should not be made if there are small children in the family, since the podium can become an obstacle for him. In addition, various floor coverings can be used. They will zone the space between the living room and the kitchen and protect the podium from damage. For example, tiles are laid in the kitchen area, and laminate flooring in the dining room. The main thing is to choose colors and textures and combine the finishes correctly.
Manufacturing process
See also:
Milling facades for the kitchen: what types are there, what style to choose
To ensure the reliability and stability of the structure, it is recommended to concrete the supporting elements. Or, as an alternative, you can make a larger angle at the very top of the welded elements in the shape of the well-known letter A. Under some structures, trenches are dug, not holes.
In the option under consideration, 4 holes will be made using a drill. You can replace it with a regular shovel and dig several holes.
Using a grinder, profile pipes are cut:
- 4 pieces are needed to create side posts;
- another pipe will serve as a crossbar;
- plus 2 jumpers to increase the rigidity of the support.
After cutting metal blanks, check their quality and condition. Make sure the dimensions match the drawings. The edges need to be processed and unevenness removed.
The racks should be welded to each other, using a level to help you position the elements correctly. Then the racks are connected by a crossbar. The brackets for hanging the swing itself are already attached there.
Loft
This year the style remains in demand. It is often used to equip kitchens combined with a living room. This combination gives more free space, which will only emphasize all the details of the loft.
Today, such a definition as “classic style” is used less and less by designers. Loft - any interior design in which various technical elements are not hidden, but emphasized.
For example, stylists play with brickwork, wires or concrete walls. The photographs clearly show how successful it can look like a living room that is combined with a kitchen. For loft, rough and heterogeneous surfaces and rough materials are selected. In apartments decorated in this style, wall lamps are installed. In this case, the light is directed along the walls. Due to this, shadows fall so that uneven surfaces look three-dimensional. At first, loft was viewed with caution, but it quickly became popular. Designers do not hide finishing materials and even fake them. To imitate a concrete surface and smudges, decorative plaster is used.
Types of products
There are two types of forging: hand and stamped. They differ in the method of metal formation. Free hand forging involves heating iron or its alloys to a temperature of 800 to 1000⁰ C. The softened metal is shaped on an anvil with a forging hammer. The stamping method assumes that steel blanks are deformed according to templates using press pressure.
Stamping is used for serial production in production. Individual elements of steel products are connected to each other by welding. Free forging is an artistic craft; master blacksmiths forge exclusive items by hand, which is why they are more highly valued.
Stamped models of swings are produced in batches according to standard sizes and shapes
Advantages of forged swings:
- Life time. Metal products are impregnated with special compounds and varnished to prevent the formation of rust. This significantly increases the service life.
- Strength. Rocking creates additional mechanical stress on the structure. Metal is a durable material that can withstand such loads.
- Sustainability. The load-bearing elements are firmly connected by welding seams, so they are not subject to imbalance.
- The aesthetic appeal of a forged swing. The metal frame is in harmony with the wooden bench.
- Price. The price of stamped products is lower.
Forged swings differ in shape, size, depth and height of the seat and back.
There are simple single-seat children's models and models designed for several people.
Provence
The name of this destination comes from a region in the south of France. Even a small kitchen-living room, the decor of which was inspired by French aesthetics, will be filled with warmth and comfort.
The main thing is that it has a lot of daylight, textiles with romantic prints, and floral patterns. The dining room in the Provence style is designed in pastel shades. Furniture items can be vintage or artificially aged. Plain walls will contrast with large checkered curtains. The door in the kitchen area set is sometimes replaced with curtains made from the same material as the tablecloth. A good addition would be vases and figurines, clay pots, forged metal parts and ribbons.
Variety of designs
There are several types of swings, differing in design and material of seats, supports and mobility.
- Mobile swings are not too heavy, which allows them to be moved to any distance. These are either children's options with a single seat, or family-type swing-benches.
- Stationary models are dug deep into the ground, and heavy structures are also concreted.
- Single-seat types can be in the form of a hanging chair, or a board on chains.
- Double swings are also equipped with a board, only larger and wider. They can have two independent chairs on one crossbar.
- Multi-seat (family) models include swing benches, hanging sofas and beds. These powerful structures require suspensions in the form of massive chains.
- An old tire can serve as a seat for a swing. It is hung on ropes or ropes, but chains are also quite suitable. Due to the simplicity of the model, it does not require maintenance or additional components.
Color combinations
Stylists advise taking into account the following nuances:
- direction in the interior;
- combination of shades;
- illumination
It is much easier to choose a palette if the style for the kitchen and living room has already been selected. For example, neoclassicism and Provence have their own combinations. In a classic interior, designers combine pastel colors, pale colors, which are slightly diluted with dark shades. In French country houses you can often see soft blue, pink, and pistachio colors. Art Deco designers make up objects and finishing materials in black and white, sometimes beige and brown or silver and black. The main thing is to choose a shade for the walls. White will become universal, it will expand the space, and later you can paint them with any paint. However, in the cooking area, white ceases to look fresh. Beige or gray shades would be more practical. This background will highlight the other colors. In a monochrome interior, designers recommend gluing wallpaper in an unusual color or with a photo print.
Waterproof surfaces are easy to clean, so washable wallpaper is recommended. The colors of the furniture echo the details and accessories, be it cushions for the sofa, curtains or other items.