Kitchen repair occupies one of the main positions in the equipment of the apartment, and the decoration of the walls in the kitchen deserves special attention. The kitchen is a special place in any apartment. Here, the most wonderful processes take place: cooking your favorite dishes, meeting the whole family for dinner, making serious decisions by the family council, and also meeting friends over a cup of coffee. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure that the kitchen is spacious and cozy at the same time. Wall decoration in the kitchen sets the basis for the interior, on which it depends, whether the kitchen is light or dark, spacious or narrowed. There are different types of decoration of walls, but it is worth noting that it is necessary to choose one that will match the chosen stylistic direction.
Finishing the walls in the kitchen: how to choose the material
Of all residential apartments, the kitchen has more difficult conditions. Here, moisture and evaporation constantly accumulate, soot and greasy deposits settle, which requires frequent cleaning. Therefore, not every finishing material can be adapted to such external influences. As a rule, in the kitchen there is a cooking and dining area. Modern wall decoration in the kitchen (photos show different options) involves using a combination of materials and colors in order to visually separate the areas from each other. At the same time, materials that are more practical are chosen in the working area, and in the dining room – they give a special comfort.
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the moisture resistance of the material. Walls should not be deformed and deteriorated upon contact with the aquatic environment. Finishing of the working wall in the kitchen can be made from tiles, water-resistant paint, MDF panel, etc. For the food zone, you can choose decorative plaster or decorative stone, which is especially fashionable in a modern interior.
The main criterion of a quality material is its durability, it should not emit any substances dangerous to human health, and also ignite.
Choosing the color in which the kitchen will be decorated, it must be remembered that cool colors, including all shades of blue and green, can significantly reduce appetite, and orange and red, on the contrary, can awaken hunger. The color scheme of the kitchen set is also of great importance, and the decoration of the walls in the kitchen should be its complete opposite: bright facades – light walls, inexpressive color of the furniture set – bright decoration of the kitchen walls.
Wall decoration in the kitchen: finishes
A huge variety of modern materials provides many opportunities in decorating walls in the kitchen. It is important that the material combines beauty and practicality. Consider the use of materials that suggests modern wall decoration in the kitchen (a photo of some works will show how it looks in the finished form).
Wall decoration in the kitchen with tiles and mosaic
This material can be called an old-timer. It has been used to finish the walls in the kitchen for a very long time. It has many positive characteristics, namely:
- Tiles are resistant to moisture and easy to clean, while maintaining color and texture;
- Looks great in any design decision.
- Thanks to the presence of clay as the main component, tiles are classified as environmentally safe materials – it is non-toxic and hypoallergenic.
- The tile does not burn, thanks to which it can be used even when decorating stoves and fireplaces.
- Has a wide variety of textures and colors, which are used in different styles.
One of the varieties is a mosaic, which is a miniature tile glued to the wall. Such a mosaic design, mainly refers to the apron (the distance between the floor and hanging cabinets) and implies the use of squares of one or different colors. The mosaic will cost a little more expensive, but it has a rather unusual look.
Decorating walls in the kitchen with decorative plaster
A good choice for decorating the vertical planes of the kitchen is decorative plaster. It appeared on the market not so long ago, but has already gained quite a lot of prestige. Its main advantages can be called that the decoration of the walls in the kitchen with decorative plaster is very effective and practical. It is well cleaned and can maintain its appearance for a long period of time, while many elements do not fade and do not burn out. The huge advantage is that the application of decorative plaster does not require absolute leveling of the walls, as its relief will cover all irregularities. But this applies to textured decorative plaster, which can be of two types: the first includes large impregnations (quartz sand), thereby creating a relief when applied; the second does not contain such elements, but is applied in a special way by bones or spatulas, because of which a certain three-dimensional pattern also results. There is still a smooth Venetian plaster, of which marble dust is an integral part. When it is applied, the surface turns silky with a muted luster.
Decorating the walls with decorative stone in the kitchen: photo of modern decorations
Decorative stone can significantly transform the kitchen, create an exclusive interior, giving a touch of the Middle Ages. It is used mainly to decorate the dining area. However, the decoration of the walls with a decorative stone in the kitchen can be used in the decoration of the working wall, since this material is not afraid of the high temperatures inevitable near the plate, and also protects the walls of the working surface from moisture and grease. To the positive aspects of the use of this coating can also be attributed:
- Durability due to the high strength of the material.
- Ecological compatibility.
- Simplicity of laying, allowing independent work.
- Minimal care, since the material does not collect dust, it is enough to wipe the surface with a damp sponge from time to time.
- Originality of interior design.
Laminate as a material for wall finishing in the kitchen
Finishing the walls with a laminate in the kitchen is a very controversial issue. On the one hand, this material has its merits – it can remain presentable for a long time, has high strength, fairly simple to clean, does not require the use of special tools. Laminate perfectly imitates a tree, while it is distinguished by a variety of colors and textures. The installation of this finishing material is not complicated, and you can cope with this without the involvement of specialists.
However, it is worth taking into account some disadvantages of the material. Laminated panels are exposed to moisture (they can swell at constant contact with water) and are sensitive to temperature changes (cracking of the protective layer is possible). Therefore, the walls are to be laminated in the kitchen with these parameters in mind – you should not place it near a gas or electric stove, and you must also avoid moisture on the side of the plate.
One of the varieties of laminate is MDF panels. The surface of this material is a lacquered paper with a protective layer. The material also has a wide variety of colors and shades and, in the end, the original finish of the dining room wall in the kitchen with MDF panels can be obtained. Photos clearly demonstrate examples of the design of such a wall with an accent.
Decorating the kitchen with plastic panels
Plastic – a material with a number of positive properties, thanks to which the wall decoration in the kitchen with plastic panels can look stylish and original, and the coating will last a long time. Such positive characteristics include water resistance, ease of installation and cleaning, and the ability to simulate a metal or mirror surface. However, there are also disadvantages: sensitivity to high temperatures and low level of mechanical strength (the finish can be easily scratched or smashed). The walls in the kitchen can be decorated with plastic panels using different subsets of the material, namely:
- One-piece sheets, from one and a half to four meters in length, with various colors – ornaments, patterns, imitation of masonry or wood, and monochrome.
- Plastic panels 3m long, without seams, but with different texture.
- Lining – can have a monochrome color or imitate a wooden surface. With its help, you can achieve different effects: the lining, designed in a horizontal position, visually expand the space, and in the vertical – will make the appearance of a high ceiling.
Painting and pasting walls with wallpaper
Finishing the walls in the kitchen by painting method existed many decades ago, but today this option remains relevant. This is due to the affordable cost of materials, in addition, you can do such work yourself. Mixing different colors, you can get any shade, which is also a big advantage. The disadvantage of this kind of work is painting that is necessary to thoroughly work the surface – it should be perfectly even. If there is no full confidence in the irreproachable condition of the walls, it is better to use matte paints (gloss only emphasizes the shortcomings).
If the wall decoration in the kitchen involves wallpapering, experts recommend to stop their choice on vinyl, non-woven or fiberglass models, as they have high strength, moisture resistance, perfectly mask uneven surfaces and create a protective layer for walls from various kinds of mechanical influences.
Walls in the kitchen are options for finishing: a photo of interesting ideas
Having considered the variety of materials for decoration of kitchen walls, it is worth considering not only practicality, as the main criteria for choice, but also about the beauty of the future premises. The walls in the kitchen, providing for different options, should be combined with the interior of all rooms in the room, consistent with the general style and color palette. Shades should be selected taking into account that the walls will be the main background.
All styles are good for decorating the kitchen. The most popular in our time are minimalism and high-tech, which allow the use of any materials that are suitable for color and texture. Kitchen in the style of Art Nouveau must have bright saturated colors of the walls, emphasizing the individuality of the owners. Ethno style suggests smoothly painted walls in a light beige or blue palette with bright accents (strip, cage). Some of the successful design work of modern wall decoration in the kitchen are shown below.
