Ideas and Installation Instructions + Photos and Videos

Kitchen on the podium - do-it-yourself appointment and installation + Video. A podium can become an unusual and practical element of the kitchen. Today this is a fairly common technique in studio apartments, which have a large area and high ceilings.

You can resort to the help of professionals when arranging a podium in the kitchen, but this is not at all necessary. We will tell you about the technological process of furnishing the interior with this unusual detail.

Purpose of the podium

This multi-level surface in the interior is used to implement a decorative function or to solve a technical issue. Usually, the podium is perfect for both tasks at once.

decor item

A successful embodiment kitchen design is decorative podium which confers the expression and identity. With it possible to solve such problem:

• Zoning space. The podium is installed in a large kitchen or when combining the kitchen with other rooms.

  So, on the podium, you can equip a dining area or work surface for ease of preparation. The design can also serve for visual delimitation, if you combine adjacent areas and make the transition of the interior more harmonious.

• Visual correction of an unusual shape of the area. If the kitchen has dimensions that are not proportional, then the creation of a podium for the kitchen will be very helpful, since the disharmony of visual perception can be eliminated.
• Creating a comfortable corner.

  Generally large and free space with high ceilings can create a feeling of insecurity. To get rid of these sensations, you can slightly raise the floor level. The podium, which is in the studio with a bay window in the kitchen, which plays the role of a small stage for performances, will look extraordinary.

But even there is no apparent reason for installing a kitchen on the podium, you can still equip this element of the interior in your home. It is important that the size of the room is suitable for this purpose, and there is no damage to the ergonomics, as well as no impairment of perception.

Tip! To add extra expressiveness and make the kitchen extravagant, install the lighting, which will be located at the end of the podium. In the dark, it will act as a night light.

The technical side of the issue

Sometimes, during the repair, problems may arise with laying electrical wiring, changing the position of pipes, installing equipment, etc. It will be an order of magnitude more difficult to carry out repair work if you want to make redevelopment and transfer of sewer pipes, if you change the location of the sink to the window sill or install an island set. It is not difficult to complement the interior with a beautiful podium, and thanks to this you will be able to carry out installation of sewer pipes at an angle.

Also, in addition to changing the location of communications, gross floor defects may become an indication for installing the structure. In some cases, it is easier to eliminate significant differences by installing an elevation than completely leveling the floor. An interesting idea - the space under the podium can be used to store items that are needed, but very rarely. For this, convenient and large drawers are mounted inside.

Internal structure of the podium for the kitchen

Installation of the podium can be done in 2 ways - creating a monolithic elevation or installing a frame structure.

The selection of the optimal design will depend on the expected load.

Please note, that the ideal podium height in the kitchen is not higher than 15 cm.

Monolithic model

This format of work is significantly different from how to level the floor with a screed:

• Use a laser or water level and mark the top line of the structure along the wall ...

  Take into account what the thickness of the coating will be, and lower the fill border by this indicator.

• To pour the mortar, make a formwork. If you want a round shape, use a flexible material, sheet metal is ideal. To eliminate the risk of solution leakage, use a film that will be fixed inside.
• Considering that self-leveling mix is ​​expensive, you can make most of the structure out of concrete.

  When the solution is completely dry, you can add a self-leveling floor to the remaining height. Drying time directly depends on air temperature and overall thickness. If you plan to create a tall structure, an alternative may be to lay bricks or cinder blocks on the floor, and after pouring with a solution from a self-leveling mixture.

• Finally, when the mortar is completely dry, remove the formwork. The hill can be decorated with tiles or other cladding material of your choice, which will look in the interior of the kitchen.

Although the cost of installing a podium in the kitchen and labor intensity are significant, this is justified by the high wear resistance. In addition, this is the only solution if you want to make a warm floor.

Frame structure

It is a good idea to decorate the kitchen design with a podium, and the creation of a frame structure is especially interesting. Work should be carried out using wooden beams, which in cross section will be at least 5 * 5 cm. On top of the frame, you will need to lay sheets of chipboard or plywood.

All stages of work include:

• First, you should delimit the height of the podium in the kitchen.
• To prevent the timber from rotting, it should first be treated with an antiseptic, and a waterproofing material should be laid on the floor.
• Depending on what height you want to make, place the timber directly on the floor or ready-made joists.The structure should be installed using self-tapping screws and metal corners. The profiled bar makes it possible to assemble the frame on groove joints.

• At the top of the podium frame, lay out sheet materials such as plywood or planks. In the end, you should start laying the flooring that will be combined with the interior of the kitchen.

Important! If you are going to tiling the podium, then for flooring the best option is cement particle boards.

The frame podium for the kitchen, in contrast to the monolithic structure, is much more economical. This is beneficial, since building materials are much cheaper, and labor intensity and time spent on preparation is less than when creating a monolithic podium.

General Installation Tips

To create an organic blend, there are a few tips from top designers to help you create a seamless blend:

• If you need to make a technical podium, and at the same time the kitchen does not have high ceilings, make the minimum height - otherwise the interior may be "squeezed".

You should not make a multi-level structure if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, or in the place where the load is most - between the refrigerator and work surfaces.

• Do not build a platform along the long wall of the forge, as this will increase the disharmony of the disproportionate space.
• If you are making a small catwalk, do not clutter it up with a large shoal. Medium-sized interior items are ideal.

• In the case where you plan to place a large dining table on a hill, the ideal distance to the edge is 200 cm.
• If you will make the podium higher than 15 cm, then it would be wise to install additional steps ...
• Under a hill, it is better to lay electrical wiring in a corrugated hose.

To emphasize the design, you can use several methods:

• If you paint the podium in a contrasting color with respect to the rest of the objects, it will become more noticeable.
• For a sophisticated decoration of the studio interior, make a high ground with plenty of free space and place houseplants or flowers in a vase.
• You can copy the curves of a podium on a ceiling using drywall. Luminaires that will hang on long cords will do an excellent job of zoning.
• In addition to the illumination from the end, it can also be installed in the platform, and this way you will create original lighting.

Results

Whatever you choose, be guided, first of all, by the size of the kitchen, what kind of interior you plan to make and your personal wishes.