Description

Townhouse interior design is the process of designing and decorating the interior spaces of a townhouse. Where townhouses are typically multi-story dwellings with shared walls on either side, offering a combination of privacy and community living.

 

Living in an apartment building in Nairobi may not appeal to you. And a country estate in Kenya might not suit you because of its great distance from the city. Then perhaps a townhouse in Nairobi Suburbs would be your ideal solution. Several cottages connected by side walls combine the advantages of comfortable living within the Nairobi City limits and immediate proximity to nature. Unlike a multi-story building, there are a minimum of neighbors. But there is no feeling of complete isolation. A small plot of land allows you to equip a cozy recreation area in the fresh air. As a result, you get comfortable housing within the city limits, not burdened with the disadvantages of apartment buildings.

Which design style for townhouse interiors?

The only problem that you have is what design of a townhouse to choose to emphasize its advantages. In this article, we will consider features of these houses, and offer advice on Townhouse Interior Design.

Initially, these were houses in which members of one family lived. The next one was added to the parental house by adult children, with one of the walls being common. Then another one was added to it, and so on. Today, these are entire villages. Where the peculiarities of the architectural solution make it possible to reduce the cost of construction.

A townhouse is a great option for those who dream of living in a cozy house, planned and decorated to their taste. But for us, a townhouse is a great opportunity to create interiors that meet all your needs. And offer ideas that, without false modesty, can be considered masterpieces of design thought.

Some advantages of townhouses are as follows:

Land plot

Its dimensions are small, but to lay out a lawn, plant a flower bed, put a barbecue and a sun lounger, you don’t need huge spaces. You can even place a swimming pool or gazebo on the plot.

If you have a townhouse with an open terrace, then we congratulate you and wish you a speedy arrangement of your grill area.

Area

In this respect, a townhouse is also somewhere between an apartment and a cottage. As a result, you get the opportunity to equip all the functional areas you need (dining room, children’s room, living room, etc.). At the same time, the design of the townhouse and its implementation will not require such expenses as in a country house.

Parking space

A garage on the ground floor is a virtually mandatory element of townhouse design projects. But even without a built-in garage, a parking space can always be equipped in front of the house.

Environmental friendliness

For the construction of townhouses, areas in the suburbs are selected, far from polluted avenues and industrial enterprises.

Protected area of ​​the village

The only disadvantage of a townhouse is the immediate proximity of neighbors. The need for communication and cooperation with the neighbors is an indispensable condition for living in the village. But this point can hardly be considered a serious obstacle to purchasing such a townhouse.

So, a townhouse is perfect for a family who wants to live away from the hustle and bustle of city blocks. But does not have enough money to buy or build a full-fledged estate.

Creating a townhouse interior design project

Let’s look at the two main stages you go through to create and implement your townhouse interior design project:

Step 1. Proper planning

In terms of rational distribution of space, a townhouse is much more complicated than a regular apartment. The designer has to create a design project that takes into account the needs and wishes of all family members. And this is sometimes very difficult because of the multi-generational living. That is why the design of a townhouse uses techniques inherent in various styles.

When planning, it is important to consider such points as:

Vertical functionality

As a rule, a townhouse is at least two floors, on which it is necessary to place rooms of different functionality.  Taking into account the convenience and rationality of their use. Thus, the first floor traditionally assumes the location of the most active zones – the kitchen, living room, and one of the bathrooms.

The second floor is considered a private area. Here bedrooms, children’s rooms, offices, dressing rooms, and bathrooms are located. The attic or basement floors are a suitable place for a billiard room, hookah room, gym, and home cinema. That is rooms that you use much less often than others.

Having complete freedom in planning and redevelopment

The sale of a townhouse is usually carried out by a developer at the “box” stage. That is without partitions, stairs, and especially without finishing. For the designer, this is a completely clean slate, which implies freedom of action when constructing walls. Only our proposal, with your approval, will determine the number of rooms,  their distribution, and the purpose of each. No additional approvals and permits are required, as in the case of an apartment.

The ability to move communications

Another advantage is the ability to move communications to where they are needed in the project. The only exceptions are the gas boiler and meter; when installing them, you must cooperate with a specialized service. As for plumbing and heating radiators, everything depends on your desire. An important point to pay attention to when planning is that the gas boiler should not be too far from the kitchen. And it is more rational to place bathrooms one above the other and closer to the sewer. This is justified both in terms of saving materials and in terms of the competent use of space. It is easier to build one box to disguise communications on two floors than several in different places of the house.

Staircase

Since it is impossible to do without a staircase in a two- or three-story townhouse, it should be as convenient as possible and competently integrated into the overall design concept. The work on space planning begins with the design of the staircase; it serves as a unifying link for several levels of the house.

When creating a design project for a townhouse, one must not forget that the staircase requires quite a lot of space. At the same time, it is very important for the proper organization of space, since the vertical orientation of the building dictates its own rules, different from those of a classic apartment. The comfort of the residents largely depends on how successfully the option of its constructive and visual design is chosen.

Floors

Often, a townhouse at the purchase stage is not just a “box”, but a single space limited only by the side walls and the roof. This means that the floors between floors will have to be designed and built independently. Builders, as a rule, make them in a monolithic way, which guarantees good heat and sound insulation. Owners, to save money, often prefer wooden structures. Of course, they are no less reliable, but as for audibility, this issue will have to be worked on. So that every step of a person walking on the second floor is not heard on the first, we recommend constructing floors on I-beams, providing support from below to reduce flexibility. This will help to avoid problems with increased sound conductivity.

Windows

The most common options for glazing townhouses are panoramic glass or French balconies.

Do not forget about the need to install convectors around the perimeter of solid windows. As a rule, owners do not have any problems with this type of glazing. Because this type of window allows you to achieve maximum illumination and a feeling of spaciousness. However, on the attic floor, it is often necessary to add light. But this is easy to achieve by making window openings in the roof. Modern technologies even offer dormer windows that turn into a balcony.

At the same time, you should not forget about the ergonomics of the room into which the new elements are being installed. For example, you should not place a new window above the TV area, otherwise the screen will reflect light. Pay attention to the warranty conditions for the roof: interference with the structure will result in the manufacturer refusing to perform the necessary repairs or maintenance.

Finally, such everyday issues as ease of access to the window, and the ability to open it and protect it from sunlight should also be resolved at the interior design stage.

Soundproofing

Owners of townhouses, moving out of town for the first time, do not attach importance to such an issue as isolating their homes from external noise. In their opinion, there is no particular need for this, as neighbors live only on two sides, and even those are behind capital walls. However, practice shows that soundproofing in a townhouse is necessary, and precisely because the village is located in a quiet place. Therefore, there is no background noise level that city dwellers are accustomed to. Every sound from the outside is perceived much more strongly, so appropriate insulation is a mandatory option.

Step 2. Choosing a townhouse interior design style

There are no restrictions when choosing a stylistic direction for decorating the interiors of a townhouse; you can implement any ideas with the help of a designer. The specialist’s task in this case is to help you determine your preferences and express them in specific images.

A specialist who has received an order to decorate a townhouse faces the task of creating conditions for comfortable living for all family members. Perhaps each of them will express their wishes. But even when using elements of different styles, it is necessary to strive for their harmonious combination.

Read also: Turnkey renovation of a country house

Townhouse Interior Design: Styles, Nuances, Tips

There are no strict canons regarding the use of certain styles in the interior design of a townhouse in Kenya. Therefore when creating a project, we rely on your wishes. Because first of all, it is you and your family who will live here, cook food, relax, and meet with friends.

When developing the interior design of a townhouse, it is necessary to proceed from the specifics of this type of housing. This is, first of all, a multi-level structure. So the competent distribution of rooms of different functionality by floors is of great importance. Ease of use and comfort of residents are the main starting points when creating a design project.

As a rule, the first floor is where the “public” areas are concentrated:

• kitchen;
• dining room;
• living room;
• hallway.

The second floor is a private area:

• bedrooms;
• children’s;
• cabinet.

In the attic space, you can place a billiard room or a home cinema. If there are teenagers in the family, most often they become the owners of the space under the roof. The desire for independence and autonomy is realized in this case in that they live on a separate level. Of course, each family puts forward its vital requirements that must be taken into account when creating a project. For example, the presence of very elderly relatives or disabled people in the family suggests equipping a bedroom for them on the first floor.

Important points

1. Purchasing a townhouse at the construction stage allows you to adjust the construction of walls taking into account the future interior design. Otherwise, you will have to involve specialists and bear additional costs for reworking built partitions, stairs, etc.
2. The interior of the townhouse and the exterior design should be done in the same style or at least not contradict each other. This will create a harmonious living environment in which all elements are combined, including the landscape design of the adjacent area.

A wide variety of options are available for implementation; you only need to choose one of the proposed design directions:

• Classic solution.
• Current high-tech.
• Art Nouveau with floral elements.
• Extravagant fusion.
• Sentimental Provence.
• Simple country.

Each of these solutions fits organically into the interior of the townhouse.

However, it is not always possible to consider the consistency of all rooms in one style as the only correct option. Such a feature of a townhouse as the arrangement of rooms on several levels can be successfully played up by using different directions within one floor. The main thing is to make sure that the rooms do not look like separate fragments, but are parts of a single concept of a comfortable residential building.

Townhouse kitchen interior design

The first floor of a townhouse traditionally contains a kitchen combined with a dining room or living room. The center of the composition can be a fireplace, around which the family will gather in the evenings. A cozy corner can be complemented with comfortable armchairs for relaxation. A laconic two-level suspended ceiling structure is perfect. When thinking about the interior of a kitchen in a townhouse, you should use the space as efficiently as possible. Because the areas are usually not too large.

Interior of kitchen-living room in townhouse

One of the modern trends in the interior design of a townhouse kitchen is to combine the kitchen, living room, and dining room into one space. The studio layout has several advantages:

• A studio kitchen is an indispensable solution for a space with a small area. By allocating a small part of the space for the kitchen, you can save living space in the house.
• The studio layout is appropriate for the first floor of a townhouse, where public areas are usually located.
• When a studio layout is used in a spacious room, it creates a sense of luxury. It is convenient to receive guests and relax with the whole family in such an interior.

Below are options for planning and distributing zones in a townhouse kitchen-living room.

Modern bio-fireplace between kitchen and living room areas

In the interior of a townhouse kitchen (for example, in a contemporary style), island bio-fireplaces can be used to zone functional areas. Today, their designs are very convenient to use. They do not require the installation of a chimney, so they open up excellent opportunities for adding functionality and special charm to the design.

Mini-bar counter in the interior of the kitchen-living room of a townhouse

A home bar will help to properly separate the kitchen and dining or guest area. For example, a corner kitchen can be located to the side of the stairs to the next floor, and a bright sofa in spring shades can be installed in the living room, behind the back of which a bar counter with high chairs can be placed.

Low partition as a way to separate the living room and kitchen-dining room

A small low partition on which you can place flowers, an aquarium, a shelf, or a tabletop will help not only to separate two zones but also to add functionality to the room.

Functional partition with TV or fireplace

A dividing partition with a TV area or bio-fireplace will look great in the interior of a townhouse combined kitchen-living room. While maintaining functionality, this solution has visual lightness.

Library in the kitchen-living room

In a studio layout, the kitchen area can take up very little space (the use of light colors in the decoration and furniture helps to visually expand the space), and instead of a wall between the kitchen and the living room, you can install a functional bookcase.