The difference in floor height in interior design is a very relevant topic. A multi-level floor has many advantages. With its help you can solve various interior problems, from composition to lighting. But most importantly, he works with space in an interesting way.
The difference in floor height in the interior has always had practical and symbolic meaning. The technique of separating a zone from the general space using an elevation can be found in the interior architecture of almost any style and time - from the palace premises of the Baroque era and the castles of medieval Japan to this day. The symbolic aspect is especially relevant for ancient eras. Historically, both in the East and in the West, elevation has become a material symbol of position in the social hierarchy. For example, in Sumatra or Japan, the more steps leading to the central space of the house, the higher the rank of the home owner. But in the twentieth century, raised floors in the interior began to be used for practical purposes. The raised floor in the interior has become the tool that allows you to place precise accents within the free space of the studio. A slight difference in floor height or the use of a podium allows you to create effective and functional zoning of space. In addition, storage spaces can be organized on the podium, and the end of the step can be used for additional lower lighting. In modern interiors you can find a variety of variations in the use of this classic zoning technique.
- Author of the project: architectural bureau SNOU Project. Photographer: Ilya Ivanov. ">
In the studio apartment, the bedroom, bathroom and dressing room are located on the podium. Thus, a height difference of 45 cm separates the private area from the public one. The walls and floor in the podium area are made of concrete. The bathroom, soldered into the podium, is hidden behind a sculptural counter in the pop art style and is completely invisible from the living room.
ladder
In the studio apartment, the bedroom, bathroom and dressing room are located on the podium. Thus, a height difference of 45 cm separates the private area from the public one. The walls and floor in the podium area are made of concrete. The bathroom, soldered into the podium, is hidden behind a sculptural counter in the pop art style and is completely invisible from the living room.
In the living room of a country house, a wooden podium is located along the panoramic windows. A small staircase leads to the lower sofa area. The level of the podium is raised to the height of the window sill, which creates the effect of a panoramic French window.
In a country house, the central space is designed as an open studio. In order to visually separate the bedroom from the living room, two techniques were used. Constructive - a slight rise of the floor in the bedroom area above the living room level; and decorative - light wooden boards are used in the decoration, while the public area is highlighted with dark wood.
In the country house, the kitchen and dining areas were separated from the living room. For this purpose, a multi-stage composition was created. They raised the kitchen floor by two steps, while the floor in front of the bar and in the dining room is separated from the living room by one step.
It is known that light panels and black color in the interior transform the space. In the large living room with a bay window, the dining area is located on a light podium. In the evening, this illuminated area becomes the center of the living room composition. During the day the dining room is unrecognizable. Another effect arises, which is based on the contrast of black walls and ceiling with a light translucent floor.
When there is a podium in the room, it is important to pay attention to the ergonomics of the steps that connect the two zones. They should be comfortable for climbing, and clearly visible, for which they use, for example, bottom lighting in combination with a shiny metal edging along the step. The black floor makes this contrast even more impressive.
The work area in the student’s room was set up in a light bay window. In addition, this functional area was emphasized by a low podium, made in the same wood as the rest of the floor.
The difference in the floor in an apartment is an excellent technique for marking the boundary between two functional areas, for example, a living room and a bedroom.
If the ceiling height allows, the difference in floors within one space allows you to place new accents inside the room. Thus, placing the bathtub in the center of the podium and under the skylight turns the bathroom area into a separate SPA pavilion.
Differentiating floor levels adds variety to the space, allows you to focus on functional areas and can be the beginning of an interesting design of the premises of the house.
Differentiating floor levels on one floor of a house has many supporters. Using this simple method, you can get rooms of different heights and, ultimately, diversify the space. This floor looks especially impressive in an open interior. It is the attractiveness of such a room that is the main argument in favor of making three steps between the living room and the dining room or between the hall and the living room. Differences in floor levels are often the result of expansion, reconstruction, or merging of a home. In some houses, steps may appear after installing a basement only under part of the building or due to the location of the house on a slope, when the levels of the territory on different sides of the building have a significant difference.
How many steps?
One step is fraught with danger - it can be overlooked. Architects call it “spottykach”. Besides, it looks like something random. There is an opinion that a pair of steps is difficult to overcome, so most often they do three. Five steps is already 80 centimeters of difference between the floor levels, which exceeds the height of the dining table. In addition, such a number of steps will take up a lot of space. Three steps are the optimal solution, the most convenient way to overcome the difference in levels of 48-51 cm. Of course, the number of steps will primarily depend on the difference in levels. If it is 35 cm, then you get two steps, regardless of the operating principles. In turn, with a height of approximately 30 cm, one step, but a large one, can successfully cope. Then it will no longer be a “stumbling”, but rather a ledge, a podium.
Difference in levels and area of the home
The stairs take up a lot of space. Three steps is 60 centimeters of floor in a straight line. To this you need to add the area in front of the stairs and behind it, which should be free for at least two steps (that is, about one and a half meters), so that when you go down the stairs you don’t have to bump into furniture. The staircase and the surrounding space intended for movement should not dominate the interior. If the staircase is wide and runs through the entire room, then it can take up a lot of space, and we will lose several square meters of room. The staircase must be installed at a certain distance from the one going out onto it doors so as not to create unnecessary interference. A swing door requires space corresponding to the width of its leaf, most often 80 centimeters. In addition, the person opening it must fit in front of the door. So that he is not in danger of falling from the stairs, it is necessary to provide additional space, otherwise, move the door to another place. In fact, steps look impressive, in front of which there is a lot of open space, because we make them in order to was visible. The larger the area, the more arguments for organizing a multi-level space. But in a very small room, differentiating the levels is likely to be impractical.
Spatial effects
Differentiating floor levels certainly makes the space more attractive. As a rule, utility and utility rooms, that is, those that do not require high ceiling heights, are located at a higher level. In this case, the height of the living room, thanks to the lowering of the floor, is increased by several centimeters. In an open room, by raising or lowering the floor level, you can emphasize the zoning of the space. For example, the fireplace corner is located lower than the rest of the living room area, and its territory is defined by the floor ledge. The table, which is located on a hill, despite the absence of a wall, is perceived as a dining room, and not a corner for eating. Also, a desk, an armchair and shelves with books, which are placed three steps higher, tell us that there is a library here. The staircase can play the role of an expressive border between the guest and private parts of the house. Floor ledges can become a starting point for creating interesting interior design solutions. You can do a lot on the steps - arrange a place to sit, a flower garden. Accessible from two levels, the countertop can serve as a table in the kitchen and a bar in the dining room located three steps below.
Disadvantages of the solution
In any case, you should think carefully before arranging levels in a room. Are you ready to climb the steps between the kitchen and living room several times a day with a cup of tea in hand? Wouldn't this be burdensome for an elderly person? What to do with crawling babies? Life will center around the stairs. In addition to the difficulty of climbing stairs, this decision can also have other negative consequences. A space formed in this way is more difficult to change. Zones once divided will remain with us forever. We will not be able to increase the library, since the difference in levels will not allow us to do this. Also, we will in no way swap the TV corner with the library, because the ledge in the floor has consistently determined the function of the area allocated for it. The dining room area, limited by the staircase, may be too small to accommodate a party table. Anyone who likes to change and rearrange furniture should not decide to differentiate floor levels. There are also psychological factors: won't we feel like we're on a frying pan, sitting in a low place under the gaze of people at a higher level? Therefore, it is necessary to treat stairs in the interior with caution - you should not create steps just to have them. If an architect is trying to persuade you to build a staircase, ask him to create an interior design in which the staircase will play an important role. Together, look for places where it will look attractive, highlight the beauty of certain parts of the house, but will not interfere with daily use. ■
Design by "STEAM REMSERVICE" 
Here the podium is an expressive architectural element made of expanded clay concrete, on which there is a living room with a small dining room. Its end is finished with contrasting black porcelain tiles of the Micron series from REVIGRES (Portugal, 41/m2) and equipped with LED lamps from WALLWASHER (Germany, 50/pcs.)
In the minds of most people, the podium is associated with a fashion show, and the structure itself appears large and long. Is it possible to have a podium in an apartment? What is a podium anyway?
"VITUS"
If the podium is made high (more than 30 cm), it is advisable to provide fences, otherwise it will be uncomfortable and unsafe to be on it. In an architectural sense, a podium is a raised part of the floor. It is distinguished from an ordinary step by its larger surface area. If only an adult’s foot can fit on a step 25-30 cm wide and 20-25 cm high, then large furniture is often placed on the podium: tables, chairs and even beds measuring 200-200 cm. Moreover, an entire kitchen or dining room can be located on the podium .
If the level difference exceeds 30 cm, you should arrange two or three steps or several tiers, which are wide platforms (more than 30 cm) located at different heights.
All podiums are conventionally divided into technically necessary and decorative. The former are used as an element of camouflage of utility lines and building structures. The latter are made exclusively according to the architect’s plan or the desire of the apartment owner and serve to give a new expressive look to the interior.
Technically necessary podiums are installed during the renovation of apartments, if communications cannot be hidden in the walls, and the height of the ceilings and the load-bearing capacity of the ceiling do not allow raising the entire floor level. The need to hide pipes arises for various reasons. For example, when moving or installing additional equipment in the bathroom or kitchen. After all, according to the laws of hydraulics, when organizing a sewer drain, it is necessary to lay pipes with a slope of at least two degrees. Only in this case will the waste flow by gravity into the sewer canal. Thus, the shower stall, whirlpool bath or toilet must be located on an elevation if they are located away from the sewer riser. The same thing is often done when organizing an island kitchen, which by definition is located away from the walls, or when moving a sink, washing machine or dishwasher to a corner far from the riser.
The height of the technical podium depends on the diameter and slope of the pipes, as well as the distance to the entrance to the sewer: the further the equipment is, the higher the podium must be made. For each linear meter there is an increase of 3-5 cm. Thus, when removed by 3 m, in the case of using a sewer pipe with a diameter of 5 cm, a drop of more than 15 cm will be required. Unlike sewer pipes, water pipes are laid without a slope and have a significantly smaller cross-section, therefore, they do not have much influence on the height of the structure. Sometimes, depending on the design decision, the technical podium can be artificially raised by 10-15 cm.
In addition to laying pipes, the reason for installing a technical podium can be the insulation of the loggia. Many apartment owners prefer to add the not-so-extra loggia area to the living space. By law, this procedure requires lengthy and expensive approval, but this does not stop anyone, and the owners agree to remove the window sill and move the heating radiators. We will not comment on this, this is a purely personal matter, but we note that insulating the floor on the loggia in this case is mandatory. The new floor is usually higher than the floor of the adjacent room, that is, a podium is formed. Sometimes it is promoted indoors for design purposes.
Decorative podiums, as mentioned above, serve to zoning and transforming space. Their use is especially effective in studio apartments, where there are no clear boundaries between the kitchen and dining room, dining room and living room, living room and bedroom. Often the kitchen-dining room is raised above the living room. And there are some tricks here. For example, a table on the border of these zones from the dining room side will be perceived as a dining table, and from the living room side as a bar counter, especially if high chairs are placed near it.
The podium allows you to place accents in the interior and visually increase the size of the room. In some cases, there is a small seating area with chairs and a table. (Often, raising the floor corresponds to lowering the ceiling, which makes this corner of the apartment - with the right lighting and selection of furniture - very cozy.) In other cases, a winter garden is set up on an elevated platform or home theater equipment is installed, of course making sure that the lower border of the screen and high-frequency front speakers were at the level of the eyes and ears of a sitting person.
The decorative covering of the podium can coincide with the floor covering only if the structure has an interesting shape. In addition, the upper zone may differ from the lower one in the shade of the furniture. For example, furniture made of dark wood is placed downstairs, and light wood is placed upstairs.
Three-in-one podiums . Structures up to 60 cm in height are usually designed in an apartment for practical purposes. They house various storage systems: top-loading chests, drawers that slide out from the end, and entire horizontal wardrobes into which winter items are stored for the summer and vice versa. Sometimes a high podium turns into a kind of stage or a piece of furniture - a sofa or bed for hosts or guests. There are projects where such an elevation serves as a work desk during the day and a sleeping place at night. There are no barriers to imagination, especially if you want to have many functional areas when there is not enough space in a small apartment. A less exotic option is to build a structure with a built-in grille and a mattress that replaces an expensive bed. You can even make a sofa out of the podium and organize a chill-out, upholstering it with soft carpet, decorating it with pillows, and for softness, placing foam rubber under the cover.
It is impossible to describe all the possible uses of the podium, and photographs will tell about it better than words. We only note that it makes sense to design decorative podiums only if the ceiling height is sufficient (at least 2.7 m).
Frame podium design:
2 - screed;
3 - soundproofing tape;
4 - chipboard gasket;
5 - beam 100 50 mm;
6 - sound insulation made of glass wool;
7 - waterproofing film;
8 - waterproof plywood 12 mm;
9 - glue;
10 - piece parquet.
The pitch of the timber frame is 400-500 mm; seams 5-10 mm wide were left between the plywood sheets
Monolithic podium design:
"LEGE-ARTIS"1 - floor slab;
2 - coating waterproofing;
3 - adhesive waterproofing;
4 - expanded clay concrete; 5 - tile adhesive;
6 - ceramic tiles;
7 - point lamp
Design diagram of a frame podium with lighting:
"LEGE-ARTIS"
1 - neon lamp;
2 - parquet board;
3 - substrate;
4 - two glued layers of waterproof plywood (12 mm);
5 - glassine;
6 - sound insulation made of expanded clay;
7 - beam 150 50 mm;
8 - sealing tape;
9 - screed;
10 - floor slab
Design
By design, podiums are divided into monolithic and frame. The first ones are made using wet technology using concrete or cement-sand screed backfilled with expanded clay. The latter are a wooden or metal frame, on which slab material (plywood, OSB boards, gypsum fiber board) or a rough board is laid in 1-2 layers, serving as a subfloor.
The advantages of a monolithic podium include rigidity and durability of the structure, resistance to moisture, relative ease of manufacture and the possibility of facing with tiles or mosaics. This is why it is perhaps the preferred option for wet areas. The disadvantages of a monolithic structure follow from its very name. Firstly, there is no access to the walled-up communications, so it is necessary to make hatches to inspect the water supply fittings. Secondly, such a podium has a significant mass, which implies an excessive load on the floors. It is reduced by using light mixtures with filler.
When the height of the podium is more than 5 cm, expanded clay is used in its body to save money. It is poured into the interior of the structure, after which cement or cement-sand mortar is poured and a screed is made. Then the ends are plastered and the surfaces are lined with decorative materials using various technologies. The construction of the podium begins with waterproofing the floor or old screed, after which communications are laid and checked, and formwork is installed. To strengthen the structure, it is reinforced: a road mesh is laid inside or construction reinforcement is tied together. Note that a monolithic version of the podium is appropriate at a height of 10-15 cm. The cost of construction is about $30 per 1 m2.
Frame podiums are lightweight and more functional thanks to the voids in which you can arrange all kinds of storage systems and even hide an entire bed. The main problem faced when constructing such a structure is ensuring rigidity. In the simplest case, the frame podium is arranged on joists. They are made with a cross-section corresponding to the lifting height (for example, 10-15 cm), and are laid directly on the floor slab or pre-made screed. Another option is adjustable joists, which we wrote about in detail in an article devoted to installing subfloors on adjustable joists. Let us remind you that they allow you to raise the floor by 7-15 cm. The installation step is 40 cm - this distance is enough to ensure the required rigidity and prevent the floor from sagging. As the latter, thick sheets of waterproof plywood (16-18 mm), cement-bonded and OSB boards with a tongue-and-groove system at the ends or similar gypsum fiber products are used. For rigidity, they are laid in two layers staggered (with a shift of the upper elements relative to the lower ones). Large sheets and slabs are cut into smaller pieces (but not less than 60-60 cm) and seams are left between them to compensate for linear deformations and eliminate warping when the temperature and humidity conditions in the room change.
Another option for making a podium is based on a metal frame, on which rough flooring and finishing coating are mounted on top. This design is used for larger overall heights. For strength and maintaining the required rigidity, spatial connections (diagonal and transverse) are installed inside the volume.
Architects L. Ryabov, A. Mits
Photo by K. Rudeshko
The most practical way to turn a podium into a closet is to install drawers at its ends 
Architect N. Belyavskaya
Designer N. Smorgonskaya
Photo by G. Shablovsky
In order to simplify the installation of lamps and wiring, the podium was built on joists. Vetonite screed was poured on top of the plywood and porcelain tiles were laid 
"VITUS"
The bar area is accentuated both by a high two-stage podium and a lower false ceiling with pendant lamps
To create storage systems or hidden pieces of furniture in high podiums (more than 30 cm), void niches are created. Supports are installed along their edges, on which beams are laid, and a subfloor and decorative coating are laid on top. Metal guides are mounted in the niches - various functional objects (bed, drawer) will slide or roll out along them.
Noise insulation . To ensure that steps when walking along the frame podium are not too loud, sound-absorbing tape, for example, made of rubber or foamed polyethylene, is placed under the joists and supports. Sometimes insulation (mineral or glass wool) is placed between the joists, which muffles the sound of footsteps. If no human foot will “step” on the podium, noise-reducing material may not be used.
Wall offsets . When constructing a podium, you can make an indentation from the wall for decorative purposes. Either spotlights or a luminous edging are placed in such a gap. The lamps are covered with thick, impact-resistant glass on top. Or, for example, decorative pebbles or multi-colored sand can be poured into this space.
An indentation “for technical reasons” is necessary if the frame of the podium is wooden and, moreover, quite large. In this case, a so-called thermal seam 1 cm thick is laid between the wall and the structure. When a monolithic podium is made, a damping tape made of pressed polyethylene with a thickness of 3-4 mm and a width equal to the height of the structure is always laid between it and the wall. It is needed so that when the cement mortar matures and during the operation of the room, tension does not arise in the thickness of the material, which can lead to its cracking.
Finishing
On top, the podiums are covered with carpet, linoleum, parquet boards, solid boards, tiles and even painted. To create an additional accent, structures are often finished with materials different from the main floor or simply a different color. In addition, the end is usually highlighted separately. This is dictated not only by design refinements, but also by safety issues. If the step merges with the surrounding elements, the likelihood of falling will increase several times. The main part of the podium can be laid out with large-sized tiles, and the curved end with small-sized tiles or mosaics and vice versa. You can also additionally strengthen a wooden or metal plate on the end or main part (depending on the purpose of the room).
The podium is usually tiled in wet rooms, for example in the bathroom, kitchen or loggia. The design does not impose any special restrictions on the process: ceramic material can be used to decorate both frame and monolithic volumes. To do this, a waterproofing layer is placed under the tile. One example of a good waterproofing composition is Germolastik. It can withstand pressure from very heavy objects (up to 5 kg/cm2) and has adhesion to wood and cement. Tile adhesive is applied to the waterproofing, onto which the tiles are immediately laid. This construction solution greatly simplifies the production process and the structure itself, but requires high base rigidity. Usually, to be completely sure, a reinforced screed is made on top of the frame subfloor, on which the tiles are then laid. The situation is different with a monolithic podium when it is finished with parquet boards or parquet. Here it is necessary to lay sheets of plywood on a carefully leveled screed.
Lighting
Modern housing is rich in lighting scenarios. This is general and local light, all kinds of lighting. A wide variety of lamps are mounted on the ceiling, walls and floor. Catwalks are no exception. Light sources are often built into the ends of steps. These can be either spotlights or long fluorescent or neon lamps, protected by colored or frosted glass that diffuses light. In addition, the edge of the podium is locally illuminated with ceiling lamps. Installing lamps at the ends of the podiums is advantageous in that these sources will never be blocked by anything. Another option is to install a luminous cord under a reinforced visor, which is installed along the edge of the elevation. This design solution is not only decorative, but also useful, because it allows you to avoid injuries in the dark.
Let us remind you once again that when renovating an apartment with a planned relocation of a toilet, bathroom or kitchen, builders will not be able to do without installing one or more technical podiums. But only you can decide to create a decorative podium in your apartment.
The editors would like to thank the companies ARNET, VITUS, WELLAS, LEGE-ARTIS, and STEAM REMSERVICE for their assistance in preparing the material.
When creating a comfortable environment in your home, it is important to take into account every little detail. The threshold between the rooms makes the joint of the floors more neat, and also protects against dust and debris getting into the gap between the floor coverings.
You can learn about the existing configurations and color schemes of modern thresholds. A large selection of planks that are suitable for a wide variety of floor coverings.
If there is a difference between the floor levels of adjacent rooms, then a special threshold will help to hide it. There are thresholds that can hide a difference from 3 to 200 mm.
It is necessary to purchase such a thing as a threshold for the joint of floor coverings between rooms after the floor finishing is completed and the interior door is installed.
After this, you should measure the resulting gap and begin choosing the threshold:
- thresholds come in different lengths and widths; you need to choose a strip so that it covers the gap at the junction of the floor coverings;
- some door frames have a special design; this fact should also be taken into account when choosing thresholds;
- Most often, aluminum thresholds are found on sale in a variety of colors and shapes. But there are also more durable strips, for the manufacture of which brass or stainless steel is used.
Wooden thresholds are the least durable. They have a very attractive appearance, but their price is higher than that of metal strips.
Installation
The process of installing the threshold is not complicated; even a novice master can cope with this task. Each plank has holes for fastening; the necessary screws are included with the main product.
The whole process takes about twenty minutes and consists of several stages:
- we place the threshold in the place where it should be;
- the holes in the plank are marked on the floor, then the threshold is set aside;
- According to the markings, holes are drilled in the floor using a drill; their length must correspond to the size of the screws used to fasten the threshold;
- the threshold is installed in place and the two outer screws are screwed in, after which you should check how the door closes and opens;
- If no defects are identified, then it is necessary to tighten the remaining screws.
The threshold must be installed strictly in the center of the doorway, otherwise part of the floor covering of another room will be visible from the room.
To install a threshold in the bathroom, you need to choose special strips from a waterproof profile.
Setting different types of thresholds in a video:
To cover oval surfaces, bending materials based on polymers or rubber are used. To use hard materials, narrow forms are used (from laminate, ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware), which allow you to visually repeat the profile of the surfaces being coated.
Interior step, excellent design solution
Initially, I would like to note that laminate is, of course, considered a popular floor covering, but it is not advisable to use it for finishing stairs and interior steps. Due to the small area of the step and the small thickness of the material, it is impossible to install it using a floating method and at the same time maintain all the rules for installation technology.
Note. Considering that laminate is more economical than wood, the material began to be used for these purposes.
Laying technology:
- Initially, the surface must be perfectly leveled and free of debris.
- For better adhesion (if the interior step is made of concrete), the bottom varnish layer of the laminate board is removed.
- Then the surface must be thoroughly coated with adhesive and covered with a laminate cut to size.
Advice. As for the end edges and the junction of the riser and tread, they are decorated using metal and plastic corners of the appropriate color and configuration.
Working with laminate
In order to cut out all the necessary parts from the laminate, an electric jigsaw is used and they are adjusted to the size of the riser. For straight cuts, a wood saw is used, and in our case, for a figured configuration, a thin narrow saw.
Using underlay under laminate:
- For quality finishing, it is recommended to use a 2 mm polyethylene foam backing.
- This will ensure a normal level of sound insulation.
- Reduce vibration when walking.
- Add additional insulation.
Note. Self-tapping screws with small heads are used as fasteners for finishing the oval. Each element of material is screwed into the corners with self-tapping screws, and then carefully pressed with decorative corners.