Layouts and floor areas
1+1 flat layout
In Czech: 1+1
1+1 is a Czech flat layout with one habitable room and a separate kitchen behind its own door. It is a one-room flat with a kitchen, not a flat with a living room and a bedroom.
Also called: one-room flat with separate kitchen
What it means
In the Czech layout code (dispozice), 1+1 means one habitable room plus a separate kitchen. The kitchen is a room of its own, often with space for a small dining table, so the main room can work as a living room and bedroom. The bathroom, toilet and hallway are not counted.
Do not translate it as one bedroom and one living room. If you come from a country where kitchens are not counted at all, 1+1 is simply a one-room flat with a proper kitchen. The only difference from 1+kk is the kitchen: in 1+kk it is part of the room.
How it works in the Czech Republic
The layout is typical of older housing, such as prefab panel blocks (panelové domy) and pre-war apartment buildings (činžovní domy), which were designed with closed kitchens. The line between a kitchen and a room is not precisely defined anywhere, so a generous kitchen may be counted by one advertiser as the +1 and by another as an extra room.
Owners sometimes turn a 1+1 into a 2+kk: the kitchen becomes a small bedroom and a kitchen unit moves into the main room. This means changing pipes, wiring or partitions, so find out in advance what the rules of the owners' association (SVJ) or cooperative require and whether the work needs a permit or a notification.
Use the floor plan to see whether the kitchen really is a separate room with a door and a window, or just a narrow cooking area off the hallway. Both are sometimes advertised as 1+1.
Practical example
For example, a couple compares a 1+kk and a 1+1, both around 36 m² (an illustrative figure). The 1+1 has a smaller main room, but they can close the kitchen door and do not sleep next to the cooker. The 1+kk feels more open, yet all cooking happens in the living space.
What to watch out for
- Check whether the kitchen has a window; if not, the extractor hood matters a lot.
- If the kitchen is large, ask whether the same flat is advertised elsewhere as 2+kk.
- In older flats ask about the condition of water pipes, drains and wiring in the kitchen.
- Before a conversion, talk to the building manager and make sure no load-bearing wall is affected.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 1+1 bigger than a 1+kk?
Not necessarily. The code describes the number and type of rooms, not the floor area, so a 1+kk can have more square metres than a 1+1.
Can I turn a 1+1 into a 2+kk?
Often yes, if the kitchen is big enough and has a window. It involves changes to installations or walls, so check what the building and the authorities require first.
Are the balcony and cellar part of 1+1?
No. They are listed separately, or the advertiser adds them to the total area.