The Hindu Business Line : Cooking up sleek kitchens

I had to make seven visits to my designer before settling on the final look for my kitchen," says Parul Bhatt, a public relations professional. Parul spent about Rs 5.5 lakh on her modular kitchen. She opted for an open type kitchen, as she wanted to stay connected with the rest of the family even while she worked around the house. Kitchens, like homes, are an extension of one's personality. It is no surprise that women today want smart looking yet convenient workspaces while cooking, and money is no constraint. Modular kitchens offer a mix of space management and convenience.

These kitchens make maximum use of available space, keeping in mind cleanliness and maintenance requirements. Generally space is partitioned and objects like cans, bottles, jars and cutlery are placed at arm's length, literally. Hence on entering the kitchen one doesn't have to hunt for the pots, pans or ladles.

Additionally such kitchens come with adjustable shelves and racks to suit different sized bottles and cutlery, and there is also space for mixers, grinders and microwave ovens. There is provision for a sink and a dustbin besides detergent holder, dishwasher, chimney and hob. Most importantly, any of these features can be dismantled if you happen to tire of them.

Readymade cooking zones

There are companies that undertake the entire designing and construction of modular kitchens. Modfurn, an arm of Chennai's Jayabharatam Furniture, for instance offers 14 readymade models. The company sources material from abroad and its prices start at Rs 65,000 for a 4-ft long kitchen space. Further, the manager at its Adyar store says more than 100 combinations of modular kitchens are available and most are customised for clients.

Parul has an L-type kitchen that allows her to walk around her living room as she cooks. She has used wood for the cabinets, and incorporated a chimney and hob; she even had a window opened in the wall to place the hob underneath for ventilation. Most kitchens are suited for an L-type design while others can go in for a straight or U-type design.

"The demand for modular kitchens has picked up, especially in the city's IT corridor," says the manager at a JFA outlet, which also stocks modular kitchen models. The company has tie-ups with Appasamy Real Estate and KG Yes builders for incorporating modular kitchens in their flats.

Wood choice

Alternatively, one can buy wood and hire a carpenter to create a modular kitchen at relatively lower cost. Usually four types of wood are used for modular kitchens — solid or pure wood, marine ply, particleboard and MDF (Medium Density Fibre). The particleboard wood is priced lowest while the marine ply is the costliest.

"Today people are willing to spend the most on their kitchens as this is a stressful zone. Most of the hard work is in the kitchen, battling high temperature and doing physical work," says Subramanian Kumar, Area Manager, Cookscape. He says the trend is for cabinets made of marine ply with lamination. "For the doors and shutters there is demand for rubber wood and pure wood like Beachwood and rosewood," he says. People also prefer pullout shelves (those at shoulder level can be opened with ease) rather than cabinets placed closer to the ground.

Many providers of modular kitchen solutions also deal with kitchen appliances such as new age chimneys and hobs that complement the look of the kitchen. Faber and Gilma are among the popular brands that offer a range of kitchen appliances suited for a modular kitchen.