Declutter your cooking station

Modular kitchens are fast catching up with every housewife's fancy, finds out S.S.KAVITHA

September 29, 2010 09:03 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 10:30 am IST

DREAM KITCHEN: Making use of every inch of space. Photos: G. Moorthy

DREAM KITCHEN: Making use of every inch of space. Photos: G. Moorthy

Kitchens ceased to be laborious workstations when gas stoves and pressure cookers came in. But times have changed further and so have the gadgets So much so that housewives are smiling because kitchens have really now turned into lounges where they can cook their favourite meal with much more ease and speed.

No wonder, spic and span kitchen is unimaginable. Everything placed in order behind neat cabinets and shutters and the worktable gleaming without any drop-over. It almost feels it is an abandoned kitchen with good maintenance.

But reality is different.

Modular kitchens have changed the entire concept of cooking and ushered in a welcome combo of elegance, design, sophistication and comfort.

Every inch of space available even in nooks, bends and corners are thoughtfully used making the original greasy and cramped kitchens history.

Kitchen models introduced in the market in attractive colours, hip ambience, plenty of storage facility and space is nothing short of jaw-dropping experience.

Confirms S.S. Jaffar of Fx Interior Gallerie: “Modular kitchen concept became a rage in the city last year, not only striking hot with the rich but cutting through all sections of people. “Given the elegance of the entire concept, nowadays people living in even small budget flats go for modular kitchens with all necessary accessories.

“Largely two basic types of modular kitchen have hit the city . One is made-to-order kitchen, the other is machine-customised. The former is cheaper but lacks the elegant finish and smooth functioning,” points out Mr. Jaffar.

“The machine-made is costlier given its finish and performance. Besides, it can be dismantled and reassembled anytime,” says Khamer Naaz.

“The cost varies as per the materials used, needs, size and accessories,” she adds.

Variety

“Modular kitchen comes in different shapes, colours, and style. The accessories include baskets, tall units, corner units, mid-way systems, and more. Appliances include chimneys, hobs, ovens and sinks besides the fittings, cabinets and shutters,” briefs M.N. Prabhakaran of Padmashri Kitchen World.

The flexible designs suit every shape and size of the kitchen and of course the consumers' purse, he says.

Colours are plenty and so are the designs.

“For smaller kitchen, light and medium colours suit while for bigger size kitchens dark colours make it perfect and easy to maintain,” he says.

As it allows optimum use of available space, modular kitchen has endeared itself among the public. As dealers of imported products, the PaGo Lifestyle showroom on Melur Road prefer the Italian brand Vesta, . , for its chic concept.

“It comes with an in built oven, hob, wash basin, waste crusher. Nothing is fixed. If the customer wants to do away with oven, it is altered. Changes are made as per the need,” says Gopinathan Arunachalam, of PaGo Lifestyle. The Coimbatore-based lifestyle store recently opened its branch in Madurai.

Total solution

“PaGo is aimed at giving total solution from design to supply and installation to service,” he notes and adds a modular kitchen's five components are storage (base, wall and tall storages), table top (materials used like granite, marble), accessories, electrical and lighting facilities and installation components including tiles and flooring.

Similarly, the work triangle comprising fridge, stove and washbasin are in a circle to make working less cumbersome.

According to Mr. Arunachalam, 95 per cent modular kitchen market in India is spare part market where people buy material from different places and assemble them whereas PaGo imports the materials from companies that stand the test of time.

Modular kitchens come in the price range of Rs.45,000 to few lakhs suiting one's budget, space and requirement.

It is now easy to redefine kitchen and make it clutter-free with an array of disappearing drawers and revolving trays and worktops.

Routine chore of cooking gets transformed into an act of magic and enables you to cook elegantly like you see in those ads.

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