From Mundane to Modular

It has been rightly said — “(S)he who can organise kitchen can organise life easily”. Organising the kitchen and keeping it that way is no easy task. And anyone who has cooked half a meal will tell you that a messy and unorganised kitchen can kill an appetite just like burnt food. The good news is that we need not complain too much now that there are easy ways to a neat kitchen.

Modular kitchens made a foray into the Indian market nearly a decade ago and have definitely made their mark as a solution to troubles associated with kitchen chores.
The favourable response that modular kitchens have received in India made us curious to see what they are offering.

The term 'modular' refers to creating with set modules rather than from scratch. The kitchen is, however, customised based on the client's requirements with the help of the various modules or units. “The best feature of modular kitchens is that they are customised to meet the requirements of the customers. You can select from a wide range depending upon your tastes and preferences,” states Mr Saifee Shahpurwala, owner of Woody's Warehouse, Mumbai. “Another great feature is that when the customer decides to shift his house, the modules can be easily dismantled and transported to another place,” adds Mr Shahpurwala. In India, modular kitchens are available in a ready-to-install format to fit easily in the existing structures. Having such individual modules allows for an easy replacement or repair in case of damage. The modules are designed to suit a kitchen of any size, length and breadth. They are available in a wide range of classic and trendy styles, designs, materials, finishes and textures. Also, the quality of the material used is non-toxic, durable and dust-proof which eases the task of cleaning up after cooking or dining.  Owing to its compact design, the modular kitchen optimises space by providing ample storage to the full utilisation of the space. All this without adding tacky shelves as an afterthought or unmatched cabinets.

Pocket friendly
The best part of modular kitchens is that it can be built module by module as your budget permits. Also you can choose different modules that speak to your cooking and dining needs, and not buy modules that you don’t need. You can also add or upgrade as you need or when you have the money! Mr Shahpurwala tells us that “the cheapest kitchens are the ones with materials from China. India's is a bit more expensive. Depending on how much they can afford and the kind of material they prefer, the customers can contact suitable manufacturers.”

The price ranges anywhere from Rs1 lakh to Rs25 lakh, entirely depending on the modules you choose, their style and the space in your kitchen. For instance, Hacker Kitchen offers a basic 8ft x 10ft kitchen for Rs2 lakh. At the top of the scale a 15ft x 20ft kitchen could cost between Rs15 lakh and Rs25 lakh. Prices offered by Lispo range from Rs1 lakh to Rs6 lakh. The price also depends on the kind of accessories you may want to fit. A chimney can cost anywhere between Rs5,000 and Rs90,000; a burner costs between Rs7,000 and Rs90,000. Smaller brands offer modular kitchens from just Rs75,000 to Rs1.5 lakh. Thus, depending on your pocket size, you can go ahead with your choice of options.

The Indian market has attracted a number of international vendors who offer kitchen décor solutions such as Poggenpohl (Italy), Aram Cucine (Italy), Scavolini and Veneta Cucine (Italy) and Hacker Kitchens (Germany). The leading domestic companies include Lispo and Godrej among others. They offer an exhaustive range of modular kitchens of various designs, finishes and styles suitable to your kitchen needs.

Modular kitchens have come as not less than a boon to overcome the hassles of kitchen organisation or maintenance. In India, where culinary is venerable, modular kitchens are definitely creating waves among people. A definite must-have, apart from providing for opulent features, modular kitchens transform the job of cooking from an ordeal to a jubilation.

Guidelines to consider

1. Select a theme for the modular kitchen that is not incongruous with the rest of your house.
2. Move beyond appearance and give functionality the top priority.
3. Add enough storage items such as shelves, cabinets, cutlery dividers, storage bins, appliance garages.
4. Don’t overdo the cabinets and leave ample space to cook conveniently.
5. Consider all that you use the kitchen space for, that is, apart from cooking, before selecting your kitchen.