Friday 19 June 2015

MODERNIZING THE KITCHEN

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In olden days, kitchens were not given their due attention and care. They were usually pushed away into a quiet corner at the rear of the house They were considered just as provider of food cooked and given to the family. Most of the people did not show extra interest in converting it into a place of aesthetics, comfort and convenience. Their considered view was that the kitchen is a place which fulfils the chore of cooking and nothing else.

Because of the above outlook, kitchens of the past era were badly ventilated with ill-fitted cabinets, ill-suited kitchen counters, stained floors, badly constructed sinks, all presenting a least cared place where the main task of cooking done in tedious monotonous and unattractive routine. Luckily these scenes have disappeared. With men and women becoming more selective in their choice, they want the kitchen to be a place of utmost comfort where the task of cooking can be done with fun ease and pleasure. Kitchens have nowadays got changed into state of art pieces perfected to make a statement.

Once considered an exclusive domain of women it was used just for the purpose of cooking. But now they have got transformed into family rooms, where the open kitchens extend on to living rooms.
Characteristically the new age kitchen features a theme, like blending with a breakfast room or opening on to a courtyard.

Before designing a kitchen, it is essential that the requirements and preferences of the user are to be considered and the structure planned accordingly. As per the formulated design one can fuse in a breakfast counter, a small garden or an outdoor patio, a pantry, a service area complete with utility and laundry section, a staff quarter and so on and so forth. It may be noted that, a kitchen need not necessarily be large to accommodate a theme or utility sections. Even a small kitchen too can pack in unique designs that can make a statement.

New Age Kitchen

The distinguishing aspect that sets a trendy kitchen apart from the usual and traditional ones is the structure of the cabinets and counters. Actually, the rest of the design of the kitchen revolves around the quality and structure of these counters and cabinets. The only criterion is selecting the right mix.

Italian Kitchens


Italian kitchens and the convenient modular kitchens are most popular and have replaced to a large extent the traditional carpenter. In Italian kitchens the finish in cabinets is more exacting when compared to the traditional ones. The cabinets and their accessories in Italian Kitchens are machine made to perfection. However fine the finish may be in the handmade local carpentry work, it is sure to have the margin of error. Even the local modular kitchens provide a better finish than a traditional carpenter. But it is also important to bear in mind that modular kitchens are not as durable as the traditional ones. Over a period of time and constant usage, the baskets, draw channels, swivel trays could give problems. In terms of their quality, the Italian kitchens score over the local modular kitchens. This factor is instrumental in most of the house owners opting for Italian kitchens, though their cost is on the upper side of the scale when compared to the local modular kitchens. In addition, the fact that maintenance is also thrown in with the package makes them all the more attractive. The Italian kitchens are strong on designs and their accessories are amazing. But one minus point is that the Italian kitchens cannot be customized to suit individual requirements because of the reason that their designs are standardized. The choice is limited to the options available. But the market has a cheaper option, with equally stunning designs and accessories that is the Chinese kitchens. Chinese kitchens offer the same structure as the Italian kitchens, with all similar functional aspects at a far cheaper rate. This foretells the truth that there is no guarantee on quality and as a result the Italian kitchens score in spite of their high price.

Whatever may be the nature of the kitchen, whether it is an Italian kitchen, Chinese one or the local modular, the structure of the kitchen should be designed in such a way that it allows ample natural light and ventilation. In addition, the various activities like cooking, cleaning, laundry and other allied functions would necessarily have to be clearly segmented. This could be done depending on the design of the kitchen, whether it is to be an open one or closed.

When each segment is planned properly, the clutter can be kept minimal, or even completely avoided. However small the kitchen may be it has to offer an impression of space with each activity assigned a convenient location. In the case of open kitchens, the location of these activities will have to be planned not just keeping in mind the convenience but also the view.

Hence, it would definitely be a bad idea to have a sink full of dirty dishes facing the living room. In the same way, it would be unwise to have the cooking area placed in a location where the vapours directly waft into the living section.

In such cases, the sink could for instance be tucked away into a corner where direct visibility is cut off. The cooking segment could be located closer to the window where in addition to the chimney, the natural ventilation would reduce the effects of cooking.

It is equally important to take care to ensure easy accessibility of items, while designing the various segments and structure of the cabinets and counters. If the servant's utility and quarters are to be clubbed with the kitchen, they should also be given a separate access. Having a garden thrown in or kitchen opening on to an outdoor patio will be a superb idea for it.


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