Expert Advice on Modular Kitchen

Free Modular Kitchen Designing Software at
http://profilekitchens.2020.net/planner/UI/Pages/VPUI.htm
http://www.eurorite.com/kitchen-planner.cfm

Very good sites for learning about modular kitchen:
http://www.homedesignbangalore.com/
 http://www.homedesignbangalore.com/2010/09/so-what-is-right-material-to-choose-for.html
http://prasislifelessons.blogspot.in/2011/02/modular-kicthen.html

I have extracted some important info from the above site and presented below. The credit goes to Nandita for all the  following information. My objective here is to condense some of the info found on her blog:

Kitchen Design - Best Practices Consolidated in One Single Article

The article on the left was published in today's Deccan Herald. It encapsulates and consolidates all the Kitchen Design Best practices mentioned across different posts on this blog. Reproducing it below for my readers ... here goes...
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It’s that place in your home where you are likely to spend over 10 percent of your working life and the one that gets the most footfalls. It houses more gadgetry than you have in your car and is one of the most complex spaces to design. The smart among you may have guessed it already, for the laity - I am talking about your Kitchen.

A Kitchen needs to be ergonomic, utilitarian, maximizing storage space as well as good looking all at the same time. The fact that the kitchen has "hot spaces", "wet spaces", "work spaces", "wash spaces" …  (I guess you get the idea) complicates matters further.

If you are in the process of setting up your new home or just remodeling it, considerable attention will be demanded by your Kitchen. While Kitchen Design is too vast a topic to cover in a single article, the simple design tips below are meant to make your Kitchen design journey both enjoyable & easier.

Basics of Kitchen Design - The Zones

A Kitchen can broadly be broken down into 5 zones - Preparation, Cooking, Baking, Cleaning & Storage. The core idea behind Kitchen design based on zones is to ensure that each zone can be

independently operated without one having to criss-cross through other zones thereby optimizing efficiency. For example – the Dishwasher should be placed next to the sink and the trash cabinet to form an integrated Cleaning Zone, Utensils and Cooking instruments should be under or next to the cook top (Cooking Zone), The Preparation zone should be close to both the Cooking and Baking zone so that you don’t need to walk to the cooktop after having rolled the chapatti or - a very common mistake that folks make – that there is no counter close enough to put down the hot tray fresh out of the Oven. Additionally the space for long term storage of grain, pulses, oils, namkeens etc. (Storage zone) should be away from the Cleaning Zone, specifically the trash bin, to avoid any chance of odor contamination

What is the height of a Kitchen counter?

A number of deemed architects have missed admission to top architecture schools just due to a “wrong answer” to that question. Basic as it may sound, the height of the Kitchen counter can range anywhere from 32 to 36 inches. A high counter allows more storage space underneath; it also ensures that any appliance such as a dishwasher fits properly under the counter. However if you are 5’2’ or shorter a high counter will get uncomfortable to work on and you may be better off with a 32 – 33 incher. In summary (1) Optimize the counter height based on your own height (2) If you are planning any under - counter appliances then read the appliance manual and keep the counter height accordingly and (3) Don’t go under 32” and over 36”.

Planning for the Appliances

The exact dimensions of the appliances – those you plan to keep and the ones you will buy, should be factored in during the Design phase itself lest you end up stuck with an appliance AND an un-matching hollow

The fixed appliances like the Hob, Chimney, Dishwasher, Microwave etc. need a dedicated electrical connection to be housed in a way that the wires are not visible. Modern Hobs have an electrically operated ignition system and most folks miss out on planning an under the counter electrical point for the same. Also, if you cook Non Vegetarian at home then ensure that the Chimney has a suction capacity of 1000 Cum/ Hr or higher

For the movable appliances like the Grinder, Hand mixer, beater etc. you should ideally keep 2 sockets spaced out above each counter. Ensure also that you have a socket close to the hob so that the hand blender can be used with dishes “on the flame” as well.

Long term storage and that Clumsy Cylinder

Whatever be the size of your Kitchen, somehow there is never enough space to keep the grill that you take out once in 3 months or the table mats meant strictly for special occasions and all the things that

you will end up accumulating over the years. It is therefore prudent to plan bulk storage spaces from
the start. Tall units and corners are ideal for bulk storage. For accessibility in the corners, solutions such as magic corner units are popular and readily available however if you do not want to invest in one then just a regular shelf in the corner will do. A Tall unit is specially recommended - plan one with regular shelves instead of a pantry unit to maximize storage space

LPG Cylinders take up primary real estate within the Kitchen and while it is the easiest to put them under the cooktop, the decision is definitely not the wisest or the safest. If you are blessed with a utility then house the cylinders in there and connect them to the cooktop with a copper pipe – this will save you prime space under the cooktop. The cylinders now in the open will also ensure that your family is safe in case of that rare gas leak. However if you do not have a prized utility, keep the operational cylinder in that corner space that we just talked about and the secondary cylinder somewhere far & away. Remember - keeping both the operational and the secondary LPG cylinder together inside the Kitchen is a potential recipe for disaster.

Material to use for the cabinets & shutters?

From MDF to Water proof ply to Polywood, Steel & beyond. With the huge material choice available in the market today this is perhaps the most difficult as well as the most important decisions you will need to make.

Cabinets:If you want your Kitchen to last beyond its 3^rd birthday then the only real choice for the Kitchen cabinet material is between Water Proof Ply (Technically called BWR 303 Grade Ply....ISI Marked preferred) and Steel.

When choosing between the two remember that while Ply cabinets can be modeled at home Steel cabinets will need to be procured ready-made. If you plan to use steel cabinets then ensure that the steel is 304 grade and comes from a known manufacturer.

Cabinets in MDF & HDF – widely used in the west, are available in the market today, however these do not measure up to the rigors of Indian cooking and use – especially if your kitchen is fully or partially maid managed.

Shutters:Any of MDF, Hardwood, Marine Ply or Polywood work well for the shutters. However if you have a high traffic or maid managed kitchen then it is wise to go for Hardwood or Ply. However shutters in Particle board are a definite no-no.

Countertop – Beyond just Granite

The market has moved far beyond a time when the countertop meant Granite. Nowadays Kitchen counters are available both in Natural Stone (Marble & Granite) & Artificial Stone (Quartz & Acrylic Solid Surfaces). Granite & Quartz fit best against the needs of a typical Indian Kitchen as they are both stain resistant & hard (but not brittle) however the colour options in Granite & Quartz are fairly limited. If you are high on the maintenance side of things then Marble & Solid Surfaces (sometimes referred to as Corian) are great options as they offer exquisite finishes and a splash of colours to choose from.

That dovetails well into the last, but not the least important subject – that of colours & lighting. It is said “to each his own” but in the department of colours there is still some method to get that look and a spacious feel to the Kitchen. Follow the two simple rules below when choosing colours for your kitchen (1) darks make spaces look small while lights make them look larger and (2) A single colour may be monotonous and more than three too colourful to the eye.

Therefore if you are planning dark shutters then balance them out with a lighter shade of the backsplash and glass shutters in the wall cabinet. On the other hand if you plan to have your Kitchen in shades of white then you can select a fairly vibrant colour for the backsplash

Lighting 

Specialty lighting has a huge impact on the overall look and feel of the Kitchen. Nowadays with the advent of reasonably priced LED’s it is not even a huge burden on the pocket. Plan for an LED strip

running along the backsplash and, if you are the “new age experimental” type, next to the skirting at the bottom. Any wall cabinets with a glass shutter should also have a spotlight.

The above should give you quite a headstart in kitchen planning - good enough for you to enjoy both the journey now and the outcome for a long time to come – here’s wishing you happy homemaking.

Other posts on Kitchen design that you may also want to go through are linked below

http://www.homedesignbangalore.com/2010/06/so-what-is-modular-kitchen-and-some.html

http://www.homedesignbangalore.com/2011/08/home-design-vaastu-shastra-episode-2.html

Signing off

NM

Choice of material for the Carcass or the boxes:
If you are someone who does not plan a 3 year "refresh" of your kitchen then the only choice for the Kitchen carcass is Warterproof Marine Ply (Technically called BWR 303 Grade Ply....ISI Marked preferred). Many not so scrupulous will talk about using "Water Resistant" Ply, Laminated Particle Board, Marine Ply in wet areas and Particle board in dry areas etc. etc. for the carcass but trust me anything other than Waterproof Marine Ply means that you giving birth to something that will not last beyond its 3rd birthday,

Choice of material for Shutters: 

Frankly each of MDF + Membrane, Hardwood as well as Marine Ply/MDF + Laminate work well. You will ask “Why is Marine Ply + Laminate not better than MDF + Membrane here then”??...well remember we said that anything (even the laminate on the Marine Ply) will spoil in high moisture conditions, so the assumption is that we are not using the kitchen as a bathroom. Secondly....the shutters do not hold the entire Kitchen weight, only their own. Hence in normal Kitchen use conditions both MDF + Membrane & Marine Ply/MDF + Laminate work well, however particle board shutters are not recommended.

I personally prefer MDF Membrane or Hardwood shutters as these give a finish that is much more chic than laminate. I have also noticed that most carpenters do notrecommend MDF membrane and go with Marine Ply + Laminate. As I said from a durability perspective both are fine, perhaps carpenters do not recommend MDF Membrane & cite durability issues because these require external procurement (compared to the comfort & ease of making onsite) and very precise measurement (in millimeters) that carpenters abhor.

If Material under Membrane is MDF and NOT Marine Ply. Hence not recommended for long shutters, if not designed right then these tend to bend

Membrane will last as long as you get tired of it if you maintain it carefully and keep it protected from water (i.e. wipe immediately if it gets wet).

For low traffic kitchen pure MDF shutters should do fine.  Hi traffic might need ply + laminate shutters. HDF or even MDF is OK for shutters

Nandita's comment: Membrane Ply shutters are a new addition to the range of shutters available in the market - they cost nearly double compared to Membrane MDF Shutters. They will definitely have more durability but I am not sure if its worth paying double the price as MDF shutters themselves don't have much of a downside.

Go with Veneer only when you have a very good polisher available to you, else if you are hell bent on the polished wood finish then u could also explore pre polished hardwood shutters.
Postform or Edge Banded Laminate shutters shuould be fine either way.

Laminated & Postform (they are one and the same except the treatment of the edges) are the safest bet. I personally prefer (good quality) Membrane Shutters as they give a pretty good finish.

Rubberwood is fine for Kitchen Shutters provided these are "framed" shutters. Flat rubberwood shutters are likely to bend.

Carcass should be in Ply & not Blockboard. UPVC Carcass is also fine.

 Hi Gloss will get scratches in the long run

Nandita's Preference for Chimeny:
She would recommend Faber or Kaff. Both brands have models to suit one's budget. Have not had a good experience with some of the other popular brands in the market

Wardrobes: plywood with veneer/MDF with laminate - Either is OK. Membrane shutters are made from MDF. Long MDF panels are prone to bend hence it is ok for Kitchen (small shutters) and not ok for Wardrobes. If you dont have a budget constraint then go in for BWR ply/ board.
In terms of Life good quality BWR & Laminate will last longer than you are willing to bear it.

Kitchen: Waterproof ply with membrane shutter/waterproof MDF with laminated shutter - There is nothing like Waterproof MDF (MDF is either Exterior grade, which is not as good as Waerproof marie ply, or HDF (Hi Density Fibre- which is again not WaterPROOF) - Go with Marine Ply & Membrane

Bathroom fittings - Hometown, @Home & EVOK have a good enough collection to choose from

Kitchen - BWP Plywood + membrane shutter (on MDF)
Crockery and Living area - Plywood + Veneer 
Master bedroom - Plywood + membrane shutter (on MDF)
Other Wardrobes - Plywood + Post Laminated MDF  MDF is not recommended in tall shutters for Wardrobes as it is likely to bend. If your wardrobe shutters are 7 feet tall than its better to use block board (with veneer or laminate) for this.

Cabinets:
Cabinets go upto a maximum of 20 inches outer width and the SS baskets would be 17 inches max. 

One of the discussion question & answer:

 I am new joiner to this blog and looks like I joined just in time when I am about to start interiors for my house in couple months.
A couple queries - (a) How about rubber-wood shutters in kitchen? (b) If concrete lofts are not made and then what should be the thinkness of board to make 2'lofts above 7' wardrobe?

Thanks,
Shree

Reply

Replies

1. 
   Nandita ManwaniDecember 31, 2012 at 1:24 PM

   a) Rubber Wood Shutters for the kitchen are fine
   b) 19mm board is good enough for the lofts
   
   Rgs
   NM

Re: Good interior designer at reasonable rate

by ardesarchitects » 18 Sep 2015, 11:54

HI Simran
For kitchen or wardrobe you can use both 16 & 19 .Over a period i realized that 19mm is too heavy and some times over design in terms of strength.The issue in 16mm ply is about bending if the shutter sizes are bigger .since in the kitchen shutter sizes are small you can use 16mm .
The other benefit of using 16mm is that you get all variety of edge beading in the market are 22mm wide used on 16mm ply ,where as 19mm ply needs 30mm edge beading and the stocks are available in very limited colors sometimes no production at all.
Tough all the factory make kitchen suppliers say its 19mm ply but they actually use 16mm .In fact an MR grade ply is only 18mm thick not 19mm 
So if you are planning for factory edge beading don't use 19mm ply, otherwise its your choice .

Regards
Ar.Praveen.N
ardes architects and Interior designers
http://www.ardesarchitects.com
https://www.facebook.com/ardes.architects

we design you a home but not a house .............