The modular kitchen is a fairly new kitchen construction concept in India. But in its short history of two decades it has gone through many changes to adapt to the needs and quirks of an Indian home. The changes have been so severe that we can prove that it is more hygienic, durable and ergonomically comfortable to opt for a modular kitchen versus a traditional kitchen.
What we define as a traditional kitchen is generally a structure whose base platform, partitions and shelves are made of concrete or stone. The wall boxes are either non-existent, open concrete or stone shelves or painted hand cut boxes. The inside of the platform and counter-top are painted with normal paints which eventually cause dampness to seep through. Since the borders of the platform are uneven the shutters installed on them are uneven as well. This leaves cracks, crevices and spaces for cockroach and termite infestations.
Further the disadvantage of the traditional kitchen is that latest fittings cannot be installed on the stone surface. The channels that used to be installed in the traditional kitchens were telescopic channel. Strips of wood were drilled into the stone partitions so that the channels could be screwed onto them. The motions of these telescopic channels are not smooth and can be easily damaged (difference between telescopic and innotech channels) . To top it off the hinges used cannot be soft close and it is very difficult to install drawer systems as well as corner solutions in such kitchens. As for the water area, it is made in a similar way and hence might be durable but very difficult to clean and untidy.
Now lets come to a modular kitchen. It is defined as a kitchen made up of individual wooden boxes (click here for article of detailed box structure) that are installed on legs and use hinges and other innovative hardware to make storage and cooking convenient. Instead of sitting on the uneven stone partition the modules stand on legs. This makes sure that they are 4 inches off the floor. This provides an extra layer of protection to the boxes from water and dust. The individual boxes are made of wooden material that have a thickness of 16 to 18mm. This makes sure that more space can be used for storage and less wasted in the form of partitions. These boxes are pressed with food grade laminates and hence are more hygienic than paints.
These modules are cut and pressed on machinery because of which there are no gaps between the shutter and the boxes. Further more innovative fittings like pull outs, pull downs and hydraulic fittings make the cooking space organised and easier to function in. Quality kitchen hardware have good load bearing capacities and even better durability. It is possible to make complete use of the box space where earlier it would have been difficult to access the back side of any cabinet. Pull downs make it possible to access the top shelf of the cabinetry. The corners which are mostly dead spaces can be accessed with fittings like S-Crousel and others. The boxes of the modular kitchen are made in a way that only 10% of the entire box actually touches the wall. This makes it very difficult for it to be effected by any type of moisture or termite.
Hence through the article we have proven that structurally the modular kitchen format is more hygienic and resistant towards moisture and termite. It is easier to work in this kind of kitchen because the appliances and food materials are stored in a more organised and accessible way. Last but not the least it actually provides more storage than a traditional kitchen.
Thanks for sharing. It such inspiring knowledge. keep going.
Check out another valuable detail about the modular kitchen.