The Modern Kitchen: An extension of today’s stylish homemaker
The modern, independent stylish woman’s relationship with her kitchen is very unique today. She is no longer bound to it by traditions, the burden of patriarchal expectations or a sense of womanly duty. She is also not averse to being in the kitchen as she does not see this as a threat to her independence. She has negotiated her relationship with the kitchen as a space where she likes to indulge in an activity that she loves, as a place that allows her to fulfill her innate desire to nurture without tying her down, a place where she plays with ingredients, throws in her imagination, experiments and creates something that reflects who she is. The modern kitchen therefore needs to be not just functional but also sophisticated and sensual. It is a beautiful extension of the elegant person who defines and works in this space.
Kitchen designs, faucets and fittings are undergoing a tremendous change in style, aesthetics, utility and durability to keep up with the desires/expectations of the woman who uses the kitchen the most. Exquisite technology that looks splendid and is spectacular in terms of convenience is finding the maximum number of users today. Fittings that look great but are also excellent in terms of ease of use, installation and space-saving capacity are becoming increasingly popular in Indian households. New collections of inventive kitchen faucets for domestic use target women who can do with some assistance while managing their daily kitchen chores.
Brands which are sensitive to the need of a woman to combine daily tasks with a clean and ever-elegant work space are innovating to come up with products that minimalise the need to touch faucets while cooking. Just because one’s hands are dirty, doesn’t mean the fittings should end up being dirty as well. This is ensured by the use of touch-sensitive faucets that can be operated just by a tap on the body of the faucet or by placing one’s hands under the spout. Such hybrid fittings ensure everyday convenience that is coupled with beauty and style that make the stylish homemaker feel content with her environs.
Water storage is another area where kitchen fitting brands are making great headway. As a woman builds her own universe, she aims to be socially conscious and also teach those in her family to be environmentally responsible. This can be achieved only if she demonstrates similar qualities in the kitchen herself. Many top brands are engaging in building products that lead to minimum wastage of water while ensuring a good, uninterrupted flow as this is a pre-requisite for kitchen chores. A poor quality faucet with limited pressure will simply not do for a multi-tasking, busy homemaker of today. Such impressive and efficient faucets often come with an extendible spray or stylishly shaped spouts with extendible mousseurs. The levers deliver perfect flow of water and adjust water flow and temperature precisely. Such simple, sensual, yet intelligent fittings can make the kitchen look sophisticated and beautiful, while maintaining functionality which is very important in this space.
Indian kitchen designs nowadays complement the needs of households where the height of the work platform and placement of the units are made keeping in mind the average height of an Indian woman, Indian cooking habits and cooking procedures. Cabinets are also now specifically designed to provide storage for specific Indian kitchenware, a variety of ingredients, spices and containers that any ordinary Indian kitchen will have. Besides this, since Indian cooking involves a lot of high heat cooking, deep frying, pressure cooking etc, premium kitchen accessories manufacturers are also making it a point to introduce technology that reduces effects of spillage and facilitates removal of oil and water stains.
Most high-end brands are ensuring that their kitchen accessories and products are ergonomically designed to increase the comfort factor. Child proof accessories and fittings are also gaining traction. Anything that rules out harm to the little one and rules out the risk of scalding is sure to win favour. Those who prefer warm water can opt for upgrades which feature a customisable temperature preset function. The main idea is that no woman wants to feel like she is slogging in the kitchen anymore. She needs to feel pampered with products that make her feel that her convenience has been thought about and looked after. Such fittings, accessories and technologies ensure that this objective is met with.
The kitchen is no longer a space which a woman enters because she must. She chooses to be here and cook because either she finds this activity therapeutic or she enjoys it as a hobby or she revels in it as a means to show her family how much she loves them. This means she demands a space which is replete with fittings that exude high comfort, splendour in style and facility in usage. Anything short of pure luxury combined with high functionality will find no place in her haven of creativity and love.
Renu Misra, vice president and managing director, Grohe India Pvt. Ltd.
The views expressed in this article are the author´s own.
