Things to consider when designing and lighting up a modular kitchen

A kitchen is the most salient space in every house. Few call it the HEART of the home! The modernistic/contemporary modular kitchen is a fashionable addition to an urban home. Modular kitchens stand out due to their intricate ergonomic designs that boost storage and are convenient. Modular kitchens provide a lot of flexibility while designing a kitchen. As they are factory-made based on the preliminary design layout, incorporating changes once it goes for production is not possible.

Designing a Modular kitchen involves selecting the right fit for one’s requirement, from plenty of options, in terms of material, layouts, colours, accessories etc. It is a cause of confusion as the customer has too many options to select from and too little knowledge. Don’t worry we have got your back! 

 

Ankur lighting is here to assist you in building your dream modular kitchen! We have carefully curated the perfect bits of information one needs to plan for one’s dream kitchen.

Planning is key

While designing a modular kitchen, the most important thing is to understand the client’s requirements. Generally, clients want a nice kitchen but, they might have no idea what to do about it.

The Correct Layout for a flattering workflow 

Choosing the right layout based on the client’s requirement ensures a good workflow. The layout option depends on the kitchen space available and client requirements. One has Straight, parallel shaped, peninsula shaped and island-shaped modular kitchen designs or, in some cases, completely custom-built layouts are created as per the client's wish. The hob, the refrigerator and the sink should be the focal point for design considerations in the kitchen. The distance between each should be 4-6 steps. It is crucial to follow the golden triangle rule (i.e. the rule of thumb used for visual composition).

Selecting the right Accessories gives the kitchen a unique effect

One can choose from a wide range of accessories like bottle pull-outs, basket pull-outs, wall units, cutlery organisers, corner units etc. 

Do not forget your appliances.

Set aside your kitchen appliances during the initial design phase to incorporate them in the design layout per their actual dimensions. Remember to make room for chimneys while planning wall units.

Fun with Materials

There is a lot of thought one has to put into searching for materials for a modular kitchen. Water is an essential part of cooking. Materials like MDF & HDF tend to get damaged in moisture-laden conditions. It is encouraged to use Boiling Water Resistant plywood for your kitchen. For the final exterior finish, one can choose their materials from acrylic, laminate, membrane & Duco paint finish.

Countertop

There are multiple countertop materials available that can be exploited. The use of graphite and quartz are the most preferred for a countertop. Avoid using marbles as they tend to catch stains. Other multiple countertop options are solid surface ceramic tiles, Laminate counter, woodblock counter, stainless steel counters and Soapstone counters.

Colour combinations

One of the most prominent aspects of design is colour. Colour can make or break a design. Colours play a huge role in a person's life by reflecting their moods and also creating moods. For example, seeing a yellow themed kitchen will instantly brighten up one’s mood while working in a red kitchen will bring out one’s alertness. One can go for an exclusive colour scheme or use contrasting colours.

Lighting

Now that the designing front is clear, let us move to one of the most critical parts which can change a good looking kitchen to a great looking one - The Lighting. As the name suggests, lighting ensures one has enough light to work in the kitchen. The light should be spread evenly throughout the kitchen, with the high use areas getting the focus it requires.

Let’s start with different ways to light up your modular kitchen.

Ambient: This will be your main source of light—whether in addition to the natural light or to fill in for the lack of it. It is generally placed such that it casts as much light as possible from the ceiling of the kitchen. This can be achieved by ceiling fitted small LED lights with a light-emitting surface, decorative Pendants or Chandeliers. You can use Ankur Euro Wing Track lighting as well to enhance your ambient light and looks!

Task: While ambient lighting is used to enable you to navigate throughout your kitchen, it often leaves shadows in areas that require more focus. With the help of task lighting, work surfaces and cabinetry are properly illuminated so you can safely prepare meals, read recipes, and easily spot ingredients on the shelf. They are often known as Under Cabinet Lighting. Two common varieties of kitchen task lighting options include strip lights and spotlights.

• Striplights: They provide even background lights that illuminate the countertops.
• Spotlights: These are round/oval-shaped lights that provide powerful beams of light. Spotlights such as Ankur Euro well Series or Compact and Delicate DOB LED series make it a more acceptable option than strip lighting. 

Accent: This lighting works like icing on a cake for a well-designed modular kitchen. You can choose from Cabinet lights, Toe lights, to any other decorative light that might accentuate your favourite elements. Aesthetic and classy lights hanging from your ceilings is a very trendy option in the modern world. It adds warmness to the look. Products from Ankur lighting like ANKUR Rope hanging to concrete give a different aesthetic look to the kitchen. One can choose from a variety of shapes, sizes and colours to fit the theme of the kitchen. Overall for lighting, the use of LEDs is advised as they are glare-free, power savers, available in a variety of shapes and sizes

Automated: Automation products range from touch switches, auto dimmers, gas sensors to water sensors. If you are tech-savvy and fond of automated homes, Ankur Lighting has a range of automation products that can be used in kitchen lighting.