Modern Yet Personal

by Adrian How

With kitchen trends changing all the time, It is not easy to choose. You will need all the advice you can get.

First, you need to know whether you want a fitted kitchen or a pick-and-choose. Most people go for the former (also known as the built-in kitchen) as it maximises the available space you have, even weird or difficult corners by turning them into storage areas.

Don’t be fooled into trying to get the most minimalist kitchen because every practical household will end up having loads more items to store. The kitchens you see at showhouses don’t exactly exist — perfect for photos, never ideal for real living. A pick-and-choose, or freestanding, kitchen has a unique look and feel from each individual piece that makes up the area. When not done well, it ends up looking more of a mess than an appealing assortment of items sitting in harmony.

That’s why I’d recommend the fitted kitchen even though it would cost more than the pick-and-choose.
Furnishing options There are many options for kitchen cabinets and doors. Yet laminate is still popular today, simply because of the cost and myriad choices of texture and colour.

Acrylic is becoming more popular because they provide a contemporary look and feel. The bold can go for a bright Chili Red acrylic finish while the less adventurous can opt for Burgundy.

The evergreen finish is wood, which is still my choice of finish. My kitchen doors are all made from solid wood. Selecting the right colour is tricky, and here’s a tip for those who just can’t decide from a one-by-one-inch colour sample: I made my contractor paint my shortlisted colours on separate one-by-one-inch wood squares so I could visualise the finished product better.

Choosing the right counter-top is important because this is where food is prepared and hygiene is priority. I’d recommend a solid surface because it is durable, non-porous and flexible to fit any design. Many kitchens today use solid surfaces, but concrete counter-tops are fast catching on. Made from a mixture of water, cement, sand, stone and some pigment, a concrete surface is sealed to prevent water damage and stains. No longer just used for floors, a concrete counter-top creates a rugged ambience. Many people like the way a concrete top ages, like a well-used butcher’s block. While functionally and aesthetically ideal, these two options aren’t cheap. For those on a budget, go for formica or tiles. I prefer tiles for durability.

In fact, while I have a solid surface for my dry kitchen, tiles line my semi-outdoor wet kitchen. What’s important is to ensure that your contractor does a good job of filling the gaps between the tiles to prevent bacteria growth.

For kitchen backsplashes, tempered glass is the popular option today. If you’re using a glass backsplash, choose a solid background colour for the glass backing to contrast with your counter-top to add vibrancy to your kitchen. Glass mosaics are popular, too, as they provide a blend of colours into the fold. For my home, I used Spanish ceramic tiles with a glazed finish that has varied shades of orange. It has a similar effect to glass mosaic tiles, but at a third of the cost.

For tiling options, I’d recommend Apex tiles in Jalan Ipoh due to their stock variety and competitive prices.
Here are some simple tips to help you plan your kitchen better:

- First, decide where your sink and kitchen hob will go. The rule of thumb is to have them close to each other for convenience. And don’t do any re-plumbing unless necessary.

- Always think about ventilation points, especially if you’re into Asian cooking. Look for a powerful hood — select an Asian brand over designer European ones as the former is designed for Asian-style cooking and features higher suction power. Never block out windows with cabinets — ventilation trumps the need for storage any time.

- Don’t choose a side-by-side door refrigerator because it’s cool. Think about the type of cooking you’ll be doing, the number of people in your household and the amount of electricity you’ll be consuming.

- Store heavy items in the cabinets under the counter-top, not on hanging or elevated cabinets. Items rarely used should go to the highest shelves. Use a drawer organiser for your cutlery.

- If you have cabinets over your counter-top, think about installing lights under the cabinet to shine onto the counter-top.

- For flooring, select tiles that are durable and easy to clean. Laminated flooring is not advisable for wet kitchens, but is fine for dry kitchens.

- Decorate the walls with art, a clock or some photographs. You want your kitchen to look lived-in. I got creative and turned some coasters with modern-art bull motifs into wall art for my wet kitchen.

- Make sure you plan for enough electrical sockets.

- As with any unconventional idea you might have picked up visually from somewhere, remember to take a picture or screenshot and show it to your contractor. Words can be easily misinterpreted, but images should get your contractor on the same page.

originally written for the News Straits Times, 6 Mar 2010 edition