Modular kitchen layouts that actually suit Indian cooking

A kitchen designed off an imported catalogue fails within a month in an Indian home. Heat, oil aerosol and bulk storage are the three constraints that should drive layout.

The work triangle, adjusted

The classic sink-hob-fridge triangle assumes light cooking. Indian kitchens need a fourth point: the prep and grinding zone. Put it between the sink and the hob with at least 900mm of uninterrupted counter.

Layout by kitchen size

Under 60 sq ft — a single-wall or galley layout with a tall unit at one end. Skip the island.

60-100 sq ft — L-shaped is almost always right, with the hob on the shorter arm and a window above it.

Over 100 sq ft — U-shaped or L with a peninsula. An island only earns its place if you have 1200mm clearance on every side.

Non-negotiables

Chimney at 650-700mm above the hob. A dedicated tall unit for atta, rice and pulses. Drawers, not shutters, below the hob. And a service slab near the entry so the grocery bags have somewhere to land.