The kitchen is truly the heart of every home. While some believe it's a space for women and others argue it's for men, we say it’s for everyone, because it's where the magic of cooking happens!
For centuries, kitchen design has undergone tremendous innovations and transformations. Our focus is on Indian kitchens and how they have evolved over time.
Traditionally, Indian kitchens were floor-based, with users sitting on the ground to cook. The oven, or chulha, and other elements were positioned at a lower height to accommodate this.
Then came Western influences. Almost overnight, many Indian households adopted modern, Western-style kitchens, often called modular or Italian kitchens. The biggest shift? The cook moved from sitting to standing. This change brought advantages, especially mobility – the ability to move freely around the kitchen while cooking.
But here’s the thing: Indian cuisine is different from Western cuisine. It takes time and often involves preparing a variety of dishes. The result? Cooks, primarily women, have to stand for extended periods – hours, in fact. This has led to issues like constant leg pain, knee problems, and even varicose veins.
At DesignKatte, we asked: why not rethink our kitchens? What if we applied design thinking to address these issues? What if we designed kitchens from the perspective of Indian women?
In traditional Indian kitchens, one major advantage was the ability to sit while cooking. We’ve taken this concept and incorporated it into our designs.
Introducing the Devaramane Kitchen: A Modern Indian Kitchen Solution
In this kitchen, the counter is set at knee height, allowing the user to sit comfortably while cooking. Instead of sitting on the floor, the user sits at a comfortable seated height. To retain the mobility offered by Western kitchens, we designed a height-adjustable, rotating stool. This allows the user to adjust based on the varying heights of different cooking vessels.
We didn’t stop there. We gave mobility to the storage cabinets too. The storage boxes under the counter are equipped with caster wheels, allowing them to be moved easily. Whether it’s bringing them to the sink for washed utensils or taking them to the pantry for stocking provisions, these boxes offer flexibility. Each can be customized with inserts like plate stands or cup holders, preserving the modularity of modern kitchens.
We’ve been rigorously testing this kitchen, and the results have been very encouraging. The model you see here is built in an 8ft x 12ft area, but it can be adapted for much smaller spaces as well.
Let’s make our kitchens more comfortable and functional.
If you're interested in bringing this design to your home, feel free to reach out to us!
+91 9974001165