Demand for modular kitchens has been rising significantly in Kathmandu in recent days. With the people’s lifestyles turning dynamic, preferences are shifting from traditional kitchen setups to modular kitchen s which are built understanding the needs of the customer. Likewise, availability of systematic kitchens at affordable prices along with a warranty has helped in the expansion of the market.

“Demand for modular kitchens has been swelling continuously. They are slowly winning people’s hearts and establishing themselves in the domestic market,” said Sudesh GC, managing director of Better Homes. “While their reach was limited to a certain section of the people till a few years ago, they are now slowly entering the homes of medium class people as well.”

According to GC, Better Homes is the first company in Nepal to introduce modular kitchen s in Nepal and over the period, it has seen phenomenal growth in awareness about modular kitchen s. Better Homes which maintains outlets in Teku and Kamaladi in Kathmandu has been dealing in modular products since the past 11 years.

Recalling the days when the company started dealing with modular kitchen s, GC said that people initially were unwilling to spend on such items following lack of awareness about such products and the price factor. “But now, whoever is constructing a home enquires about modular kitchen s,” GC said. Better Homes offers modular kitchen s ranging from Rs 125,000 onwards. Prices vary as per the products used while constructing a particular kitchen, GC said.

Kitchen Concepts situated at Teku, Kathmandu another prominent name in the domestic market, too is witnessing a gradual increment in the number of people opting for modular kitchen s. “With an upturn in the construction of housing and apartments in the capital city, demand for modular kitchen s too has gone up,” said Prakash Tibrewala, director of Kitchen Concepts. “Even though the market is not as aggressive as it was one year ago, the trend, however, is on the upsurge.”

Kitchen Concepts has been dealing in modular kitchen s since the last eight years. The store sells around 100 units of modular kitchen s every year. “While most of the people used to stay away from modular kitchen s thinking them to be unaffordable, people now are slowly becoming aware of the truth and are preferring them over traditional kitchens,” Tibrewala said. Kitchen Concepts charges around Rs 200,000 for a normal modular kitchen .     

Both GC and Tibrewala say that they have a mixed customer portfolio. “Among them too, nuclear families and people who are aware about Western lifestyles are our regular clients,” Tibrewala said. Not only are those constructing new homes going for modular kitchen s but those already having a home, according to GC, are keen on renovating their traditional kitchens. According to him, the trend in other major cities of the country Butwal, Chitwan, Pokhara and Dharan too is picking up continuously.  

As for the design, both the companies have their own people who visit the customer’s kitchen space and make the designs as per their desire. And there is no extra charge for it.

source: The Kathmandu Post,3 march 2013