Indian kitchens are the heart of every home, especially when a family member is cooking and God knows, we love our food. Today’s generation believes in having a quality space and technology in the kitchen to ensure it’s comfortable and highly functional, no matter who is using it. Modular kitchen systems have evolved to be smart and damage proof at the same time. Hence, the current demand revolves around convertible kitchen tables, and here are a few of their variants:
Breakfast island: Kitchen counters not facing a wall are semi-islands and the outer side when extended beyond the cooking space, is a very effective breakfast counter.
Extra counter cum bar: This design features a versatile breakfast counter mounted on wheels, allowing the unit to move seamlessly throughout your home, transforming into a flexible bar or buffet counter.
Pull out drawer: This one is camouflaged like the rest of the kitchen cabinetry and pulls out like a drawer, but converts into an extendible counter that acts as an additional horizontal surface for compact kitchens useful for chopping, plating, sorting, etc.
Slide out tables: Similar function to the above, these tables are much longer and slide out from under the counter to form an equally long counter or dining table.
Expandable kitchen table: This is attached to the island counter and is only about 2’ long. It pulls out from the side to form a fully functional dining table when needed.
Drop down tables: These have been used in Indian homes since decades and are still extremely useful. They are the Murphy tables that drop down when needed to be used as dining tables so the space can be free rest of the times.
Iron tables: Kitchen shutters are also equipped with mechanisms that slide out iron tables with the required sockets concealed behind. These are useful to double up the kitchen into a utility space whenever needed.
Slide out steps: One of the types of pull outs which has a drop-down step system that turns into a mini ladder for ease of access to the higher storage areas.
Storage shelves in place of dado: The dado space becomes functional with the addition of shelves within the wall. This creates a convenient and easily accessible area for storing masalas and spices without intruding the counter space.
Island dining: These are island counters within a kitchen that are deep enough to seat people on the other side, so the family can share the experience of cooking together and eating food while its hot. These islands are often equipped with electric hobs and a veggie wash sink with filtered water supply so there is no back and forth from the island.
Lift up tray: This is specifically designed for heavy appliances such as a heavy stand mixer grinder and idli maker that needs an extra effort to pull whether they are below the counter or above. Such appliances are usually too big to permanently park on the counter and are better concealed. This mechanism is built to save your back and counter storage with a soft smooth close appliance lift. The lift is attached to the interior kitchen cabinet and linked to a shelf.
Slide out counter: The shutter here opens vertically upwards and allows complete access to the contents inside. The bottom of the shelf has a pull-out tray on channels that makes it even easier to use the appliance or access the crockery inside. This helps create additional counter space without eating up on the existing area.
Pocket doors: This mechanism allows full height storage doors to slide into the sides of the unit thus allowing the shelving inside to act as counter space.