By Dhruv Trigunayat, CEO of Ultrafresh Modular Solutions Limited
Gone are the days when only office or professional setup was synonymous with ‘work’. In present times, a hybrid work pattern is the new normal, which allows millennials to work in a more flexible manner. In this concept of hybrid mode, work from home (WFH) has become a significant aspect, as it has provided facilities to let young people work efficiently from their comfort space. According to recent research, a majority of millennials are attracted to a hybrid lifestyle as they are able to control their work schedule and can free up time to spend with their families. The hybrid lifestyle has acted as an enabler in creating a balance between work and home life for millennials. It has also brought families closer to each other, respecting each other’s working space and challenges that may have been overlooked by the family members otherwise.
As this hybrid working model becomes the norm, millennials are becoming more dependent on technology to maintain a smooth balance between work and personal commitments. To suit their needs, they are creating a hi-tech environment by integrating smart lighting, feasible furniture and smart modular kitchens in their homes which will assist them to conduct their daily household chores along with office work more easily. As these millennials are designing every corner of the house with smart technology they are opting for smart modular kitchens. These smart modular kitchens come with a sophisticated, and intelligent look and along with this,they have multiple technological features that provide a hassle-free environment for people conducting activities in the kitchens.
There are many aspects that have boosted the need for smart modular kitchens among millennials. The reasons are as follows:
Ventilation and Maximum Storage:
Millennials have developed a trend of bulk grocery shopping to stock up their kitchens for better planning and preparation of healthy food which eventually results in saving a lot of time. However, as they buy their groceries in bulk quantity, they have trouble arranging them in their kitchen space. In this case, modular kitchens become a lifesaver with innovative space organization designs. The modular kitchens provide tall units where groceries can be compartmentally organised and stored well along with an integrated smart ventilation storage facility that helps in preserving food nutrition. For e.g., Modular kitchens provide ventilated wicker baskets that are ideal for storing fresh fruits and vegetables which do not require refrigeration. This increases storage space and creates a dedicated space for veggies which are easy to reach out to, that makes cooking with modular kitchens more convenient and hassle-free.
Adoption of the Open or Island modular kitchen due to changing lifestyle:
Open or Island kitchens facilitate both socializing and cooking with the necessary space for storage and dining. It appears larger and more approachable as there are no walls in the way of a person’s view, making it appear less congested. As most of the time is spent with families while working from home, people are looking for open spaces without walls that provide them to interact with the family while doing their office work and open kitchens are the best design that fulfils their needs. Besides, these types of kitchens provide a pool of design options that suit people’s needs.
Drivers of Innovation:
Over the years, the kitchen designs have always adapted to people’s changing lifestyles with unconventional and innovative designs. With the evolving times, where the millennials juggle between household and office responsibilities, they prefer kitchen designs with integrated technology that provides them with an integrated solution to tackle one of the major household responsibilities with ease which is Cooking.
The market for smart and tech-savvy kitchens is rapidly demonstrating vertical growth in India and the spurt of this movement can be attributed to the increasing adaption to a modernized hybrid lifestyle. With the trends and changing consumer preferences, the home interiors and home improvement industry will be on the rise in India that further leading to tremendous growth potential for the modular kitchen space.