Blog Entry Date: 3rd December 2018 MondayClick Here to go back to Page 1 - Table of ContentsOne Year Retrospective 2/5 - Kitchen
My Kitchen is one of the sections that I'm MOST PROUD of in my apartment.
To see it transform from its original dull HDB look to its current form was really amazing.
Sorry abit messy yah
It may be very small compared to most other HDB kitchens, but being an avid cook myself,
I find it very well equipped enough to deal with most cooking tasks that I throw at it.
Below are just some of the dishes I've made using this small kitchen. (Shameless Plug) OMG I love my kitchen so much!! My Thoughts after 1 year:
- After extensively cooking for 1 year, I still feel that a Cooking Exhaust Hood is not necessary.
Unless you have very specific or special needs, I don't recommend installing one in my opinion.
- The integrated Dining Table not only works as a Dining Table, it is also very useful when I need to put down my groceries
to lock the Main Door when I return from the Supermarket. If you are designing for your own home, I would recommend
to install something similar near your Main Door if you do grocery shopping.
- One thing I wished I done was to somehow design my Kitchen so that my cooking area is right next to my Kitchen Sink.
Anyone who cooks will know it is very important to have the sink at an easy reach to wash while cooking.
My current design needs me to turn around instead. Its not that bad, just a mild inconvenience for me.
- Having an Induction Cooktop is a very good idea. Its safe, easy to clean, and looks very nice.
The only drawback is that I cannot cook Claypot Dishes or dishes that need open flame. Also, unless you are
cooking for alot of people and need to juggle multiple dishes at once, 2 Cooktop Rings are good enough.
- For anyone who has an interest in cooking, an Oven is a very good investment if you have the space.
You can do so many interesting dishes with it. If you do buy one though, try to plan your oven positioning so that you can open
it while standing up instead of having the Oven on the ground like how I did where I have to squat down just to take my dish. - Don't buy an Oven however if you don't see yourself using it often. One disadvantage of installing an Oven for a small kitchen
like mine is that you have to sacrifice storage space. Luckily I work around this issue by having a Kitchen Trolley which can both
act as extra storage and extra workspace. In fact, a Kitchen Trolley is so useful, I feel every Kitchen should have one!
- Some people may feel that the area I have in the Kitchen for storing my Bicycle is a waste of space that I can utilize for
more storage, but I feel otherwise. I like how it adds an additional design element to my Kitchen and give it a more
interesting look. Plus, its really convenient to just park it there whenever I come back from riding as its so near the Main Door.
Of course its up to your preference whether this suits you or not.
- Having a Top-Loading Washing Machine was very good for me. While it may use more water than a
Front-Loading one, I don't have to squat down to get my laundry. Still, this is a personal preference.
- The default HDB Laundry Rack is very functional, you don't have to spend extra money
to get any other fancy laundry racks. Indoor Drying works perfectly fine, at least for me.
- Instead of permanent shelves, look online for alternate ways and methods for storage.
You will be amazed at how many varieties there are and how much cheaper they can be.
- Don't rush off and buy shelves to install just because they look nice. Buy only what you need.
If you cook, you yourself will know where are the best placements for shelves. If you don't cook
but is just buying shelves for decoration, feel free to splurge.
- If your kitchen cabinets do not reach all the way to the ceiling, you will need to take the time
to wipe clean to prevent dust from settling. On the plus side, this area can be used for some decoration. This concludes my thoughts and views for my Kitchen after using it for 1 year.
I hope this information helps you in planning for yours. Click Here for the Next Blog Entry: One Year Retrospective 3/5 - Bathroom Click Here to go back to Page 1 - Table of Contents