Kitchen trends have evolved over the years. A kitchen specialist shares with us his experience

A recent poll by iProperty.com.my revealed that among all the rooms in their homes, Malaysians spend the most on their kitchens. Most of the expenses come from installing custom-made kitchen cabinets, fittings and fixtures, as well as appliances.

One kitchen cabinet specialist who has gone through the ups and downs of the industry is David Hong of ArtSet Design Sdn Bhd. Established since 1994, the company has witnessed the evolution of kitchens in Malaysia from the traditional kitchen to the modern lifestyle product. “Kitchens used to be a need, for example, a stove, but have now evolved into luxury lifestyle products.”

Aesthetics & Sustainable

He added that with more emphasis on aesthetics and sustainable products, the kitchen has undergone a transformation over the years.

“People are willing to spend more now just to personalize the kitchen, to ensure every detail is to their taste”. He recalled how he once had a client who paid RM150,000 to them just for doing the designing, assembling and installing, while the client himself supplied all the raw materials including the wood.

People now have a peference for more energy efficent and environmentally friendly kitchen that produces less carbon footprint. The more ‘green’ the kitchen is the higher the cost is.

An average kitchen set from his shop comprising of kitchen cabinets, countertop and fittings excluding appliances would cost about RM50,000. However, the price could come down to about RM20,000 if less pricey materials are used, the entrepreneur elaborated.

Wood Countertops

Currently, the trend is for green and sustainable countertops. Wood countertops would be the natural choice. “This trend only started this year but response has been very good so far. The price difference is only 20% with a comparable countertop made from other materials.”

Hong gets his raw materials from a local supplier, Jomeco Wood, while the accessories and fittings are imported. The wood is usually imported from various countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar. His other supplier is Egger, an Austrian company that supplies wood that has less carbon footprints and less formaldehyde emission.

When one is talking about wood countertops, naturally the question that arises is whether the wood would absorb liquids that spill on its surface. “Not if the top 5mm is laced with oil. Water then can’t penetrate into the wood,” Hong explains.

Wood countertops are easy to maintain and last a long time, usually more than 10 years. To make it even more environmentally friendly, LED lighting is fitted as it uses less electricity and is therefore more energy-efficient.

Hong reckons that the kitchens of the future will have in-built multimedia functions such as television, stereo and internet to suit today’s generation who prefer convenience and multi-tasking functions.

Wood Countertops: Luxurious & Lasting

When properly sealed and maintained, wood tops are beautiful and lasting, and require minimal care depending on the finish. Wood countertops are considered luxury-class items. They are quite new in the market and their price is dependent on the wood used.

Here are the pros and cons of choosing them as countertops.

Pros

When choosing species, inform your designer what you will be using them for eg. bar tops or cutting tops? Will there be a sink mounted underneath or on top? As some species perform better than others in different applications, you would need to make this clear from the start.

Cons

For butcher block (cutting) tops, mineral oil is recommended. However, mineral oil finishes need to be re-applied every month in order to maintain its effectiveness. Other alternative oils include Waterlox, a tung-oil based permanent finish ideal for countertops that are near stoves and sinks. It is waterproof, heat and stain resistant and will not chip, peel, crack or wrinkle. But you can’t chop with this finish.

For tops used as cutting surfaces, a tung oil/citrus finish might be better. Citrus solvent, which is 98% orange peel oil and 2% water, is added to tung oil to speed up the drying process and allow the oil to penetrate deeper into the wood. This process makes the surface resistant to water and chemical damage. Best of all, it only needs to be renewed every six months to a year, as opposed to a mineral oil finish which requires monthly maintenance.  

For further information, please contact David at (016) 206 0198, Artset Design Sdn Bhd 13-2, Jalan PJU 5/18, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya