Western kitchens are usually open kitchens and form a part of living space. They consist of all the modern machinery as cooking range, food processor, dishwasher, etc. It also have space for dining. Refrigerator and exhaust fan are also part of the kitchen. The kitchenware and cutlery range in a western kitchen is wide, ranging from plastic to crystal and steel to thermo ware. As dining space is part of the kitchen, a wash basin is also usually found in the kitchen. Now a days, concept of the kitchen is changing and a designer kitchen are becoming routine. These designer kitchens utilize the space to maximum and are designed as per user's needs.
Indian kitchen is located in the south-east region of the plot. This is because the south-east region is considered to be the agni zone or the fire zone of the house according to the vastu. Besides a holy place or the puja place is located in the kitchen. As per the general layout of the traditional kitchen, all the job is done sitting on the floor. In a traditional Indian kitchen one can find a stove, a lot number of raw spices, big cooking utensils and stone pestle and mortar. But the scenario of an Indian kitchen has also changed a lot now. To a large extent the Indian kitchen is now on the steps of western kitchen. One can find all the modern equipments and machinery in an Indian kitchen. But still the cooking style and the general rules remain the same.
Vastu science lays stress on convenience, comforts, safety. Safety and comfort become all the more important when it comes to kitchen as it is here where the maximum time is spend, specially of the house wife. Also, kitchen is a place prone to accidents through fire or electric shocks. Keeping this in mind vastu gives a suitable and scientific placement of equipments in a kitchen. For kitchen the most ideal place is southeast corner zone which is governed by Agni -The God for fire and heat. You know that without fire and heat nothing can be cooked, baked or toasted. The other alternative is to place kitchen at Northwest corner. This is only a secondary choice. Kitchen should not be placed in North-east, mid-north, mid-west, south-west mid-south or the center. Similarly it should not be placed below or above bed, pooja or toilet.
Some tips must be kept in mind while arranging the kitchen to make it suitable, both technically as well as according to vastu.
