After Orchid Design Pvt. Ltd introduced well-designed modular kitchens in Chennai, it has now launched Cookscape, which showcases a similar range in Hyderabad.

Cookscape styles itself as the ultimate kitchen store or a one-stop kitchen destination, offering a wide range of world class modular kitchens, kitchen accessories and kitchen equipment. Cookscape products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art plant using automated wood working machines. They are designed for typical Indian kitchen applications and operating environment, which is always wet-based, unlike in the western countries, where cooking consists largely of grilling and toasting.

According to Mr Antony Varghese, managing director of Cookscape, the modular kitchen systems are factory made, and come in different types and sizes, so that they can be arranged as the customer wishes at the floor level. These kitchens use only lacquered hardwood and pre-laminated ply, both of which are highly resistant to termites and borers. The hardware is imported from Italy and Germany to ensure long durability.

Cookscape kitchens are priced attractively. For a 10-foot regular kitchen, you would need to spend approximately Rs 52,000; a more traditional kitchen would cost you Rs 82,000, Mr Varghese said. You also have the option of converting your existing kitchen into a modular kitchen-this would cost you approximately 65-70 per cent of what a new modular kitchen would cost.

Cookscape offers a 10-year guarantee on its products from the date of installation. Its product portfolio includes chimneys, hoods, sinks and faucets. For kitchen counters, the company has tied up with DuPont and is looking out for long-time business partners. By 2003, Orchid plans to have 50 stores all over India and by the end of this fiscal, it plans to open three stores in Andhra Pradesh and six stores in Mumbai.

The company has so far invested Rs 20 lakh for franchisees in Hyderabad and also tied up with HDFC for financing options.