Vastu Shastra Chapter 30 — Kitchens & Pantries: Heat That Behaves

Why the kitchen matters (beyond cabinets and tiles)

The kitchen is the home’s engine room—heat, water, smells, noise, and people moving at speed with knives. When it works, meals emerge on time, air stays clear, and cleanup doesn’t feel like a second shift. In Vastu, the kitchen sits where Fire can be powerful yet polite—anchored by South-East or East, with Water (sinks) kept respectfully apart in the room’s North/East side and storage weight grounded to the South/West. Building-science adds the rest: real exhaust, honest clearances, slip-resistant floors, and electrics that don’t play roulette. Get both right and the kitchen stops shouting and starts serving.

Where should the kitchen go? (Quadrants & intent)

South-East (SE) — ideal: Traditional “Agni” corner. Place the hob/cooktop here or on an adjacent East/South wall. The cook preferably faces East (or North) while cooking.
East — excellent: Morning light, fast mornings. Keep heavy storage to South/West walls within the room; keep the North/East visually light.
South / West — workable: Use shading and strong exhaust; store weight along these walls; keep sink away from hob line of sight.
North-West (NW): Good for service kitchens/utility, pantry and laundry. If primary kitchen lands here, ensure robust ventilation; keep Fire/Water separation clear.
Avoid: The exact North-East (NE) and the home’s center for the main kitchen if planning allows. If inherited, see remedies.

Zoning: cook, prep, wash, store, serve

Cook zone: Hob, oven, chimney above, spice/oil pull-outs, utensil rails. Keep heat and flame contained, with non-combustibles above.
Prep zone: The largest clear counter between sink and hob. Knives, boards, mixing bowls, and frequently used dry goods live nearby.
Wash zone: Sink, dishwasher, drying rack. Path from dining drops dishes here first; splash doesn’t cross the main prep area.
Cold store: Fridge/freezer with landing counter beside (for loading/unloading). Keep out of flame zone; give the door full swing.
Pantry store: Tall unit or walk-in for bulk grains/pulses/snacks with FIFO (first-in-first-out) discipline.
Serve/park: A short counter near the dining pass—plates stage here, not in the traffic lane.

Layouts that work: single, L, parallel, U, island

Single-wall: For tight apartments. Order left→right (or right→left) as fridge → prep → sink → prep → hob. Keep at least 900–1200 mm clear aisle.
L-shape: Efficient for corners; put sink on one leg, hob on the other, with prep between. Avoid placing either right in the corner; keep 300–450 mm set-offs.
Parallel (galley): Best performance in small footprints. One side: hob/oven; opposite: sink/dishwasher. Aisle 1000–1200 mm (single cook) or 1200–1500 mm (two cooks).
U-shape: Lots of counter but watch the internal corner clutter. Maintain at least 1000–1200 mm inner aisle.
Island: Needs width. Keep 1050–1200 mm clearance around. If putting a hob on the island, plan down-draft or a strong ceiling hood and fire-safe overheads.

Heights, clearances & ergonomic dimensions

Counter height: 860–910 mm (adjust to primary user’s elbow height − 100–150 mm). Prep comfort beats catalog averages.
Counter depth: 600–650 mm standard; 700+ mm for large appliances or deeper storage.
Backsplash: 450–600 mm from counter to underside of wall cabinets; over hob keep flame clearance per hood spec (usually 650–750 mm).
Toe-kick: 90–110 mm high, 60–80 mm deep—saves your back at the counter.
Wall cabinets: Bottom at ~1350–1500 mm AFF (above finished floor); don’t let them head-butt tall users.
Dishwasher: Beside sink; leave 600–700 mm clear to stand and load; consider raised DW (100–150 mm plinth) for backs.
Fridge: 50–100 mm rear/top ventilation; a landing counter within arm’s reach.
Microwave/OTG: 1100–1200 mm center height for safe reach; not above hob (grease + heat).
Walk aisle: See above by layout; never below 900 mm.

Ventilation, chimneys & heat control

Chimney size: For Indian cooking, aim for 800–1200 m³/h suction (≈ 450–700 cfm) with baffle filters. Duct outside; recirculating only as last resort.
Ducting: Short, straight, and smooth. Fewer bends = better extraction. Terminate with an external louver; prevent backdraft with a flap.
Exhaust fan: If no hood, mount an exhaust high on the opposite wall from inlet air to pull across the hob. Provide make-up air (window/vent) or the fan chokes.
Heat sources: Keep hob away from refrigerator gaskets and tall pantry edges. Minimum 300 mm from side walls.
Ceiling fans & AC: Avoid blowing across flame. If you must, keep airflow gentle and off-axis.

Electrical planning: outlets, circuits & lighting

Dedicated circuits: Hob/oven (16A/20A as per spec), microwave (16A), fridge (10/16A), dishwasher (16A), chimney (6/10A), RO (6/10A), small appliances on separate 16A/20A ring with MCB+RCD.
Outlet placement: Two–three counter outlets every 1.2–1.5 m, placed 200–300 mm above counter. Keep outlets away from the hob splash zone and not directly over the sink.
Switching: Hood, task lights, and under-cabinet strips on independent switches. A master kill near the exit is convenient.
Lighting: Ambient + under-cabinet task over prep. Targets: prep surfaces ~500–750 lux, ambient 200–300 lux, color temp 3500–4000K by day, 2700–3000K at night. CRI > 90 helps food look real.

Plumbing, sinks & drains

Sink: Single large bowl (500–600 mm) or 1.5 bowl near window if possible. Keep hot-left / cold-right convention on taps.
Drainage: Floor slope ~1:100 to a covered drain. Add a trap with a ≥ 50 mm water seal; run water weekly in rarely used drains.
RO & filters: Provide an outlet and drain connection; leave service access. Don’t cram it into a dead corner.
LPG cylinder: Preferably in a ventilated cabinet or utility with copper line to hob; never fully sealed. Keep a shutoff valve accessible.

Storage logic: what goes where (and why)

Frequency bands: Daily at waist–shoulder; occasional at high/low; bulk in the pantry, not prime real estate.
Drawers beat doors: Full-extension drawers for pots/kadhai; separators for lids and thalis; no more floor-crawling.
Pull-outs: 150/200 mm spice and oil pull-outs flanking the hob; towel pull-out near sink; sheet/tray vertical pull-out near oven.
Corner units: Use L-corner LeMans/carousels only if you must; often a blind cabinet with one deep drawer performs better.
Over-sink drying: Drip-dry rack or cabinet over sink keeps counters clear; drain into sink.
Knife & board: Magnetic strip away from splash; color-coded boards (veg, meat, bread) reduce cross-contamination.
Containers: Transparent, labeled, stackable; FIFO practice; decant grains/pulses into air-tight bins.

Materials & finishes that behave

Countertops: Granite, quartz, or sintered stone (porcelain). Heat trivets always; avoid soft marble on heavy-cooklines.
Backsplash: Glazed tile, quartz upstand, or porcelain slab; minimal grout. Behind hob, prefer larger slabs or easy-clean tiles.
Cabinet carcass: BWR/BWP plywood; edge-banded; interiors in light color for visibility. Avoid raw particleboard near water.
Shutters/finishes: High-pressure laminate, acrylic, or PU paint; handles you can grip with wet hands. Handleless systems need robust channels and discipline.
Hardware: Soft-close hinges, full-extension runners (35–45 kg rating). Don’t economize here; it’s the difference between glide and grind.
Flooring: Matte, slip-resistant tile/stone; no mirror-gloss. Skirting upturn 50–75 mm for easy mop.

Hygiene, waste & pests

Waste: Segregated pull-out (wet/dry/recyclables) near prep yet away from hob. Line bins; wash weekly.
Cleaning rhythm: Daily wipe-down, weekly hood-filter wash, monthly deep clean of drawer runners/hinges.
Pest control: Seal pipe penetrations; silicon the counter–backsplash joint; store food sealed; wipe at night; keep a boric/gel bait plan if needed.
Cross-contamination: Separate boards/knives; sanitize sink after raw meats; use a drying rack—damp cloth piles breed drama.

Fire safety & LPG/induction etiquette

Extinguisher: Keep an ABC extinguisher or fire blanket near the exit—not right beside the hob. Everyone should know how to use it.
Oil fires: Never water. Smother with lid or blanket; kill flame at source; turn off gas/electric.
LPG basics: Nose knows—if you smell gas, ventilate, shut valve, no switches, no flames. Annual hose/regulator checks.
Induction: Safer and cooler room temps; ensure dedicated circuit; use flat-bottom ferrous cookware.
Children & elders: Pan handles inward; hob guards if toddlers; non-slip mats with beveled edges.

Pantries: tall, walk-in & micro

Tall pantry unit: 450–600 mm deep with roll-out trays; label by category (grains, pulses, oils, snacks, baking).
Walk-in: NW/West is fine. Keep a cool, dark, dry microclimate; ventilate lightly; avoid heat sources.
Micro pantry: For small homes, a 900–1200 mm wide cabinet with mixed shelf heights (150–450 mm) + door organizers punches above weight.
FIFO discipline: Old to front, new to back; dates on jars; quarterly purge.

Apartments & tiny kitchens: smart fixes

Parallel wins: If the shell allows, choose a galley over L in tight plans—more linear storage and clear workflow.
Vertical storage: Ceiling-height cabinets with a step stool stored nearby; reserve the top for seasonal items.
Pull-out surfaces: Slide-out chopping board or fold-down counter near the fridge for extra landing.
Slim appliances: 450 mm dishwasher, 300 mm spice pull-out, compact microwave in a cabinet—not on precious counter.
Open-kitchen etiquette: Strong hood, closeable pocket door/screen if possible, and a “sizzle window” (openable slot) to purge quickly.

Tricky placements & calm remedies

Kitchen in North-East

Issue: NE prefers clarity/lightness; heavy Fire feels loud.
Mitigate: Keep NE of the room visually light; place hob on an East/South wall; keep sink toward North/East; flood with daylight and maintain immaculate hygiene.

Kitchen at center

Issue: Brahmasthana dislikes heavy services.
Mitigate: Use an island prep only; push hob and sink to edges; ventilate aggressively; keep volumes visually light.

Open kitchen smoking the house

Fix: Upgrade to baffle hood 1000+ m³/h, seal duct leaks, add make-up air, and create a pocket/sliding screen to close during heavy frying.

Sink beside hob

Fix: Insert a 300–450 mm buffer counter; add a low splash guard; relocate outlet away from water.

Short story: the kitchen that stopped fighting dinner

Meera’s L-kitchen had a hero hob in the corner, a tired recirculating hood, and a fridge that opened into the only prep space. Spills were frequent; tempers too. We slid the hob to the SE leg with 450 mm set-offs, moved the fridge to the West wall with a landing counter, and carved a prep runway between sink and hob. A baffle hood ducted straight out replaced the perfume machine; under-cabinet lights made onions look like onions again. Drawers ate the pots; a pull-out took oils; the blind corner stopped hoarding lost lids. Dinner stopped being a duel. The room began to cook.

24-point kitchen & pantry audit

1) Kitchen sits SE/E (or mitigated if NW/NE/center).
2) Cooktop on East/South wall; cook faces East/North.
3) Clear workflow: fridge → prep → sink → prep → hob → serve.
4) Aisles sized: 1000–1200 mm (single); 1200–1500 mm (two).
5) Counter height 860–910 mm; toe-kick 90–110 mm.
6) Hood 800–1200 m³/h ducted out; make-up air provided.
7) Outlets placed safely; dedicated circuits with RCD/MCB.
8) Lighting layers: 500–750 lux at prep; 200–300 lux ambient.
9) Sink near window if possible; hot-left/cold-right; drain with trap.
10) Dishwasher beside sink; door swing clear.
11) LPG cylinder ventilated; shutoff valve accessible.
12) Fire blanket/ABC extinguisher near exit, not by hob.
13) Drawers for pots; spice/oil pull-outs; no floor-crawling.
14) Corner logic sane (no black-hole cabinets).
15) Over-sink drying or drip rack; counters stay clear.
16) Materials wipe-clean; floors matte slip-resistant.
17) Waste segregated; pests pre-empted; penetrations sealed.
18) Fridge has landing counter and ventilation gap.
19) Microwave/OTG at safe reach; not above hob.
20) Backsplash continuous; counter–wall joint sealed.
21) Top cabinets within reach; step stool stored safely.
22) Pantry labeled; FIFO in effect; quarterly purge.
23) Open kitchen has a screen/door option or exceptional exhaust.
24) The room smells like fresh food, not last week’s fry.

FAQs

Triangle or zones? For small kitchens, the classic work triangle helps. In busy homes, work zones (prep, cook, wash, store) with enough counter between sink and hob are more reliable.

Is a chimney necessary if I have an exhaust fan? If you fry/temper often, a baffle chimney ducted out performs far better. Use both in heavy-cook scenarios: hood for grease, fan for steam and general purge.

Gas or induction? Induction is cleaner and cooler, with precise control; gas is versatile and familiar. Either way, prioritize ventilation and safe clearances.

Are open shelves practical? A few near the prep zone are fine; most storage should be closed to dodge dust/grease films.

Granite vs. quartz? Granite is tough and heat-tolerant; quartz has consistent look and easy maintenance but needs trivets for very hot pots.

Where should the sink go per Vastu? Toward North or East wall of the room, with the hob to the South/East; keep a buffer counter between them.