What differentiates Collins Kitchens from its competitors?
Competition is a relative term. The furniture industry is so nascent in India that we still have to explain - on some sites - why we can achieve what an on-site kitchen or wardrobe cannot. And then sometimes we are fighting the biggest brands from Europe to win an order. The bottom line is that we make a highly engineered product, which matches European specs and is very well tested. Additionally, we design it with a great deal of detailing and offer a variety of functionalities that are comparable to the who’s who in the world.
With lifestyles becoming busier, how is Collins aligning its products to provide smart applications and quick solutions in the kitchen?
I think a lot is happening in this space. We have a lot of appliances which have become much more secure to avoid accidents. And you can also operate most of your cabinets with a light touch, if you so desire!
We work in the attainable luxury segment; our kitchens start at about 10 lakhs and go up to about 30 lakhs - but this is subjective to the size and the configuration of the space
Siddhant Agrawal Director Sales & Marketing
After the lockdown, many people have become so invested with the appliances and gadgets within the kitchen, that they sometimes cost as much as the kitchen itself! Chimney, hob, microwave, oven, refrigerator, wine cellar, cigar warmer, coffee machine, dishwasher, toaster, kettle - there is a world in there.
We design for pretty much anything you can imagine – from a dedicated space to put away your cleaning equipment to a space for storing seasonal grains. We have recently added a drawer accessory for keeping spices.
What challenges does Collins have to deal with while customising its kitchens for clients?
The biggest challenge is time! We can serve the world to the client if they offer us the luxury of time. Whenever we customise anything, we like to sample it and test it before we produce. Should there be something unique that needs to be achieved, then we need to be involved at an early stage with the project. In that case, wonders can be done.
As regards maintenance of the kitchen, I think it’s mostly about training the staff on how things need to be used. The first warning that we get from the clients who are discussing kitchens is that their help at home mostly uses the kitchen. So, let’s first train them.
How are European trends impacting Indian tastes for kitchen designs, fittings and materials?
European trends have forever been impacting the kitchen industry across the world. It is the traditional place where most designs are thought of and the finishes and hardware are then invented to achieve the desired design. So, Europe has been helping Indian consumers get more aspirational in terms of design and get more from your cabinets in terms of functionality with the right hardware. However, Indian design firms have been increasingly finding their own voice with respect to design lately.
