Kitchen designer
Having helped people with kitchen design troubles for more than 10 years, Frankie Lam, managing director of Meister in Wan Chai, says: 'A kitchen designer is like a doctor. He has to ask the patient for his personal background and about his daily habits and lifestyle before prescribing the right medicine. And he doesn't simply prescribe expensive drugs - a good kitchen designer doesn't design a stylish kitchen regardless of the cost.'
What makes a good kitchen?
'It should be functional and attention should be paid to detail to achieve that. In choosing a cabinet, for example, take into account the size of your crockery. Some people have tall, bulky casserole dishes, but when their new cabinet arrives they realise it's too small to fit them in. Also, a couple should think about who will use the kitchen more often. If it's the husband [and if he's taller], fix the ventilator higher up or he'll bump into it every time he cooks.'
How do you make full use of space in a small Hong Kong kitchen?
'Think twice before you buy an accessory. Some items may be ingenious, but they don't fit a small kitchen. Kitchen design culture is an imported concept. Look at how big a western kitchen is! If you get yourself every cool item, you'll end up with loads of things that waste space.'