Following are the photos of my Mumbai apartment (10th floor) kitchen. Water heater and water purifier were alrady (haphazardly) installed by my contractor before I came to occupy the apartment. We now have to install cabinets above the counter. Before they are installed, I want to get the PNG gas pipes installed to replace the existing cylinders. When I saw other homes it appears I not only need pipes but some ghastly looking meters/ valves etc. These connections installed outside the existing cabinets, looked very unsightly. I am hoping to have the kitchen to look as clean as it is practically possible. I also want to clean up the wall with the heater and water purifier, if it is practical.

Can you please help me with the following?

1) The gas pipes will come from the wall next to the balcony doors. The sink is just next to this wall. Will it be possible to install the pipes and meters below the cooking counter or is that not practical? - - Don't know what are all the practical considerations. Safety, access to meter to take readings, location of the sink? ).

2) If under the counter installation is not practical, where should the pipes and other boxes/meters go?

3) Is there any practical solution to clean up the wall with water purifier and heater? (please note the kitchen has a 6" thick beam on the top of the wall above the counter, also 6" think pillars one in the corner and the other large one near the microwave as shown. Additionally it has a protrusion on the ceiling, probably this houses the drain for the apartment above me.

I really appreciate all your practical ideas, given the constraints mentioned above. Will you please, if possible, share any pictures showing how pipes etc are concealed to give a clean look?

Thanks.

AR

Kitchen - Cooking counter side (photo from kitchen entrance). Cabinets go on white tiles . The hood (with duct) in the middle, above the stove.

Kitchen - Cooking counter side (photo take from balcony door)

Under the counter - next the the sink on the right are gas cylinders (not in pic) that get removed. There is already provision for the pipe coming from the cylinder into the stove.

Other side of the kitchen (to show available additional wall space)