The kitchen is integral to our lives. Everyone in the home makes use of this room. The name "kitchen" and the image of the housewife donning an apron and toiling away behind closed doors are history. Many attempts at naming this new multi-functional room have been made: great room, family all-room and eat-live kitchen just begin to describe the function of this central hub of our lives.

What they all sum up is the same reality: the kitchen is the axis of our lives. Entertaining friends, spending time with family, talking about the day's events and cooking up a little romance are all done in the kitchen.

Floor Plans - Make the Most Important Room the Most Beautiful
When a space takes on multiple functions, it is bound to double in size. In order to accommodate the growth more homeowners are requesting updated kitchens that open into an existing room. Many prefer that their kitchens be conjoined with the old dining room or den. Even in larger houses, where there is room for a formal dining room and a parlor separate from the living area, these separate spaces are shrinking in size to accommodate a larger, more complex kitchen.

Cabinet layout has reached a level of expressive art, opening the door to infinite choices about styles and colors. Sorting it all out can be a maze of confusion and frustration. The most simple and straightforward method of analyzing room configuration is by combining ergonomics and workflow with personal taste.

In addition to storage space, multiple work areas are also prominent in the kitchen. The whole family kitchen requires separate stations for prep and cleaning sinks, more than one dishwasher, variable countertop heights and a desk area for computer space to create a true multi-function design.

Innovative Appliances
Eating and cooking islands have become a focal point in today’s kitchens. Homeowners want appliances to disappear or be fully integrated into the cabinets. Appliance manufacturers have answered their calls.

Under-the-counter refrigerated drawers, such as Ariston’s cooling drawer, have made away with the bulky full-size refrigerators that used to define a kitchen. The “French Door" refrigerator, with double doors on top and a bottom freezer, has also revolutionized placement by offering easy access in narrow spots and accommodating large platters. Top of the line refrigerators such as Sub Zero offer fully integrated panels and shallow counter depth styles for a clean flush line.

Fisher-Paykel’s drawer dishwashers disguise themselves as simply that, drawers. Induction heating cooktops are the perfect way to place the stovetop in an area with traffic and small hands without a fear of burns.

Planning a retro kitchen, but want modern convenience? Almira Stove Works offers a beautiful line of refrigerators that would make any San Francisco Painted Lady blush. Look to AGA for retro stoves. Appliances with high-tech qualities are now available in styles from Victorian to ’50s retro.

With more fluid borders between the kitchen and other parts of the house, you'll see appliances in the bedroom, computers in the kitchen and a wide range of other mix-and-match appliances. Enjoy freshly brewed coffee right in your master suite with Miele’s in-the-wall Capsule coffeemaker. It can be installed in a bookcase and doesn’t need a direct water source. Add a room refrigerator (fairly common these days) to house cream for your coffee, chilled water or a nice bottle of wine.

Cabinetry & Countertops - Anything Goes
Luscious tones and exotic woods are prevalent in cabinetry. Stains go in two directions: the chocolate- and espresso-stained oak and the lighter, natural tones. The classic white painted wood is also still in style, taking us back to kitchens of yesteryear.

Bamboo panels and veneers, such as Teragreen, are becoming an interesting choice. Color is also gaining as part of the kitchen environment. Brightly lacquered finishes are especially suited for modern loft living where the kitchen sparkles as a jewel on a background of subtle whites.

Lines are clean and simple. Two major trends can be found: the full overlay, non-faceted cabinet door in a beautiful grain pattern and the fully inset shaker- style door. Both carry a sense of serene simplicity with no fuss. The simple shaker paneling can fit into any historic décor simply by choosing the right material and stains. In a fumed oak with corner pegs, shaker paneling will fit right into an Arts and Crafts bungalow. In a white paint and glass mullioned wall cabinet, shaker paneling fits a turn of the century butler’s pantry. With a China red lacquer, loft living is spelled out.

For the countertops the trend is definitely moving away from laminates. Creative surface and textures like Terrazzo (Verazzo’s 80% recycled tops) concrete, and even oiled cherry or teak tops are gaining in popularity. Where laminates are used, it is an aesthetic choice of sassy patterns and maybe a retro-’70s look.

Fluid Flooring Options for Open Floor Plans
Thanks to modern polyurethane finishes, such as that from Traffic, floors need no longer be tiled. Woods, from Brazilian walnut (Ipe), oak (Amendoim) or cherry (Jatoba), renewable (green) Bamboo, and renewable rainforest harvested woods like Palm and Merbau, and more, create a smooth transition between the kitchen and living areas. Mixing woods of different hues gives depth and personality to every room. For innovative and renewable flooring materials contact www.spectrumdesignsystems.com.

As the kitchen conforms more to our daily lives, you'll see new trends and innovative features that incorporate family life with function. When you design your kitchen this year, take time to plan and research. You'll find creative ideas that will give you more freedom whether you're helping with homework, cooking a simple weeknight meal, entertaining or just hanging out.