9 Hot Trends for Today's Kitchens

Asian Fusion With international style so popular at home, it's no wonder that the Asian influence is still going strong in the kitchen, where Asian cooking is all the rage, and in the bathroom, where there is nothing like Zen comforts to help us unwind. Look for drawer pulls reminiscent of bamboo, built-in teriyaki grills and Japanese-style sliding pantry doors in the kitchen.

Drawer Designs Move over refrigerator drawers and dishwasher drawers, and say hello to the microwave drawer. Yes, that handy appliance, popcorn button and all, now comes in a drawer. What's the big deal with drawers in the kitchen? As the kitchen has become the hub of the home, there's a move to break up the big expanses of appliances and cut the clutter.

High Tech Advances in technology continue to offer us out-of-this-world options, including an oven that can be programmed to keep your food cold until it's cooking time. You can even change the cooking directions from your office computer. Don't have enough freezer space? High tech can help you turn a fridge drawer into a freezer in no time. It can also raise the toilet seat when it sees you coming and clean the shower when you're not around.

Built-Ins Built-ins are convenient and sleek, two must-haves in today's kitchens. Think steamers and strainers, high-end coffeemakers, professional ice machines and wine coolers, knife racks, spice holders, ring holders, fondue pots, ice beds for shrimp and much, much more.

Glass Acts Glass is everywhere in today's kitchens, from recycled and Depression-era glass tiles to opaque glass on cooktops, refrigerators and cabinet doors. Glass mosaic tiles and Venetian glass light fixtures add light and drama.