Popular Kitchen Features

Kitchen design has reached a new level of integration. The quiet incorporation of the kitchen into the home's primary living and entertaining rooms provides homeowners with far more flexibility in their lifestyles. Integrated and concealed appliances allow the kitchen to enhance rather than intrude into other spaces. Clean structural lines coupled with sleek color palettes enable the space to establish a distinctive identity without overpowering the surrounding rooms.

This area usually includes an under-counter refrigerator and wine refrigeration as well as a coffee makers ranging from simple single-pot machines to larger units capable of making espresso, latte and cappuccino. This functional destination within the kitchen typically houses stemware, coffee cups, silverware, cream, sugar and tea, and it sometimes has a smaller bar area.

Rounded, organically shaped islands and countertops carve a smooth-flowing traffic pattern throughout the room, while an appropriately placed arch brings an overall softening to the more angular fixed features typical in a kitchen.

Fixtures once confined by location can be incorporated into kitchen designs in almost limitless ways. This freedom in the use of space allows designers to create design-driven room plans rather than those driven by necessity and space solutions. Appliances that are stacked and positioned within islands contribute to functionality in the kitchen by bringing together task space and the right appliances.