The breakfast bar of the HGTV Smart Home 2014 kitchen may unseat the island as centerpiece of the room. It's equipped with custom cabinetry to make the most efficient use of storage, a TV mounted into the cabinetry, and a built-in stainless steel coffee maker, freeing up precious counter space for the room's primary focus, cooking! And, of course, it has gadgetry like surround sound speakers to make meal prep fun, a motion-sensing faucet, and plenty of outlets for all those extra appliances and gizmos.

The light-filled great room was made for lazy lounge days with curtains that can be opened and closed with just the push of a button from the home-control system. A wall-mounted flat screen TV can be adjusted using the home's smart tablet to be seen from vantage points throughout the room and the fireplace is remote-operated too.

Whether you're sitting on the front porch, barbecuing on the patio, or enjoying a sunset on this covered porch, the outdoor spaces in the HGTV Smart Home 2014 are intelligently designed, and all monitored by exterior cameras, so you can keep an eye on things when you're ready to head indoors.

Serenity is the name of the game in the master bathroom, which pairs relaxing colors with modern amenities. Two remotes offer programmable settings in the shower, so the homeowner can run and pre-heat it before ever stepping foot on the tile floor. And I have no words for that in-shower TV.