Trends that have staying power 

Open kitchens seem to be in that category.

“Due to the lifestyle of a family today, I think open floor plans are certainly here to stay. Generalizing a bit, new footprints of homes are getting a bit smaller, so we need to use space in a multipurpose sense. The kitchen is a room where most gravitate towards naturally, so it makes sense for the open plan.”

Open kitchen plans....

 We’ll see more walk-in pantries, butler’s pantries and small, secondary kitchens being incorporated into homes. “This will solve a lot of storage and clutter concerns.”

Tips for designing a new kitchen.

1. Start with the right flooring.

“Pick the floor first, because it will affect the height of appliances, and you will want to make sure the new floor runs under all the appliances, such as the dishwasher, range, etc.”

Choose items in this order: appliances, cabinets, countertops.

2. Layout should focus on function.

“The key to space planning is good function and keeping things in relation to one another,” Is the fridge going to open into a major walkway? Can you reach the dishwasher from the sink?

3. Frozen with indecision? Get a designer.