The Latest Kitchen Trends
By Kristie Leong
Photo: © Terry J Alcorn / iStockphoto
There's something comforting about spending time in the kitchen. It's a place to gather with friends and family to cook, eat, and share stories of the day. People are demanding more of their kitchens these days, as it becomes a place for a couple to relax after a hard day's work. Gourmet cooking has become somewhat of a national pastime as people discover how relaxing the art of preparing a gourmet dinner together can be. Here are some of the most important kitchen trends for 2008:
Kitchens are Getting Bigger - The kitchen is taking on new importance in the home with the size of kitchens growing larger and spreading into other areas of the home. People are demanding more counter space and space for storing their growing collection of appliances and cooking tools. Even though people may have less time to cook a nightly meal, they are still embracing cooking as a hobby and pastime. Kitchens are also becoming larger as families carry out more of their activities here. It's a cozy place for parents to help kids with their homework or just sit together and enjoy a hot cup of coffee. The kitchen table doubles as a convenient temporary desk for making lists and taking care of paperwork.
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The ideal kitchen for 2008 is open and spacious enough to accommodate the entire family.
The Green Kitchen - The green movement is extending into the kitchen. The last few years have seen a growing interest in the use of renewable woods for kitchen counters and flooring. One example is Durapalm, a wood flooring made from coconut palm trees. Another example is a hybrid eucalyptus wood called Lyptus that is being sold for kitchen countertops. This colorful wood, grown and harvested in Brazil, makes beautiful accents for drawers and cabinets. There's also a strong interest in creating countertops out of recycled materials. If you want your next kitchen to be green, you can find a variety of sources for eco-friendly kitchen materials on the Internet.
More Storage Space - With families spending more time in the kitchen, there is a strong demand for more kitchen storage space. Particularly popular are built in storage areas which take up less room and help to organize the many cooking tools housed by most kitchens. Pull out wall organizers and door-mounted storage racks are also becoming increasingly popular to keep canned goods and spices organized. In the 2008 trendy kitchen, adequate storage space is a must.
The Outdoor Kitchen - A relatively new kitchen concept is the idea of the outdoor kitchen, complete with a large grill and other kitchen appliances. As people spend more time entertaining outdoors, an outdoor kitchen provides convenience and the perfect setting for a home party. One of the most popular outdoor kitchen appliances is a stone baked pizza oven for preparing mouthwatering pizzas for a crowd quickly and easily. Outdoor kitchens also provide the advantage of not creating lingering food smells, which is a problem when food is cooked in an indoor kitchen.
As the kitchen takes on a new importance in the home, expect to see large, open, eco-friendly kitchens become popular as the 2008 kitchen trends continue to evolve. |
