Today’s kitchens are receiving more attention than in days past. The kitchen is now usually considered as the “heart” of the home, and not just some cubicle for meal preparation alone.

A kitchen with new design

Today’s kitchens are receiving more attention than in days past. The kitchen is now usually considered as the “heart” of the home, and not just some cubicle for meal preparation alone. More and more homeowners are remodeling their kitchens, and according to realtors, it’s one of the best remodeling investments you can make. A kitchen with a new design can add value and enjoyment to your home.

To get some ideas about the latest kitchen trends for 2010, read below:-

• Layout

  Most modern kitchens are open and airy. They tend to flow naturally into other rooms, especially into a family room. There’s often no hard break between where one room ends and the other begins. Walls have been replaced with islands and counter-level cabinet units or bars, providing a smooth transition from kitchen to family room.

• Cabinetry

  When it comes to kitchen cabinets, the latest trend seems to be one extreme or the other. Either the kitchen is fully integrated or totally eclectic. With an integrated kitchen, all the cabinets and all the appliances match to create a seamless flow. Wooden panels that match the cabinetry cover the door fronts of appliances so that they don’t “stick out.” With the eclectic kitchen, various cabinets and sections of cabinets might not match at all. Antique and distressed furniture often play the part of cabinets and might be placed right next to a set of more traditional kitchen cabinets. Odd and unusual pieces are often seen, along with unique and funky art work. White cabinets are still somewhat popular, but they’re giving way to exotic woods and painted finishes like bright red, saffron, burnt orange, copper, clay, apricot, and sage. Cabinets are also adding more display space. This is a great spot to display collections and vintage kitchen gadgets.

• Counter tops

  Stone and marble countertops are usually found in the most expensive homes. These are beautiful and last forever! If you can’t afford these, however, you can get a similar look with high quality laminates.

  Butcher block counter tops of natural woods are also making a comeback. Sure, they get dings and scratches, but this only ads to their character and appeal.

• Appliances

  The latest appliances are sleek, energy efficient, and very user friendly. Tradition refrigerators, for example, are now being replaced with under counter models and refrigerated drawers. New appliances like wine coolers and beverage coolers are also part of the latest trends. Under-the-counter warming drawers are gaining in popularity, too, especially in gourmet kitchens.

• Kitchen sinks

  Many state-of-the art kitchens now have more that one sink. There might be a large traditional sink in a standard location, in addition to a small sink as part of a separate prep area.

  One popular type of kitchen sink is the farmhouse sink. This is a large sink with an apron front. This type of sink is often constructed of copper, which is naturally impervious to bacteria.

• Floors

  Kitchen floors are now getting the same attention as floors in the rest of the home. Gone are the days of ugly vinyl flooring. Floors of hardwood, natural stone, and glass tiles are being seen in more and more kitchens. Some of the floors are very decorative and elaborate, with inlaid mosaic designs and medallions.

  If you're planning on selling your home, you might want to stick with neutral tone floors in your kitchen's new design.

• Walls

  Kitchens don’t generally have a lot of bare wall space because they’re covered by cabinets and appliances. Many homeowners are using this small amount of wall space to add splashes of bright colors to their kitchen's new design, especially if the cabinets have a stained or white finish.

  Some of the most popular color choices for small wall space are mint green, coral, ginger, gold, orange, kiwi, yellow, purple, bright blue, and chili pepper red. Sometimes two colors are used in juxtaposition, like purple and bright yellow, to make the colors “pop.”

  Of course, the good thing about paint is that it can be easily changed, so don't be afraid to experiment with a kitchen new design shade!

• Kitchen and bath showrooms

  To get lots of ideas, you can visit kitchen and bath showrooms at local home improvement centers. Better yet, you can view kitchen and bath showrooms online without having to leave home!