Beautiful Kitchen Photos, Designs, Decorating and Home …

The kitchen is the place we prepare, cook and share food with our families, friends and neighbors. We tend to think of our kitchens as the heart of the home it's the space where everyone gathers, to work or to socialize. Kitchens are where budding chefs hone their skills, where kids do their homework, or where we host and entertain. It's often the room we love to decorate and design, upgrade and improve. Considering that we often treat our kitchens like trophy rooms, it's amazing to think that kitchens used to be the least desirable room in the home. Read more History of the kitchen

In communal societies of ages past, cooking was done over an open fire within a one-room home; all manner of life revolved around the cooking area. The advent of the chimney, as well as the idea of privacy, altered these one-room structures into multi-roomed homes. Kitchens were necessary but not pleasant: they were noisy, dirty, smelly and prone to catching fire. For these reasons, kitchens were moved as far away as possible from the social or private rooms in a home.

Throughout history, technological advancements and trends greatly influenced kitchen design as well as food preparation. Servants in the kitchen were necessary not only to cook but also to take care of the rising amounts of cutlery, dishware, gadgets and appliances. The turn of the 20th century saw a developing interest in time-motion studies and optimization in the workplace. Post World War II homes had new kitchens and new technology but no servants; designing kitchens for optimal use became hugely influential. The refrigerator, sink and cooktop were ideally placed within the "golden triangle" an influential design standard that we still see today.

In the last several decades, continued societal changes and technology have impacted the design of the kitchen. Men and women are in the kitchen, reviving complicated recipes and entertaining with sophisticated equipment. The kitchen has become, once again, the center of social activity.

Today's kitchen is as much about entertainment as it is about preparing food. We no longer consider the kitchen to be the center for domestic drudgery. Today's trophy kitchen has the latest timesaving appliances that are energy efficient, fitted, and designed to match the homeowner's personal style and taste. Homeowner's today often welcome guests immediately into their kitchen. The kitchen is becoming, in some instances, the living room of the home.

Regardless of the specific style, there are essential items found in nearly every kitchen: a sink, cooktop (or stovetop), oven, and food storage (refrigerator and pantry). Other items found in the kitchen are work surfaces, a home office, dishwasher, small appliances (like microwave, toaster, coffee maker), gadgets and tools, dishware, cutlery, garbage receptacles, ventilation, task lighting, and specialty items like a warming tray, wine cooler or television. Kitchen cabinetry is offered in a huge range of styles and organization, making kitchens effective, but beautiful, work spaces.

The most important rules for the kitchen are incorporating durable materials and efficient work zones. Kitchens are subjected to a daily barrage of water, steam, heat, spills, stains and traffic. Incorporating materials that can withstand your lifestyle as well as the temperature extremes of food preparation will be important for the longevity of your kitchen materials.

Establishing zones within the kitchen will help optimize movement and make for a highly functional space. Some zones are obvious, like placing the dishwasher next to the sink. Professional designers usually work with a client to find out how they like to work in the kitchen. For example, cooks that use the stovetop often should have all of their equipment (including cookware, utensils and seasonings) as close as possible. Families might want kid-friendly zones that encourage kids to prepare their own meals.

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Beautiful Kitchen Photos, Designs, Decorating and Home ...