Hot Trend: "The Great Kitchen"

Successor to "The Great Room"

First there was the "Great Room" (although in practice, it felt more like the "Great First Floor" -- no interior walls anywhere).

Now, privacy-starved families are pushing the pendulum back towards what I'll call the "Great Kitchen" -- a fusion of the Kitchen and Family Room.

The Great Kitchen

In the usual setup, there is a sitting area around a large(!) flat panel TV, a second focal point like a fireplace, and a wall of windows framing a nice backyard.

At the other end of the room is a showcase Kitchen, complete with center island, deluxe appliances, and lots of counter and cabinet space.

Interestingly, the rest of the first floor is (still) laid out more formally.

It's as though the home now has two, distinct areas: the informal "living quarters" in back of the home, and the still-formal "public/entertaining area" in front.