You have started a very interesting discussion on kitchen design. I’m a cabinetmaker who really does not want to make kitchens for a living, because the most of what is done in the US is just boxes with a “choice of doors and drawer fronts,” the most of which are made in a factory somewhere. Boring. I want to do something else if I can, but what?

European design just absolutely blows my mind, and I find myself reading quite a bit on it, even though these are often modular kitchens that one would simply send away for and have installed by a local craftsman. But what fascinates me is the utter innovation of those designs, so I find myself returning to them quite a bit.

I am also looking to design a kitchen for my wife in a too small space in a tract home, which necessarily lets out those wonderful European designs that excite me so. And whenever I find myself going out on a limb with some idea or another for our kitchen, my wife always grounds me by saying, “If you stick with the classics, you won’t grow tired of them.”

So, what do you do that is different and yet timeless and practical and stimulating to make if you’re a cabinetmaker? Damned if I know, but if I ever figure it out, I mean to make it for us and splash that baby all over the Internet!

What you’ve written, though, has given me quite a bit to think about, and I thank you for sharing your concepts.

You'll find great cabinetry used throughout this design.

Today, homes are being designed with open floor plans rather than small individual rooms. You’ll find that cabinetry design is embracing this new trend to create large open living areas by creating cabinetry that has the look of furniture. With more space to be creative, cabinets don’t have to be pushed to the room’s perimeter but can become part of furniture groupings that are a key component to the overall design, functionality and décor of the living space.

This week’s issue of Home Ideas is all about cabinetry – “Cabinets Key Ingredient In Kitchen Design,” “Options For Kitchen Cabinetry” and “Consumers Crave Functionality.” Get inspired our collection of Fabulous Kitchen Floor Plans, which include everything from small beach cottages to sprawling one-story house plans featuring a professional kitchen design.

Open Floor Plan

A good way to ensure proper kitchen design is to use your present kitchen as a starting point. Do you like where your ovens are located? Is the refrigerator in a user-friendly location that doesn’t cause traffic while you are trying to cook? Would another sink or oven be helpful with food preparation? Is there ample space near a pantry to set down groceries? Where do you plan to prepare vegetables and meats? Is the rubbish drawer conveniently located to discard vegetable and fruit peelings? Is the dishwasher placed for efficient loading and unloading? Does your countertop space adequately allow for appliances and cooking utensils?

Appliances should blend in with other design elements in your kitchen. You can achieve this by having them built into the cabinets or paneled to look like them. Or if you prefer, you can make a statement with a stand-alone, like those made with a decorative vent hood and carved wood ornamentation or a stainless steel refrigerator. Keep in mind where you place your appliances will affect the other design elements in your kitchen. For example, a range or a separate cooktop and oven could change your countertop and cabinet space plans. Remember, the time to make changes is before the plumbing and electrical work is started.

Check out our collection of fabulous kitchens featuring creative floor plans for your dream home kitchen. Many of our house plans feature great kitchen photographs.

If you’re craving an eco-friendly kitchen, you’ll want to start with a house plan that has a great kitchen design and then choose products that are energy efficient and made from recycled materials for your appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring and lighting. Today’s modern kitchen remains the hearth of your home but with many extra additions – professional cooking and prepping areas, living room, café, office, breakfast nook, wine coolers and much more. All these new trimmings have expanded the role of the kitchen and made it a bigger, better, and now greener place for you and your family to enjoy. By choosing one of our green house plans, you can create a gorgeous kitchen that’s healthier for you, lighter on your wallet and better for the environment.

We’ve handpicked some of our favorite eco-friendly kitchen designs in the latest issue of Dream Designs.

We have created a special collection of distinct home plans to help you find your dream home based on your needs and lifestyle. Each collection features our architects and designers best-selling, most popular home plans, available in a wide range of architectural styles. Get inspired by our collection of fabulous kitchens, exclusive and luxury house plans or settle into one of our traditional ranch, one or two-story homes with lots of amenities and room to customize.

For this week’s issue of Dream Designs we have chosen some of our most popular floor plans for enjoying indoor and outdoor living. These designs are perfect for entertaining family and friends or enjoying private family time.

The essence of outdoor living is to create an extension of your home, but with all the comforts of the great indoors. With the rising cost in gas and travel prices, families are deciding to stay closer to home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create that great getaway feeling with your outdoor living space, you just have to choose the right elements.

A key ingredient in most outdoor living spaces is a fully equipped and designed kitchen. You’ll find items like sinks, dishwashers, refrigerators, granite countertops, tile backsplashes, gourmet gas and charcoal grills and much more. To further impress, you can add a fireplace, television, stereo system (which I’m sure will all be playing Michael Jackson, to honor the late King of Pop) and high-end teak or wrought iron furniture. A popular design trend is having your outdoor kitchen appliances encased in an island or cooking center constructed of concrete, brick, stucco, slate, limestone or similar counters and bases.

Before you go out shopping you’ll need to decide how you plan on using and designing your outdoor space. Do you want to create a retreat or an entertainment space? Do you need a space for food preparation and storage or will a grill be enough? Is a wet bar or hot tub a must for entertaining? Perhaps a combination of all these ideas can be used to create a special outdoor living space that your family and friends can enjoy.

You can get some great ideas from our latest issue of Home Ideas featuring articles on how to the bring the kitchen outdoors, the latest outdoor appliances by top manufacturers like KitchenAid and tips for building and designing your outdoor living place. Also…get inspired by our collection of outdoor living house plans.

When you graduate from The Culinary Institute of America, you can be sure that when you build a new home, you’ll want a fabulous, gourmet kitchen. When I received a call from a customer looking for a cook’s kitchen I knew I had the perfect house plan with the Tasseler, which is designed with a professional kitchen and lots of other great living spaces like a massive vaulted great room, formal dining room and theater.

The newly graduated chef was looking for a kitchen that had enough workspace to create several dishes at once, as well as host cooking classes. The gourmet kitchen features two dishwashers, dual fuel range, pot filler, warming drawer, hammered copper sinks, granite countertops, butcher block cutting board table and a pantry. The kitchen overlooks the spacious great room and dining room with beamed ceiling and stone fireplace. In addition to the center prep island there’s a separate countertop with seating for eight.

The couple was so thrilled with the spacious kitchen and open design that they purchased the house plan without even looking at our complete collection of fabulous kitchen floor plans. They knew that they would enjoy this home for many years to come because it had all the space they would need to start a family.

If you’re craving a green kitchen, you’ll want to begin by choosing the main course – appliances, cabinets, countertops, flooring and lighting. Unlike the old days, when only the mom’s were in the kitchen cooking in a rather small tucked away space, today’s modern kitchen has all the trimmings to make it a great place to gather and create memorable dishes. You’ll find consumers requesting that their house plans include extras like professional cooking and prepping areas, living room, café, office, breakfast nook, wine coolers, brick ovens and much more. Read how you can design your kitchen so it’s a bigger, better, and greener place for you and your family to enjoy in the latest issue of Home Ideas. With a little research and help from your designer, you can be sure to build and design your new kitchen with eco-friendly home products that are practical and stylish.