1. Stainless Steel Appliances – Fingerprint resistant steel is the latest development to make this look No. 1 in appliance design

2. White Cabinets – timeless and versatile, white cabinetry can meet any design scheme, country to contemporary, keep it light, keep it bright, keep it white!

3. The Kitchen is the new FAMILY room – now that kitchen design is incorporating seating and dining room, and cabinetry is furniture quality, the place for families to hang out is in the kitchen space – make sure your design reflects it

4. Walk In Pantries – a must have for the busy family who shops weekly at club stores. Everything you need for the week in a jiffy, neatly concealed away in a working space.

5. Work Zones – coffee barista? baker?, pizza maker?, – the trend is to make workspaces and locate small appliances in a central area dedicated to your favorite culinary pastime.

6. Eco-Friendly Products – despite the downturn in the economy, environmentally friendly countertops, cabinets as well as energy efficient appliances are seeing a large upswing in sales, as homeowners try to keep their kitchen projects “lean” and “green”!

7. Integrated Appliances – as appliances get bigger, the trend is to hide them away! Kitchens in 2010 will see more appliances hidden behind decorative panels or subtlety integrated into cabinetry.

8. Layered Kitchen Lighting – from overhead, to spotlights, from recessed to cabinetry and decorative chandeliers, this year’s kitchens will be lit in a combination of ways designed to bring ambiance, functionality and energy efficiency.

9. Technology in the Kitchen – today’s kitchen for the busy family sees more and more technology and not just in appliances – TV, radio, wi-fi are integral items to consider when planning design and construction

10. Spend and Save Now, Upgrade Later – the tight financial resources of many families, means that when they are deciding on options they may well not be able to afford all of their choices right now. Many are choosing to invest wisely now in either luxury countertops or appliances, and complete the other element in their project at a later date.