The Kitchen as a Family Gathering Place Kitchens have become all-purpose work spaces, as well as places for the family and even guests to congregate and socialize.
Children do their homework under the watchful eye of a parent who is cooking.
Adults plan menus and schedules at tables and work stations close by the cooking area. Phones, televisions and even computers have taken up residence in the kitchen, presenting new design challenges. When the room is open to the living area, additional design problems arise. Here are three arrangements for melding all the uses. The kitchen is the heart of the modern American home, and designers are creating useful kitchens that reflect it.