Dear Anne,

We are getting ready to build our house and I keep getting advice from different people about what is 'in' for kitchen designs.  How will I go about designing a kitchen that is up to date and works well for me?

-Amy in Adamstown

Dear Amy,

Planning a kitchen can seem like a daunting task, but there are a lot of resources available to help you plan a beautiful space that will be used by you, your family and your friends for years to come.  Using the floor plan created by your architect, a certified kitchen designer will draw your kitchen schematics, showing every drawer, cabinet, accessory and appliance that will be in the kitchen.  Kitchen designers are the one 'must have' in this process as they are the experts at planning your kitchen so that it will be both functional and attractive.

There are a lot of products to choose from in building your kitchen right now.  Stainless Steel appliances, which started gaining popularity a few years ago, are still the first choice among buyers.  Under-counter refrigerators, sinks with flexible faucets, and warming drawers are appliance choices that are growing in popularity and can expand a kitchen's functionality.  Many consumers are choosing to put their personal 'stamp' on their kitchen by adding dramatic backsplashes, glass-front cabinets and island cabinets that contrast, rather than match, their perimeter cabinets.

A good place to start in planning your kitchen is to look at magazines and websites with kitchens that appeal to you.  Save these photos and bring them with you when you start choosing your kitchen fixtures.  And remember, trends come and go but you are the person who lives and works in the kitchen every day.  You should build a kitchen that appeals to you and that you will enjoy for many years to come!

-Anne

Still, that prediction comes with some caveats.

Murray says that in order for the construction market to realize those gains, employment will need to show growth, banks will have to loosen lending, and state and local government will need to contain their budget difficulties.