The kitchen as focal point lives on, with increased emphasis on islands and pantries.

Dual sinks, decentralized refrigeration, accessible appliances, and various counter heights are among the considerations when designing for multiple cooks in the kitchen.

After designing hundreds of kitchens for builder and consumer clients, designer Julie Howes of The Strober-Haddonfield Group has created a list of kitchens do's and don'ts to ensure customers get a safe space with just the right look