Kitchen design 'becoming more efficient'

Kitchen design trends have evolved over the years to promote efficiency more.

This is according to Alexandra Lange of the School of Visual Arts, who says in a post for the New York Times's Opinionator blog that kitchen design first started changing centuries ago to make things easier for the cook.

Contemporary kitchens follow this trend by making use of features such as integrated kitchen units, worktops and appliances, including both modular and wall-mounted products.

These elements can be traced back to a cabinet launched during the early 20th century by the Hoosier Manufacturing Company, which came with several storage functions and cooking tools and "looked like a china hutch on steroids", Ms Lange comments.

She goes on to note that modern kitchens now recall those seen at the end of the 19th century, which had separate cookers and sinks along with island units.

Island units are currently seen by some designers as ideal for kitchens where a lot of socialising takes place.

Using the kitchen as a family room has risen in popularity over the years, leading to things such as sofas and TVs appearing in some kitchens.