• Kitchens serve different functions, even as an office space, so it's important to have a great kitchen design.Andrew Bret Wallis/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  The busiest room in the house, the kitchen's design should reflect the owner's particular style. Many modern kitchens are integrated with the rest of the house in such a way that they are not just cooking rooms, but places to entertain and relax with family and friends. Kitchen design is basically split into two major categories: modern and casual, but there are a number of variations on these themes.
  
  

Contemporary Kitchen

• Contemporary kitchen design draws from sleek Scandinavian and Danish styles, with flat cabinetry in lighter woods, stainless steel appliances and hardware, and a stark palette of black and silver with an accent of red or white. Appliances and kitchen gadgets are of a modern design, and often small appliances like microwaves and coffee makers are showcased rather than hidden.
  
  

Farm Kitchen

• The American farm kitchen design is casual and country, often with retro touches like enamelware and cast iron cookware. The style is rustic, with beadboard paneling, country cupboards, forged iron hardware and rich primary colors like red, blue and yellow. Farm kitchen accents include farm animals like cows and chickens, chunky pottery and simple cotton textiles.
  
  

Country Kitchen

• Similar to the farm kitchen design but not quite as rustic, the country kitchen's enduring popularity lies in its casual style that makes it ideal for busy families. Country kitchen design often is based on a motif like apples or sunflowers, or could be built around a single solid color like red, green or yellow. The decorating is casual, the kitchen is often eat-in or has a breakfast nook, and this style is general enough to include elements of other designs.
  
  

Old-World Kitchen

• The Old-World kitchen look, inspired by French and Italian kitchens, is quite popular. French kitchen design incorporates rich woods like cherry and mahogany, copper pots, apron sinks and a built-in marble counter for rolling out pastries. Italian kitchens also use rich dark woods accompanied by metal scrollwork, faux plaster walls, vegetable decorations like tomatoes and eggplant and a grapevine motif.