Layout

What's hot

Connection to the outdoors

"A small window over the kitchen sink used to be your only connection with nature," Dickinson says. "Now every kitchen we do has a door leading onto the deck or patio, and there's the desire for a large window to enhance the visual connection."

Pantries

With at least one wall lost to windows and a door, there's less available space for cabinets. That has put a premium on pantry space. A stand-alone freezer is a valuable addition to walk-in pantries, allowing owners to keep their grocery budget in check by getting deals on bulk items.

Islands

Designers also tout islands or a peninsula countertop. Most people prefer the "public" side of the island to be raised to conceal meal prep. Auxiliary cabinet space and a prep sink increase an island's function, but think hard about adding a cooktop. "The splatters and smells and mess it creates are off the charts," Dickinson says. "So you really have to know that going in."

What sells

Functionality

The most beautiful kitchen in the world can't make up for a lousy layout. "Even if a buyer has never heard of the work triangle," Hamilton says, referring to the placement of the refrigerator, sink, and range, "they will feel it if the layout is configured poorly." He recalls one kitchen where the only place to fit the Sub-Zero refrigerator was on the other side of the room from the sink and range. "The homeowners sacrificed functionality for a double-wide refrigerator and lowered the marketability of their home significantly," he says.

An open floor plan

An integrated kitchen and family living space remains a must-have feature, and there's no end in sight to that trend. In fact, the great room is the most likely room to be included in new homes built in 2015, according to a survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders.

Bottom line

When it comes to windows and doors, it's not just about letting light in. It's also important to keep heated and cooled air from leaking out. Look for windows and doors with insulating features such as heat-reflecting low-E coatings and argon gas between glass panes. The island might be one of the most desired items, but if it's not appropriate to the scale of the room, it won't work for you or for your home's resale value. You need at least 42 inches between the island and surrounding cabinets and appliances to maintain traffic flow, according to the NKBA. Don't forget about ventilation, which is influenced by layout. In our tests, undercabinet and wall-chimney hoods, the type commonly used over ranges, are much better at capturing smoke and steam than the downdraft systems often put in islands.