No room in the house inspires more ooohs and aaaaahs than a beautiful kitchen. Shoppers are more excited to view the kitchen area than even a grand master suite with luxurious master bath. You know why? Nobody has time to enjoy the garden tub and heated floor tiles. We are a busy society of multi taskers and there is only so much you can do from the bathroom.

In terms of the modern family's needs, the kitchen is the queen of multitasking. No more is it simply a room to prepare, serve, and eat food. We gather there, do homework there, dress wounds there, hold meetings there, check email there, pay bills there, organize supplies there, have game night there, do arts and crafts there, and relax and enjoy a cup of coffee there when everyone else is gone.

I would love my kitchen if I didn't hate it so much. It is too tiny and lacks 75% of the features necessary to accomplish the above. Here are some things to look for if you're buying or remodeling so you don't have to suffer like me.

Cupboards and counter space. They all look big when they are empty so try and have a whole section of counter apart from the sink and stove sections that provides ample work space. Either the L shaped counter and/or island with overhang for bar stools is a must for my next house. The expanded area is super for quick meals and easy clean up as well as a good spot for homework and small projects. You need tons of cupboards too. I keep the majority of my pans and my wok in my Son's closet because there is barely enough room in the kitchen for cereal bowls and macaroni and cheese in this 1996 built house that dazzled us with cathedral ceilings, upgraded elevation & arches and round top windows. Woo hoo. Maybe with all that ceiling space I can build a pantry above my head.

A nice big pantry is essential for dried goods, some cleaning supplies, maybe even your Dyson! (the multi tasking king of cleaning!)

I like the computer desk in the kitchen area, too, if the whole thing can be shut up by cabinets so that the bills and clutter do not overpower the kitchen. The beauty of a great kitchen is that it manages all these tasks while still looking beautiful, organized, and inviting.

Accommodating family gatherings is a major prerequisite with most home buyers. Although a separate formal dining area may not be used often for "formal dining", it does control the flow of guests for any type of gathering and especially when paired with a kitchen equipped with smaller eating area and L counter and barstools, it provides maximum comfort and function when entertaining. When not being used for a get together it is a wonderful workspace for a school projects that spans days. Just don't put a delicate fancy pants dining room table in there unless you plan to host many elegant dinners.

Function aside, a kitchen inspires ooooohs and aaaaaaahs with its beauty. The granite counters, the decorative back splash tiles, magnificent appliances, double ovens, deep drawers for all the gadgets and small appliances (woks! blenders! food processors! george forman!)... maybe it is all beauty that only a woman can see, but fellas, if the queen ain't happy, nobody's happy!