ESTERO, FL (MAY 6, 2011) Today’s kitchen is not just another room, it has become a part of our lifestyle and the key place in the home to have fun, entertain and cook. What inspires your kitchen décor should be about the way you live and as personal or practical as you choose to make it.

“There is no rule of thumb anymore in kitchen design. The main idea is that it is comfortable, livable, workable and beautiful,” says Andrew Jones of Chalon Kitchens.  The custom-made kitchen brand from the UK opened its first U.S. location in 2011 at Miromar Design Center in Estero. Jones says large center islands in a kitchen anchor the family, the cook and their guests. “It is important that you be able to face and interact with people while you are cooking and the entire process becomes social and more enjoyable.”

Troy Ellis represents world-renowned Clive Christian as well as Euro Kitchen Design showrooms. He says there is a trend toward simpler, cleaner lines, a trend that has made the Euro Kitchen product popular. “My advice when beginning a kitchen project is to buy the best quality you can afford and make it a reflection of your personal taste.”

Personalizing your kitchen has never been so easy. Colors that were once reserved for your walls are now available as finishes for your cabinets.  The Poggenpohl showroom at Miromar Design Center represents five different kitchen lines at every price point. The Poggenpohl brand offers 65 different door colors and finishes and the combinations are endless. “It really is a work of art creating today’s kitchen.  I have clients who are using one door color on the top cabinets, another on the bottom. The two-tone look creates a new dimension.  Kitchens have become as personal as selecting artwork, jewelry and clothing,” says Poggenpohl showroom owner Tony Mammoliti.

Walker Zanger’s Drew Rust says the fashion industry does have a large influence on kitchen trends in tile and stone. “Special effects tile such as 3D tile and textures add interest to a kitchen backsplash.  Dimensional stone can create patterns that appear to undulate like a curtain.  It is amazing the new trends made possible by technology,” says Rust.

Walker Zanger luxury tile and stone company is among more than a dozen stores all under one roof at Miromar Design Center that sell what you need to create the kitchen of your dreams. You can shop for everything from cabinetry to flooring, lighting and tile.  To help you on your quest for your Dream Kitchen, Miromar Design Center will showcase the best of the best in kitchen design over two days — May 18 and May 19. Cooking demonstrations, tastings and seminars are free and open to the public.   Visit these stores: CHALON • CLIVE CHRISTIAN • EURO KITCHEN DESIGNS • POGGENPOHL • SOHO KITCHENS & DESIGNS • ANN SACKS • PARIS CERAMICS • THE WOOD FLOOR COMPANY • WALKER ZANGER• REMODELING WITH INNOVATION BY BAY BUILDERS