In New England towns, spring house tours, and specifically kitchen tours, are budding like crocuses on a crisp May morning. Timed to align perfectly with Mother’s Day, they give women the distinctive voyeuristic pleasure of peering into the lives of those who might otherwise hide behind barriers, physical or economic, too high to scale otherwise.

Such was the case last week when seven houses in my small town opened for our annual kitchen tour. This Friday I will also visit a Designer Showhouse with a friend; others dot the next few weeks, but hey, you can only catch a glimpse of so many lives. As is often my observation at the end of the day: we have become expert groomers and featherers of our nests. Call it the cocoon movement, call it a boost in home entertainment…or call it the desire for conspicuous consumption: we’re decorating and renovating our homes like there’s no tomorrow!

I cannot fault the efforts of these well-intentioned owners. Because I am officially in their ranks. Previously involved in an extensive renovation of the third floor of our home, we have also done less glamorous projects. We have ripped up the rugs to fit hardwood. Removed wallpaper to paint ceilings to floors. Replacement of lighting fixtures. Bamboo screens and silk panels were added. And now we are preparing to enter the kitchen demolition phase. The constructor is aligned. Drawn plans. Master carpenter in charge. Configured appliances.

I completely understand the anguish.

Sometime between the 1980s and the start of the new millennium, we collectively (as a nation) decided that a completely remodeled kitchen, loaded with bells and whistles, would be the benchmark for a good home. Whether we cooked or not, we needed industrial-strength appliances. That we needed six burners, even if our family was small or our nest was getting emptier and quieter. That we had to have stainless steel, regardless of its tendency to attract tiny fingerprints. Those cabinets had to be perfectly configured. The drawers had to slide silently.

I spent a lot of time sorting all of this out. Trying to get our heads, and our checkbook, to wrap up the scope of the project. To find out what was really necessary and what was purely frivolous. In doing my research, I came across an interesting little statistic that most people do a kitchen renovation because of, drum roll, peer pressure! That it’s not just to bring a house up to date or to resell it or for aesthetics or because we’d like to improve the odds that we actually cook in it. We want updated kitchens because our friend did. Or our neighbor. Wow.
Chances are you’re in the middle of a renovation, just finished one, or about to hit the road to one. So keep your eyes open for the following trends:

1) Glass front refrigerators. Martha Stewart just put one of hers up in her house in New York. They will certainly be in fashion within a year. I wanted one, in fact, it was the only thing I asked for in my own renewal, but I won’t get it. I couldn’t get anyone in my family to come on board with me. I couldn’t get anyone excited about keeping their looks like they do in the magazine ads for them. But stay tuned. They are going to be big.

2) Stone countertops other than granite. Granite has been used. Much. We are now looking at stone that is not in the ubiquitous category. Look for more limestone and marble. And some very good stone imitations.

3) Steam ovens. IT’S OKAY. I think this is a man thing. I’ve tried to convince my husband that an old-fashioned pot works fine when heated over an open flame, but he’s convinced we’ll eat more steamed broccoli if we buy a unit designed for that. (And also steamed fish, chicken and cauliflower). Whatever. They are a great size to install on a wall or an island and they sell like hot cakes.

4) Warmer drawers. It seems I’m in the minority here in not getting one. But something has to give. You can not have everything. They do a great job of keeping things warm until everyone gets home from soccer and piano lessons.

5) Fabulous hardware. Look for wonderful knobs, drawer pulls, and hinges. Available in a wide variety of styles and finishes, these will give your cabinets character and add the visual impact the room deserves.

6) Light fixtures take up space. Look for wrought iron in black and bronze finishes. I saw many interesting ones in the market. All prices, styles and shapes. Lighting has really taken a place of prominence in the overall design and budget of the room.

7) Kitchens reign as the official hallmark of the home. They mark the personality of the owners. Of his tastes and his stage in life. They are the first room prospective homebuyers make their first direct line to and the real deciding factor, or decider, of the house. As you awaken your senses and follow the call of spring (and you can feel it, can’t you?), open your eyes and mind to the endless possibilities, creative impulses, and nurturing opportunities in this all-important room. They don’t call it the heart of the home for nothing.