Kitchen and bathroom design choices rank high with homeowners as detailed planning ensures that these spaces satisfy both the functional need as well as the visual impact. Over the decades, the kitchen has become much more than the room meals are eaten in. Often the heart of the house, eating, drinking, entertaining and working are common activities in this room and increased surface space is now desired. This has led to an increase in designs which incorporate central islands and materials such as natural stone, tiles and more recently, the durable quartz surfacing.