Kitchens are once again becoming the heart of a home where a number of family activities take place, a report has said.Family and friends are beginning to gather in kitchens to socialise and the latest kitchen accessories and equipment are often proudly shown off, Earth Times stated.The design of kitchens is taking a more homely direction, with furniture looking more like that people would discover in their living rooms, Cologne Trade Fair, organiser of the IMM Cologne annual international furniture fair, claimed.What is more, kitchens are becoming more and more of a status symbol, the report noted.Clever storage spaces and fold-away items are the latest trends in kitchen designs.Kitchen designers have taken note of this trend and are streamlining available space and creating efficient storage solutions for homeowners, Kitchen and Bath Design reported.This is particularly important now people prefer to make home improvements rather than place their property on the current housing market, it added.