After visiting the EuroCucina Fair in Milan, designer Ellen Cheever said the event highlighted the fact that the kitchen has become a multi-activity room.Writing for Kitchen and Bath Design News, Ms Cheever said although in the past the event had focused purely on the working elements of the kitchen, this year almost every setting featured furniture.She said the inclusion of furniture and accessories clearly highlighted the idea the kitchen is a place to live in, not just a place to cook in. The show planners said The [exhibits] showcase the role of the kitchen as a place where people tend to congregate, the heart of the home, a creative laboratory.Ms Cheever concluded kitchen designers needed to recognise the shift of focus from kitchen cabinet arrangement to the overall living environment is order to ensure future success.Meanwhile, design director at Obelisk Interiors Lesley Watt said a successful kitchen revamp can add up to 25 per cent to the value of a home.