The kitchen - it's now a command centre - the domain of the Commander-In-Chief. The role of the kitchen has changed more radically than any other area in the home. Goodbye to post-war stereotypical mums and floral aprons. Instead, here's a place where every member of the family - irrespective of whether that is one person or 10 - can be found.

And not only found there, but empowered with a range of sophisticated technologies and responsibilities.

Adults, or for that matter, older children can keep an eye on youngsters working on computers that no longer are necessarily tucked away in a study, but which can be found at a bureau within sight of the kitchen bench.

Questions asked, homework helped, social arrangements made, emails and text messages sent, food prepped, neighbours and friends snacking at a breakfast bar; microwaves programmed, dishwasher purring, fridge chiming that the door hasn't been closed properly, intercom showing that someone has arrived at the front gate, vegetables being processed by the latest 240-volt gizmo - they are as much a part of today's kitchen as Palmolive dish washing liquid was to Madge the manicurist in the 1960's.

And there also are reasons why the "closed-in" kitchen is a rarity these days.

Instead, according to Ausbuild's in-house design guru, Brent Fletcher, the galley-style of kitchen which has a lineal bench and is open at both ends, is far more relevant to current living.

"Providing access to the kitchen from many sides and ensuring that it can fulfill multiple functions is a key element of successful design."

"The galley kitchen works - when you close in a kitchen, you lose space. Once, kitchen benches used to have 1200mm raised bench to hide the things behind it. Today we accept that people know we have things on our kitchen benches and that it is far more practical to have an area where you can sit, pass things along, stack things, serve to plates and a myriad of other tasks."

But one key design element remains - for cooking, ensure that the fridge, cooktop and sink are the central triangle of operations.

That way you are in control of command centre rather than having to run from one end of the ship to the other every time you need something.