The kitchen is a home’s hot spot. But a kitchen’s design trends aren’t trendy when its composition and construction are dictated by how people really live, says Jonas Carnemark, whose eponymous design-build firm is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

         “The self-isolation caused by the coronavirus pandemic has placed a magnifying lens on home design, especially in the kitchen,” says the 33-year certified kitchen designer, as designated by the National Kitchen and Bath Association. “The kitchen isn’t just a place where people prepare and eat food. It’s the heart and hub of a home, where everyone gathers before and after meals, too.”