Here is a picture of a home design idea. In this home the kitchen was in a large open room along with the dining and great room. The advantage of this type of house plan is that when entertaining or just hanging out as a family, those that are in the kitchen are a part of whats going on in the family room and visa versa. Generally if the host or hostess of a get-together is in the kitchen cooking, friends and family tend to congregate around the kitchen. The disadvatage to a home plan with the combined rooms, is that not everyone is really good at keeping the kitchen spotless. With a raised bar like the kitchen below, dishes and the sink are somewhat hidden from view so its easier to keep a presentable kitchen area. It also keeps things from direct view when someone first walks into the room making a better first impression.