The modern kitchen is no longer simply a place to cook food, but has become a gathering place almost as important as the dining room, according to one report.Writing for CNET blog Appliances and Kitchen Gadgets, Jennifer Lowell says the fact that cooking is now a social activity is leading to manufacturers pairing up with designers to develop new kitchens.Although the primary function of the kitchen to cook food- remains the same, more people are often involved in the task than in previous years, Ms Lowell states.She adds that high-end designers are making kitchen appliances look like living room furniture and spaces are becoming less awkward and more crisp, clean and customisable.Yorkshire-based kitchen manufacturer Michael Wright agrees with Ms Lowells statements, writing on the company website What was once a private womans domain is now a central part of our social culture, deserving of all of the design attention afforded to the rest of the house.