Homeowners are fed up with their old kitchens and ways of living and are investing in substantial upgrades and remodels to improve their quality of life. That's the message that comes through the newly released findings from the 2016 Houzz Kitchen Trends Survey. Topping the list of improvements are changes and upgrades that will make homeowners' lives "easier" as well as update the kitchen's look and feel.

Results of the 2015 Kitchen Trends Survey indicated a pent-up demand for change after years of putting off needed or desired improvements. That trend is reflected in this year's survey, with 43 percent of homeowners who undertook a kitchen renovation project in 2015 saying they did so because they could no longer stand their old kitchen — up from 29 percent last year.

It's easy to see why. More than half of the homeowners in the study have not significantly renovated their kitchens in more than 20 years. Similar to last year, 37 percent said they finally had the means to do it, and 28 percent said they had recently a purchased a home and wanted to "make it my own."

Going against the trend in recent years of smaller projects, many of these renovations were substantial:

• 48 percent involved a change in layout or opening up the kitchen to other rooms of the house or to outside.
• 37 percent expanded the size of the kitchen.
• 31 percent are spending $25,000-$50,000 on kitchen renovations
• 30 percent are spending more than $50,000
• Those spending $25,000 or more wound up spending more than they had originally planned or budgeted

In addition, more homeowners engaged the services of a professional in 2015:

• 52 percent used the services of a designer (kitchen specialist 27 percent, interior designer 14 percent and architect 11 percent), compared to 46 percent in 2014.
• Among homeowners whose main objective was to increase the size of their kitchen, more than half (54 percent) hired a kitchen specialist for the project.

A large majority of homeowners upgraded major kitchen elements, including countertops, fixtures, backsplashes, lighting fixtures, cabinets, appliances, wall coverings or color, and flooring. Among the most requested additions were new pantry storage, islands or peninsulas, and breakfast bars. Built-in coffee/tea or beverage stations, built-in desks or buffets, built-in banquettes, built-in baking station, and walk-in pantries and wine cellars were among the more specialized or custom requests.

When asked what functional aspects they valued most in the kitchen, homeowners overwhelmingly said whatever makes their lives and home maintenance easier (40 percent and 32 percent, respectively). This included:

• making things easier to store (60 percent)
• making it easier for the family to gather (28 percent) and to entertain (34 percent)
• making it easier to cook and prepare meals (28 percent each)

Asked what design aspects of the kitchen they valued most, nearly two-thirds (62 percent) said "stylish and beautiful." About a third mentioned "reflects who I am" (37 percent) and "makes a statement or impression" (30 percent).

Results of this year's study confirm that indeed the kitchen has become the hub of activity, family interaction, socializing and entertaining in the home. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they spend three or more hours a day there, making it perhaps the most highly trafficked area in the house.

That's a trend that is likely to keep designers busy in the year ahead.