It is considered one of the most important rooms in a house. Used for food preparation, dining, and sometimes entertaining, the kitchen is pretty much the heart of any residence. It is usually equipped with a stove, refrigerator, microwave oven, toaster, and possibly a dishwasher. Some architectural layouts even allow room for a washer and dryer, but that’s pretty unusual.

A kitchen is often the center of family activities. It’s where Junior does his homework, Dad checks his email early in the morning, and Mom visits her friends in the afternoon. At one point or another during the day, everyone ends up in the kitchen and that’s a great incentive to make this busy hub as welcoming and inviting as possible.

The features of a kitchen depend on budget, size and lifestyle. The architectural structure of some buildings only allows for miniature kitchen areas (apartments come to mind), while others have plenty of space, but are arranged quite simply. You don’t have to have the best kitchen with an island, an over-the-range microwave, a dishwasher, multiple stainless steel appliances, elegant pendant lights, granite countertops, or antique patina copper sinks and designer brass faucets, when the cook is never home.

It is not always by choice that a kitchen ends up being disadvantaged. An older home’s style can be quite limited in the room, or there’s always the chance that, with baby number three on the way, the resident family grew a little too quickly. These are just a few of the reasons that limited space can make a kitchen undesirable or cramped. In that case, a more specific expert interior decorator or designer can help with advice. For example: swapping a booth for a rolling island will create much more work surface and an island with a drop leaf and wheels can provide mobile convenience. Tucked away against a wall, it won’t even interrupt room traffic. And don’t forget the floating shelves if you need extra storage!

Whether you’re rearranging your kitchen with what you already have or going all out, keep in mind that any alterations you make will have a big impact. Use your imagination when it comes to changes, whether it’s new framing, new flooring, or upgrading your cabinets. Just keep one thing in mind: whatever you do, stay within budget. You don’t want to end up dissatisfied with your efforts just because of the cost!

Paying attention to details will determine the warmth of your kitchen area. Adding bright, warm colors to a soft kitchen will bring excitement, while high-energy, bold patterns will add character. With a few imaginative accents, you can emphasize attractive countertops, walls, and cabinetry features and make any kitchen inspiring, unique, and appealing like a magazine cover!