The kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where the family congregates right before a meal, catching up on each others day before heading to the table. It is where you will putter (often working on the table, while waiting for food to cook), and where you will share a cup of coffee with friends. If you plan to sell your home, the kitchen is also the first place that potential buyers will look at, and one of the factors that can dramatically increase (or decrease) your houses resale value.

These are just some of the reasons why it is a good idea to invest in your kitchen: its appearance, functionality, and general atmosphere. The question, however, is where to start. After all, most people may want to space out their renovations, rather than spend a large amount of money to fix it in one go.

Coordinate your Appliances

One of the easiest ways of creating a sense of harmony is to coordinate the colors of your appliances. You can replace the doors of your refrigerator and dishwasher, and trade in your microwave and other small appliances for something that matches the overall look.

Change your Cabinets

Its amazing how the small details can make a big difference. Replace your cabinet doors with one with nice panels, interesting woodwork, or beautiful handles. In fact, beautiful cabinet doors can act as a design element while serving a very practical purpose. In a very small kitchen, where theres little room for dcor, cabinets may be your only chance to make a big design statement.

Repaint the walls

Color sets the mood of a room. Choose a homey color, one that lifts the mood and creates a feeling of comfort and being welcomed. Avoid very bright colors (unless as an accent) as it can intensify the feeling of being hot (and a hot kitchen is not a comfortable kitchen). You can also use colored trim accents above the sink, near the windows, over the work area, or underneath the cabinets.

Organize your Kitchen Tools

The best kitchens are not only beautiful, but convenient. There are many kitchen organizers that can keep kitchen tools and supplies handyhooks, jars, racks while acting as a form of dcor. However, dont buy any kitchen organizers without thinking out what you need and where you should put it. For example, if you have very small table space, youll need organizers that let you hang your tools. You should also install or place the organizers near the area where you would most naturally use themif you have to walk across the kitchen to access them, then youre still not making good use of your kitchen space.

Increase the Kitchen Ventilation and Lighting

Cooking can be uncomfortable: hot, messy, stuffy. Install fans and blowers to make it a more pleasant experience, and make the most use of windows. As for lighting, you will need lights positioned near the area where you prepare the ingredients, as well as right over the stove. You may also want to install mood lights or lamps if you plan to use the kitchen as a mini-dining area.